Over 62 days after being stranded in Nigeria due to the loss of his green card, American based Bishop Kenneth Obi has finally reunited with his family in Atlanta, Georgia USA.
The Senior Pastor of Divine World International Church of God in Christ (COGIC) and a human rights activist had travelled to Nigeria on February 18, to celebrate 17 years as a COGIC Bishop and 20 years as a COGIC Pastor.
However, the celebrations took a dramatic turn when he discovered that his green card was missing.
To help his situation, Obi filed a police report and court affidavit, attaching a photograph of the card.
Despite his efforts, Delta Airline officials in Lagos declined to let him board, insisting he obtain fresh travel documents from the American Embassy.
This left him stranded in Nigeria since March 19, the date he was originally scheduled to return to the United States.
The bishop explained that he survived the situation by living on charity from friends while his family endured hardship in the U.S.
On May 21, after 62 days of frustration, the American Embassy in Lagos issued him the necessary documents to travel back to the United States.
Speaking before boarding a Delta Airline flight to Atlanta, Georgia, Obi expressed his gratitude to the media, especially Daily Telegraph newspaper that helped highlight his plight to the public, which prompted swift action from his church and U.S. authorities.
He thanked the leadership of COGIC, including Presiding Bishop J. Drew Sheard, Mission Department, President Bishop Rhone, and Vice President Bishop Solomon OmoOsagie.
He also acknowledged support from the U.S. officials, such as Senator Warnock’s office director Charles Spry and Congresswoman Nekima Williams’ office director Jared and Ernest.
He said: “I thank my Pastor, Bishop Paul Fortson, Regional Bishop Norman Harper, Bishop James Austin, Bishop Alphonso Denson, Bishop Adebanjo, Bishop Theodore Josiah, and many others who prayed for me.
“My classmates from Asoro Grammar School graduates of 1980, my Otulu Elite League, Oru brothers and sisters, and others made my ordeal bearable.
“I wouldn’t have known what to do without God touching them for me.”
Bishop Obi criticised Delta Airline officials in Nigeria, stating that Mr Salami, Mrs Akpan, and Mr Napoleon did not represent the airline properly as they were very rude and didn’t offer any assistance.
He questioned their policy of helping only travellers with expired green cards, asking why they couldn’t assist someone with a misplaced, yet valid card.
On what he would be facing getting back to the U.S, Obi stated that only Americans can understand the extent of having a three months backlog on bills.
“America is not a place you leave your bills unattended to for a week or a month, let alone three months.
“I will have to work hard to catch up on the bills that have piled up within the time I was stranded here,” he said.
Obi’s victory at last came with a lot of lessons learned. He emphasised the importance of safeguarding essential documents and expressed disappointment in Delta Airlines’ handling of his case.
He called for greater empathy and improved communication in addressing such situations, stressing that timely support could have significantly reduced the stress and uncertainty he experienced.
