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  • Bishop Mike Okonkwo at 80

    Bishop Mike Okonkwo at 80

    • We rejoice with a man who has kept to his core duty of propagating the gospel as against the pursuit of material attractions

    It was only fitting that when he marked the grand milestone of attaining the age of 80 on September 6, Bishop Mike Okonkwo, founder of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM), was widely celebrated by Nigerians across religious, ethnic, regional, political and other sectional boundaries.

    This was in recognition of his status as a frontline spiritual leader as well as a patriotic citizen who has contributed immensely to national development and cohesion at a time when many eminent clerics across sectarian demarcations have not hesitated to compound and complicate, rather than help find constructive solutions to the country’s challenges.

    Following his formal commitment to Christ in 1970, Bishop Okonkwo joined the United Church of Christ where he served and helped to found a number of branches of the church. About a decade later, 1981 specifically, he sowed the seed of TREM, which under his nurturing has blossomed into a giant oak among the country’s Pentecostal churches, with no less than 180 branches within and outside Nigeria.

    What is remarkable is that while some leading lights in the Pentecostal fold have got themselves embroiled in needless and unhelpful controversies, he has refused to be distracted from his core purpose of propagating the gospel, while maintaining a balanced theology.

    In a season when it has become difficult to distinguish between the crass materialism that fuels greed, corruption and rampant criminality in the larger Nigerian society and the excessively acquisitive and accumulative values espoused by Pentecostal exponents of what has been called the ‘prosperity gospel’, Bishop Okonkwo’s TREM cannot be counted among the maddening crowd.

    It is unfortunate that the prioritisation of wealth accumulation and its obscene exhibition in some religious circles, even in the face of deepening crises of poverty and inequality in the country, has contributed to the devaluation and corrosion of positive social values and the perpetuation of rampant immorality.

    Again, a key contributory factor to stoking political tensions and threatening the country’s stability has been the brazenness with which some religious leaders have immersed themselves in partisan politics and openly identifying with particular political parties and candidates, thus reinforcing the perception of electoral contests as religious war in disguise.

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    This was particularly evident in the run-up to the 2023 presidential election, with many pastors turning their pulpits into platform for incendiary political and ethnic rhetoric. Bishop Okonkwo was one of those same voices who shunned partisan grandstanding or religious brinkmanship.

    The foundation for the cleric’s broad national outlook was laid early in life. His primary school education spanned the Salvation Army Primary School, Enugu, the Ijero Baptist Primary School, Ebute Metta, Lagos, and St Mark’s Primary School, Offa, Kwara State.

    He received his further education at the late atheist and social critic, Dr Tai Solarin’s Mayflower College, Ikenne, Ogun State, and the Merchant of Light Grammar School, Oba, Anambra State. He took to full time ministry after spells in banking and military service, truncated by the three-year Nigerian civil war.

    It is a mark of the bishop’s standing in the Christian community that he served meritoriously as the inaugural National Secretary of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) from 1986 to 1995 and was president of the association from 1998 to 2007.

    He is a member of the Trustees Council of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Nigerian Interreligious Council which is committed to promoting inter-faith dialogue and understanding.

    Beyond preaching the gospel, the TREM runs the Empowerment for the Less Privileged (ELP) Foundation that focuses on supporting vulnerable communities in education, health care, emergency relief and strengthening small businesses.

    Bishop Okonkwo is known to have played a pivotal role in resolving the protracted communal conflict among warring factions in Ogbunike, Anambra State, where he hails from, and is the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions for his outstanding contributions to society and humanity.

    Among these are the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) by the Nigerian government and the Kwame Nkrumah African Leadership Award. The inscription of his name on the Jerusalem 3000 Scroll as well as honorary degree awards from the Morris Cerullo School of Ministry International Bible Institute and Seminary in Florida, and the Covington Theological Seminary in Georgia, indicate his reputable international standing as a Christian leader.

  • We built mega churches on wrong message –Okonkwo

    We built mega churches on wrong message –Okonkwo

    The Presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM), Bishop Mike Okonkwo, has decried the proliferation of mega churches in Nigeria, saying that despite their massive auditoriums, the country remains plagued by corruption, crime, and moral decay.
    Speaking at the Jesus+Nothing conference organized by The Love of God in Christ Church (LOGIC) recently in Lagos, Okonkwo said the Nigerian church must confront the uncomfortable truth that size has not translated into societal transformation.
    “We have built the largest auditoriums in the world, yet our society remains broken. If this is the gospel, where is the impact? Something is wrong with the message we have been preaching,” he declared.
    In what many described as one of his most candid interventions, the 80-year-old cleric questioned the spiritual value of Nigeria’s towering cathedrals and mega gatherings.
    “Are we not embarrassed? If our message isn’t transforming society, then we must humbly admit that something is wrong,” he said.
    He insisted that true revival will not come from massive buildings or grand conferences, but from rediscovering the gospel of grace and its power to transform lives.
    The bishop admitted he had once been part of the system that placed rules, appearances, and legalism above the gospel of grace. But after what he describes as a “personal encounter with the true message of Christ,” he said silence was no longer an option.
    “If I can change after 52 years of hearing the same thing, then so can you,” he told the audience. “I got tired of religion, teaching people to behave first so they could become Christians. That is not the gospel. The gospel says believe first, and then your behavior follows.”

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    Citing Matthew 11:28–30, Okonkwo emphasized that many Nigerian Christians remain trapped in performance-based religion rather than resting in Christ’s finished work.
    To those who accuse “grace preachers” of encouraging sin, he responded sharply:
    “Does building a hospital make people sick? Does opening a restaurant make people hungry? Grace doesn’t promote sin, it empowers holiness. Romans 6:14 says sin shall not have dominion over you because you are under grace, not law.”
    Reflecting on his past, Okwonko recounted how his ministry once imposed strict legalistic rules such as women forbidden from wearing makeup, showing their hair, or sitting near men.
    “I thought I was preaching holiness, but I was binding people with rules,” he confessed. “Righteousness is not achieved by law; it is received as a gift.”
    Now, his message is focused on freedom, intimacy with God, and identity in Christ.
    “Christianity is not an exam hall, it is a graduation ceremony. Our journey begins at the finishing line. Jesus paid it all. The believer’s assignment is to believe, to rest, and to manifest the life of Christ”, he said.
    To young ministers, Bishop Okwonko gave both encouragement and a challenge:
    “Be loyal to God’s word, not traditions. Respect elders, but don’t mistake longevity for revelation. Some of the deepest truths I’ve learned have come from young believers. This is your time, stand boldly for the gospel of grace.”

  • Tinubu congratulates TREM founder Mike Okonkwo at 80

    Tinubu congratulates TREM founder Mike Okonkwo at 80

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has extended warm felicitations to Bishop Mike Okonkwo, founder and presiding bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM) on his 80th birthday.

    In a tribute on Saturday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy Bayo Onanuga, the President joined Okonkwo’s family, congregation, and the wider Body of Christ in celebrating what he described as a milestone of enduring impact.

    Tinubu praised the clergyman’s leadership and contributions, noting that his stewardship has gone beyond the pulpit to shape society in diverse ways. 

    “The visionary stewardship of the presiding bishop of TREM has fostered peace and harmony, promoted education, improved healthcare, and inspired economic empowerment across the nation and beyond,” the President said.

    He further lauded Bishop Okonkwo’s lifelong dedication to uplifting the less privileged, describing him as a model of service and compassion. 

    “As a respected leader, mentor, and advocate for the downtrodden, Bishop Okonkwo’s commitment to lifting the underprivileged and upholding harmony and the unity of the country reflects the fundamental values of Nigeria,” he noted.

    The President highlighted the cleric’s discipline, faith, and humility as enduring virtues. 

    “His discipline, dedication, and unwavering faith in God continue to shape our society’s moral and social fabric and inspire a new generation of spiritual leaders,” Tinubu said.

    Wishing him continued health and strength, the President added: “May God continue to bless him with good health, strength, and wisdom as he carries the gospel worldwide. 

    “I pray that Bishop Okonkwo’s exemplary humility and simplicity will inspire the current and future generations to pursue lives of service, leadership, and dedication to humanity. Happy 80th birthday, Your Eminence,” the President said.

  • Succession uppermost in my heart at 80 – Bishop Okonkwo

    Succession uppermost in my heart at 80 – Bishop Okonkwo

    • Explains how he avoided scandals in 50 years of full-time ministry
    • ‘Why I’ve not founded a university’

    At 80, Presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM) Bishop Mike Okonkwo has seen it all. He speaks on his life, growing up, ministry, the nation and a myriad of other issues in an explosive interview with select journalists, including Online Editor Sunday Oguntola. Excerpts:

    What does being 80 mean to you?

    Well, you know the only giver of life is God. He’s the giver of life, and life is a mystery. There are those who were born while some died in the womb, some come as stillbirth and some were born and didn’t come of age to attain whatever dreams they have and they die. So for God to keep me alive to this age is a blessing. That’s all I can tell you.

    I consider myself blessed. God has allowed me in His infinite mercy to come to this age not falling apart, healthy and strong and still be able to be active. So there’s no way I can quantify my gratitude to God.

    It’s something I do every day. One of my regular sayings is that when you wake up in the morning and you are able to go to the bathroom yourself, you are able to dress yourself, you are able to go and urinate, it’s something that you should say ‘Lord, I thank you’.

    But  many times, we as human beings want to take such things for granted. We think oh, it’s normal to ssleepand wake up. There are many who have gone to sleep and they never woke up. So I really have nothing to say other than to say thank you to the Almighty God.

    At 80, what are you looking forward to?

    At 80, what I’m looking forward to is to ensure that there is continuity. This is because it is not enough to live life for yourself. There must be continuity, especially in my situation. Having been used by God to establish a global administration, it must not die in my hands.

    There must be continuity. The whole essence is to impact lives. And so I’m looking forward that what God has used me to establish will continue even if I’m not here.

    So how was your growing up like as a child?

    My parents were disciplinarian. My father was a civil servant and my mother was a trader. I was born in Enugu and, of course, I think by the time I turned four or about five, my father, who was working in the Ministry of Telecommunication, they called it PRT then in the Ministry of Post and Telegraph, before it turned to telecommunications, was transferred to Lagos. So I lived most of my life in the West.

    In Lagos, we were living in a house in Ebute-Meta West. We were living in Brickfield, Ebute-Meta. And I was attending Ijero Baptist School as a small boy.  I grew up there with my parents. My father was very fluent in Yoruba. I remember my siblings, very fluent in Yoruba.

    And then after a while, I think I then turned four or so, my father sent me to stay with my uncle, who was a lecturer in Offa Grammar School. So I was there attending primary school at St. Mark’s Primary School, Offa. Then it was from Offa, I took the entrance examination into Mayflower Grammar School. The school was just in its embryonic stage then. So they had not even taken their first school cert at that time. That was how I grew.

    And then I remember I was also growing up in Lagos. I used to sell bread for my mother. My mother used to sell this at Agbada and Ankara in Oyingbo. She would go to buy them in Onitsha and then sell. They had a stall in Oyingbo Market. So I used to assist. We also sold bread. So we’d go to the bakery. I remember the street, close to the Catholic Church in Oyingbo. I would collect bread and sell on the streets of Lagos.

    We used to go to Okobaba to go buy firewood, because then, we were not using stove or gas cooker; it was firewood.

    My father made sure that we were very disciplined and hardworking and to know that hard work pays. These are some of the values he inculcated in us to make us know that nothing comes cheap. You must not do the wrong thing in order to achieve results in life.

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    Growing up, I had watched my father. Because he later became a senior civil servant, he was in a very good position to help people secure jobs, which he did quite a lot. A lot of people were employed under him. And people wanted to come and show gratitude.

    I remember a time somebody came to our house. My parents were not in, and they came with turkey to show gratitude. We collected it as young people, you know, growing up. My father came back and said we should go and look for the person wherever he was. He said you don’t collect gratitude because you did something for somebody. It is not like what is happening today. Young people grow up and they are bringing all kinds of things to the house and no one is asking questions. Not in our house.

    You could not bring things into the house and my parents would not ask where you got them from. So I lived under a very strict disciplinarian life.

    And, of course, Mayflower helped to shape my life because the late Dr Tai Solarin was a disciplinarian. Although he was not a Christian, he was very upright. That also helped in moulding my character.

    All that must have helped in your relationship with God at a very early age?

    Of course, I was going to church, but I won’t say I had a personal relationship with God. I was only religious. In other words, I was born into a Christian family and my father insisted that we must go to church. And not just go to church but get involved. I was singing in the choir. Then, we attended Saint Jude. The church is still there.

    So, yes, I was tilted towards God, and I guess that also might have helped me. Finally, the war ended for me to finally have a personal encounter with God. So that is the difference. But I would say that It helped in a way.

    How was your encounter with God?

    My encounter with God was very strange, I must tell you. Because when the war ended, there was a revival in the entire East and everyone was seeking God. So, some young people were getting through Scripture Union (SU) and getting saved on varsity campuses and all the stuff. And there was a friend of ours that, I knew they were attending SU, and I began to watch their lives, both males and females. I saw their lives were totally different from mine, so I wanted what they had.

    I remember entering a room. No one came to witness to me in general. I went there to sleep. I knelt down. I mean all of us were together in that very flat somewhere in Oyajuwon Estate. I remember when we came to Oyajuwon Estate, the two people, when we wanted to retire, decided to go and pray on their own. And they didn’t invite me because, to them, I was not a part of them. I felt isolated.

    So what I did, on my own, was to tell God, look, if there was anything He was going to do with my life, I surrender to Him. And that changed everything. We were visiting from Enugu. When I went back to Enugu, I went into a church. That was where I really began to be exposed to God and understand what it is to have a relationship with God. I totally surrendered my life.

    How did the TREM vision begin?

    You know I was attending a church in Enugu. That is where I would say that I got into a relationship with God personally. It was called United Church of Christ. It was one of the popular churches when the war ended. A lot of young people were coming there to be part of the work and they were opening churches all over. But somewhere along the line, we noticed that the there was something more than what we were doing. And through interaction and reading and other churches that were coming up, like the Church of God Mission under (the late) Archbishop Benson Idahosa. By then he was not even a bishop. We watched on the television and saw how his churches were running and all that, and we began to feel somehow that something was not quite missing.

    Then the Lord began to minister to me that I was not going to stay long in that church. I thought that I had come to my final bus stop as far as UCC was concerned, but He began to minister to me that there was more, and the subsequent events that happened within the church led to a lot of crisis, forcing some of us, young people, to exit. Some of them are in the US now.

    I didn’t know what I was going to do, because I was not in any way planning to start a church. Where am I going to start from? I had not received a formal training. In those days, there were no Bible schools. There were no examples you could copy apart from Foursquare and Assemblies of God. Those were what you might call living churches that existed. And then the Church of God Mission. There were no Bible schools. It was an on-the-job training. So where was I going to start from? I was not even good at the scriptures.

    So, you were going to start a church, and not just start, you were going to lead a church, how? I was confused, to be honest with you. So I was just waiting. I didn’t know what I would do.

    Then the Lord showed me in a vision that I was going to be the founder of a church. I was in Lagos, not going to any church. The Church I was attending in Enugu was sending people to plead with me to return to them. I really put my life in that place and did the best I could do. And I was specifically told I should not go back. So what would I do?

    By then, Deeper Life had started doing their Monday Bible study on the campus, because (Pastor) Kumuyi was still teaching in the university. They had not started a church. It was just a fellowship. So I went to meet him and said, look at my experience and all that. And he said I should keep on praying; that there will be clarity and all that. But as for going back, I should not. I also met one of the founders of Four Square Gospel Church, Dr. Boyejo. He is late now. He was living in Akoka then. So I met with him and he also said no, don’t go back.

    So I was waiting until God now began to say you are going to start a ministry and I am going to guide you step by step. That was what happened. So by 1979 to 1980, we began to hold few meetings with the few people who were with me. And by the end of ’80, we came up with the name of the church through prayers.

    So I was reading different newspapers, different magazines, Christian newspapers, Christian magazines. And I saw in the newspaper that Morris Cerrulo was giving scholarships to Africans to come to the US for training and stuff. Wow! I just applied.

    I was not expecting that anything would come up when I applied. But lo and behold, I was offered. All I needed to do was to find my flight ticket and be there. Accommodation fully paid, everything fully paid. To God be the glory, that was settled.

    By 1981, TREM was established officially. I think the next day or two days after, I travelled to the US with the School of Ministry. Then, there in the School of Ministry, of course, I was exposed to a lot of other mega ministries. I also went to the Rhema Bible College in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In fact, anyone who was involved in charismatic ministry, who had not attended or got involved in Rhema, had not started. That’s Kenneth E. Haggins. So, I went to their Bible college, ordered all their lectures, all their materials, everything taught and brought them back to Nigeria. I also got registered in a Baptist theological seminary, so as to be balanced. So, those things helped to train me.

    I had the opportunity to remain in America like my colleagues who were with me in the former church. Some of them are still there. One of them is in Canada. Some of them are in the US. I had the opportunity to remain there, and it was something attractive. But once there is a call on your life, you are not thinking of your comfort. You are thinking of the call. That was what motivated me to return even when I knew that there was really nothing on ground, no attraction, no form of comeliness or beauty that anyone would desire other than vision. So, see what God has done.

    TREM is anchored on ‘Power in the word’. How did you come about it?

    With my training, having gone to Bible school, I found that everything hinged on the word of God and there’s the tendency to bring this and create this in addition to what God has already done. And so, that’s how the inspiration came that there is power in the word of God.

    Everything was created through the word of God. And so, whatever the word of God cannot give to you, you don’t need it; it doesn’t even exist. So, the focus is to make people to depend absolutely on God’s word. If you decide to build yourself and your foundation on God’s word, you won’t get involved in any nonsense, because there is no ambiguity in the word of God. It is clear. Except you want to add some drama, because some people like it when there is drama. But God is not dramatic. He is not mysterious as people think. In fact, He is the one who came to us to show us who He is. So, He is not hiding Himself from us.

    What would you consider your greatest testimonies at 80?

    My greatest testimony is that I live a life of character and integrity. I have zero per cent level of tolerance for people who have no values and character, stand for anything and fall for anything and just do anything to make it happen in life. No. I mean, why would I say I’m serving God? If God is not big enough to be able to provide for me and take care of me, then why am I going to serve Him? I should better forget about Him and do what every other person is doing. That’s me.

    Then I’ve proven him that he is… I was working in the bank. I had a future in the bank, in the African Continental Bank, when the war ended. But when I received the call, it was like going from the known to the unknown. I didn’t even know where I was going. Here was I earning good money. It is not now that people, everyone want to jump into ministry because you see that now they drive Jeep or they wear this and so you think that’s an easy way to get established. No, I was not looking for remuneration or payment. In fact, one of the things I say to myself is if money will be the motivating factor for me to be in ministry, I don’t need it.

    So, whatever you are seeing in my life now, if there is anything that… I would just say it’s God’s grace. Not because I manipulated or cheated or put my membership under pressure, push them, you must do it or else God will kill you. No. If God doesn’t do it, forget it. That means that it’s not supposed to be done.

    So, for me, that life alone, that I can walk the streets and they will point at me and say this one is among them and package miracle. If He doesn’t do it, let Him leave it. It is His work. I’m relaxed. I’m not under any pressure to make people call me. I’m not supposed to be anything. Only God is supposed to be something.

    You’ve been in full-time ministry for over 50 years without any scandal. To what will you attribute the scandal-free ministry that you have?

    One is the grace of God. I must tell you, it is not because I am stronger than any person. Two is the decision to live according to values. If I begin to pursue money, I’m going to also stain myself. You see if I pursue money as I must get money, there is no way I can be free. And the scripture is very clear. It says the love of money is the root of all evil.

    When you see people doing something, trace it, along the line, money is involved. So, I would say God’s grace has kept me and the values that I’ve built for myself, you know, boundaries, I can’t escape this. I am not going to play God, because I am not God. He is God, I am not. So, I won’t play him to impress people in ministry.

    In those days, if you had not invited a white man to your church, you were not doing anything. You had not started. So, I was the first who decided to do a major programme and I did not invite any white person. I looked for preachers within the country and brought them together, and we had a good meeting. After that, others began to do that.

    So when you begin to put your hands to impress people, you will run into problems. I can guarantee you, it is a matter of time, you are going to run into problems.

    Has anything changed about the ministry between the time you started and now?

    Of course, a lot of things have changed. I was a product of my background. My background was a very, very strict religious, because I won’t call that Christianity. When you were coming to my church, the women sat differently, the men sat differently. Even if it was your wife, both of you would not sit together in church until the service was over. Women could not leave their hair open. In fact, they must cover it completely. You couldn’t wear make-ups, earrings and all the stuff. In fact, I was so strict that when I came to church with scissors, if I saw you with your hair, I would cut it. Yes, it was as bad as that.

    Those were my background until one day I was leaving the service and I stopped. I looked at the bus stop and I saw the same people who came to service. They had removed their hair covers and had put back their makeup and all that. I was frustrated, wondering what was wrong. Then the Lord said to me, ‘you cannot legislate righteousness.’ That righteousness is a gift that He gives to us at the time of a new birth, when we are born again. It’s a gift. Even holiness, we are made holy by Him. And by accepting it, then you live holy.

    Everything that God does is a gift. It is not because you are strong. So if you hear people say I did this and therefore God did this for me, that person is a religious person. He is not somebody preaching the gospel.

    So I went back to the scriptures to find out, and I found that some of the things we were doing were as a result of the culture of some of the people in those days. They don’t have anything to do with your relationship with God. So those people are not going to go to heaven? So all those things, I had to go back and study the scriptures and then began to bring scriptures to prove. So I began to teach line upon line.

    I remember I was the same person who was strict on the people. I had to go back and began to teach in the church and make them know. Because ffromthe outset, I made them know that I have a sincere heart to make sure that everyone that God draws to me meets the Lord on the last day. And therefore, if there is anything I have taught that is contrary to the scripture, I will not be embarrassed to come back to revisit it. And that’s what we have been doing over time. And so we have had a lot of transitions as far as our worship experience is concerned.

    So what that does to you, it helps you to be at the cutting edge. You are not obsolete, doing things like that. This is how it must be, whether we like it or not. Do I quarrel with people who want to remain where they are? No. I don’t have any quarrel with them. The three basic principles that guide me: We have what is called unity in fundamentals of faith. Jesus Christ is Lord. He died for our sins. He was buried and He rose again, triumphant over death, hell, and grave. If you don’t subscribe to that truth, you are not a Christian. I don’t care how much you go to church.

    I can fellowship with the Catholic, the Anglican, the Methodist, the Presbyterian, the Aladura. In fact I’ve preached for Aladura Church, one or two times. That does not stain me, you see. So, that’s it.

    Your other brothers in the Lord have established private universities. What is stopping you from having one?

    Talking about establishing universities, ministry is ongoing. You may have dreams and visions, but many times, some of these dreams and visions will outlive you. One of the things that have helped me, like I said, is never to put myself under any pressure. I’m not in competition with any person.

    No. I’m not doing something because of others because those are some of the things that will lead you into doing the wrong thing. They make people go into competition. You feel like because your friend started a university and is doing well, then you must start one. Did God tell you? So, this is me.

    University is a good thing. Ministry is ongoing. If you noticed the ministry of Elijah, it continued after him. There were certain things God told Elijah to do, which were completed by Elisha. So, even though I might have that it’s a good idea, I’m not putting myself under pressure to do it. That is partpartthe coming generation. Let them do it. I can’t complete everything. Because if I complete everything, then what’s the next thing to do? So, let those ones do it. I won’t put myself under any pressure to do anything. You see. And when you go and begin to do things that God didn’t tell you, you generate the money by force. So, I’m not putting myself under that pressure.

    How do you assess Nigeria having seen the years before?

    To be honest with you, I’m thoroughly disappointed. I feel embarrassed. And I’ve said it in many places. How can we have these numbers of churches in the country without much impact?  I don’t think there is any place in the world with such number of gatherings. God has raised dynamic strong leadership yet our nation is the way it is. It embarrasses me as a leader in the body of Christ that the country is not where it should be.

    Then our political leaders have learnt nothing. They used to say the military spoilt everything, but now that we have democracy what has changed? A politician comes into office today, what he is thinking about is the next election. What does he do? He doesn’t care about performance, not knowing that when you perform, the masses will beg you to run. When you give them the basic things they need, the dividends of democracy, they will be for you. Is it not a shame that a politician will make a road and paint the road and we are clapping? What is his job, as a politician? What is his job?  We have done nothing.

    Somebody recently was having an interview and telling us how much it will cost to run different offices. It will cost this billions to run this one and that one. And I said how can we have a new Nigeria with such arrangement? It will never happen, because if it will cost me billions to run for an office, won’t I look for the money when I get there? I must look for my money.

    Why will we not put things in place? What are we doing? We are not there, and let me tell you, it will take a long time. We are playing politics with people’s lives. So if somebody becomes a councillor, he’s building a mansion. Where did you get the money from? Let me tell you, our politics requires a drastic surgery. I just pray God will give us a leader that will have the will of God to perform this surgery for us.

    But the church has not done any better for the nation, has it?

    But I think it’s strictly on the fact that we have not concentrated on the hearts of the people. We are looking at them outwardly. It is what is in your heart that you are going to manifest. So I am in agreement with you that the church in a way has failed. The church failed in the sense that we were busy concentrating on outward appearance and not inward. God looks at the heart. Because if the heart is not changed, the outward will not change. I said it somewhere that those stealing money in the government are James, John, Martha and Mary; basically religious people.  They go to our churches. That’s the truth. I agree with you. That puts a lot of responsibilities at the doorstep of the church.

    Truth to be told, many churches are not preaching the gospel. They are preaching their opinions. What is the gospel? It is about the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. That all of us are sinners, headed for hell and that the wages of sin is death. And that if you fail to receive Christ into your life, you will end up in hell. But the good news is that Christ has already paid even before you were born. Will you accept his offer? So that is why God will not be blamed for anyone who goes to hell.

    He is not telling you to pay any price for your sin. It’s all paid. It’s a question of do you receive it? So many people are preaching heresies. When you go to church, instead of preaching Christ you are preaching stop wearing earrings. You are a sinner, you fornicated yesterday, you drank alcohol. What would that do to the person? What change would happen?

    You think that I come to your church you are telling me I’m fornicating, I’m committing adultery, I’m stealing. It won’t change me because I already know. You are not telling me any new thing. I already know that’s what I’m doing. It is when you give me the solution that it is the gospel.

    And so what do we preach? Most of our churches preach sin rather than righteousness. We are preaching sin to the people. We are preaching their crimes to them. We are preaching their evil to them. So you are telling me what I know. You are further empowering me. That’s all. It doesn’t change me. I may cry, I may roll on the floor but I will still get up and go back to what I’m doing. We are preaching all manner of things. Come and receive miracle, come and receive healing, come and receive. After that, what happens? How has it affected your lifestyle? So that’s where we are.

    Is age telling on you already having clocked 80?

    It’s a natural phenomenon otherwise we are going to live on this earth forever. It’s a natural thing. You may not be as strong. There are things you want to do but your strength cannot carry you to do it as you used to. You want to stand but you cannot stand. You want to do and you cannot. So you take your time. Of course, some of our people, preachers like me, have lied. They’ve told a lot of lies as if they are invincible. It’s a bloody lie; we also fall sick.

    They say stuff like ‘I’ve not been sick for 35 years’; ‘I don’t take drugs, I don’t take medication.’ And yet they will go for medical check-ups. They all have private medical check-ups and all that inside their jets. And so some people just die for nothing because of what they heard on the pulpit. No. It’s not true.

    What do you tell younger Nigerians who have given up and want to get into power to also carry on with looting?

    That is the natural way to think. At the end of the day leaders have failed to understand that they are sowing seeds that will germinate in the future. If we think legacy there are things we will not do as leaders. Most of our leaders have destroyed young people for nothing.

    I wouldn’t blame them. What do you want them to do? They struggle, go to schools and graduate with nothing. And you still want them to be morally upright. The only way it can happen is God. That’s the only way. Human beings have failed them. That’s why the church has a whole lot of responsibilities to ensure that whatever you can do for young people do it for them. Otherwise, if they are to follow the examples they see outside, I can guarantee you there’ll be no future.

    How have you managed the home front in over 50 years of full-time ministry?

    When the ministry was starting, I wouldn’t tell you it was easy to manage family. That’s where agreement between you and your wife comes in. There are things she had to take on. But it’s not going to be permanent. For instance, I had to do a lot of travels when the ministry was growing up, a lot of travelling which she would not even go with me. So you need to put that in place and put that in your mind set.

    But every given opportunity, you must get back to your family. You see, it is family first before the pulpit. That’s one of the things people don’t understand. They think that it is pulpit. ‘I’m doing the Lord’s work’, and you ignore your family. No, no, no. It’s family first before the pulpit. So if your family is not in order, you are going to run into problems.

    I say to young pastors when I teach in Bible school that ‘one of the things you must guard jealously is about your marital life. Don’t jump into marriage because of what you see by eyesight.’

    You must pray to God to guide you with somebody who will understand your vision. Otherwise, you are not going to make it. If you marry wrongly, half of your ministry is gone. I can tell you that for free. You will never maximize the call of God upon your life.

    Yesterday, I was just telling them that I can’t thank God enough for my wife. Her patience, resilience, commitment, dynamism and understanding of what she has done in my life because I don’t think I would have been able to survive. Truly, I don’t think I would have been able to survive in the ministry. So she has been of tremendous help. So every opportunity, you must always reflect back.

    Don’t take your family for granted. You see when your wife begins to agitate because of neglect and other things don’t think that she’s committing sin. You have negated your responsibility. That’s why it happens. So every opportunity, we sit as a family and just enjoy ourselves. Let down our hair and enjoy what family people used to do. We argue and quarrel among ourselves and continue with life. So that helps you.

    You see I don’t live in euphoria. I’ve heard some people say ‘I have never quarrelled with my wife. Not one day of quarrel’. It’s a lie. You see the lie that people tell on the pulpit is a lot. I will shamefully admit. Are you not a human being? I mean, we are human beings. We are all surviving by God’s grace.

    So there will be times like that of disagreements and quarrels. But the beautiful thing about Christianity is there is always a bounce back that God has given to us to get on back and keep going. We are an on-going work in process.

    We are not yet complete. It’s an on-going work that is draining us. By the time we see him face to face, the work will be completed.

  • States should have more opportunities to develop themselve – Osinbajo.

    States should have more opportunities to develop themselve – Osinbajo.

    Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo on Friday declared his stand on the raging issue of restructuring of Nigeria, saying that he fully agreed that “states should have more opportunities to develop themselves’’.

    Osinbajo was speaking at a crowded Lagos conference, tagged: “Towards a Better Nigeria,’’ organised by leading Nigerian pastors.

    He, however, did not elaborate on his statement on restructuring but recalled that the ruling APC party had two years ago talked about standing for devolution of powers.

    “The APC manifesto in 2015 talked about devolution of powers and Nigeria may do more work to ensure that states are generating more income and people are paying more taxes.’’

    Osinbajo identified corruption, tribalism and religion as the key problems hampering Nigeria’s development, decrying the failure of Christian leaders in Nigeria to chart an agenda that would help to rid the country of vices.
    “The key to development in Nigeria is the church. It is the church that will begin the process of unity by uniting itself first.

    “What Nigeria needs is already written in the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

    Osinbajo said that to build a new Nigeria, “we need people of integrity, hard work and people with love for the country.

    “It is this tribe that can configure the argument for change in Nigeria. The corrupt Nigerian elites are one tribe.

    “In sharing their loot, they neither bring in ethnicity nor religion but only use such to create misunderstandings that will benefit themselves.

    “The reason Nigeria is where it is today is because people do not really care. It is time people should stand up for what is right and join the fight against corruption.

    “Corruption has become the rule in Nigeria and this must stop. It did not start with this administration and it is yet to stop.

    On the Fulani herdsmen palaver, the vice-president said that “contrary to opinions that it began because the president is Fulani, in 1996, there were issues between herdsmen and some communities in Gombe.

    “This issue has been on through the years. Giving the impression that it is a phenomenon because a Fulani man is president is wrong.

    “Even in 2014, there were reported herdsmen issues in Nigeria.”

    On alleged lop-sided appointments in the country, Osinbajo said it was time that Nigerians begun to look at merit rather than tribe or religion.

    “It is easy to say that appointments are lop-sided if one set of appointments come or that it is not balanced. It is on record that Ogun State has the highest number of heads of agencies and parastatals in Nigeria, followed by Imo.

    “Borno, Sokoto and Yobe States that voted heavily for the APC in the 2015 presidential election do not have a senior minister in the administration.

    “Most people, who think that the north is favoured or better because the president is from there will have a re-think when they visit northern Nigeria.

    “The north is the poorest part of Nigeria in every way. There are over 2.3 million displaced people. The north is ravaged by diseases and Boko Haram.

    “Many people’s perception will change if they visited the north.’’
    On the Ibrahim Magu controversy, the vice-president said that Magu remained a competent man, saying: “we must insist on merit even when many do not believe in that.

    “We are never going to get this country to where we want it to be. In football, we don’t ask where we come from because we want to win.

    “It is only in Nigeria that we look for state quotas first instead of merit.”

    Commenting on an alleged plan by the present administration to start taxing churches, Osinbajo said that a bill on the issue was sponsored by some civil society groups.

    “The bill is currently being debated in the National Assembly. There is no plan by the government to get churches to pay tax.’’

    On the Islamic Development Bank, he explained that Nigeria did not become a member of the bank during the present administration.

    “Buhari does not own the bank. Nigeria became a member in 2008. The first and present directors of the bank are Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Kemi Adeosun and they are Christians.

    “Nigeria is just a shareholder and like any business we make use of the profit we get from there.”

    On IPOB and Operation Python Dance, Osinbajo explained that everything done was geared towards safeguarding the unity of Nigeria.

    “If we begin to have reprisal attacks in Nigeria, we may be facing war. We must be careful to avoid the hostilities degenerating,” he said.

    Also speaking, Bishop Mike Okonkwo of the Redeemed Evangelical Mission, advised churches in Nigeria to embark on human capital development.

    He said that it was time for the church to change its perspective on issues of governance and contribute their quota to nation building.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the conference was convened by Pastor Yomi Kasali of the Greater Nigeria Pastors Conference.

    Over 1,000 pastors from across the country attended the event.

  • Why CRK must stand alone in education curriculum – PFN

    Why CRK must stand alone in education curriculum – PFN

    Pentecostal church leaders across the nation on Thursday rejected the revised Basic Education Curriculum by the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC).

    The curriculum, they said, is unacceptable because it collapses Christian Religious Studies (CRS) as part of an omnibus subject known as Religion and National Values.

    The church leaders insisted that CRS should stand alone as a subject to foreclose the possibility of some states acting against the interests of Christian students.

    They spoke with reporters at the end of the 2nd quarter National Executive Council of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) in Lagos.

    The well-attended meeting attracted Pentecostal leaders like General Overseer of Living Faith Church Worldwide, Bishop David Oyedepo; Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM); Bishop Mike Okonkwo, National President of PFN, Bishop Felix Omobude; its vice, Bishop Wale Oke; National Secretary, Apostle Emmanuel Kure and other state chairmen of the body.

    Omobude said the fusing of CRS into Religion and National Values was without justification while the explanations of NERDC were also unconvincing.

    He said: “There is really no need nor is there any justification for the needless confusion and uncertainty the NERDC has created which has opened up the implementation of the curriculum to the whims and caprices of people with vested interests who want to impose their religious preferences on students.

    “Collapsing CRK as only a part of Religion and National Values forecloses the opportunity of the subject being studied at the tertiary level by students who might so desire and this is unacceptable to us.”

    While applauding the compulsory study of foreign languages, Omobude however stated more languages such as Spanish and others beyond French and Arabic should be included in the curriculum.

    The expansion, he said, will allow students “enjoy greater flexibility in foreign language study and not be compelled to study a language they have no interest in, as its being reported in some states.

    “We are aware of orchestrated plans to subtly use this policy as a means of forceful religious indoctrination and we maintain our stand against it,” the PFN president added.

    Oyedepo maintained the revised curriculum was targeted against Christian students, calling for its reversal to guarantee religious harmony across the nation.

    “What we are saying is that it is not acceptable to the Christian community. If students cannot study CRK in secondary school, it means we won’t have it at the tertiary level,” he reiterated.

    On calls for restructuring, Omobude restated commitment of Pentecostal Christians to a united Nigeria.

    He, however, called on the federal government to do all it can to assuage the fears and concerns of agitators through enthronement of true federalism.

    “We urge the government to pay attention to the calls for restructuring and find a way to push for further devolution of powers while adopting an all-inclusive approach to governance and development in the country,” he added.

    He condemned the quit notice given by northern youths to indigenes of South East extraction in the north, saying all Nigerians have the right to “live anywhere without fear of harassment.”

    “Those who beat the drums of war should not be forgetful of our pasts. We cannot afford to go through the path of war again as a nation,” he stated.

    Okonkwo called on northern elders to call their youths to order, saying the quit notice was a declaration of war against the south.

    The PFN argued nomadic cattle-rearing has become outdated, urging states to “build ranches and develop reserves where cattle owners can manage their animals without travelling long distances where they stray into farms, destroy crops and constitute nuisance and threat to other communities.”

     

  • RCCG: Group urges Adeboye to rescind resignation as G.O.

    RCCG: Group urges Adeboye to rescind resignation as G.O.

    The Citizens Advocacy for Social and Economic Rights (CASER) has called on Pastor Enoch Adeboye to rescind his resignation as the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).

    The call came in a statement issued by the Executive Director of the Abuja-based human rights group, Mr Frank Tietie, on Tuesday.

    Tietie said CASER would seek a court order to compel Adeboye to reverse his decision should the “holy man of God’’ refuse to voluntarily do so.

    Adeboye stepped down as the General Overseer of the RCCG in Nigeria on Saturday on the basis of the controversial Corporate Governance Code of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRCN).

    The code, which stipulates a 20-year maximum tenure for heads of religious groups and civil rights organisations, among other provisions, was suspended by the Federal Government on Monday.

    But for the suspension, the regulation could have also seen the exit of other affected men of God from the headship of their churches.

    They include Bishop David Oyedepo (Living Faith Church Worldwide aka Winners’ Chapel); Pastor William Kumuyi (Deeper Christian Life Ministry) and Bishop Mike Okonkwo (The Redeemed Evangelical Mission).

    Tietie said: “CASER urges the highly revered Pastor Adeboye to change his mind and rescind his resignation as the General Overseer of RCCG.

    “Where, therefore, the holy man of God refuses to review his decision to resign, CASER shall seek an order of the court to compel him to remain as the general overseer.’’

    He said the group was acting, not only in the interest of members of the RCCG who respect Adeboye, but also in the interest the Church generally.

  • We were virtually in a banana republic under Jonathan -Bishop Mike Okonkwo

    We were virtually in a banana republic under Jonathan -Bishop Mike Okonkwo

    In the run-off to the 2015 general elections, the presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM), Dr Mike Okonkwo, was one of the few Christian leaders who backed President Muhammadu Buhari during private meetings and consultations.  He explained to SUNDAY OGUNTOLA why he voted against ex-President Goodluck Jonathan despite endorsements from many leading Christian groups and organisations as well as other issues. Excerpts:  

    You have been labelled a supporter of the government of change…

    (Cuts in)… But everyone should love change. Everyone should work for change. For me, my interest politically is whoever will deliver dividends of democracy for the nation. Regardless of that person’s religious persuasion, as long as he can deliver, he has my vote. Even if he is a heathen, I will vote for such a person.

    But people are asking ‘is this is the change we voted for’?

    That is the issue I keep talking about. Nigerians are naturally impatient and we chicken out once there is a little pressure. We will say we don’t want again. I read somewhere in the social media a young man who said we should go back to corruption since things appear not to be working out well.  I said so we should go back to the vicious cycle? I replied the young man and said he was talking nonsense. Yes, things are not too stable but that is to tell you the rot the nation has degenerated to. You see, we are not fighting corruption. Nigeria is corruption. Everywhere you turn, every sector you turn, you find corruption.

    From the messenger to driver to the boss, everyone is involved. Corruption has become a second nature to us. The truth is you hardly find anyone that has not been dragged into the industry of corruption. It is as bad as that. Corruption has become the biggest industry in the nation.

    Now that Buhari is there, it will be foolhardy to say things will change overnight. Buhari will not completely eradication corruption because it’s been with us for decades.  If anyone is expecting Buhari to change this even if he stays for 15 years, the person is not being sincere. I believe the current administration is fighting so hard to put things in place. The things we are seeing is corruption fighting back. We have saboteurs in the system that will take time to be detected and flushed out.

    There are people enjoying where we were. They were making it with the situation we had then. They have a lot of money in their hands so they can do anything; they can create problems. But if we endure a lot, I believe things will be better.

    Do you believe this administration will deliver?

    I believe so with all my heart. I believe the current crop of leaders will fix this nation. That is why some people are fighting them back. It is because they know within themselves that they can deliver.

    What is the basis of that belief?

    Why not? They have wonderful programmes. The budget has just been passed. So, let’s watch between now and end of the year for things to start taking shape.

    Do you share the belief that government should declare amnesty for all corrupt Nigerians?

    I believe that we should but with stringent conditions. If you have stolen money and you are willing to willingly refund, you can access amnesty. But amnesty does not mean we should not run after all the looters of our treasuries. They have been able to accumulate too much, even more than the nation. The government has recovered so much of the loots and they should go even after more looters.

    But we haven’t felt the impact of the loots reportedly recovered…

    …That is because government has not declared how much was recovered. Besides, they cannot spend monies without passage of the budget.  I know that a lot of these monies will be channelled towards projects that have been outlined.

    But there is the concern that this government seems only interested in spending the next three years chasing thieves. Will that be a good direction to face?

    Government is not chasing thieves. It is EFCC that is chasing looters; it has just been suddenly awoken. The government is working; the ministers have just been appointed and things are running.  It is not Buhari that is running after thieves. The system in place will pursue the looters. We cannot leave them to enjoy our commonwealth.  I mean, they have stolen monies meant for us and must vomit them by force.

    In few weeks, this administration will be one. How do you assess its performance so far?

    My performance appraisal is that at least people are running away who stole money. There is an awareness that impunity cannot continue. If nothing, that is a great step forward. I agree there are certain indices that are still expected but I believe that we have gone passed the period where people just did anything and got away with everything. That was what happened with the last administration. The nation just got to a point where it was more or less a banana republic. People could do anything and government cared less.

    But now, there is a little bit of sanity. There is restraint that you cannot get away with illegalities. I don’t want to run into troubles but that is a good thing for us. In an atmosphere where there is no impunity, you can move the nation forward within a year. In an atmosphere of peace with people aligning and you put structures in place you can get results in six months that should have taken three years. So, I believe in the next one year, we will see results that will shock us.

    So, Nigerians should be patient?

    Yes, we should be patient. I mean we have no option at this state. We have to allow the government put things in place that will last and deliver dividends. There is no Nigerian that does not believe that the President and his Vice mean well. We know they won’t steal and want to change the nation. So, we should just be patient. We should bear the little inconveniences that will lead us to the Promised Land.

    You were one of the few men of God that supported this administration during the electioneering campaign. Many of your colleagues are still angry you supported a Muslim against a Christian. Why did you do that?

    Two or three years before the elections, I got completely disgruntled and dissatisfied with what was going on. I mean, we had a sitting Christian President yet more Christians had been killed. More churches had been destroyed, yet no compensations for anybody.  Things were going wrong under the watch of a Christian President. So, I asked myself, ‘Are we really praying well? Are we praying right? Is it that there were things God was telling us that we were not willing to listen to’? So, that changed my perspectives and I started balancing things.

    I came to the conclusion that we needed someone that will be able to deliver the dividends of democracy. Leading a nation is not running a church. Church has the Bible as its constitution but in a nation, you have heathens, Christians, Muslims and you have to carry everyone along.  You have to protect the interests of everybody. You have homosexuals. So, I must not want a President to impose his religious views on everybody. No, no, no. He has to be able to protect the interests of everyone.

    And to be able to do that, the only way is to deliver the dividends of democracy. Nigeria belongs to everyone and everyone is entitled to practise whatever he or she wants without fear of molestation.

    So, you mentioned these to fellow church leaders?

    I didn’t just mention; I started advocating them but my views were not popular. I stuck to my guns anyway.  I kept insisting that in our very eyes, we have seen the failure of a Christian presidency and we should have a rethink. To me, Christianity should be sincere enough to admit when something is not working and not to play to the gallery, becoming sentimental that we must support a Christian. Doing that will mean the nation will continue to be in limbo.

    So you have no regrets at all?

    I have none at all. I was glad when Buhari came on board. I mean I could have said we should support a fellow Christian but the interest of the nation should supersede all other considerations.

    Are you bothered you are called a Buhari apologist and an APC supporter?

    Why should I? It is my personal opinion, which I am entitled to. Everyone is entitled to his or her political ideology. I want somebody who can deliver dividends of democracy. The other person had tried for six years and didn’t deliver. Why shouldn’t we have someone else?

    You just started a full-fledged Mike Okonkwo academy. Is that because you love football? Many of your colleagues will say football is not a spiritual activity. Why should a man of God be involved in such ‘carnal’ venture?

    You see, it is important that you put your ears to the grounds and know what interests people. Football is like a rallying point for millions around the globe. It is an area of interest to many. You see, there are people who will never go to universities. I always have it in me that life is not just about going to schools and acquiring certificates. Many people have other interests in life that will take them to the top.

    So, the academy is about looking for young people with potentials in football and nurturing them to greatness with the fear of God.

    The scholarship scheme keeps getting bigger. Are you getting overwhelmed?

    I cannot because there are many people who wouldn’t have gone to schools without assistance from others. That is the truth of life. Many are stranded but brilliant. It gives me joy to be able to lift somebody up to become what he or she can be. It is always a joy in my heart.

    I remember a young man, a good musician with vast knowledge of the keyboard. He had been trying to improve his skills in schools to no avail. I met him one day and asked what he was doing. He said he was trying to get into a music school in South Africa. They were asking him to send some of his works to him and I asked what was delaying him. He said he didn’t have money to pursue the admission.

    So, I said, ‘You concentrate on your works, while you let me know how much everything will cost’. To cut the long story short, the young man is graduating this year. I didn’t do it for anything but because someone has been helped. It is not about training him so that he can play instrument for me. But he could become a mighty instrument in the hands of God and our nation because of his gift. It gives me joy to be able to do all of these.

  • Okonkwo, Otabil, others seek release of abducted girls

    A group of eminent church leaders in Africa, The Council of African Apostles, has called for the immediate release of more than 230 abducted female students of Government Secondary, Chibok in Borno State.

    It described the abduction as a deplorable act of terrorism affecting innocent lives with nothing whatever to do with the conflicts or grievances of Boko Haram, the radical Islamic sect.

    In a joint statement signed by the President of the Council of Africa Apostles Bishop Tudor Bismark of Zimbabwe, Bishop Mike Okonkwo of Nigeria and Dr. Mensa Otabil of Ghana, the Council said: “the abduction and other related callous acts of terror that have been undertaken by Boko Haram in the recent past should be condemned in the strongest possible terms.

    “The reports that they are being sold off into marriage for US$12.00 and that others have died of snake bites only serve to make the call for their urgent return, they should not have been touched by this conflict in the first place.”

    The Council called on “the Federal Government of Nigeria to exercise real leadership over this matter and use every disposable means it has to ensure that these girls are reunited with their families within the shortest possible time.

    “Beyond the safe return of the girls, we are also calling for the government to engage Boko Haram and find a peaceful solution to immediately end this violence that has claimed many innocent lives who otherwise have no stake whatever issues that are currently under contestation.”

    It added:  “We are also calling for leaders from different faith groups to have a dialogue and especially for leadership from the Muslim faith to strongly disassociate themselves from these cowardly acts of terror being carried out in the name of their religion.”

    The ministers stated that the recent attacks have placed a dark cloud over the peaceful co-existence of Christians and Muslims, deeply wounding the conscience of those who uphold human life and also leading to a deterioration of public trust and tolerance of different opinions.