The Founder and General Overseer of The Anointed Saviour’s Church International, Molete, Ibadan, Rev’d Samson Fapohunda, has urged Nigerians, especially Christians, to refrain from making negative confessions about the country, particularly during difficult times.
Speaking during a Thanksgiving service to mark his 75th birthday, Rev’d Fapohunda warned against what he described as the tendency to “fall with the fall.”
He emphasised that maintaining a positive mindset and speaking positively, even in the face of adversity, could help bring about a turnaround in the nation’s fortunes.
Reflecting on his life journey, the cleric attributed his achievements and survival to God’s abundant grace, mercy, and favour.
He noted that while life has taught him many lessons, the most profound is that only God’s mercy can truly transform any negative situation for the better.
He said, “I give glory to God Almighty who gave me the opportunity from a humble background and turned around my life.
“I lost my father at the age of 10years and things were really rough and tough, but I thank God for his grace. Since that time I lost my father till now, I have passed through all manner of things, but I always use my life as an example for many people, because I didn’t fall with my fall.
“What I mean is that, for example, in this country and maybe in our individual lives, if things or situations fall, do not fall with it. If you don’t fall with fall, then you may control the fall, and that was what happened in my life.
“If the country falls, let’s say something goes wrong, that is a fall, and the people are saying, the country is bad, or condemning the country, that something has gone wrong, with that, we are falling with the fall. But if you stand up, stay positive and be optimistic even though things are rough and tough, then you are not falling with the fall. Things will turn around, and we all will be better for it.
“So I use the example of King David. Before he became a king, God used him to kill Goliath. Everybody said he could not do it, nobody gave him a chance, and even King Saul did not support him. But the boy said, I will go, for God will support me. So David did not fall with the fall, even though they said he could not make it.
“We are going to make it in this country. Even though there are positive signs towards that already, let us trust that God will make things work out well very soon. We should not give room for negativity.”
He enjoined the government and political office holders to shun nepotism and psychophancy at the expense of competence, so that things will turn around for good.
“Growing up, I went through a lot, but thank God, today. I lost my father at a very young age, and all hope seemed lost at the time; that’s why I thank God for the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo for the free education scheme at his time.
“That is why I urge those in government, if they can make education like it was of old. If I had to pay for school as it is today, maybe I won’t be able to enjoy any form of education, back then”, he stressed.
Noting that today’s Christianity is not like it used to be in times past, he urged church leaders to be cautious in putting a financial burden or stress on their members, saying many people who attend churches these days are those in need of one help or the other.
He added, “Christianity is no more than it was back then. Christianity in the past was different from what we have now. In those days when we started, we wanted to stand with the people and not what obtains now. We wanted to work and serve our Master, and we even engage in petty jobs to sustain ourselves
“We were not looking for money, but now, it’s not like that. Everybody wants to become a millionaire in this field. In my church, we don’t call people out for donations or financial support during programmes like we see Churches do these days.
“That is why we don’t celebrate the church anniversary among others. The categories of people that come to church these days are either those who have one challenge or the other. For instance, those who need healing, those seeking employment or trusting God in one way or another other and when you ask people to start donating, most times people get frustrated and discouraged because they don’t have the means.
“Churches back then asked people to give based on what they had, but these days things have changed. That’s why the church in those days was very different to what we have now.”
