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After nearly three years, Jehovah’s Witnesses in Nigeria have resumed their larger gatherings, in-person with the 2023 “Exercise Patience!” Regional Convention series.
The first in Nigeria held this last weekend at Ota,Ogun State between Friday, August 4 to Sunday August 6, 2023.
With this larger gatherings resume 696 Convention series in 23 Assembly Halls across the country.
Arrangements have been put in place to ensure that the recommended safety protocols are implemented in all these grounds.
Jehovah’s Witnesses are extremely happy with the opportunity to once again meet at their larger facilities
The commencement of the 2023 regional convention series , YOUNEWS learnt has been a look forward to event among witnesses.
These large assemblies have been held virtually since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Although Jehovah’s Witnesses in Nigeria resumed meetings at their Kingdom Halls in April 2022, their larger assembly facilities remained under lock,” YOUNEWS gathered.
Delegates at the ongoing 2023 Regional Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses were seeing by YOUNEWS coming into the Ota Assembly Hall with infectious enthusiasm on Friday morning, the first day of the Convention.
Not a few backslapping and warm greetings.
YOUNEWS also report that the break time showcased the whole conventioners at the series tagged Ota 1 like one big family.
Meals were shared, palpable joy noticed and the sense of security , without Policemen controlling the crowd was awesome.
Titled, “Exercise Patience!”, the convention started on Friday and ends on Sunday.
Afolabi Odeyemi, a Regional Spokesman of Jehovah’s Witnesses, disclosed that some 6,000 conventions would be held worldwide as part of the 2023 “Exercise Patience!” Convention series that started outside Nigeria from January 7, 2023.
Odeyemi said: “Prior to 2019, dry seasons in these cities were marked by Jehovah’s Witnesses filling hotels and restaurants as they attended their annual conventions at the various Assembly Halls across Nigeria.
In 2020, the pandemic interrupted that tradition, when the Witnesses cancelled their in-person events throughout the world and held their convention programs as virtual events in more than 500 languages.
“Beginning with this first one in August, 2023, the Witnesses tradition is back to Ota and other Assembly grounds.”
“As much as we loved the convenience and quality of our virtual conventions, nothing can replace being together in a large group setting. While our online conventions reached millions around the world and kept our communities safe, we long to get back to our joyful fellowship at these large gatherings,” Odeyemi added.
He noted that some 6,000 conventions would be held worldwide as part of the 2023 “Exercise Patience!” Convention series that started outside Nigeria from January 7, 2023.
Odeyemi stressed that the convention is open to the public and no collection is taken, adding: “For more information on the program or to find other convention locations and dates, please go to jw.org and navigate to the “About Us” tab.”
