The General Overseer of the Christ Anointed Assembly (CAA), Baltimore Maryland, United States of America, Apostle David Olaleye, spoke with Sunday Oguntola on his sojourn in America and why many have lost faith in the church. Excerpts:
You relocated to America in 2002. What has been happening to you since then?
Well, I give glory to God for sparing my life. You know my musical fans and lovers who keep asking for me since I left. When I got to America, God spoke to me to start a ministry whose foundation will be based on speaking the truth and nothing more. You find out that truth is scarce these days. When you choose to stand for the truth and live in the truth, you are ready for persecution and all that.
We started with a prayer meeting where God was meeting people at the points of their needs in 2003. Between then and 2006, we were only praying with God performing diverse miracles among us. Many diagnosed with cancer have been cured with many barren women now carrying their babies.
You have pastored in Nigeria and the US. What is the difference?
In Nigeria, we are focused and love God. You see many people trooping to church. But in America, it is never so. The nation does not allow people to serve God. You can get any job as long as you are not keen on going to church. It is a workaholic society with no space for God at all.
So, you find out that founding a church in America is tougher. Over there, if you can deceive people, you will have a large congregation. So, for some of us who have chosen to stand by the truth, it is even tougher. But we are braving the odds because America must be saved.
We have been standing strong because we are a tiny set of people who are bent on hearing the truth. Our church is not that large but we are moving on. We are infusing the society with the truth and carrying on.
Did you leave in the first place because God asked you to?
Yes, you recall that I was in the band of Chief Ebenezer Obey in those days. I left to start my gospel band. But God asked me to leave everything and proceed to America because He said His people have forsaken the truth. Many Nigerians are in America without purpose and vision.
Many of them are motivated by economic considerations and not godly vision. They just want to make the money with no thought for God. Many who left as Christians have been sunk in by the capitalist system. So, God needs them back and He said He was sending me to them. They are in America without knowing what to do and how to go about it. Many immigrants there are frustrated and confused.
I hear many complain that most black church founders in America are only able to attract immigrants like themselves and not indigenous America. Is this true?
It is one hundred percent true my brother. This is because you still find racial discrimination in America. Many white Americans, as much as 80 percent of them, do not want to see the blacks. And if they do not want to see blacks and you establish a church, how will they come? We blacks too, since we realised that they don’t want us, decided to keep to ourselves. Many of them will say it to your face that they don’t want to have anything to do with you.
But sometimes, you find a mixed congregation. One thing is sure when you see people sent by God, they like to go once they are convinced through your character and conducts.
But churches populated more by immigrants are believed to have no future because the immigrants might leave, making them run down. Do you agree?
I don’t think it is like that. God has promised that He will build His church and the gate of hell will not prevail against it. As you have immigrants, you also find citizens coming as well. Many immigrants become citizens over time, making them become permanent members. So, people change status every year, meaning churches are preserved by God’s grace.
There is a proposal at the ongoing national conference that religious organisations should start paying tax. What do you make of it?
It should be like it is in America here too. But how many church leaders live here is giving the society several opportunities to hit the church. Many leaders are spending monies collected in the name of God on personal needs. Many unbelievers sniff at us these days.
In America, the government is not interested in how you operate. But they ask that churches file their income and expenditure accounts every year. That makes many churches to be careful of how they spend money. But here, there is no caution or regulation.
As long as you don’t defraud and live flamboyantly in America, you are fine. But here, the people paying tithes and offering are miserable as against the leaders who live big with mighty mansions and vehicles. They acquire everything at the expense of the people.
You ask yourself if these people are living for themselves or serving God. Because people see of all these, many ministers in Nigeria are marked and under surveillance. It is amazing as much church leaders have acquired in Nigeria. Jesus will never acquire that much. He had many people to cater for.
What is new in your musical career?
In 1980, I released repent, judgement is coming. In 1986, I released command in my name. In 1990, I did we shall make heaven. Then in 1992, I did be watchful. In 1996, it was I’m going with Jesus. I have done I give thanks and I will never forget Jesus. But since I left, there was no one to take care of these albums. I didn’t even have a marketer. I am just arranging for that now.
Last year, I recorded an album that I will release in November. I am doing the videos and will be adding more soon.
