Hands jammed in praise, voices raised in worship as musical instruments
blended in agreement on Tuesday to herald the inauguration of the Deeper
Life Bible Church’s headquarters at Gbagada, Lagos.
After 13
years wait, members of the church worldwide connected as one to
celebrate the occasion which was also witnessed by many religious and
political leaders in Nigeria.
The multi-billion edifice, which was conceived and constructed by members of the church, is certainly worth the wait.
Its remarkable world-class features make it a piece of architectural intelligence.
According
to information from the church, the 30,000 four-level amphitheatre
comes with a central air-conditioning units, chiller farm and
air-handing units.
There are also modern toilet facilities
connected to a Central Sewage System, standby generators and panel
rooms, 7.5 MVA dedicated public power, and 2.5 MVA transformers.
And
right within the compound is a multi-purpose hall, water treatment
plant, modern sewage treatment plant, two industrial boreholes and
firefighting equipment.
The auditorium also has a fire hydrant
and hose reels, office facilities on five floors, six and 12-passenger
elevators, among others.
Adjoining the facility is a four-level
framed structure car/bus park which can accommodate 450 cars and 75
buses, toilet facilities, restaurant and two-level sewage treatment
plant.
And to allay the fear of residents, Deeper Life went far
and beyond the call of duty by constructing a multi-million naira
flyover which occupied the entire length of Oduwaiye Street, complete
with traffic lights.
But very few would believe that such a
masterpiece could be constructed on what used to be a marshy low land
that was infested with snakes, scorpions, snails, fishes and reptiles.
And
even after the Deeper Life reportedly acquired the land, it could only
manage to construct a 3,000-capacity auditorium in 1980, which was
viewed as a luxury by members because the church never had a fellowship
centre of its own for many years.
Yet, in June 2005, the General
Superintendent of the church, Pastor W.F. Kumuyi, asked that the
structure be pulled down to make way for what has now been said to be
the fourth largest auditorium in the world.
Kumuyi, while speaking at the inauguration, said the edifice was to make worshippers comfortable in the presence of God.
The
holiness preacher, who was flanked at the event by his wife, Esther,
and the Vice President of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, urged religious
leaders to also commit to impacting their environment.
He said,
“About 13 years ago, we knew that we were taking a leap of faith, but we
trusted the lord that he would not only provide all we needed, but also
direct the project to a successful conclusion. And today, we have even
surpassed our expectation.
“We embarked on the additional
projects because we are convinced that the task of developing and
modernising of our society cannot be left to the government alone.
Individuals, non-governmental organisations and even corporate
organisations, including religious groups, should be involved, as much
as they can, in the spiritual, as well as physical uplift of our state
and country.
“Religious organisations must go beyond this
approach. We must intensify the task of preaching and spreading the word
all over our nation; we must tirelessly pursue the goal of changing
lives for Jesus Christ. We must make our places of worship the gates of
heaven on earth, where those thirsty for God and those who are seeking a
deeper experience in life can find solace, be reconciled to God and be
assured of a place in heaven when life on earth comes to an end.”
According
to Punch, a feeling of nostalgia enveloped the congregation and those
watching live through the social media and the life transmission when
Kumuyi’s wife, Esther, paid tributes to the matriarch of the church, the
late Mrs. Abiodun Kumuyi.
Esther, in a heavy voice, described
the deceased as “amiable, indefatigable,” saying she gave the church
many worthy legacies of which the popular Christian Women Mirror
magazine stood out.
Osinbajo lauded the Deeper Life for its
investment in a flyover and streetlights to ease traffic in the
neighbourhood. He said the edifice is the fourth largest auditorium in
the world.
He described Kumuyi, as “a man of uncommon humility
and commitment to the spread of the undiluted gospel of Jesus Christ
with candour and integrity.”
