Category: Worship

Hundreds of women across Oyo State have benefited from a free comprehensive medical checkup outreach organised recently by The Complete Woman Oyo Chapter in collaboration with the Women’s Fellowship, Chapel of Resurrection, the University of Ibadan, Oyo State.

The outreach drew about 200 people who gathered at the Car Park of the Chapel of Resurrection as early as 9:00 am. They were attended to by a medical team comprising doctors, consultants, nurses, dentists, lab technicians, ophthalmology, and other public health personnel.

The medical outreach tagged ‘Living a Healthy Life in a Challenging Times,’ featured a wide range of quality and comprehensive free health care services such as eye screening, laboratory tests (urine and blood), blood pressure, blood sugar tests, dental tests, one-to-one consultation, cancer screening, and heart checkups among others. Free items distributed also included mosquito nets and other materials sponsored by the Oyo State Ministry of Health and drugs for those diagnosed with certain ailments.

Speaking at the event, a Consultant Family Physician at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Dr. Olufunmilayo Badru urged women not to neglect their health but to go for regular medical check-ups to live a meaningful life no matter how busy they are.

The medical personnel sensitized women on the various categories of health challenges and stressed the need for women to take their health seriously.

Badru said “we, the women, need to take our health seriously. There are many things that we can do to prevent diseases. Prevention is better than cure. It is cheaper than going for treatment or surgery.

“They will have a better quality of life and live healthy if they go for regular medical check-ups,” she said.

The convener of the programme, Mrs. Tunrayo Falade, warned women against neglecting their health.

Falade said: “We bring women together to educate them about their health. Some diseases that a lot of women are coming down with are avoidable.”

Reverend Chibueze Okezie is the Senior Pastor of Chapel of Answers Int’l, Aba, Abia State Nigeria. Recently, he was at The Father’s House Church, Akute, Ogun State. He spoke with Gbenga Aderanti.

When did you start your ministry?

We started the ministry in 1998. The first year I was instructed by God that it should just be a year of intensive outreach. After that we should start a church in 1999 in Cotonou. After about three or four years, I heard God say: “it is time to go back home.” It was not easy because I was established to an extent in ministry there. So, I had to make my plans and then return. And he was very specific and I had to return to Aba in Abia State.

In the Republic of Benin, they don’t joke with their traditional religion, how did you manage this?

Benin Republic as a whole is known as a voodoo nation but anyhow, however, darkness is, even the slightest light will prevail. We were there and we did the work. The problem with some people when they are sent to a place is that they are not focused on their assignment. When you are focusing on your assignment, there must be a ray of light shining. We had some successes. We had Nigerians come to church and we had some Beninese come to church.

There had been reported cases of rivalries between Nigerian pastors and native pastors; did you experience any of such?

Sincerely speaking, I never had any Beninese pastor or indigenous pastor fight against me. I have a son who is now a pastor there today; he used to be my interpreter. My ministry was welcomed and accepted.

Do you still have a branch church then?

Yes, we do.

What are the challenges you are facing in the ministry?

I will always say that what some other people see as challenges, I see this as a growth process. A child that is born and is growing and trying to walk, will fall, so, you can’t prevent or pray against it. He must experience it if he must walk. I see those things that happened as growth processes of my ministry and the church.

Sometimes you get frustrated when things are not working…

That word is a very serious word; I will sincerely tell you that I never get frustrated. I have this mindset that whatever you see on your way to success is a part of your growth process. I do not see frustration, frustration can’t come in. I cannot be frustrated.

What was the training you had before you started your ministry?

 My very mentor from the beginning was Bishop Oyedepo, though, from a distance, because I was not a member of his church. I happened to have been trained under what they call Word Mission Agency that brought WOFBI, Word of Faith Bible Institute, and through the missionary arm called the AGIP, the African Gospel Invasion Programme and God blessed me by giving me a man from there, Pastor Mathew Odewunmi, he vomited ministry to me on a personal note and I’m so appreciative and grateful to him for life.

What is your take on the proliferation of churches?

My take on it is that it depends on the way we see it. I see that everyone does not want to be a Founder or General Overseer; I see that it has to do with a divine commission. If God has commissioned someone or given someone an assignment and asked the person to start or head it, I do not see it as a desire that someone wants to be a General Overseer. We can only say that in terms of people who are not given that mandate to start something, to head something, and they out of ambition, selfishness, and reaction, due to ill-treatment, or mistreatment from where they are decide to go and start something.

The Bible says that whatever is born of God overcomes the world. The acid test that God is in a thing is in the success that is recorded in it. Like Gamaliel said in the book of Acts, he said we should not trouble these men because if it is of God, it will stand and if it is not of God, it will not stand. Those that claim it is God let us just watch them. God has an assignment for everyone according to Jeremiah 1:4,5,6, he said before you were born, I knew you, before you came out of your mother’s womb, I ordained you and sanctified you as a prophet, we cannot stop them.

 In a place like the US, in my estimation, the citizens are not as religious as Nigerians, yet the country is prosperous, why do we have lots of churches in Nigeria and we are still where we are?

Well, that is an interesting thing. I just had something like that in church the last two Sundays; I have been running a series on renewing the mind. The reason why in quote sinners or unbelievers or non-Christians are succeeding without prayers is the use of the mind. Nigeria being backward and not prospering like other nations is not about religion that is just the truth that is far from it. It is just about the use of the mind, responsibility, creativity, and accountability, these are the things that make a nation go forward and not religion. You go to some countries some of them are Hindus, while some countries are largely Muslims, and outright pagans and they are succeeding. Success has to do with the use of the mind. We, Christians that preach prosperity, only want to show the people that there is a God factor to it. Even the God factor does not override the use of the mind.

What you are saying in essence is that it is beyond prayers.

It is beyond prayer. Prayer is not enough, like I just told you creativity, accountability, responsibility, and uses of the mind are very important. No amount of how you pray; if you don’t put these things together, you are not going to succeed

Should Christians participate in politics?

Christians should participate in politics to every extent as far as it does not defile their faith. They should because if we keep our fingers crossed and watch other people do, the wicked will rule, and when they rule, the righteous suffer. So, Christians should participate.

The challenge of doctrinal differences is tearing the church apart…

The Bible says no scripture is of private interpretation and that is the problem we are having. 2 Peter 1:20. “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private [ a]interpretation, 21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but [ b]holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” Sometimes, we have these interpretations of scriptures that suit our individual persons and not the general, not the right interpretation. Because I don’t like eating eggs, and then I tell everybody don’t eat eggs, it is wrong. When it comes to denominational differences or doctrines or whatever you call them, they are about the error of private interpretation of the scriptures.

I grew up in a church where they condemn women from wearing trousers and using attachments on women’s heads but when I grew up and started reading my bible and I rubbed mind with other people, I discovered that there is an error somewhere. So, it is about the error of the private interpretation. You don’t interpret the scriptures to suit you. You should say it the way it is.

The body of Christ is also confronted with the issue of succession. Most times, when the founder dies, the church is fragmented. What do you think the church should do about this?

The only thing to be put in place is what I was talking about is the use of the mind. As they use the mind in determining who succeeds a leader; they should also give place to the place of the divine. Because I want to sound this very clear, I heard about it when I went to the US, the church does not belong to any man or government. It is even wrong for the government to interfere in church matters. The church is clearly divine. We have to use our minds and give room to divinity. How? Jesus said that I will build my church and the gate of hell shall not prevail against me. The church is not a human being, it is not a carnal thing, it is purely God. So, even as we use our minds to run it, we should truly not with forgery or deceit, truly allow the divine to overrule.

I got so blessed reading about the enthronement or succession of the handover of the RCCG to Papa Adeboye, the man that handed it over to him said God told him. Even if you look at the constitution of the church and everything, he was way far from anyone that would succeed as the founder of the church, but the divine played out and that is why the RCCG today is an iroko.

We should have a constitution because the last thing any church would like to suffer is extinction and that happens by taking over, hand over by the one that God has not ordained for it. That is why during elections, a lot of prayers are made believing God that he should do his will.

Way out of political and economic jams in Nigeria

The way out is to sit down and use our minds. Responsibility, accountability, creativity — that is all.

Do you see Nigeria prospering again?

 Why not? Instead of this nation not prospering, God will sink individuals, institutions, cabals, and anyone that will not want this country to move forward. Nigeria does not belong to anyone but God. The Christians, Muslims, atheists, and traditionalists know that God is interested in this country and Nigeria is God’s nation. That is why we all are praying. Let the determinate counsel of God prevail over this nation. If Nigeria suffers any crisis, God will not be happy it will affect this nation, and it will affect a lot of things. 

President of Nigeria Coalition of Pastors for Good Leaders, Apostle Babatunde Oguntimehin, speaks with Adeola Ogunlade on the need for Christians to participate in the forthcoming elections and the decision of his group to support the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the 2023 election.

As clerics, there are insinuations that you should not get too involved in politics, what do you make of this?

 The electioneering process is God’s way of choosing his own to rule over his people. It’s as if we do not read our Bible

When Judas Iscariot misbehaved and was condemned, the remaining disciples conducted an election that produced another person to fill the position of Judas Iscariot, Matthias won the election. That was the first election conducted in the New Testament.

Before the New Testament, when God sent Jonah to Nineveh, something happened to people in the boat, they didn’t know what was happening, and they had to conduct an election to know what was happening. After they conducted the election, the lots fell on Jonah where he was hiding, which led to his being discovered.

The Bible said when the righteous are in power, the people will rejoice. Who are the righteous?

Are we not Christians? Are we not Muslims? Are we not the righteous ones? If someone is godly, I am not talking about being religious because religion is what is killing us in Nigeria today.

I am talking about a godly attitude that I have found in Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Who is godly? Who is a leader? Someone interested in the welfare of others. And BAT is interested in the affairs of everybody in this country. That is a godly person. Look at how many people BAT has raised, and how many families he has impacted. So why are you now comparing such a person with Obi who was a governor in Anambra State for eight years but couldn’t mentor anyone?

What informed your decision to throw your weight behind Tinubu?

We held prayers and vigils for all candidates, in the process, God revealed to me that heaven had a hand in his coming to become president and he would stabilise Nigeria.

Let me use the opportunity to speak out on the revelation I recently received. I was told that any further attack on him will attract the wrath of God. This is because any attack on him is an attack on the throne of grace. Heaven has a hand in his candidature as the one to stabilise Nigeria. God is interested in the affairs of Nigeria and God cares less about the denomination or religion of the person. All those attacking him on social media as regards his health, the statements he is making, his age, and everything, should stop. God is not happy with these attacks and God will not be happy with anybody that attacks him that is what has been revealed to us. Tinubu is heaven’s choice and this is a challenge to him, if he doesn’t know this yet, he should start having the mindset that heaven has a hand in his candidature and they will hold him responsible for the welfare of Nigerians If he misuses the opportunity.

We have seen prominent pastors welcome a Christian presidential candidate to their programmes which aligns with some interest in CAN, won’t your decision to support Tinubu amount to betrayal?

We are not just coming up for Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s (BAT) sake or because he is a member of APC. Our name is Nigeria Coalition of Pastors for Good Leadership not Nigeria Coalition of Pastors for Tinubu. The group has been existing since 2014. We are not bothered about a party. We prayed and God told us the candidate to support.

Moreover, we have no political party in the real sense of it in Nigeria. The last time we had one was during the days of NPN, UPN, and so on. What we have today is people jumping from one party to another to get what they want. What we have in Tinubu is a candidate that God has sent to deliver us from the hand of people that are terrorising Nigerians and give us good leadership.

 I am so concerned that what they are fighting for is a “No to Muslim-Muslim ticket,” right? And now they are inviting a candidate to campaign in their churches, are they trying to tell Nigerians that the fight is between Muslims and Christians? They are causing more problems in Nigerian politics. Have you ever seen BAT going to the mosque and Imam will raise his hands to announce that this is the candidate of APC? Are they not guilty of what they are accusing BAT of?

This is the reason that God raised somebody like us to speak the truth. I want to appeal to them, to stop playing the politics of religion. Is Peter Obi telling me that it is only Christians’ votes that he needs? Why has Peter Obi not gone to the mosques and let them announce his presence like they have been doing to him in some churches?

I want to appeal to some of our senior pastors to stop it. God is not happy with it. If Obi wants to campaign, let him do more campaigns outside the church to test his popularity and acceptance. God is not dividing Nigeria and Peter Obi should stop dividing Nigeria.

With the lingering insecurity in the country, is the Muslim-Christian ticket an antidote to a more secure Nigeria?

What we need is someone who can stop the insecurity, someone who has the interests of Nigerians at heart. Someone who doesn’t mind where he comes from, someone who doesn’t bother about the religion he practices. Tinubu will provide the political will needed to tackle insecurity in the country. And that is why we saw the revelation that heaven is interested in his candidature.

 Without enjoying the support of Christians, do you see Tinubu winning the 2023 elections?

Forget about what you are seeing in some churches where Peter Obi has been visiting and is being announced. Christians will vote for Tinubu. In those Churches do you want to tell me that there are no APC members? And they will leave their man and vote for Obi? Politics is beyond being given a rousing welcome at church events.

Apart from this, I have observed over time that Christians can talk very well, but when it comes to election proper, we will not come out.

That’s why this group is bringing out the Christians who are not members of the PDP, or APC and who will not be seen in any political ground, to amass votes for a good candidate that will deliver Nigeria.

You seem so concerned about Obi, is his growing support across the country not a threat to your candidate which you said has heavenly support?

Obi is not in any way a threat to Tinubu. Let us put the revelation I had aside. Does Obi have the kind of pedigree Tinubu has? Is he popular and enjoys the support of Nigerians across the country? Has he shaken hands across the Niger for them to give him their support? Tinubu’s deal with Buhari in 2015 allowed Buhari to become the president today.

The kind of support PMB had in the North then, Obi doesn’t have in the North. Neither is he going to have a 100% vote in the south. This is just a political reality.

Even in the Southeast, where he hails from, he cannot win more than 50% there because some people from his region are not in support of his ambition and talk more of South West where BAT comes from.

Frankly speaking, If Obi wants to become president, let him wait. It is not now. Let him learn how to practice national politics and stop regional politics. It is even a disgrace that we are comparing BAT with Obi. BAT is a national leader while Obi is a sectional leader.

A renowned cleric, Prophet Samuel Olu-Alo has cautioned Nigerian youths against allowing themselves to be used as political thugs in the forthcoming general election.

Prophet Olu-Alo who is the planter of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Grace of Mercy Prayer Mountain, said the youths should know that they too can occupy top political positions in the future.

He spoke in Akure, the Ondo State capital, during the ministry’s 9th Crusade and empowerment programme for 700 widows and the aged who were presented with food items and cash.

The man of God said: “Any youth ready to present himself as a political thug will be stabbing his future with a sword. Who told you that you too cannot be governor or Senator in the future?

“Most of these top politicians have their own children and families living here in Nigeria but abroad. Whatever wrong you do today, people will remind you of it when you are seeking a political position tomorrow.

“This is the reason why many don’t attain positions today, they are calling for revenge for their past wrong deeds, so don’t allow your future to be destroyed by politicians.

“If people can serve me who never went to school, you too can be served. Even if you are an orphan, you can be great in life and break records. My story encourages and gives you hope.”

Prophet Olu-Alo who called on Nigerians to intensify prayers for the country said something will happen between this year and the next four years.

He admonished Nigerians not to consider sentiment when voting but according to their conscience.

He said: “Just go out on the day of the election, if it holds and vote for your conscience, not in anger and sentiment. Whatever you based your vote on, you will get within the next four years.

“You will not regret your action since it came from your mind and not that you are pushed into it. I am saying this because something will happen between now and the next four years.

“If you are Igbo, Hausa, or Yoruba, so be it. Just ensure it comes from your mind and don’t vote out of anger, envy, religious, culture, and ethnic sentiment”.

The prophet who recently established  Adamimogo Football Club and Adamimogo  93.1 FM, revealed that  Adamimogo Group of Schools will take off this year at Jesus City, Lagos.

As more condemnations trail the killing of Rev. Father Isaac Achi of St. Peters and Paul Catholic Church along Daza Road, Kafin-Koro, Paikoro Local Government Area, the Chairman, Christians Association of Nigeria, Lagos State Chapter, Bishop Stephen Adegbite has called on the Governor of Niger State, Abubakar Sani Bello and the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba to go beyond condemning the “barbaric act” and fish out the perpetrators of the act.

 This was contained in a release by Adegbite’s Special Adviser on Media, Public Relations, and Strategic Communications, Rev Oladapo Daramola.

Adegbite said people who do these kinds of evil must be brought to justice.

“While I commiserate with the Catholic family and the entire Christian community over the sad loss of Rev. Father Isaac Achi, who was gruesomely murdered by suspected bandits last Sunday, I wish to call on the Governor of Niger State and the Inspector-General of Police to fish out his killers without delay. This is one too many, and we cannot continue to condone such actions without making those doing it pay for their actions.

 “It is for the lack of justifiable and commensurate action from a law enforcement perspective that they persist in what they do. For how long are we going to allow these to continue? For a country that has laws, and yet some criminals are treated as sacred and untouchable, and their victims are denied justice. That in no way is a true definition of egalitarianism.”

 Quoting Lord Hewart, the then Lord Chief Justice of England, Adegbite said “Justice must not only be done but must also be seen to be done.”

While insisting that Nigerians expect justice, he observed that several cases of this nature were yet to be resolved. “We cannot continue to sweep grievous matters like this under the carpet. People want to see fairness, justice; equity, and not partiality as the case seems to be at the moment. I hope those in authority will take this matter seriously. For once, if justice is served and all eyes can see, it will be a good starting point for rebuilding confidence in our people.”

Former presidential candidate and interim government campaigner Rev Chris Okotie has said the future is guaranteed only when the country is restructured.

In continuation of his interim government campaign which he began in 2019, Okotie said that for Nigeria to overcome the 2023 global economic headwinds predicted by experts, the country would need strong governance structures and a stable polity which are absent in  the present constitution .

The cleric, in his New year message released by his media adviser,Ladi Ayodeji in Lagos said unless his Aboriginal Democracy proposition is adopted, the country could flounder under a severe socio-political and economic crisis.

Read Also: Don’t be deceived by crowd at rallies, says Okotie

Okotie observed given the fact that 80 percent of our income is used to service our current debt of N77 trillion against a backdrop of a bloated bureaucracy, the country has no choice under the current constitution than to keep borrowing to run the country.

He said, in the light of this reality, a new constitution is required to deal with all the existential problems in all spheres of our national life, which is why Aboriginal Democracy is recommended.

Okotie expressed concern that the IMF has warned that one third of the world, including Nigeria would be in recession this year. 

He urged his congregation at his church, during the New year service to pray for the peace and prosperity of Nigeria.

 ‘Every member of this church should continue to set aside a few hours to pray for Nigeria because the Household of God was set up to play a pivotal role in the destiny of this country, that’s why I am involved in the political process,’he said.

The Annual General Conference (AGC) of The Sacred Cherubim and Seraphim Church of Nigeria kicks off on Thursday in Lagos. 

Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) Elder Apostle Adebola Odubela announced this in a briefing at El-Bethel Shiloh Cathedral, Agege, Lagos. 

The 93rd conference, with the theme “Walking in the light of the Lord,” will take place in the Sacred C&S Church, Ebenezer Model Parish, (Oke-Irapada), Egbeda-Idimu, Lagos.

The General Superintendent and Supreme Head of the church, His Most Eminence Pro. Solomon Alao JP admonished Nigerians to get it right to avoid disaster and going “Soviet”.

He admonished members of the church to go out in mass to vote for candidates of their choice and not to be involved in money politics.

“Unless we get it right this time, Nigeria may go Soviet ways. It is therefore, more than ever before necessary, to put in place the electoral offenses Tribunal Act to put fears in the hearts of all Nigerians, all polling boot agents, all security agencies, and the umpire. INEC should give us a free, fair, and credible election. Any collusion by any of the foregone agencies, individuals, and members of the Tribunals should attract a long time in jail without the option of a fine.

“Nigeria is now nearing the Precipice. Time is no more on our side. 2023 General Election is, therefore the last opportunity to avoid avoidable disaster,” he said.