For three days, thousands of participants from the nook and cranny of the Federal Capital Territory, the North and other parts of the country thronged to the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries‘ inaugural men’s deliverance and economic empowerment conference.
The event which was recently held was the first of its kind organised by God’s Men of Valour North at the MFM International Headquarters in Wuye, Abuja.
Themed ‘Challenge: Fear Not, Stand Firm,’
The conference was aimed to help empower men and train them in business skills.
The three-day event particularly drew attendees from the Northern region and was presided over by the General Overseer of the MFM Ministries worldwide, Dr. Daniel Olukoya.
The summit also featured an exhibition of works of men from MFM churches in the Northern Region, and Eagle Hour Fellowship, and seminars with topics such as, ‘Entrepreneurship the Key to Sustainable Economic Growth,’ ‘Business Planning; Development and Growth Methodologies and Benefits,’ ‘The Rules and preparations for a Successful Businessman,’ and ‘Data Protection – the Vehicle for Sustaining Businesses.’
In addition to this, the symposium organised syndicate group meetings on strategic planning for pre- and post-retirement, consultants, contractors, service providers, business owners, civil and public servants, and job applicants.
The event also featured interactive sessions where participants asked the church’s General Overseer, Dr. Olukoya, questions intending to find lasting solutions.
A high point of the event was the presentation of awards to the International Patron, Coach God’s Men of Valour and General Overseer of MFM, Dr. Daniel Olukoya; the Global Chairman GMOV, Pastor Kunle Adesanya; GMOV National Coordinator North, Dr Michael Bayo Akinola; GMOV Wuye Coordinator, Dr. Elijah Tokunbo Daniel ; Air Vice Marshal Ade Adekunle, the Chairman of Eagles Fellowship; and the Chairman of Kingdom Builders MFM Wuye, Dr Olasupo Agbaje, to mention a few.
Welcoming participants to the event, the GMOV National Coordinator for the North, Dr. Michael Bayo Akinola, described the conference as a vehicle of unending economic prosperity and a platform for men to discover themselves.
Akinola said, “The first edition of this conference is to empower all participants, especially our men, to learn new skills and to be self-sufficient. It is to end poverty and ensure that the people enjoy peace and prosperity.
“It will increase men’s organisational effectiveness and growth, positively impact them, boost their economic diversification and, in turn, support their economic resilience, and teach them how to access markets and have control over resources.”
Speaking earlier on the topic, ‘The Eagle Man,’, the General Overseer, MFM worldwide, Olukoya, described man as the central figure in God’s plan, stressed that God is looking for men, real men who know the reason God made the men.
He said: “Man is a central figure in the divine operation and the central agenda of the almighty, so if man fails God, the world also fails. God is looking for men, real men who know the reason God made them men.
“Unfortunately many men are pursuing their selfish agenda at the detriment of God’s agenda for their lives. Men need to have an intimate relationship with God and be willing to possess God’s power and godly character.
“You must be spiritually alive, refuse to be overwhelmed by any problem, and embrace discipline. Men need to embrace their families, turn a good leaf, and make a good investment of their time, talent, and treasures.”
In addition, the General Overseer, Olukoya preached in his sermon with the theme, ‘My Siege is Over,’ which was taken from the Bible’s book of Jeremiah 52: 1-13.
Olukoya described a siege as “an act of surrounding and attacking a place to isolate the place from receiving help, as well as cutting a place off from communication ensuring supplies do not get to the person.
“When a life, individual, community, or nation is under siege, there will be desolation, emptiness, total elimination, poverty, waste, hardship, loss of good things and benefits, hunger, pains, and death to mention a few.”
He called for total repentance, admonishing all to give their lives to Jesus Christ, come to God through Jesus Christ, imbibe the Spirit and be determined to change for good.
Olukoya, said Satan puts an individual, a family, a city, a community and nation under a siege with the idea of building up angry people in the nation.
He explained that a nation under siege may not face war, or be violently attacked but things will not be normal, neither will good things be happening in such a nation.
He said when a life, individual, community or nation is under siege, there will be desolation, emptiness, total elimination, poverty, waste, hardship, loss of good things and benefits, hunger, pains, and death to mention a few.
For a way out of siege causing myriads of problems bedevilling individuals, nations and the world at large, Olukoya asked individuals to come to God through Jesus Christ, be determined to change for good and seek God’s intervention for deliverance out of siege.
The programme witnessed several testimonies of salvation, divine instant healings, deliverance, and open doors.
Likewise in his exhortation themed, ‘Who is a man?’ the Assistant General Overseer in charge of Mission and Evangelism, Pastor Abiodun Ladejola, warned men against evil addiction, sexual immorality, and Get-Rich-Quick syndrome, among others, which he said are major vices pulling men down from top position God has destined them to permanently be.
Speaking on the successes and challenges of the GMOV, the Global Chairman of the platform, Pastor Kunle Adesanya, stated, “The Men of Valour is focused on men’s personal growth, and to this end, we hold job training sessions for men to enhance their economic sustenance.
“There is a cooperative society that helps support men through the provision of housing, vocational training, and apprenticeship skills.”
Also speaking at the event, the host, the Senior Regional Overseer(SRO), MFM International Annex Headquarters, Wuye, Abuja, Pastor Edwin Etomi, described the conference as “very needful in the present time when different challenges are overwhelming and depressing the hearts of men.”
Likewise, in his goodwill message, The Regional Overseer, Special Duties, MFM International Headquarters Annex, Abuja, Pastor David Bolaji, said the conference was timely, crucial and of great importance for all men who desire to achieve and excel in their destiny assignment revealed that women are not left out.
On his part, the GMOV National Coordinator North Central, Thompson Douglas, highlighted some of the group’s successful stories and Corporate Social Responsibility programmes which he said are aimed to benefit both members, non-members, the church, and host communities, Douglas explained that the group offers food items and cash gifts to widows, and orphans, creates employment opportunities for members, and trains members in different skills with starter packs to start up their businesses.
He also enumerated the proposed GMOV North investments for income generation to include: oil block acquisition, acquisition of shared in blue chip companies, application for land in FCDA for estate development for men, outdoor advertisement (Bill Boards) investment portfolios, registration of GMOV North cooperative society and GMOV North executives revolving scheme.
Douglas added, “GMOV Northern Region is one big family bonded together by the love of Jesus Christ. We organised seminars and rallies aimed at educating both members and the wider community about the teaching of Jesus Christ. We implement welfare packages for our brethren to mention a few.”
Highlighting the goals of GMOV Global in his paper presentation, the group’s Deputy Chairman, Johnson Olusetire, noted that members are uplifted economically through policy financing, zero-to-low-interest loans, grants, mobilisation of the private sector investment, and provision of political risk insurance.
“It is unlikely that communities and countries will experience change in the long term if the men aren’t reached and discipled. If men have positive change and transformation, it will not be a magic wand for the world, nations, countries, communities, churches, and families to experience positive change,” Olusetire added.
A business expert and one of the senior pastors in MFM, Dr. Moses Adebowale, noted that every would-be successful man must know about business planning, goals, development, and growth methodologies.
“Growing a company and making it more successful is a practical aspect of the business deal, seeking new business opportunities, building relationships, seeking connections, and entering into strategic partnerships.
“For healthy methodologies for outstanding success in business every businessman or woman must have a positive disposition with a good attitude, identify their target audience, and focus on value distribution that is making one’s products valuable to the immediate society.
“They need to find a better way to penetrate the market, create value and needs for one’s products, making one’s product too important and relevant to the needs of the people, repackaging one’s product/stuff to compete with the current trends as well as diversification.”
In his paper presentation, ‘God’s Men of Valour, Vehicle for Economic Development,’ the GMOV Global Deputy Chairman, Pharmacist Johnson Olusetire, explained that GMOV believes change starts with addressing the root of the matter ‘The Men.’
Johnson opined that it is unlikely that communities and countries will experience a change in the long term if the men aren’t reached and discipled.
He said if Men had positive change and transformation, it would not be a wonder for the world, nations, countries, communities, churches and families to experience positive change.
He urged men to guide their hearts with the word of God, be like Christ and conform to Christ’s image, however, develop and build meaningful relationships with other men on the same journey creating a supportive network of encouragement and accountability.
Olusetire, stressed that Men should stand for strength, and morals, be of courage, strength of mind, firmness, courage and decisiveness.
He said ‘Men of Valour’ is changing families and communities by changing men.
On practical aspects of using GMOV to uplift members economically, Olusetire revealed that GMOV provides financial development and policy financing, provides zero-to-low-interest loans and grants, mobilizes private sector investment and provides advice, provides political risk insurance (guarantees) as well as settles investment disputes with a view to changing lives.
According to him, “change starts with addressing the root of the matter: The Men.”
Men generally can receive positive change and transformation, marriages, families, churches, communities and the country at large would be transformed positively.
