. . . Over 25,000 delegates pack Moshood Abiola National Stadium for 2024 Convention

Close to 600 persons have been baptised as Jehovah’s Witnesses in one day in Abuja, the Nigerian capital. The immersion of the 580 new ministers of the good news was one of the highlights of the three-day “Declare the Good News!” 2024 Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses held at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium from Friday, November 15, to Sunday, November 17.

Among the newly dedicated and baptised Witnesses were 253 males and 327 females. The youngest among them is seven years old while the oldest is 75 years in age.

Before their immersion, the 580 baptismal candidates made a public declaration of their faith by answering a resounding “Yes!” to two important questions. One of the questions they answered is if they have repented of their sins, made needed changes and are now ready to live their lives in accordance with Bible principles.

The peak attendance at the convention was 25,208.

Two other conventions of similar magnitude are scheduled to be held next month in South-South Nigeria. According to a release by Mr. Olusegun Eroyemi, National Spokesperson for Jehovah’s Witnesses in Nigeria, “Interestingly, two other stadia will be used for same event at Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Igwuruta in Port Harcourt, River State, from December 8, 2024 and also at Godswill Akpabio International Stadium located in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State between December 20 and 22”.

The “Declare the Good News!” convention series began across Nigeria from August 9-11. Many regional conventions have been held across the country since then, with many more still ahead.

The convention, holding in more than 48 different locations across Nigeria, focuses on hope-inspiring good news amidst challenges faced by humans today. It consists of presentations that include Bible-based talks, audio dramas, interviews, and short videos.

Apart from the baptism, another main highlight is an epic all-volunteer production portraying Jesus Christ’s Life and Teachings, entitled, “The Good News According to Jesus: Episode 1”.

The production has an 18-episode comprehensive look at the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, his personality and interactions with people. Subsequent episodes will be released at future conventions.

The programme commences at 8:20 a.m. each day of the convention, closing at 3:50 p.m., except on Sunday, when it closes at 2:30 p.m. The time however changes in states that observe “environmental Saturdays” when it falls on the last weekend of any month.

The date and location for each convention can be found on the official website of Jehovah’s Witnesses, jw.org

•PHOTO: Delegates singing at the “Declare the Good News!” 2024 Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses held at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium from Friday to Sunday . . . November 15-17, 2024

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