Long live the Zone! Long live the Kingdom!
Responding to this during a press briefing, HRH Mbanefo was gracious but firm: “Does a king cease to be a king when he kneels at the Cross? No. He merely consecrates his crown. My royalty is not a distraction from the Gospel; it is the vehicle that delivers the Gospel to the gates of palaces that would otherwise remain closed.” The Assembly concluded with a lavish Soirée Royale at the Hotel Ivoire. Dressed in a flowing agbada of gold and ivory, HRH Chijioke Mbanefo read the Final Communiqué of the Côte d’Ivoire Zonal Assembly . HRH Chijioke Mbanefo - Cote d-Ivoire Zonal Assembly
For HRH Chijioke Mbanefo, this is merely Act One. Sources close to the royal palace indicate that he is already planning for the in 2026, to be held either in Accra or Lagos. Long live the Zone
Known colloquially as the "Bridge Builder," his philosophy merges the hierarchy of the traditional Igbo court (from which he hails) with the servant-leadership model of the New Testament. His presence in Côte d’Ivoire signifies a pan-African vision—one where ethnic and linguistic barriers dissolve under the banner of spiritual renewal. 1. The Official Opening and Royal Blessing The Assembly kicked off at the Palais de la Culture in Abidjan, where HRH Chijioke Mbanefo was received with full ceremonial honors. In a striking moment of cultural diplomacy, Ivorian traditional chiefs presented him with a symbolic Kente cloth and a Talking Drum , acknowledging his royal status across borders. Dressed in a flowing agbada of gold and
The Assembly, held under the theme “The Kingdom Divided: The Role of the Church in Political Stability,” drew thousands of delegates from across the Francophone and Anglophone regions, including Nigeria, Ghana, Benin, and host nation Côte d’Ivoire. To understand the weight of this Assembly, one must first understand the man commanding the podium. HRH Chijioke Mbanefo is not merely a clergyman or a conference speaker; he is a unique archetype of leadership in the 21st century. Holding a chieftaincy title that predates his ministerial calling, HRH Mbanefo brings the wisdom of the ancestral stool to the pulpit of the Zonal Assembly.