The church has become more than a place of worship — it is now a lifeline for many citizens. From providing food, shelter, and school fees, to offering spiritual and emotional support, churches are increasingly stepping in where government structures falter. Reverend Dr. James Akinadewo, General Secretary, Motailatu Church of God and a United Nation ambassador in an interview with ADEOLA OGUNLADE, speaks on his divine calling, decades of evangelism, his ministry’s impact in taking thousands of youths off the streets, and why he believes the church remains Nigeria’s strongest refuge for the poor and the oppressed.
F you were to describe Dr. Akinadewo, what would you say?
I am Reverend Dr. James Akinadewo, an ordained bishop, a missionary, and an evangelist to the nations. My mandate is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ—repentance, salvation, and purpose—helping people discover who they are in Christ. God has used me to bring youths into the limelight, to make them realize their divine potentials, and to bless humanity in diverse ways.
In recognition of this, the United Nations honoured me in 2019 as a UN Ambassador for my contributions to humanity. I count it all as God’s grace, because my duty is simple: to keep doing the work, bringing those in darkness into God’s marvelous light and reminding the world that Christ died for all.
What inspired you to go into ministry?
My calling is a divine mandate. God called me as a prophet to the nations, and I have always known it. As a young man, while active in church, I heard God’s voice clearly about my assignment. Even my father would remind me that there was a divine call upon my life.
Initially, I tried to dodge it. I pursued other interests because I thought I could still serve God and humanity in different ways. But there came a point when God compelled me. He said, “Souls are perishing. You must rise and save them.” At that moment, I had no choice. This work is not about family legacy or religion—it is a global divine assignment to save souls and deliver people from oppression.
At what point did you decide to go into full-time ministry?
That was in the 1990s. Although I had been involved in church activities and evangelism for years, God made it clear to me that the time had come to take up the mandate fully. My father also insisted, “You have no choice but to do God’s work.” I began as a full-time evangelist, preaching in the streets, markets, villages, and cities. Over time, God instructed me to establish a church base where people could be taught, trained, and discipled. Yet, evangelism remains the heartbeat of my ministry-we still go out daily, weekly, and monthly, reaching out to souls in different communities and nations.
What challenges have you faced as a church leader, and how have you managed them?
The biggest challenge is leading people. Human beings are the most difficult to lead. Everyone has different ideas, weaknesses, and personalities. But with divine wisdom and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, it is possible. I see ministry as a training ground. We take people as they are and, through teaching, prayer, and example, help them grow into who God wants them to be. Leadership requires patience, learning, and imparting wisdom daily. Once people see you live by example they follow. By God’s grace, we have been able to turn challenges into testimonies.
It was reported that you have taken over 20,000 youths off the streets. How did that happen?
Yes, by the grace of God. Our ministry focuses heavily on street evangelism. We go to the very places many avoid—markets, schools, ghettos, and drug dens. We meet addicts, street boys, and people society has written off. We don’t just preach to them; we show them love. We feed them, clothe them, and minister deliverance to those under bondage. Many of them encounter the power of the Holy Spirit, realize there is hope, and surrender to Christ.
From there, we empower them. Those who wish to return to school, we sponsor. Those who want to learn trades, we set them up. We no longer call them ‘area boys’ or ‘drug addicts’—we call them Jesus Boys. And by God’s grace, many of them have gone ahead to help others out of similar lifestyles.
How do you follow up on these youths to ensure they stay transformed?
Before we send them out, they are thoroughly discipled and filled with the Holy Spirit. Some are in Nigeria, while others are abroad. We have missionaries, crusade teams, and follow-up ministers who track their progress. Many of them are active in church, growing in grace, and serving God. We also provide leadership and personal development training, because I believe everyone has leadership potential. Once people discover who they are in Christ, they rise above their old life. We are seeing great results, and we give God all the glory.
How do you see the role of the church in addressing Nigeria’s moral, social, and economic challenges?
The Bible says the government is on our shoulders. The church must pray, shine its light, and also act. Today, the church has become a refugee camp because people troop in daily for help — food, school fees, clothing, prayer, and encouragement.
During COVID-19, without any government support, churches fed thousands. Even now, with the high cost of living, many Nigerians go to bed hungry. Parents struggle with school fees. Yet the church stands in the gap, praying and providing. Without the role of the church, things would have been far worse.
However, the government must also wake up. Leadership is sacrifice and positive influence. Nigerians are suffering. Food prices are skyrocketing. Millions of employable youths roam the streets unemployed — a time bomb waiting to explode. Our leaders must do better.
Can government partner with the church to tackle these challenges, especially in youth empowerment?
Yes, absolutely. If the government comes, we are ready to share our model. The church already runs seminars for youths, families, artisans, businesspeople, and traders. We empower them spiritually and practically. Imagine what can happen if the government partners with us — more youths will be taken off the streets and given hope.
Sadly, the current system frustrates young people. For example, we saw students writing exams late at night with lanterns because there was no electricity. That is abnormal. When abnormalities become normalized, our children grow up accepting them as the standards. This is dangerous. Nigeria has so much potential. We once led Africa in many ways, but now we are lagging behind. If our leaders embrace true governance, partner with institutions like the church, and create an enabling environment, God will restore our lost glory.
There have been allegations of false doctrines creeping into the C&S movement. How is Motailatu Church of God addressing these controversies?
Motailatu Church of God is founded on the Word of God, the fire of God, holiness, and the power of the Holy Spirit. We follow what Jesus laid down. Anyone doing otherwise is not truly C&S. Light and darkness cannot walk together. From the beginning, C&S was rooted in mass evangelism and preaching the gospel. Those involved in fetish practices or cultism are not C&S. Anybody can wear white garments and call themselves a name, but by their fruits, we shall know them. The real C&S will never indulge in fetishism. At Motailatu, we worship as the Holy Spirit directs, just like the day of Pentecost.
What legacy do you hope to leave behind?
A legacy of shining the light of Christ. We are raising children and youths in holiness from a young age. Many of them are now in higher institutions across Nigeria and beyond, spreading the fire of Jesus. We train them to lead worship, preach holiness, and witness boldly. The light of Christ must continue to shine through them, and posterity will know that Christ reigns forever.
Some say the Aladura movement is more about the white garments than inner holiness. How do you respond?
Holiness is not about clothes. If you wear white and live in sin, you are heading to hell. The garment must reflect an inner life filled with the Holy Spirit. Our conduct should show Christ in us. In Antioch, people observed the disciples for a year before calling them Christians because they saw Christ in them. Likewise, our white garments must be unstained, symbolizing purity within and without. Holiness is about living sanctified, Christ-centered lives, not outward appearance alone.
What is the greatest lesson God has taught you in your journey?
God has taught me to abstain from anything that will hinder me from reigning with Christ. The Bible says, “Love not the world, neither the things in the world.” So, I live daily with heaven in view. If Christ comes today, I want to be ready. Everything I do is to prepare myself and others for His return. My legacy is to keep shining the light of Jesus Christ and to raise generations who will continue to shine it to the ends of the earth.
Many young people are leaving the country. What does that mean to you?
It is sad. Today, parents send their children to schools in Ghana, while in the past, it was Ghanaians and South Africans who came to Nigeria. Nigeria once stood tall as the giant of Africa. I remember in 1986, at the Commonwealth Games in New Zealand, Nigeria led the boycott against apartheid in South Africa — and the whole world respected us. Western Nigeria once had television before France and Belgium. With cocoa and other resources, we developed estates and communities. But look at us now — leadership failure has dragged us down. Still, I believe God will restore Nigeria’s lost glory if we get leadership right.
Some youths recently had to write exams at night because of lack of electricity. How do you respond such situations?
It is painful. When students are forced to write exams at night, using lamps, because there is no electricity, and leaders ignore it, what message are we sending? We are normalizing abnormalities. When young people grow up seeing abnormal things treated as normal, they repeat the same mistakes in leadership tomorrow.
In other countries, less endowed than Nigeria, things are done properly. But here, our lawmakers saw these things and did nothing. That is why leadership remains Nigeria’s greatest problem.
The church will continue to pray, stand in the gap, and help the needy. But the government must rise to the task of leadership. Nigeria is richly blessed, but until we do things the right way, suffering will continue. If the government partners with the church, and if leaders embrace sacrificial service, God will restore Nigeria’s old glory.
