The Caverton Helicopter, marked Augusta AW139, conveying the vice president and others, crash landed in Kabba, Kogi State, at the weekend.
Osinbajo, who spoke during a thanksgiving service at the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), City of Grace, Lokoja, capital of the Confluence State, said: “Only God can take the glory for saving my life and that of the nine crew members on board.”
He went on: “It would have been breaking news on local and international media that Vice President Osinbajo and nine crew members died in a helicopter crash, but God did not allow such to happen.
“We are here to say thank you, thank you Jesus. We bless His name forever and ever,” he said.
Praying God to bless all the people who celebrated with him, the vice president said: “All I have to say is that we are grateful and we are moving to the next level; the Lord will uphold us to the next level and Kogi will be number one.”
In a live telecast from the RCCG headquarters, Lagos, the General Overseer of the church, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, asked the congregation to rise and give glory to God for saving Osinbajo’s life.
According to Adeboye, the devil wanted to take Osinabjo’s life, but God put the devil to shame.
He asked the congregation to specially appreciate God on behalf of the vice president and all the crew member for His supernatural protection, saying Nigeria would not mourn.
In his sermon, titled: “Carriers of God’s glory”, Pastor Adeboye said for anybody to carry the glory of God, such a person must be a true child of God and live a life of holiness.
Taking his lesson from the Bible in the book of Matthew 5: 14- 15, he said: “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.
“As a carrier of His glory, anywhere you arrive, darkness will automatically disappear.
“When God begins to use you, the glory belongs to God and you must learn to always give glory to God.
“Do not ascribe the glory to yourself because it is not yours; it belongs to God,” Pastor Adeboye counseled.
Dignitaries at the service included: Kogi House of Assembly Speaker Matthew Kolawole; Secretary to the State Government Dr. Ayoade Arike; Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Commodore Jerry Omodara; commissioners and Senator Smart Adeyemi.
The leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), has felicitated with the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo for surviving the crash.
CAN President Rev. Samson Ayokunle also appreciated God for the vice president’s safety.
A statement in Abuja by his Special Assistant, Media and Communications, Pastor Adebayo Oladeji quoted him as saying: “The leadership of CAN is grateful to God and rejoice with the Federal Government and Osinbajo.
“We give glory to God for sparing the life of the Vice President and his team from the helicopter crash while mobilising support for his party in preparation for the coming general elections.”
The cleric recalled that the vice president had similar experience in 2018 while visiting the Nigeria Customs College in Gwagwalada, Abuja.
“It is our prayers that God will continue to watch over him and other top government functionaries in Jesus’ Name,” he was quoted as saying.
Ayokunle urged the technical team or those responsible for the certification of the aircrafts and helicopters in the country used by the government officials to be more meticulous so as to avoid putting their lives in danger.
The Political Adviser to the President, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, who was aboard the crashed helicopter with the vice president, also sent an appreciation message to those who showed concern.
The message reads: “To family, friends and associates thank you all for your concern and show of love and affection. I can’t thank you enough. It was a miracle we survived. The belts did a marvelous job and so were the security men on ground, who quickly pulled us out of the wreckage not minding their own safety.
“We were also calm all through the ordeal. There was no panic of any kind. The immediate concern of all of us was the safety of our principal. We ensured he got out first. He too ensured we were all out before going into a vehicle.
“When we were all safely in the bus, he insisted the assignment must go on and we drove to the palace of Obaro of Kabba. The Kabba people gave us a warm welcome and showered us with prayers. We thank them all.
“Above all, God must be praised for providing us that umbrella of protection and prevented the helicopter from exploding in flames.”