• Thanks The Guardian, others for assistance
After 62 harrowing days, U.S.-based Bishop Kenneth Obi has reunited with his family in Texas after being stranded in Nigeria due to the loss of his green card.
The Senior Pastor of Divine World International Church of God in Christ (COGIC) and a human rights activist had travelled to Nigeria on February 18, 2025, to celebrate 17 years as a COGIC Bishop and 20 years as a COGIC Pastor. However, the celebrations took a dramatic turn when he discovered that his green card was missing.
In response, Obi filed a police report and court affidavit, attaching a photograph of the card. Despite his efforts, Delta Airline officials in Lagos declined to let him board, insisting he obtain fresh travel documents from the American Embassy. This left him stranded in Nigeria since March 19, the date he was originally scheduled to return to the United States.
The bishop lived on charity during this time while his family endured hardship in the U.S. On May 21, after 62 days of frustration, the American Embassy in Lagos issued him the necessary documents to travel back to the United States.
Speaking before boarding a Delta Airline flight to Atlanta, Georgia, Obi expressed his gratitude to The Guardian for highlighting his plight, which prompted swift action from his church and U.S. authorities.
He thanked the leadership of COGIC, including Presiding Bishop J. Drew Sheard, Mission Department President Bishop Rhone, and Vice President Bishop Solomon OmoOsagie. He also acknowledged support from U.S. officials, such as Senator Warnock’s office director Charles Spry and Congresswoman Nekima Williams’ office director Jared and Ernest.
Bishop Obi said, “I thank my Pastor, Bishop Paul Fortson, Regional Bishop Norman Harper, Bishop James Austin, Bishop Alphonso Denson, Bishop Adebanjo, Bishop Theodore Josiah, and many others who prayed for me. My classmates from Asoro Grammar School, my Otulu Elite League, Oru brothers and sisters, and others made my ordeal bearable. I wouldn’t have known what to do without God touching them for me.”
Known as the People’s Bishop and the Edo COGIC Jurisdictional Prelate, Obi criticised Delta Airline officials in Nigeria, accusing Mr Salami, Mrs Akpan, and Mr Napoleon of rudeness and lack of assistance. He questioned their policy of helping only travellers with expired green cards, asking why they couldn’t assist someone with a misplaced yet valid card.
Despite the ordeal, Obi expressed hope for the future, vowing to support his family and recover from the challenges caused by his prolonged stay in Nigeria.
He emphasised the importance of safeguarding essential documents and expressed disappointment in Delta Airline’s handling of his case. Obi called for greater empathy and improved communication in addressing such situations, stressing that timely support could have significantly reduced the stress and uncertainty he experienced.
