Prof.𝗭𝗲𝗯-𝗢𝗯𝗶𝗽𝗶, 𝗧𝗶𝗻𝗮 𝗢𝘀𝘂𝗷𝗶,𝗗𝗮𝗸𝘂𝗸𝘂 𝗣𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲, 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲

 

FirstLove Assembly, Rukpokwu, Port Harcourt, is set to bring together prominent voices in leadership, academia, entrepreneurship and Christian ministry as it marks its 13th anniversary with its Annual Faith Conference and a special Leadership and Business Session.

 

The five-day conference, scheduled for August 12 to 16, 2026, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, will feature former Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dakuku Peterside, as one of its keynote speakers.

 

Peterside, an author, leadership coach and management expert, is expected to draw from his years in public service and organisational leadership when he speaks on the topic, “The Ten Greatest Leadership Lessons I Learnt From Public Service, And Why Every Entrepreneur Should Know Them.”

 

The former NIMASA chief is the author of Leading in a Storm and Strategic Turnaround and has remained active in conversations around leadership, governance and institutional development.

 

Joining him at the conference will be the Vice-Chancellor of Rivers State University, Prof. Isaac Zeb-Obipi, who will bring an academic perspective to discussions on leadership and human development.

 

Entrepreneur and Chief Executive Officer of Tico’s Kitchen, Mrs. Tina Osuji, will also address participants, with her session expected to focus on entrepreneurship, enterprise development and lessons from building and growing a business.

 

According to the organisers, the 2026 Faith Conference will open at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, August 12. Beyond the evening spiritual sessions, three morning sessions have been set aside for conversations around leadership, business and career development.

 

The sessions are intended to provide participants with practical knowledge and perspectives that can strengthen their leadership abilities, improve their approach to enterprise and help them navigate their careers more effectively.

 

Organisers are also introducing a networking component tagged “The Exchanges", which is expected to be one of the major features of this year's conference.

 

The initiative will provide a structured platform for hundreds of participants from different professions and industries to meet, exchange ideas and develop relationships that could lead to collaborations and other opportunities beyond the conference.

 

In a joint statement, the Resident Pastor of FirstLove Assembly, Rukpokwu, Pastor Alfred James Abu, and Chairman of the Organising Committee, Dr. Boma Waribor, MNIPR, described the church's 13th anniversary as a significant moment in the life of the branch.

 

They said the anniversary “marks a prophetic season of new beginnings for our branch,” adding that the conference has been structured “to equip participants for this new season and higher service.”

 

While the morning sessions will focus largely on leadership and professional development, the evening meetings will centre on the conference theme, “The Supernatural Life.”

 

Among the ministers scheduled to speak are the Overseer of FirstLove Assembly Worldwide, Rev. Simeon Afolabi; Rev. Chris Oarhe; Prophet Joseph Akanya; Pastor Wisdom Osiri; and the host, Pastor Alfred James Abu.

 

The ministers are expected to lead the evening sessions and thanksgiving service, with messages focused on faith, purpose and transformational Christian living.

 

The conference will climax on August 16 with the church’s anniversary thanksgiving service.