The 2024 Harvest Thanksgiving and Bazaar of Church of the Ascension (CoTA), Bodija, Ibadan, came to a colourful close on Sunday, 27 October 2024.

 

The highlights of the five-month-long programme which took place under the auspices of Christian Mothers Society started with the inauguration of the Central Harvest Planning Committee, and later, the harvest banner on 23 June 2024. The Central Committee, which had other ten sub-committees, was chaired by Dr Josephine Adeolu, with Engr Tomiwa Bickersteth as its Vice-Chairperson.

The sub-committees were Family Harvest sub-committee, headed by Mrs Chinwe Jibiri; Children and Youth Harvest sub-committee, which was headed by Mrs Edith Ekun; Luncheon and Dance with the Archbishop sub-committee, headed by Mrs Mary Ibitoye; Societies Harvest sub-committee, headed by Mrs Olubunmi Olatoye; Professional Harvest sub-committee, headed by Pharm. Biola Oladokun. Others were Diaspora Harvest sub-committee (for parishioners and/or their relations who were outside Ibadan or Nigeria), headed by Mrs Abiodun Areje; Grandparents Harvest sub-committee, headed by Mama V. Balogun and Mrs Rose Layonu; States and Cultural Harvest sub-committee, headed by Lady C. Korie, and Grand Finale Harvest sub-committee, headed by Engr Tomiwa Bickersteth.

 

Events of the grand finale on Sunday 27 October started with Mass at 9:00am, graced by the Archbishop of the Archdiocese himself, His Grace, Most Reverend Gabriel ‘Leke Abegunrin, as Chief Celebrant. The Parish Priest, Reverend Father Francis Awotoye, Assistant Parish Priest, Reverend Father Peace Jemibor, and Reverend Father John Kevwe Oshogbo, from Warri Diocese, who preached the day’s homily, were also there.

Seminarians from the Diocese, Servants of Charity, and Dominican Community also shared in the joyous occasion, with the Parish’s St Cecilia Choir rendering the beautiful and melodious songs during the Mass.

 

In his homily, which he drew from the day’s Gospel reading about Blind Bartimaeus, in Mark 10:46–52, Father Oshogbo exhorted God’s people to be courageous enough to ask God for what they needed, like Bartimaeus. He, however, added that it was most expedient for everybody to ask God for spiritual vision, because some people might have eyes but could still not see or understand spiritual things. He, thereafter, emphasized on the need to celebrate, calling on the members of the worshipping and faith community to rejoice and be glad for God’s salvation and all the gifts that come with it in their lives, in line with the call in the first reading of the day, from the book of Jeremiah 31:7–9.

 

The event ended with a Bazaar, which was chaired by Mr Olaniyi Famurewa, who was represented by Mr Emmanuel Oladapo. In his opening remarks, Engr Bickersteth, who chaired the sub-committee that planned the grand finale programme, welcomed parishioners and guests to the event, praying everyone to be thankful to God, regardless of the current economic challenges that the country might be facing. Then he invited them to participate and thoroughly enjoy the Bazaar sales and love feast.

 

In his vote of thanks at the end of the programme, the Parish Priest, Father Awotoye, thanked members of all the functional groups in the parish, for making the year’s harvest thanksgiving programme very successful and memorable.