The Most Rev. Dr. Peter Ogunmuyiwa, Archbishop of the Abuja Metropolitan Province of the African Church, has said that death was never part of God’s original plan for humanity, but came as a consequence of disobedience.
He stated this while delivering the funeral message for Shola Aiyebola, a producer of AIT’s Kakaaki programme, at the African Church Cathedral Bethel Diocese, Abuja.Speaking on the theme “Why Do People Die?” the Archbishop explained that although human beings were not created to die, everything living now has a terminal point — including trees, animals and even man-made technology.He further stressed that “no matter how powerful a person is, death remains unavoidable.”
To believers, he said, death is not an end but “a pathway to meeting God.” He emphasized that confessing Jesus Christ is the first and only step toward heaven, noting that righteousness by itself does not guarantee salvation, just as wickedness alone does not automatically condemn a person. He referenced the biblical examples of Cornelius and the thief on the cross to illustrate that salvation comes through faith in Christ.Archbishop Ogunmuyiwa praised the late Aiyebola for dedicating his life to service and humanity through his work in the broadcasting industry.
Concluding his message, he declared that judgment follows death and that “the church does not pray for the dead,” adding that the time to confess Christ is only while a person is still alive. He therefore urged members of the congregation to commit their lives to Jesus.
Credit: GWG
