The Nation Newspaper

Category: Sunday magazine

  • Boxed into an emotional corner

    TO be or not to be. That obviously is the question you ask yourself when you want to go into a new venture, a relationship or a career path. First you need the conviction to go on because that would be the foundation on which so many other things would be laid.

    Once you are sure that you are on the right path, then it would be smooth sail. But if for some reasons you just cannot find a good answer to your question or questions, then you may be at the crossroads.

    This scenario also plays itself out in our relationships. Most times, a lot of lovebirds are at affection’s crossroads. Yes, you admire someone very well but there are some unanswered questions.

    This is exactly the stage in which Lauretta is at the moment. She has a crush for this guy but there are so many odds against the survival of that relationship. Should she forget this dream or pursue her heart’s desire and damn all the other consequences. Somehow she decided to be a dreamer and the dream came with memories of gains and pains.

    Scroll down memory lane and you find her recalling some of the happy moments.

    It started on a bright afternoon at a Lagos registry with some friends. Wedding bells were certainly ringing in style here, and in a couple of minutes the lucky hearts were tied together and admonished to live happily together forever. They were happy for a while but it was not forever.

    Riveting in your mind are questions about the real status of lovebirds. Are they truly in love? Would they be ready to make the necessary sacrifices required to make it to the end? Or could this just be a public show of affection, a show that would likely come to an abrupt end?

    Well, the truth of the matter is that it takes only two hearts to determine how far they are going to go in a particular relationship. It can be a continuous marathon love race if they are both sincere, determined and have the same emotional dreams about the future.

    Even though you just couldn’t take a look at the different hearts to know exactly what they are thinking or imagining, you realise that the lucky fellows have finally scaled the first hurdle.

    Also at another registry recently, you find Kate and Henry hanging onto each other so passionately. They walk out of the registry smiling and smiling. The photographer clicks on and on, trying to keep the memories for posterity. Images they could turn to and remember the very beginning. Images children from the union are likely to laugh about, pass the usual comments and compare notes.

    Apart from the smiles there was nothing really interesting about the new couple, they looked so different in outlook and you wonder if they were really meant for each other. Or was it one of those arrangements? All this may not really count; the most important thing is if the hearts are united.

    United in love forever. They are not alone. It’s D-day and 12 marriages have been fixed, and everyone is eager to sign the dotted lines. Take a deep look into the crystal ball and you find gaps in different areas of their lives. These include age disparity, height, weight, class and dress code.

    Any way what has age got to do with love? It is just a number and it does not guarantee whether a relationship is going to work or not. If you have two people who are both in the same age bracket, you would expect them to share certain things in common. Interestingly, this does not guarantee the success of their relationship; there are some other cogent reasons to hold on to each other in love.

    Also when we talk about the height of the couple, you can also imagine what people dream or desire. Women naturally would want a guy who is taller than they are, whilst the prince charming would prefer same height or slighter shorter than he is. But the truth of the matter is that all these grand rules of affection have been broken and replaced with other reasons based on the expectations of the lovebirds. It is always important to weigh the options and select what would be best for you. It is not about sympathy, you must make sure that you are going to fit in and enjoy this new beginning.

    When you finally make up your mind then you are in charge. If this is not the case, then we can say that you have been boxed into an emotional corner. It is not the best because you are going to be complaining and grumbling all the time.

    So it is better to cross check and be sure that you have played the right game, you need to be sure that you heart beat is chanting the right love anthem and this would help to reconcile your love account.

    But if the love pendulum is not balanced, then the lovebirds need make use of the positive love currents to get back on track. It is a very pertinent stage and you must be sure that it is what you really want.

    For all you know it may just be mere infatuation, something that would only carry on for months or a few years. When it lapses you may just want to run away. However, the truth of the matter is that you would have created a big vacuum, a vacuum nothing or nobody can ever fill again.

  • I’m a risk taker —Rukky Sanda

    I’m a risk taker —Rukky Sanda

    Light-skinned actress, Rukky Sanda, is certainly a thespian that knows her onions, judging by the way she interprets her roles. The fun-loving actress opened up on a range of issues in this interview with AHMED BOULOR. 

    WHAT really influenced you to go into acting?

    Watching stars on TV basically influenced my decision to become an actress. It sounds weird, but watching TV while I was growing up, I just knew I wanted to be in it. The rest, as they say, is history, as I am enjoying every moment of being an actress at the moment.

    Have you achieved your vision as an actress yet?

    Yes, I am definitely achieving my vision gradually. I haven’t achieved it yet, but I definitely will, because God told me so. I’m headed in the right direction in my career and I am in charge of my future.

    As one who has been on the scene for quite a while, what plans do you have for Nollywood which has brought you relative fame and fortune?

    I am basically carving my own niche, and telling my own stories. Stories I can relate with. I am also giving my audience something different; telling it exactly how I want it to be told. As different individuals from different places, we all have different stories to tell and different things going on around us. We all also have different views and that means we all offer something different. I would like to use this opportunity to commend the efforts of my fellow colleagues like Uche Jombo, Emem Isong, Tonto Dikeh, Ini Edo and others who have distinguished themselves while also contributing their quotas to the development of Nollywood.

    Are you mentoring any upcoming actress at the moment?

    Yes, I have quite a few new talents that I mentor while also giving them the opportunity to show their talents. I’m a risk taker, I can basically convince you to be an actor if you suit a character I want or would like to create. But not just actresses, I have more of actors. I made it a priority to always use one or two new faces in every production I do.

    What has kept you going thus far as an actress?

    My career has been on the move all this while – thanks to God. There really has been no secret but for Him guiding my path and directing my steps and showing me what to do. It also has to do with being patient, disciplined, knowing exactly what you want and working towards achieving it and mostly being optimistic. You also have to believe in what you do and love it. I have overtime developed a passion for moviemaking and there’s so much I want to learn.

    Do you have any words of advice for upstarts?

    My advice will be; it may sound trite, but you have to be confident and not arrogant. You have to be willing to work hard, pray hard and make the best of every opportunity and give your best performance if you’re lucky to get an audition. And never take anyone for granted because you never know who can help you. Most importantly, never let anyone take advantage of you. Don’t be desperate and don’t make wrong decisions you’ll have to live with for the rest of your life. If God has said that’s your ordained career, it will happen, you just need to pray, be wise and patient.

    Would you say being beautiful is a blessing or a curse?

    I’m blessed to be beautiful. God surely took his time in creating me, so it’s definitely a blessing and a super blessing at that.

    Has life taught you any lesson?

    Life has taught me to always stay true to myself, put God first and follow my instincts. Life has also taught me to be patient while also teaching me to put myself and family as my main priority.

    Why did you give N500, 000 to Funmi Lawal? Is it that you have too much money?

    It sounds like a cliché when you put it like that. I don’t know how a good deed will be perceived as an issue of having too much money or showing off. I’m comfortable, I thank God, and I don’t think there’s such a thing as having too much money. I would love to be extremely rich in every way but even the richest people want more money. It’s nothing like that, we never even intended for it to be public, I don’t know how it got out. She needed the money more than we did because she’s battling cancer and I’m glad we were able to help. So that being said, keep her in your prayers and let’s hope she recovers fully and gets back to normal health.

    Did you and Tonto take that decision together?

    Tonto actually initiated it; so most of the credit should go to her. I knew absolutely nothing about the story or the lady. Tonto had heard about it and she was really worried and concerned. She has such an amazing heart; that crazy girl. She actually called me at 6am on Tuesday because it bothered her and she could not sleep. But I didn’t really get what she was saying because I was sleeping, I told her I’d call when I woke up. When I finally did at 2pm, we spoke and she expressed her sympathy and said she wanted us to do something. So we decided to make the donation and contributed equally.

    How close are you and Tonto?

    Yes, she’s one of my best friends, she’s fun, naughty and amazing, and she’s my baby.

    How have you been able to manage the fame?

    It has not been an easy thing but then, I apply the principle of being humble in all things that I do and whatever I achieve in life.

    What would make you reject a movie script?

    If the storyline of the script is not good or attractive enough, I will reject it. If the director is someone I feel I cannot work with, I will also reject it.

  • Between Dapo Olumide and Jimoh Ibrahim

    THAT Dapo Olumide, the erstwhile managing director of Virgin Nigeria Airways came to the scene with a lot of energy, zeal and ideas, and that he had an unambiguous idea of how to turn around the fortunes of the airline, is stating the obvious.

    But no sooner had billionaire businessman Jimoh Ibrahim acquired the airline that people went to town predicting that the alliance of Olumide and Jimoh was one union waiting to fall flat on its face as both of them are too independent-minded. Not a few people believed that the handsome aeronautical engineer would not jell well with the group managing director of the NICON Group and Global Fleet, who is fond of buying debt-ridden businesses with a view to turning them into profitable conglomerates.

    Two years after, the fair-skinned dude disappeared into thin air, he has lend credence to the prediction that his resignation is not unconnected with the shrewd businessman’s acquisition of the airline. Especially with the crisis that is engulfing the airline now.

    Ever since he threw in the towel without even informing the tycoon of his exit, nothing has been heard of or from him. The gist making the rounds is that he is re-strategising to make a big come back.

  • Akinfenwa Akinsola moves on

    AKINFENWA Akinsola was one of the bank MDs affected by the sweeping reforms embarked on by the Central Bank of Nigeria governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. He has since moved on. Apart from his consultancy for various banks across the country and beyond, the bespectacled banker has now ventured into the hotel and hospitality business. The former bank chief, we learnt, is exploring new frontiers in Ondo State, where he has unveiled a multimillion naira hotel.

  • Nigeria @ 52: The changing faces of Christianity

    Nigeria @ 52: The changing faces of Christianity

    Christianity began in 1842 with missionary churches in Nigeria. But independent, indigenous churches have become the cornerstone, bringing fresh innovations and spreading the faith in remarkable, amazing ways, writes Sunday Oguntola 

    Henry Townsend must be smiling down on indigenous churches in Nigeria from his grave. When he established the first mission base in Badagry in 1842, Townsend certainly had no idea Christianity was going to take strong roots in the nation. 170 years after, Nigeria now boasts of the highest Christian community in Africa. Townsend’s pioneering efforts have become phenomenal, thanks to the irrepressible impacts of indigenous churches.

    If missionaries like Townsend did so much to bring Christianity, indigenous churches have done much more to sustain and deepen the faith. They are redefining the scope and face of Christianity, bringing to bear raw fervour and spiritual aggression. They broke strongholds difficult for missionary churches to penetrate and gave Christianity an African identity. Many locals disenchanted with western values promoted by missionary churches felt welcome by indigenous churches.

    The beginning of indigenous churches

    It all started in 1918 in Ijebu-Ode when the first Aladura movement was founded. A school teacher, Sophia Odunlami, and a goldsmith, Joseph Sadare, were behind it.  The duo, members of St. Saviour’s Anglican Church, rejected infant baptism and all forms of western and traditional medicine.

    They initiated the “Prayer Band” popularly called Egbe Aladura.  Sadare was compelled to give up his post in the Synod and others were forced to resign their jobs and withdraw their children from the Anglican School. The Aladura began as a renewal movement in search of true spirituality.

    When the influenza epidemic broke out the same year, the group saved many affected with prayers. This consolidated the formation of the prayer group, which was named Precious Stone and later the “Diamond Society”. By 1920, the Diamond Society had grown tremendously with branches around the Western Region of Nigeria. It emphasised divine healing, holiness and complete dependence on God.

    The Oke Ooye, Ilesha revival sparked off Pentecostalism in Nigeria. The late Apostle Ayo Babalola performed several miracles that culminated in the formation of the Christ Apostolic Church.

    Meanwhile, many mainline churches such as Anglican Communion, Methodist Church, Baptist Convention and others were witnessing similar internal dissensions. Many Africans were denied Holy Communion and disallowed from church workforce on allegations of being polygamous. Pushed to the wall, many of them pulled out and formed their own churches.

    Other indigenous churches sprang up such as the Celestial Church of Christ (CCC) founded by the late Prophet Samuel Oschoffa and the Cherubim and Seraphim Movement led by the late Prophet Moses Orimolade. Both spiritual churches, however, witnessed different schisms that led to different factions based on personal and doctrinal crises.

    In 1931, a certain Josiah Akindayomi joined the Cherubim and Seraphim Church. By 1947, he started to become concerned that the church was departing from the true word of God in some of its practices. By 1952, he felt totally persuaded to leave the church. He started a house fellowship at Willoughby Street, Ebute-Metta, christened the Glory of God Fellowship.

    Initially there were nine members, but before long the fellowship rapidly grew as the news of the miracles that occurred in their midst spread. In a vision, he saw The Redeemed Christian Church of God written on a blackboard. Thus began the RCCG, the world’s largest growing Pentecostal church in 1952.

    Somewhere in Benin City, a sickly child was born and christened Benson Idahosa. He was converted to Christianity and began conducting outreaches from village to village. Renowned for his vibrant faith and power ministration, Idahosa rose to become the first Pentecostal Archbishop in Africa.

    He broke new grounds, aggressively converting many from animism. The founder of the Church of God Mission International is acknowledged as the father of Pentecostalism in Africa, raising such prominent preachers like Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, Bishop David Oyedepo, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome and Bishop Fred Addo, among several others.

    Through him, charismatic Pentecostalism became a force to reckon with in Nigeria. Today, there are thousands of independent charismatic churches across the length and breadth of the nation.

    Strengths and impacts

    According to the President of International Church Growth Ministries, Dr Francis Akin-John, indigenous churches have aggressive evangelical zeal going for them. “They are fearless and fiercely committed to taking the gospel to hitherto unreached parts of the world. That is why you find out Nigerian churches are spearheading missionary efforts everywhere in the world,’’ he explained.

    He said this evangelical zeal is why it is so easy for indigenous churches to start branches anywhere in the world, regardless of the most stringent conditions. “They bear this never-say-die Nigerian spirit to mission and that is something really amazing,” he added. The RCCG, at the last count, has over 4,000 branches in different parts of the world.

    Indigenous churches also helped break the stronghold of traditional religion across the nation. Several former traditionalists accepted Christ and burnt their charms, a development that repelled spiritual darkness. The fire brand Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM) is reputed for deliverance and breakthrough sessions. This has delivered millions from spiritual strongholds and generational curses.

    Until their rise to prominence, Christianity remained largely a despised, conservative religion, attracting only the dregs and outcasts of the society. Through the influence of charismatic Pentecostal churches founded in Nigeria, Christianity now has a new face, attracting upwardly mobile executives and business owners like never before.

    “The people never wanted to have anything to do with the Lord. They felt they had wealth and comfort and wondered what else can Christ offer them. But Pentecostals have proven that they need much more than that. We have shown how they can bring the faith to bear in business decisions and policies. Market place evangelism and Christianity have become the fad,” Vice Chairman of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, South West Region, Bishop Wale Oke, said.

    Much as people have issues with crass materialism in the independent churches, the fact is the church owes it current buoyant financial status to them. Gone are the days church rats were sarcastically said to be poor. These days, rats are competing to gain access to churches. They want a taste of the many crumbs in churches.

    The founder of Inri Evangelical Spiritual Church, Lagos, Primate Elijah Babatunde, said indigenous churches also contribute to poverty alleviation in no small way. He noted his church has been supporting over 300 indigent students and 200 widows over the years. “That is the least we can do to help the disadvantaged. That is what God called us to do and we are relentlessly passionate about this,” he stated.

    Beyond poverty alleviation, many of them have also started business ventures that are empowering members financially. They run churches, printing presses, banks, crèches and several business outfits that are providing employment and sources of livelihood for members. These ventures also provide alternative incomes for members and the churches.

    Indeed, Townsend, if it were possible, would be grinning in his grave, giving a well-deserved commendation for how much better indigenous churches have redefined his work that started like a child’s play.

  • Lola Adefowope bereaved

    SOCIALITE and politician, Lola Adefowope, is bereaved. The former Ogun State liaison officer lost her mother. The family, we gathered, was on vacation abroad when the deceased succumbed to death at age 72.

    The former House of Representatives aspirant, we also learnt, is making arrangement to bring the corpse back home and also make preparations for the burial.

  • Why Funke Adedoyin is off social radar

    TWO-TIME federal minister in the Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, Funke Adedoyin, used to be a recurring decimal on the social scene. The second daughter of the Agbamu, Kwara State-born billionaire-industrialist, Prince Samuel Adedoyin , has, however, maintained a low profile since her exit from government.

    A single mother of one, though never married, her love life has been shrouded in secrecy. But she had once been amorously linked with Segun Fowora, estranged hubby of Senator Gbemisola Saraki, who has since remarried to an American. Sources close to her said her world now revolves around her 16-year-old son, whom she never stops telling whoever cares to listen that he is the reason she wakes up in the morning and goes to bed at night.

  • Jumoke Odunsi Caring for the elderly and chronically ill

    Jumoke Odunsi Caring for the elderly and chronically ill

    For some years, Jumoke Odunsi practiced as a medical doctor in some reputable hospitals in the country. Midway into her career, she decided to do something new, caring for the elderly and chronically ill. Along the line, she became one of the ten Nigerians to win the Diamond Bank bright idea grant. She spoke with Yetunde Oladeinde recently.

     

    JUMOKE Odunsi is the chief executive officer of Wellcare Medicals. It’s a Monday morning, and you are with her in her Surulere, Lagos office. On the wall, the mission and vision of the organisation are written out boldly. Her mission is to care for the elderly and chronically ill in a unique environment. For a few minutes you look around and as the staff move in and out, you find dedication and passion vividly etched on their faces.

    Like the Wellcare crew, Odunsi is indeed a woman determined to succeed despite the initial odds she experienced. She takes you down memory lane talking about her humble beginning. “It has been seven years of God’s goodness. It’s been really awesome. When we started seven years ago, it was an idea that was new. A lot of people were skeptical that it would work. A lot of people said go and sit down. But the vision was too strong and propelling. At that point there was no going back.”

    She adds: “I just believed that things would fall in place. When we started the service, people thought it could never be done. That we couldn’t achieve the standard outside the country. Those who needed the service were not even sure, so we had to do a lot of convincing.”

    “I cleared the store and started from the house. All I needed then was a nurse, receptionist and an accountant. After about a year, I realised that I needed to rebrand and that was a challenge. Some banks said it was a beautiful idea but it was tough getting support for start ups. Then someone gave me a N6 million naira loan to be repaid in 6 months. I rejected the offer because it did not make sense. Someone was also willing to give me collateral to support the project. Our work also started speaking for us.”

    The turning point, however, came when she got support from the Diamond bank’s Bright Idea project. “At that time I saw this advert, ‘Bright ideas, anyone?’ So I went to their office on Adeola Hopewell and they asked if I had a bright idea. In four lines, I wrote what the idea was and left. At that point we didn’t have any clue about what the project was all about.”

    About a year down the line, Odunsi got a call that she had been shortlisted as one of the first fifty from applications from thousands of people from across the nation. “I eventually made the last ten and it was something I did casually. We got funds and moved to this office and got a structure. Leveraging was important and it helped to position the organisation. From that point onward, it’s been better.”

    She talks about some of her antecedents as a clinician. “I started at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, then I went to the Baptist Medical Centre, Ogbomosho and the Ladoke Akintola Teaching Hospital (LAUTECH) where I spent five years. I came to Lagos and worked with some private hospitals like Gold Cross, First Consultant and Mount Sinai.”

    You want to know if the business is lucrative, and Odunsi replies this way: “Not quite. People are saying that others are coming into the business. We just wanted to blaze the trail. It is tough for individuals to cough out money to take care of the aged and chronically ill people.”

    Odunsi who has branches of the organisation in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ibadan and Ogun State informs that: “It is a process that is expensive, without any support from anyone. So we cannot charge the way we should. Abroad, there is social security; something comes from government to augment what you have. I think it is a matter of time, if you have genuine passion.”

    Young people, she advices, need to look inwards and turn their hobbies into ideas and a life, term project. “They need to know who they are and have mentors. Unfortunately, a lot of our young people are not patient. They think they know but they don’t know. They don’t attend seminars and in this work, knowledge is power. There is no short cut to hard work, nothing like overnight miracle. Many are not preparing for success and when opportunity comes they don’t know how to handle it. In addition, this generation of parents is destroying the future of their children. They pamper and indulge their children in the wrong way.”

  • Beating insomnia (Part 2)

    Beating insomnia (Part 2)

    Treatment

    If you’re having trouble slipping into-and remaining in-dreamland, don’t dart straight to prescription sleep drugs, which can be habit-forming, harmful if you live with certain conditions, and even downright bizarre! The good news is, science has found that many foods, drinks, herbs and other natural sleep aids can help put you to sleep … naturally.

    Non-Medical treatment and behavioral therapy

    Several simple steps can be taken to improve sleep quality and quantity. These steps include:

    -Do not drink caffeinated beverages later than the afternoon (tea, coffee, soft drinks etc.) Avoid “night caps,” (alcoholic drinks prior to going to bed).

    •Do not smoke, especially in the evening.

    •Do not go to bed hungry.

    •Adjust the environment in the room (lights, temperature, noise, etc.)

    •Avoid going to bed with your worries; try to resolve them before going to bed.

    •Do not watch TV, read, eat or use the computer or other gadgets in bed. Your bed should be used only for sleep and not work.

    •Set your alarm clock to get up at a certain time each morning, even on weekends. Do not oversleep.

    Other simple measures that can be helpful to treat insomnia include avoiding large meals and excessive fluids before bedtime and controlling your environment.

    Light, noise and undesirable room temperature can disrupt sleep. Shift workers and night workers especially must address these factors. Dimming the lights in the bedroom, relaxation, limiting the noise, and avoiding stressful tasks before going to bed may be beneficial.

    Avoid doing work in the bedroom that should be done somewhere else. For example, do not work or operate your business out of your bedroom and avoid watching TV, reading books, and eating in your bed.

    Generally, treatment of insomnia entails both non-pharmacologic (non-medical) and pharmacologic (medical) aspects. It is best to tailor treatment for individual person based on the potential cause. Studies have shown that combining medical and non-medical treatments typically is more successful in treating insomnia than either one alone.

    Foods and drinks that aid sleep

    Lemon Balm

    This lemon-scented member of the mint family has been a sleep-inducing superstar for ages. Other benefits include better digestion and decreased agitation. Try making lemon balm tea by steeping 1 to 2 teaspoons of the dried herb in 1 cup of hot water for 5 to 10 minutes.

    Other Herbs

    If lemon balm is not your thing, another herb sage, also works as a natural sleep aid. Just steep 4 tablespoons in a cup of hot water, steep for four hours, strain, and reheat to drink. Chamomile tea and valerian teas, other sleep inducers, are also more widely available pre-bagged in natural food stores, if you don’t want to fuss with the aforementioned straining herbs.

    Carb/protein combo

    You’ve probably heard that warm milk can help you sleep, since milk contains tryptophan. But the key is to combine carbs with a protein containing tryptophan to help your body better utilize the sleep inducer. Try pairing a cup of whole grain cereal with organic milk before bedtime. Fish is also great as a sleep aid.

  • ‘Disunity the biggest threat to Christianity in Nigeria’

    ‘Disunity the biggest threat to Christianity in Nigeria’

    Founding Pastor of Golgotha Mountain, Efon Alaye, Ekiti State,Pastor Kehinde Ola, is in several ways a modern John the Baptist. The unlettered cleric talks tough and suffers no fools. Yet, he is the delight of many influential Nigerians, who throng his church in Efon Alaye for prophetic prayers. Ola spoke with Sunday Oguntola on his peculiar ministerial exploits and national issues. Excerpts:

     

    Call into the ministry

    A man does not just become a minister. He is called by God. In 1954, I was a young man. I was playing football and suddenly became unconscious. I saw an old man making a covenant with me. I was in standard one and just nine years old. I became conscious and since then realised God called me. I was a blacksmith and also became a mechanic. I prospered so much in the trade that I built a house and was well-known. Everybody knew I was very good at it. Then, God started calling me and I would not bulge. Eventually, he took away everything I had. I was afraid of how to fend for my family. But after six years, I gave in to God and have been working for him since. I stayed with the late Apostle Ayo Babalola as a young man. All of these influenced my ministerial upbringing.

    Ministerial experiences

    It’s been the grace of God seeing me through all this while. I knew what I was getting into when God called me. The Lord has been giving us victories over the devil.

    Prayer versus the word

    As a prophet, many people consult me. I agree many of them are just after blessings. They don’t want to know God. That is why they consult prophets. But the word is what anyone needs. I have discovered this and spend ample time teaching the Bible. When you hear me teach the scriptures, you will be shocked. I lecture in seminaries and they are shocked. It is the combination of prayer and word that we all need.

    Menace of fake prophets

    There are too many of such people today in Christianity. They are after money and what to get. I built my first house in 1980 from my sweat. I have driven several cars. What else am I looking for? But it is not the same for many ministers. They deceive people. The judgement of God is coming on them if they do not repent quickly.

    Why I reject foreign invitations

    I have travelled to several countries to preach. I was in UK, USA and Europe. But I have stopped receiving invitations from them again. We have enough problems to tackle in Nigeria. God called us to save our Jerusalem first. Let’s all face the challenges here first before we go overseas. Of what use is anointing that is useful elsewhere but cannot save your nation?

    I have turned down many of us invitations. Left to me, I don’t even want to travel abroad to preach again. There is nothing there. You only make money and come back spiritually dry. They don’t have passion for God. They have addressed their developmental challenges. So, I will rather concentrate on flushing out the evil forces in Nigeria than junket the world.

    Lack of unity in Christendom

    Our problem in this country as Christians is neither Boko Haram nor the devil. We can face the devil and shame him. But he has sown the seed of discord and disunity among us. You will find out that many ministers in this country are not united. They would rather die than work together for God. They are busy building their empires and estates. They have acquired so much that they are afraid someone else should come take over.

    If they can give me 500 prayer warriors and we go to a mountain for days, I am sure we will save Nigeria. But can that happen? Can the prominent preachers in this country agree to work together? Can they forget their individual programmes and rally to save Nigeria? I doubt it very much. If they are ready, I am. I can even pay to take care of those intercessors. We can go somewhere and I can assure you this nation will change. But they will not. They will rather protect their estates and empires. If we don’t save this country, God will hold us responsible.

    The problem with Nigeria

    Our major challenge is that most of our leaders are in the occults. They have sold Nigeria to the devil. They acquired powers from evil spirits. The corridors of power in Nigeria are held by demons. They have sold our souls to the devil. This is why our church leaders should rise and save this nation. We are afraid to die. Who will not die? We are also under the influence of foreign powers. They will export our resources and sell them back to us exorbitantly. When are we going to be saved?