The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Apostle Lawrence Achudume

  • 2026: Achudume calls for integrity, accountability

    2026: Achudume calls for integrity, accountability

    Apostle Lawrence Achudume, the Lead Pastor of Victory Life Bible Church (VLBC), has called on Nigerians to embrace integrity, accountability and national responsibility as the country steps into the New Year, declaring that betrayal of trust remains one of the greatest challenges confronting the nation.

    In his New Year message, the cleric said leadership at all levels—religious, political and traditional—must be exercised as a sacred trust for the good of the people.
    “My prayers and message for Nigerians is that we should live in integrity. Enough is enough of betrayals of one another, betrayals of the nation, betrayal of trust the people have given to our leaders whether pastor, imam or politician,” he said.

    “Whatever position we occupy is in trust for the people and we should use our offices to help humanity and help people.”
    Achudume described Nigeria as a great nation whose global successes can be replicated at home if credibility and honour are restored to public life. According to him, lack of integrity causes the international community to look down on the country.

    Read Also: Troops recover large cache of  ammunition in Maiduguri

    “All over the world, Nigerians are doing great exploits; we can repeat it here in Nigeria,” he noted, praying for an end to the era where a few individuals corner the nation’s commonwealth.”

    He warned that ill-gotten riches are ultimately meaningless, stressing that life is brief and stolen wealth often becomes inaccessible after death.

    He further prayed for national renewal, expressing optimism that Nigeria would experience growth beyond petroleum, with increased agricultural exports in 2026.

    “The lands of Nigeria will bring fruits—great fruits. There will be greater exports, not only petroleum but other agricultural resources God has blessed Nigeria with,” he declared.

    Addressing fellow ministers of the gospel, Achudume urged clerics to live the messages they preach, warning against double standards.
    “As clergy, our message to our colleagues is that we should live according to what we preach. We should not live a double standard life—that’s integrity,” he said. “Say what you mean, mean what you say, and do what you say.”
    He reminded ministers that they are God’s oracles and agents, accountable not only to God but also to the people they lead. “We should be upright and live righteous,” he admonished.
    In a special message to Nigerian youths, Achudume cautioned against the negative use of artificial intelligence and technology, warning that while technology can be a tool for wealth creation, it also carries dangers of deception and artificial lifestyles.

    “The AI generation has a lot of deceit and fakeness involved,” he said, expressing concern over rising cases of depression and suicide in parts of Europe and America. He urged young people to remain grounded in reality, relationships and values, while responsibly leveraging technology for progress.

    He also encouraged a return to authentic human connections rooted in African culture, stressing the importance of real-life relationships and community.

    To members of Victory Life Bible Church, Achudume emphasized the need to dwell in God’s presence, which he described as the foundation for clarity, discipline and righteous living.

    “In God’s presence, you see clearly, you see a better future, you don’t do evil,” he said. Drawing from biblical examples such as Joseph and David, he noted that divine presence enables believers to overcome trials and fulfil God’s purpose for their lives.

    Unveiling the theme for the year, Achudume announced it as ‘On Eagles’ Wings.’

    He explained that the theme signifies resilience, victory and divine elevation above life’s challenges.

    “We are going to soar through the storms—unstoppable, unbeatable. Storms will become icing on the cake of our destiny,” he declared. “We will not grumble or complain; we will use challenges as ladders to go up and become God’s best.”

  • Cleric disburses ₦15m to young entrepreneurs in memory of late wife

    Cleric disburses ₦15m to young entrepreneurs in memory of late wife

    Apostle Lawrence Achudume of Victory Life Bible Church International has counselled youths to embrace entrepreneurship in the light of current economic realities in the country.

    Speaking at the close of the church’s annual youth outreach initiative tagged  ‘Youth On Fire program’ where he doled out N15 million to aspiring entrepreneurs , the cleric noted that white-collar jobs are no longer a feasible option, adding that traditional employment routes aren’t yielding the  needed results  for young people.

    The beneficiaries  of the ₦15 million empowerment funds include  young entrepreneurs across multiple sectors, including catering, logistics, tailoring, fashion designing and shoe-making.

    “The beneficiaries were segmented into three distinct categories,” Achudume told journalists at the Sunday’s ceremony. “The first group received fully sponsored training in cutting-edge areas like graphic design.

    “The second category was provided financial support along with brand-new equipment such as sewing machines while the  third group received financial grants ranging from ₦300,000 to ₦3 million to bolster their entrepreneurial endeavours.”

    READ ALSO; Nigeria’s non-interest capital market hits N1.6tr

    Achudume explained further  that the empowerment initiative  in memory of his wife, Revd. Fola Achudume (RFA), was to foster self-reliance among young people which was well championed by.

     “Youths must seize the initiative to build their own future,” he said. “We can’t rely on white-collar jobs that are increasingly scarce – we must foster prosperity through entrepreneurship.”

    He reiterated RFA’s  commitment  to youth empowerment, adding it’s a surefooted approach to rejig the economy.  

    “Entrepreneurship is a powerful pathway out of poverty,” he emphasized. ” This empowerment initiative is all  about arming our youths with the tools they need to stand on their own and create opportunities – not just for themselves but for others as well.”

    Echoing Achudume’s sentiments, the Founder and CEO of Pomegranate Nigeria Limited, Mr Wole Elusakin, who collaborated with Professor Eniola Fabusoro and Dr Toyin Banjo on beneficiary selection, posited that “Youths represent tomorrow’s trajectory – they need an ecosystem that enables them to excel,” he remarked. “This is an investment in Nigeria’s future.”

  • ‘I was once tagged sinner for playing football’

    Apostle Lawrence Achudume, founder of Victory Life Bible has for the first time revealed his strong attachment to the beautiful game of football before he received the call to God’s vineyard.

     “Of course, I played football  even up to the  university level,”  explained Achudume in a revealing interview with The Nation. “I grew in Benin; there is no way you’ll  grew up in Benin City in those days without getting involved with football and  I had the opportunity to practice with the  likes of  late Stephen Keshi; Austin Eguavoen and a host of others.” 

    But he was forced to  jettison the prospect of being a professional footballer  following a divine intervention and Achudume revealed  it wasn’t an easy decision until he was dramatically stopped by a confidant.

     “I stopped playing football  during my undergraduate days at University of Lagos (UNILAG but it was an interesting story,”  stated Achudume even as he disclosed his love for politics in the days of yore. 

    “We usually played football on Wednesdays  which  coincided with our Christian fellowship but there was this Deeper Life brother  and whenever he sees  me playing on Wednesdays, he will come over and start shouting : ‘Brother Lawrence,  you are playing football when souls are perishing and when the trumpets sounds where will you be?’

    “In fact,  we called him ‘Brother Bros ‘ and he was embarrassing me anytime I’m playing football on Wednesdays;   but I have to go time and again to confess my sin  during the fellowship.

    “And what was my sin? I played football; but I eventually stopped because football was taking too much of my time.”

    Yet football remains the opium of the people hence Achudume is still very much at home  with the game :“I still love football  and I’ve  organised an inter-church football competition here in Abeokuta too.

     “But I don’t watch live football matches  for so many reasons. One, I don’t want to support a team that would lose and secondly, I don’t like the tension that football can give.

    “As a pastor, I have enough burden and I don’t want to add football to it. In my younger days, I used to go to the stadium to watch football matches live at the National Stadium in Surulere and sometimes, I was there as early as 9am because you don’t want to be locked out because  of the crowd. 

    “Football is still very much part of me and hopefully before the end of the year, we can  organise another inter-church football tournament here in Abeokuta.”

    Meanwhile, Achudume has questioned the integrity  of politicians vis-à-vis  lack of quality leadership in the country’s body polity.

    The Abeokuta-based cleric known for his prophetic messages, said the spate of defections ahead of   the 2019 general elections was an indication of the structural defects that has stunted the growth and development of the country since independence.

    But he  remains positive that  Nigeria would fulfil its destiny and the dream of a  great nation, adding selfless service on the part of leaders and renewal of minds  by all Nigerians are panache to the desirable change this interview with MORAKINYO ABODUNRIN. Excerpts…

    Aside football  and your pastoral calling, what are your other passion?

    Though I’m not partisan, I love politics because it gives you the room to know people’s needs and how to be of help. Politics in the sense that it has to bring the mighty at par with the common men on the streets.  I love the American model which we are trying to copy  and let me give you an instance, when Joe Biden left  government as Vice President ; he joined train to go back to Delaware with his loads and  his people with maybe the secret service. In politics, there shouldn’t be that dichotomy between the big and small. But in Nigeria, you see a mere local government with almost six mobile policemen as guards, what is that for? If we are to practice politics or democracy as it should be done, there should not be gap between the rich and the poor. If well practised, politics is beautiful but they make it so rigid and tough in Nigeria . Even in the  British system, you’ll see the  Prime Minister going from door-to-door to campaign but here rigging of election is the order of the day. That is why I hate poverty because it has made Nigerians not to have a sense of decency; once they are given peanuts, they’ll start singing praises of these corrupt politicians. We celebrate thieves because they distribute peanuts to the masses .

    Poverty is a Nigerian problem yet  some people don’t want the church to preach against poverty. But I’ll keep preaching against poverty because that is the only thing that can make a man stands on  his own without fear. Until a man  has what he can feed his family with, he would keep compromising  because poverty makes a man to be eroded with decency.

    What are your thoughts about the country’s political landscape ?

    Those that think they have mouth and feel  they are not the only thieves, are running back to People Democratic Party (PDP) while the thieves that have big cases with Economic and  Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) are running back to All Progressives Congress (APC ) to have cover. So where is the integrity of our politicians?  We said we are copying the American presidential model  but look at the spate of defections in our country, is that how they defect from one party to the other in the USA when they lose elections?  The other day our senators were talking about lobbying and I wondered if that was the same way it’s done in the USA because in our own case it is the height of deceit and bribery. Lobbying is influencing you to see my view but not distributing cash in  ‘Ghana-must-go’ in order to have my support which is purely trading one’s conscience  and integrity. Many governors don’t listen to their people in order to execute projects  and that is why most of those projects are usually abandoned when they are out of office. Here in Ogun State, there are several projects done by previous  governments that have been overgrown with bush today because those projects were not people’s oriented. In democracy, you start from the people to the government  and not vice versa ; so the first thing that should come to the mind of anybody in government is what are people in my constituency  saying? Bui the present circumstance, they collect money, sell the people and come back to give them peanuts.  What are the constituency projects you have seen anywhere around the country?  Except for repainting of toilet facilities or digging of boreholes that doesn’t bring out water. So we need  true elections  for us to get true and righteous leaders in Nigeria. Unfortunately, INEC is compromised and that is why we have not been able to credible elections; and the police must be independent of any ruling party. The military and Department of State Security must be independent so that they can’t be used to intimidate opponents.  A situation where they say the INEC commissioner is related to a member of the ruling party  doesn’t inspire Fairplay,  equity and it’s just not ethical.  Irrespective of the present challenges, the dream of Nigeria as a great nation shall come to pass.

    What is your prophesy and predictions for the 2019 general elections?

    Sincerely, I don’t have any prophesy yet about 2019 and I just live my life on a daily basis.  But I know 2019 by the grace of God will come like any other day; each day has its own good and bad; and it is what you want that you’ll get.   Why won’t things be better if Nigerians sow righteousness into 2019? Evil and goodness happen every year and 2019 will not be different. If they are men of integrity, elections should go ahead as planned for 2019 and nobody should start seeing vision that elections should not hold because of the way Nigerians are behaving. If the Presidency and people at INEC are men of integrity, they should allow for free and fair election in 2019. We don’t need prophets to tell us that elections should hold or not. Any prophet that says elections should not hold in 2019 is an evil doer and he’s not from God.

    Are you satisfied with the quality of leadership we have now?

    I’m not because of integrity challenges all over the place. Where can one start from? Is it the ministers or the senators? I don’t hate President Buhari or the APC but what will cost to fix few things. Imagine spending four hours on that short stretch  from the long bridge to the Redeem camp; in other places they often fix roads at night so that you don’t stress commuters  because the more people are delayed on the roads the more we lose economic values. Is it electricity? For the past 15 years, I have not used electricity in my house?  For almost eight years that we are here (VLBC Headquarters), we have not been able to use NEPA or what do you call it because it can’t carry the gadgets and equipment we are using? What is that we can’t get the issue of electricity solved? High cost of  power generation increases cost of production which invariably leads to high cost of  goods and services. So what kind of leaders do we have that can fix electricity after so many years after independence? Is it not a shame that Nigeria has the largest market for generating sets in the world? How can I then be satisfied with the quality of leadership we have?

    What honestly do you thing can bring the change Nigerians desire?

    It is easy to make change a slogan but one of the cardinal ways to bring the expected change is for our leaders to be selfless. One of the problems we have is that as soon as our leaders get into power, they begin to steal as much as they can in order to win the next election; and this is the problem at all level of government from the federal to the local government. The only vision they have is how to acquire money to win second term in office.  I don’t also know the work of the national orientation agency if they can’t let people know that monetarised politics and buying of votes is killing us in this country. Nigerians need renewal of minds; since nobody can live to be 150 years because we have all seen presidents, senators die. So why can’t we use the opportunity and available resources for the common good of all Nigerians? They borrowed money to steal yet none of us can sleep on two beds at time or sleep in two rooms or where four pairs of shoes at the same time. So we need a complete change of mind and I think our house of worship have great roles to play.

    What is the role of the church in nation building and do you subscribe to partisan politics by men of God?

    I’m not against any pastor or men of God going into politics because that’s their own personal decision.   Pastor Tunde Bakare of the Latter Rain Assembly is one man I respect so much and I’ll support him in the best way possible because he’s forthright . Anyone is free to go but if they go, they shouldn’t compromise. Pastors should keep telling their people in government to remain forthright and that is what I do here at Victory Life Bible Church; money should not allow anybody  to forget this because immediately you compromise on this, you have lost your honour . That we want to eat cow doesn’t mean we should call cow an uncle. Any pastor that dances around men based on what he wants to get will definitely lose honour. Pastors must speak truth and the mind of God to our leaders; it’s normal and expected to be hated if you speak the truth. I know we still have genuine and outstanding men of God in this country and I beseech them to be steadfast.

    Do you see Nigerians getting to the promised land?

    I’m a Nigerian and I’m convinced that we would get to the land of our dream. I’ve never lived abroad and there is nothing bad about living abroad; but I’m convinced that Nigeria will get it right. Those who are stilling money and buying properties abroad are not wise because their children might not be able to inherit these properties when they die.  They should rather learn to give as much as they can give; no giving is easy. We must be ready to sacrifice for our people. I recently gave cars to two widows in the church and everybody thought it was too much. I didn’t have the money at the time I ordered for the cars but the spirit led me to see how I can ameliorate the sufferings of these widows.

    So, what are some of the challenges you have faced since you founded  Victory Life Bible Church?

    I think everybody has challenges but I have never seen any challenge that made me cry or that would give me sleepless night…

    But what can make you cry?

    Honestly, I don’t know. I’ve cried praising God for all that he has done for me but I don’t see what anybody can do for me that would make me cry. God’s favour to me has been too much and I considered myself as one of the most favoured person by God in this world and that’s why I  can’t cry no matter  what anybody would do against me. I have seen betrayer at the greatest level but I see that as human’s bad behaviour. That human beings can be ungrateful is something that I considered as normal and I don’t fray over it because I can’t be caught unaware;   I’ll already knew before anyone can betray me.  What I’m doing is not mine but God’s; and that is why you can’t find my name in the property of Victory Life Bible Church.

    How do you separate the church money from Apostle Lawrence Achudume’s purse?

    I think you have answered the question. The purse of the church is different from my personal purse.  I pay my tight and sew my seed like any other member of the church; I don’t draw salary from the church and the same as my wife though she’s a full time minister in the church. That is the standard and we want everyone to live by faith according to the words of God. My covenant with God is that I want to serve him and he has been faithful to supply all our needs. I have never shipped in goods of any form from abroad to sell and I’ve never asked anybody to do that on my behalf.  Abeokuta is known for its adire but I have never taken any to sell outside the country.  I have lived by faith and I can tell anybody that God is a provider.

    You spoke so much about prophesying….

    I’m a product of prophesy and I believe in prophecy. I’m not talking about these fake things the fake men of God claimed to be doing. Fake prophecy is cooked up and arranged in order to win fame or favour of the people.   I can prophesy that you’ll be great or that you’ll return to Lagos safely, why won’t you travel back safely? But genuine prophesy is revelation of hidden things long before it happened and I’m a product of such prophesy. There is nothing that would happen to me now that God has not revealed it to me years back. There has never been an alleged scandal or betrayal that has happened in this church that I was not aware before it happened. I usually tell my pastors ahead and the need for them to pray when God has revealed such to me because   I’ll already knew what was going to happen before hand.

    What major scandal or betrayal have you suffered since the start of the church?

    I have faced all sorts of things anybody can think of in this ministry. I have been accused of sexual immorality; even doing magic and deceiving people. But it doesn’t bother me because most people that accused me of such usually come back to apologize.  So I already have a ready-made answer when  people come  to me saying  someone said something to me;  and my answer has always been:’ the person who told you  this story knows the truth and I know the truth, so leave the person.’ Often times, when people lied against you when they are a victim of something. For instance, some lied against me because I counselled him to repent over something bad and actually told him not to tell anybody about it but before I knew, the story was everywhere and he was actually saying another thing. Such doesn’t bother me again; why would I argue when both of us knew the truth.  Someone I sent to university accused me of rape and I asked was it in her dream or how?  I’d also been accused of dating wo ladies who were close  to me but I knew I never did and fortunately  when they got married, their husbands came back begging  for my  forgiveness because  they met the two ladies in question as virgins.  There is nothing I would say behind people that I would not have said it to their face;  I would  have told you to stop stealing If I knew you are thief and what difference would it make if I now tell someone that I’ve told him to stop stealing but he has not?

    How much of support do you get from your wife?

    We met during our NYSC in Kaduna; I was the secretary of the Christian Corpers Fellowship while she was the assistant secretary; destiny brought us together because we didn’t plan it. It never crossed my mind that she was going to be my wife during our service year in the NYSC.My wife is a very quiet person except when she’s with the microphone to preach or praise God. I think she was born to be a missionary because she loves evangelism. I don’t think there is any village around Abeokuta that my wife has not gone on mission giving food stuffs, drugs and clothing where necessary.  She has that compassion to help people. Her latest advocacy is rehabilitating prostitutes; picking them from the streets and putting them in good accommodation where they acquire business skills and rehabilitated in order to give them a more meaningful life. She’s partnering the state government on this to keep these prostitutes off the streets. The bottom line is that she loves God. Both of us found early life that we needed  to help people and part from scholarships we give out, we still try to help in other various ways.

  • Achudume lifts two widows with car gifts

    General Overseer of Victory Life Bible Church Abeokuta, Ogun State, Apostle Lawrence Achudume, last Sunday presented a car gift to two widows in the church.

    He also offered personal cash support to Widows Support Foundation, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Gideon Orphanage Home and a First Class graduate, Olufemi Dada.

    Achudume, who cut short his sermon for the presentation, said the gesture was to make living bearable to the widows, Mrs. Sobowale and Mrs. Abbey.

    He car gift, according to him, was a decision he took without consulting anyone, aside from his wife, stating it is the least he can do to encourage the widows.

    “They didn’t have an idea until now. I didn’t tell anyone aside from my wife.

    “All I am interested in is there comfort in life. They have been consistent members and the gesture is nothing compared to what God has in stock for them,” he stressed.

    The cash gifts to the two NGOs, he explained, are to enable them empower more vulnerable Nigerians.

    As for the First Class graduate, he stated it is a tradition he started years ago in the church to encourage academic excellence.

    Speaking on his passion for the downtrodden, Achudume said: “I think it is just how I am wired. I can’t bear to see people suffer.

    “I realise that we don’t need much to live. At the end of the day, we would not go with anything. Whatever we have acquired will remain when we are gone.

    “So, the least we can do is to put smiles on others, especially considering where I am coming from.”

    On what could make his stop helping people, the cleric said: “I think I have reached a point where nothing is strong enough to stop it.

    “I have been blackmailed for helping people but it won’t stop me. There is nothing that can make me stop again. I am just sold out to this kind of life.”

    Achudume said he helps without expecting anything. “The Bible teaches us to just look away. I don’t need any acknowledgment or gratitude. I just do it and move on because it is the right thing to do.”

     

  • ‘Politics is not about who God wants’

    ‘Politics is not about who God wants’

    Blessed with sharp prophetic insights, the general overseer of Victory Life Bible Church (VLBC), Apostle Lawrence Achudume, spoke with Sunday Oguntola on issues surrounding the forthcoming general elections. Excerpts:

    You have been off the radar lately on national issues. Are you hiding or afraid to throw in your hat?

    First of all, I am not hiding; rather I have been busy with the assignment. There are lots to be done for the kingdom. That is what I have been busy with. Also, I am not afraid because there is nothing to be afraid of. People live once and there is nothing to be afraid of.

    Many prominent preachers have indicated or signified where they stand on the forthcoming elections. Why haven’t you taken a stand?

    The elders you expected to hear from are rather making noise. So, I have a challenge with that. As a result, I felt it’s better to be silent and keep on praying, rather than join the foray.

    What challenge do you have with what some of the elders who have spoken?

    I am worried that spiritual leaders now speak based on internet and newspaper reports. There is no more ‘thou saith the Lord’. We have left the place of spiritual sanity to play with the madness of the marketplace. When that happens, you know there is a problem.

    Are you bothered by the recent bashings the church has received over bribery allegations to support one candidate over the other?

    To be candid, I am bothered. I was not around when the issue of cash-for-support allegation arose. But before then, I had been bothered about the divergent of voices from the church. The church is not speaking with one voice and that is painful and sad. No matter what, the church should have maintained its stance and spoken as spiritual lights of the nation.

    I wouldn’t say the elders of the church are confused or divided but they have not had a clear direction. The issue is that they didn’t manage information from meetings well. The church has the right to meet and decide but when it should become public should be a decision of the church. In a case where they are still discussing and everything is already out then there is a problem.

    What does that tell us?

    I think it’s a reflection of the bias and sentiments among church leaders. Many of them have allowed personal sentiments and emotions to interfere with their spiritual responsibility. That has also affected the ‘thou says the Lord’ from them. In a case where we meet, you have your candidate and I have mine, then there wouldn’t be a ‘Thou says the Lord’. What we need is thou says the Lord, not an endorsement or ‘this one has seen me and I like how he spoke’.

    Even those saying ‘thou says the Lord’ are simply countering what others have said in the past. So, the bias and sentiments will never allow us to hear what God really has to say on the forthcoming elections.

    Maybe that is because of the need to prove ‘I can also hear God’ or mobilise more people for candidates that catch my fancy.

    There is no need for competition because there is no prize for someone that hears God betters. If you mix your apostolic or prophetic ministry with politics, you will be in trouble. Many of the pastors talking now cannot play politics. If you throw them there, there will be worse off than the devil in politics. Governance is not as easy as standing in your office and talking. It’s not as easy as you criticise them.

    Are you rooting for any candidate?

    I am not

    Why?

    Well, there are about 16 political parties but you only hear about the PDP and the APC. There could be other presidential candidates who will make better leaders but there is no fund and nobody gets to hear about them. Have I prayed? Yes, I have. Has he spoken to about somebody? Yes, He has. Is that person the right candidate? I will say he is like a King Saul. The absence of a better candidate will make him emerge.

    You know politics is not about who God wants; it is about who the people want. God does not vote but it is people who do. So, even if God wants somebody, He cannot bring him in. It’s the people who will determine who they want. Who will they vote for? It is the person they see and hear, not the person God wants.

    Are you supporting any of two major presidential candidates then?

    I am not supporting any of them but I am praying and weeping for my country. You see, money is what dominates our politics now. If we want credible elections, then we must deemphasise money politics. If you don’t have money in Nigeria today, you cannot win elections and that is the truth. There are better candidates with better ideas and plans but they don’t have money to make noise.

    Most of our governors, I have listened to them and been to many states in this country, given the right circumstances, most of them are unfit to be governors. I listen to them and realise they are empty but then they have the money. We need decent people in politics.

    How much did you collect from the alleged N7billion allocated to pastors?

    (Laughs) Like I said, I was not around then. But let me ask you: do you know how much N7billion is? Amaechi may know N6billion because he is a governor. Is all that each CAN chapter got is N3million, what happens to the balance? Is it with the CAN or PFN President? If you give Christians N7billion, how much did he give Muslims?

    You see, I have called my friends who are CAN chairmen in various states and they told me there was nothing like that. There are people who could say, ‘Look Apostle, we got the money’. I called people and they told me there was nothing like that.

    Are you confident these elections will still hold?

    I am an optimist. I think Nigeria has left the level of one president changing things like they like. I don’t think the presidency or the PDP can influence Jega not to conduct a credible election too.  If the chief services can still hold us to ransom, then something is wrong with our armed forces.

    Do you still believe these elections will not consume Nigeria?

    I still don’t think so. You see break-offs in a country like Nigeria would be too expensive and bloody. It will be difficult to manage. Break-up into how many? If you break into South West for example, how do you manage the traditional politics? Will the Ishans want to be part of the state where the Binis are? You see many complexities difficult to handle.

    We have so inter-married that we cannot break. The Egba man has a house in every state. The Hausa man has in-laws in the west and other places. So, I don’t see these elections breaking us up. There will be pockets of crisis but no break-ups. If we can downplay the roles of money, some of these challenges won’t be there.

    What is the next level for the church?

    First, the church is going social to affect the society. We are working at the permanent site of the College, which we started in October. We are at the final stage of construction. We are focused to make sure the less privileged have access to education.

    We are rebuilding our permanent site too. That one too is at the final stage. We are empowering the people through provision of funds and training. We are about to open an entrepreneurial school after which we can offer take-off grants for them.

    When will you ever stop your apostolic trips?

    I tried to stop many times but I couldn’t. Many years ago, I prayed to God to help me slow down to stay more at home. And the answer came from God: If you want to rest, just come home. I stood up from the prayer and never said it again.

  • ‘How the church fuels corruption

    ‘How the church fuels corruption

    A radical preacher and non-conformist, Apostle Lawrence Achudume is the general overseer of Victory Life Bible Church, Abeokuta, Ogun state. He spoke with Sunday Oguntola on the 21st anniversary of the church and sundry national issues. Excerpts:

    Did you ever imagine the church was going to come this far 21 years ago?

    Did I imagine the church would come this far? To imagine means a mere creation in one’s memory or head. But based on what God has spoken, I knew we would come this far. Even though many people prophesied the church was going to close down…

    …Christians?

    Not just Christians but pastors. Many of them threatened the church would close down; we would not go far or even survive the first three years. Someone just sent me a text that I can read out to you now. It says: God has been so faithful to us in VLBC in the past 21 years. Many started with us but today are no more. Some left the church because of arrogance… Some have left the church because they were looking for a man to help them. I remember a pastor who left and said in three years, VLBC will collapse. But here we are!

    I heard what the pastor and some many other people said then.

    What was their grouse?

    You know some people believe except they are the ones doing it, God cannot be there. If it is not them, it is not good. Only them were called, others were not called. I remember someone said we have kerosene anointing. You know when kerosene burns for sometime, it goes out. We heard all manner of those things then. But I never replied for once because there was no need.

    Never?

    I never did.

    Directly or indirectly?

    I never did either way for once.

    Why didn’t you, considering they were disparaging something dear to your heart?

    My brother, there was no need. I never even reacted from the pulpit. I realised a man is a man. The best of a man is a man. Man is not God. There is no point to reply what men were saying. God did not say so.

    But did you have cause to pray over such evil pronouncements?

    I never did. I knew what the Lord told me. I don’t pray about what man says; I pray only on the words of God. I don’t pray over man’s myopic, infinite opinion. Some are still saying it but I just switched off from such talks. So, talking about imagination, I did not imagine it. But I believed based on what God said. But I believe we are not yet there. We are just starting.

    You are just starting after 21 years of exploits?

    Yes, we are just starting. I see 21 as an age of maturity. We are about to enter a realm that will not command envy but peace. I believe we will command outstanding breakthrough and testimonies.

    How far have you gone on the proposed new church auditorium?

    We are going to lay the foundation the Monday after the convention. It will be located in the centre of the city, somewhere known as Olorunsogo. The land is there; a four-and-half plots that we are going to use. It will serve as the National Headquarters while where we are remains the International Headquarters.

    In 21 years, can you recall one or two outstanding testimonies that keep swelling your heart?

    Unfortunately, I am not one who records things God has done so that it does not look like I am the one doing them. But what keeps amazing me is people rising from glory to glory. I have seen people rising from nowhere to where God wants them to be. Apart from the joy of salvation, they live in total peace and rest. That amazes and swells my heart.. Yes, the dead have been raised and demons cast out but the greatest joy is the transformation among people here.

    One of the things people have against you is that you say things the way they are. Will you ever change?

    No, I won’t change. It’s too late to change. I am aware people have that against me but that is who I am. If I want to say you are a thief, I will say you are a thief. I won’t say you look like a thief. Before I call you a thief, you better believe you are though you may deny it. I will call you a thief because I want you to change not because I hate you or I am angry. I can’t stand compromises and half-truths.

    You have also taken on government officials at different times. Don’t you ever fear for your life?

    I told a governor recently ‘you better be careful because you have only eight years in office. Get rid of the sycophants around you’. The convoy will be gone and you will be left alone. I believe you cannot do anything against the truth but for the truth. If I say a governor or president will leave after eight years, is that not the truth? It is the truth. You cannot embellish that.. Other former governors have left and now walk without siren or escorts. It will happen to all incumbents now one day.

    I was in the airport one day when someone slapped a former governor. He could not do anything. He was just looking. You are just there for now. Being a governor or president is no big deal. You will be gone soonest, at most in eight years. I travelled recently with a former vice president and we sat close. He was without escort. That is how it is. You will leave one day whether you like it or not. All these things are too temporal and ephemeral.

    Are you bothered about the corruption in churches today?

    Yes, I am concerned. You see you cannot detach church leaders from the corruption in the society today. Pastors should be models of integrity and faithfulness. There are those who cannot preach without negotiation. There are those who feel bad when they are not paid certain amount after ministration. That is also a form of corruption. Once you are focused on money, you will always be angry and frustrated. If you are pastor and you cannot tell the truth, you are corrupt.. Government officials come around you but you cannot talk to them. You’d rather give them more honour than they deserve. That is a form of corruption.

    If you go to State House to beg for money from commissioners and government officials, it is corruption. You are making them to compromise. A pastor who doesn’t tell corrupt people he knows to change is also corrupt. When you live in immorality as a preacher, you are corrupt. A pastor who celebrates being close to the president is corrupt because he would never be able to correct or criticise the president. A president should be happy to be associated with you as a pastor, not the other way round.

    What is the way out?

    God is raising people full of integrity and honour. I see people without greed coming up. They are not motivated by money but consider it nothing.

    What is unique about this convention?

    Everything about this convention is unique. To start with, the theme is the oil of greatness. I have discovered it is not education that makes a man great. Education is good for integration and gives one a boost. But if you look at those who really amounted to somebody in life, they had more than education. Many of them were not even educated. Look at Steve Jobs, look at the 17-year-old boy that discovered software, which fetched him $30 million from yahoo. They were not educated. Bill Gates was not made in school.

    So, we are de-emphasising degrees and paper qualifications. You can destroy a certificate with an ordinary fire. So, what qualities make for greatness? It’s good to have a springboard to launch out in life but to depend means one is signing up to die in poverty. So, myself and invited speakers will be thrashing all these issues out.

    Do you believe Nigeria can be fixed?

    Of course, I do. I believe Nigeria is the greatest nation on earth. I have travelled far and wide but I am yet to see a nation as blessed as Nigeria. We have 67 untapped natural resources. I can’t think of any in the entire Western Europe. So, I believe this country is great. I was invited to a meeting somewhere in Europe recently to address doctors and consultants. I was shocked 60 % of them were Nigerians. I know several cities in Europe where Nigerians control the entire medical industry.

    I believe Nigeria will not break up. Those thinking we will break up are the ones that will break up. Nigeria will not break. It will only keep getting better. God had a reason for creating Nigeria and He has not changed His mind. I believe God will raise a leader that will revolutionise this nation. Just watch out. It will happen sooner than we all expected.