Nigerian international music star, Divine Ikubor, popularly known as Rema, has made a generous donation of N105 million to the Christ Embassy Church in Benin City, Edo State, during a thanksgiving service, Okay.ng reports.
Rema, an Edo native, was in the state to participate in the Edo@33 celebrations, where he also performed the groundbreaking ceremony for the 6,000-capacity Edo Dome and took part in a musical concert at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, following an invitation from the state government.
The donation was made to the Edo Regional Headquarters of the Christ Embassy Church, located at Erediauwa Street off Ekenwa Road. Rema expressed that this contribution was a gesture of appreciation for the support the church provided to his family during a challenging period in his childhood.
Reflecting on the church’s impact, Rema shared his experience of losing his father when he was just eight years old.
He recounted how the church, led by Pastor Joy and Pastor Thomas, stepped in to support his family by opening a shop for his mother, which she used to care for and feed the family.
“I am not here to give myself any form of accolades or glory but to give to God the glory. And I felt it was important to give back to the church that has embraced me, prayed for me, and kept me very consistent with my spirit,” Rema said during the service.
“When I was eight years old when I lost my dad, we felt very lost and abandoned.
“All that we had were taken from us and we felt alone, and I remember at the time Pastor Joy and Pastor Thomas, the pastors of this church; they opened a shop for my mum, and that was what she managed to take care of and feed us.
“Firstly, I want to give a pledge of N40 million to the infrastructural development of the church, N20 million to the Rhapsody of Realities publication, and, being a fact that I came from the teen church, I also like to pledge N25 million to the church.
“And just to add to that, if there is any widow in church today, I am pledging N20 million to assist all the widows in attendance.”