Political leaders, traditional rulers, captains of industries and Christian stakeholders in Calabar have declared the current administration of Governor Bassey Otu “an answer to prayers.”

They spoke at a high-level, non-denominational Banquet of Gratitude convened by Archbishop Josef Bassey, the Archbishop of Calabar and Visionary of Cross River State Christian Leaders Forum at God’s Heritage Centre, Gloryland, Calabar.

The gathering attracted who’s who in Cross River State, including Governor  Bassey Otu, represented by the Deputy Governor, the Secretary to the State Government, commissioners, members of the National and State Assemblies, business moguls, and leading Christian voices.

Also in attendance were prominent traditional rulers, including the Obong of Calabar and Paramount Ruler of the Efik Kingdom Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu V,  alongside the Paramount Ruler of the Efuts, Muri Itam Hogan Itam.

Organisers emphasised that the thanksgiving was not held at the beginning of the administration but after three years of deliberate observation.

“It took us three years to watch, to see, and to be sure,” Archbishop Bassey said.

“Today, our collective verdict is that God has answered our prayers of many years.”

Speakers at the event pointed to what they described as a massive ongoing transformation in every sector of the state, highlighting infrastructural development, accountability in governance,  and a growing sense of joy among the people.

Particular emphasis was placed on the Governor’s humility, his public stand for the Christian faith, his partnership with the Church, and what participants described as a genuine love for the state and her people; qualities they said formed the core of their long-standing prayers.

HRM Muri Prof. Itam Hogan Itam, Paramount Ruler of the Efuts, who declared that the emergence of the current administration brought an end to a dark chapter in the annals of the history of the Efut nation and stands as clear evidence that God has answered the cries of the people.

The Governor acknowledged that his emergence defied political expectations.

“In the permutations of men, I was not in the one they strategised, planned, and positioned to be the Governor. But God decided otherwise, my Governorship is absolutely a creation of God,” he said.

The high point of the event was a one-hour session of uninterrupted thanksgiving marked by sacrifice of intense praise, dancing and testimonies that created a deeply charged atmosphere of collective gratitude.

Archbishop Bassey described the moment as more than a celebration.

“Thanksgiving is a covenant exercise,” he said. “When you thank God for what He has done, you compel Him to complete what remains. And Praise is the highest form of warfare, it commands impossible victories.”

The gathering was a non- denominational  civic-spiritual convergence, uniting leadership across sectors around a shared conclusion:

For many in attendance, Cross River’s prayers have been answered. And with this offering of quality thanksgiving and praise, more answers to prayers and move victories are inevitable.