But Mercy Said No! A Thanksgiving to Abba Father for His Mercy 05/08/1966 – 05/08/2026

August 18, 2026 news-admin 0 Comments

By Shiloh Akinyemi-Otohibi

There are moments in life when words are simply inadequate to express the depth of gratitude in one’s heart. There are seasons when the only reasonable response to all that God has done is to lift our hands and say, “Abba Father, thank You!”

Today, as a family, we return all the glory to God for the life of our father, husband, grandfather, mentor, and servant of God, who celebrated his 60th birthday on 5 August 2026.

Sixty years is no small milestone.

It is not merely a number. It is a testimony of preservation, mercy, grace, and divine purpose.

Looking back over the last decade, we can say without hesitation: but mercy said no!

When Dad turned 50, we could not have imagined the journey that lay ahead. From that period, there were one health crisis after another—some seemingly minor, others frightening enough to make us confront the fragility of life.

Yet, through every season, God remained faithful.

Things became more pronounced in August 2024, when Dad turned 58.

I remember that day vividly. I was at the Redemption Camp and called to wish him a happy birthday. As we spoke, I immediately noticed something was wrong. His speech sounded unusual—slurred and strangely difficult to understand.

I began asking him questions.

That was when I discovered that he had an accident on his birthday and sustained injuries. His lips had been stitched, and that was why he was struggling to speak properly.

What could have ended differently, God turned into another testimony.

But that was not the end.

After his 58th birthday, Dad experienced two major health crises. On both occasions, he was hospitalised and remained on admission for almost a week. The two incidents occurred only a couple of months apart.

Each episode brought its own fear.

Each hospital admission reminded us that life is fragile.

Each time, however, God showed Himself faithful.

He preserved him.

He strengthened him.

He brought him through.

And then came his 60th birthday.

A day that should have been filled only with celebration, thanksgiving, laughter, speeches, and memories almost became another occasion for fear.

During the birthday celebration, while the keynote speaker, His Excellency, Dr. Alex Otti, Executive Governor of Abia State, was delivering his speech, Dad suddenly went into distress.

We had to rush him to the bathroom and immediately seek medical attention.

In the midst of a celebration of 60 years, we found ourselves once again confronted with the reality of human frailty.

But we also found ourselves confronted with something greater:

The unfailing mercy of God.

Looking back, I cannot help but see the hand of God throughout this entire journey.

The enemy may have had plans.

Hell may have written its own script.

But mercy said no!

Mercy disappointed the plan of hell to turn a celebration of life into a season of mourning.

Mercy said no to premature death.

Mercy said no to tragedy.

Mercy said no to the tears that the enemy intended to provoke.

And perhaps one of the most powerful pictures of that mercy was my 95 year old grandfather who had travelled all the way from Abeokuta to Lagos to celebrate with us.

He did not travel that distance expecting to weep over his son.

He came to rejoice.

He came to celebrate.

He came to honour a life that had reached 60 years.

Yet, for a moment, the circumstances could have turned his journey into something entirely different.

But mercy said no!

The same God who preserved Dad through the accident at 58, who brought him through two serious hospitalisations, and who sustained him through countless health challenges, showed up again at 60.

The celebration did not become a funeral.

The journey from Abeokuta to Lagos did not end in the sorrow of a 95-year-old father mourning his son.

Mercy prevailed.

And for this, we are eternally grateful.

We do not take any of it for granted.

We know that it was not because we were strong enough. It was not because we had the perfect answers. It was not because circumstances always favoured us.

It was God.

It was His mercy.

It was His grace.

It was His faithfulness.

It was the hand of Abba Father preserving His own.

The Scripture says, “It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”

Today, that Scripture has become deeply personal to us.

Great is His faithfulness.

When we look at Dad’s life, we see a man whom God has preserved for a purpose.

Sixty years is not simply an achievement to celebrate; it is an assignment to continue.

God has given him a burden for nation-building. He has called him to contribute to the transformation of our nation by educating, inspiring, mobilising, and building citizens who understand their responsibility to Nigeria.

And as a family, we recognise that assignment.

We recognise that preservation comes with purpose.

God has not kept him for another decade merely so that we can count more birthdays. He has preserved him because there is still work to be done.

There are lives to influence.

There are minds to shape.

There are citizens to inspire.

There is a nation to build.

There is an assignment to fulfil.

Therefore, our thanksgiving today is not simply, “Thank You, Lord, for allowing Dad to turn 60.”

It is also:

“Thank You, Lord, because You have preserved the vessel for the assignment.”

We know there will be challenges ahead. We know that the journey of nation-building is neither easy nor short. But we also know the God who has brought us this far.

The God who preserved him at 50.

The God who kept him at 58.

The God who brought him through the accident.

The God who sustained him through two major hospitalisations.

The God who preserved him at 60.

The God who would not allow a 95-year-old father to make that journey from Abeokuta to Lagos only to weep over his son.

That same God is still God.

So, Abba Father, today we say thank You.

Thank You for every unseen battle You fought.

Thank You for every danger You prevented.

Thank You for every sickness You brought him through.

Thank You for every time You gave us strength when fear tried to take over.

Thank You for every prayer You answered, including the ones we did not know we needed to pray.

Thank You for the gift of 60 years.

Thank You for mercy.

But mercy said no!

When hell said yes, mercy said no.

When fear said yes, mercy said no.

When death appeared to have an opportunity, mercy said no.

When tears could have replaced celebration, mercy said no.

When a 95-year-old father could have been returning from Lagos with a broken heart, mercy said no!

And today, we stand as a family and declare:

To God alone be all the glory!

Our commitment is to keep giving Him thanks, not only with our lips but with our lives.

We will continue to support the assignment He has entrusted to Dad. We will continue to pursue the vision of nation-building that God has placed in his heart. We will continue to believe that Nigeria can become better through responsible, informed, patriotic, and engaged citizens.

We also want to sincerely appreciate everyone who celebrated with us, reached out, prayed, sent messages, called, travelled, gave gifts, and shared in the joy of this milestone. Your love and goodwill meant more to us than words can adequately express. Dad is deeply grateful to every one of you. However, many of you may have noticed that he has not yet been able to personally reach out to thank you individually. Please do not mistake his silence for a lack of appreciation. Following the events of his 60th birthday and the health challenge he experienced during the celebration, he has been placed on a compulsory and much-needed period of rest. For once, we are insisting that he slows down, rests, and allows his body to recover. We therefore ask for your understanding and patience as he takes this time to recuperate. Please know that every call, message, prayer, gift, visit, and expression of love has been received with immense gratitude. Thank you for celebrating 60 years of God’s mercy with us.

And as we step into the next chapter, we do so with gratitude rather than fear, faith rather than anxiety, and confidence in the God whose mercy has brought us this far.

Sixty years.

Countless battles.

Countless victories.

Countless mercies.

And still, we can say:

Ebenezer!

Thus far the Lord has helped us.

Abba Father, thank You.

Thank You for 60 years.

Thank You for preservation.

Thank You for mercy.

Thank You for purpose.