Tragedy has struck the community of Eziala Nguru in Ngor Okpala Council area of Imo state as Evangelist Chidi Eke, aged 46 years had died while trying to fast for 40 days and Nights.
Sunday Sun reliably gathered that the deceased who had abandoned his wife and two children in Lagos and went back to the village had some times last year said to have embarked on evangelism.
It was gathered that the deceased had announced that he wants to start his ministry but that before he does that he would have to obtain power from God.
It was learnt that Eke having initially fasted for 21 days successfully decided to embark on 40 days and 40 nights dry fast.
According to sources in the community, “During the first and second week of his fast people who had gone to their farms heard him singing and praying loudly, but after the third week nobody heard his voice again and most people thought that perhaps he must have gone spiritual”.
It was learnt that it was not until one of his members, Cyriacus Opara who became worried and insisted that he needed to visit him at the “Wilderness”.
“When Cyriacus Opara who is a member of his church approached the family that he wanted to visit Chidi Eke at the “Wilderness”. They told him that they don’t know the exact location where he is and that Chidi Eke had earlier issued a stern warning that he does not want any visitors because he had left his phone and money at home and had only gone with his Bible and gown”.
The family members it was learnt had directed Cyriacus Opara to one Cajethan Nwaneri as the only person who knew the location of the “Wilderness” since he had assisted the deceased evangelist in clearing it.
According to Cajethan Duke, one of the relations of the deceased said it was Cajethan Nwaneri who had directed Cyriacus Opara to the location and when he got to the place he discovered that Chidi Eke had long died as his body was already decomposing and immediately raised the alarm.
He said, “ Chidi Eke had abandoned his wife and two children a boy and girl in Lagos and returned to the village saying that he has come to answer the call of God. His corpse was discovered on October 6 by one of his members who had gone to check on him in the bush where he had gone to fast for 40 days and 40 nights.
Chidi Eke is the only son of his mother, In fact, it was members of the community under the leadership of Tochukwu Ekeh (Aged 90) who bore the burden of burying him.”
It was learnt that as a result of the unfortunate incident the community has henceforth banned people from fasting and praying inside the bush and that if they must fast and pray it must be in their own homes.
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