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Tag: Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria

  • Oke, Oyedepo, Selman reflect on PFN’s 40-year legacy 

    Oke, Oyedepo, Selman reflect on PFN’s 40-year legacy 

    It was a moment of reflection, gratitude and renewed commitment when hundreds of ministers and members of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) gathered at the Old Auditorium, Redemption City, to commemorate the fellowship’s 40th Anniversary.

    The event with the theme: “PFN: Yesterday, today and tomorrow,” attracted leading voices from across denominations and generations to celebrate four decades of unity, revival, and national impact through the Pentecostal movement.

    The National President of PFN, Bishop Francis Wale Oke, led a vibrant session of praise and thanksgiving before delivering a keynote address recounting the fellowship’s humble beginnings and global growth.

    “We are here to celebrate the goodness of the Lord over the past 40 years,” Oke declared.

    “PFN started like a mustard seed in Lagos. Today it is in every local government area, every state, and several nations of the world. To God be the glory!”

    The celebration took a solemn turn as Bishop Oke announced the passing of Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai, one of PFN’s founding fathers and a renowned global evangelist.

    “Men and brethren, Evangelist Dr. Uma Ukpai has gone home,” he said emotionally.

    “A titan and an iconic man of God whose 1985 crusade at the National Stadium, Lagos — Lagos for Christ — was the spark that birthed PFN. His legacy will live forever.”

    The congregation observed a minute of silence for the late evangelist, who passed away on October 6, 2025, at age 80. A documentary celebrating his ministry and worldwide influence followed, along with prayers for his family and ministry.

    A commemorative video chronicled PFN’s journey since 1985, tracing its evolution from a small coalition of Pentecostal pastors into a powerful voice for faith and national transformation.

    The documentary paid tributes to PFN’s pioneering leaders, including Rev. Dr. James Boyejo (First National President, Foursquare Gospel Church), the General Surpritendnet of the Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor William Kumuyi,Pastor Enoch Adeboye (RCCG), Archbishop Benson Idahosa (CGMI), Dr. Mike Okonkwo (TREM), and Bishop Ayo Oritsejafor (Word of Life Bible Church) and former PFN Chairman, South Africa, Archbishop Dr. Frank Ogagba.

    It also spotlighted the emerging generation of Pentecostal leaders — Pastors Poju Oyemade, Paul Adefarasin, Godman Akinlabi, Apostle Arome Osayi, and Pastor Jerry Eze — whom Bishop Oke described as “torchbearers of the digital revival age.”

    Special awards were presented to 12 founding fathers — some posthumously — in recognition of their pioneering contributions. The presentation was led by Rev. Dr. Sam Aboyeji, General Overseer of the Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria.

    “These fathers gave their time, ministries, and resources to ensure the PFN was born, survived, and continues to thrive,” Bishop Oke said. “We stand on their shoulders.”

     “The PFN today is strong, vibrant, and relevant. But the PFN of tomorrow will be even greater — a fellowship of revivalists carrying the fire of Pentecost to every corner of the world.” Bishop Oke said.

    One of the igh points came as Bishop David Oyedepo, Founder and Presiding Bishop of Living Faith Church Worldwide (Winners Chapel), delivered a message of revival, transformation, and hope.

    Speaking on the theme “PFN: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow,” Bishop Oyedepo declared that Nigeria’s Pentecostal movement has flourished across nations and must now lead through divine wisdom.

    “God has been here, and I knew it not. The impact of the church in Nigeria cannot be ignored. We are the salt of the earth and the light of the world — our revival must translate into social and economic transformation,” he said.

    He cited South Korea’s Christian revival as an example of how faith can reshape a nation, noting that Nigeria’s revival wave, which began in the 1970s, has similarly transformed millions of lives.

    “The church we met was a beggarly church that celebrated poverty,” he reflected.

    “Today, we see entrepreneurs, innovators, and educators raised by God through the church. Wherever education goes, civilization follows and that wave is shifting here.”

    Oyedepo emphasized that the next move of God will be marked by wisdom and dominion, not just power.

    “We have celebrated power; now it’s time to celebrate wisdom,” he declared.

     “Divine wisdom is our next frontier. The church must reign in knowledge, governance, and innovation.”

    He posited further with a prophetic declaration “We have seen grace, but greater grace lies ahead. Nigeria will not remain as it is. A new, prosperous, and godly nation is emerging in Jesus’ name.”

    In his sermon, Apostle Joshua Selman, founder of Koinonia Global, delivered a sobering message titled “A Letter to the Church in Nigeria.”

    Drawing inspiration from Revelation 3:22, Selman described the anniversary as a prophetic moment for the Nigerian church to reflect, reform, and realign with God’s purpose.

    “At every major prophetic milestone, God brings commendations, rebukes, and new chapters,” he said.

    Commending the Nigerian church for exporting revival globally, he noted that “Nigeria has been a hub for missions and spiritual influence across the world,” but warned that moral decay and doctrinal imbalance threaten the church’s witness.

    He identified seven critical issues confronting the Nigerian church: immorality, materialism, witchcraft-like manipulation, pride, gossip, unhealthy rivalry and doctrinal imbalance.

    “We cannot love Jesus so much that we begin to kill one another as proof of that love,” he said, cautioning against division and competition among ministers.

    Selman also called attention to the mental health of ministers, urging the church to provide emotional and psychological support for pastors.

    “Not every problem is solved by prayer and fasting; sometimes professional help is needed,” he said.

    To strengthen the church, he recommended: establishing a restoration framework for fallen ministers. Correcting false doctrines through dialogue and mentorship. Creating a doctrinal guide to preserve Christian orthodoxy and setting up a ministerial training institute for balanced biblical education.

    “Most of the confusion we see on the altar is not demonic attack — it is a lack of training,” he posited. “When people are properly taught, they will reflect Christ.”

    His message drew thunderous applause as attendees stood in agreement, marking a moment of repentance and renewal for the Nigerian Pentecostal movement.

  • Religious body gives scorecard ahead 40th anniversary

    Religious body gives scorecard ahead 40th anniversary

    The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has promised to holistically develop its Directorate of Politics and Governance to equip Christians aspiring for political offices with the right ethics.

    It expressed worry about the statistics on corruption, poor governance, and other leadership failures.

    The Christian association announced this while addressing reporters in Lagos to announce its 40th anniversary celebration.

    PFN’s National President, Bishop Francis Wale Oke, spoke at the media briefing, which was attended by the National Planning Committee Chairman, Bishop Taiwo Adelakun; a former National Secretary, Archbishop Joseph Ojo; PFN Jos Chairman, Dr. Stephen Dangana, and PFN Lagos Chairman, Pastor Yemi Davids.

    According to the body, there is a need for a deliberate mindset shift among the populace in the administration of te country.

    The PFN noted that Christians who have attained political offices and got enmeshed in corruption scandals had not received the requisite training, a gap the body promised to address.

    It also promised to review its constitution for the standardisation of the Pentecostal doctrine in order to stem controversies and unbiblical practices.

    Commenting on the state of the nation,  Oke urged the Federal Government to take urgent steps to strengthen the naira, warning that its continuous depreciation was worsening the lives of Nigerians.

    The PFN national president described the current exchange rate as humiliating, recalling how in 1985, he got $865 with N500 from the bank for his first foreign trip.

    He urged the government to establish cottage industries in all 774 local government areas and employ 500 youths each to drive production, reduce unemployment, and boost the economy.

    “When you devalue people’s money, you devalue their lives. I plead with government to do everything within its power to enhance the value of the naira,” he said.

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    Oke called for increased funding and stricter monitoring of the education sector to guarantee quality learning for all Nigerian children.

    The PFN national president said he was not happy seeing children, especially in the North, learn under trees.

    He also called for reforms in the health sector, questioning why Nigerian leaders continue to seek medical treatment abroad.

    Oke suggested that at least one tertiary hospital in each of the six geopolitical zones should be upgraded to world-class standard in infrastructure and personnel, to curb medical tourism and restore citizens’ confidence in the system.

    According to him, there is a need for better pay and conditions for health workers to stem the exodus of professionals to other countries.

    Oke urged the government to fully implement the new minimum wage across the board.

    The PFN national president also urged the government to address critical infrastructure, such as electricity, roads, railways, and revive the Nigerian Airways to boost national pride.

    He stressed that the anti-corruption fight must be impartial, without sacred cows.

    He called for total independence for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to guarantee credible elections.

    Commenting on the successes of the PFN since its inception in 1985, Oke noted that spreading the gospel to millions of people through evangelism and revival has helped to stop crime, immortality and hopelessness from overwhelming the society.

    The PFN national president clarified insinuations that faith-based organisations (FBOs) were building schools and charging exorbitant fees that average members cannot afford.

    According to him, many of such schools offer scholarships through the church’s foundation for qualified students who cannot afford the fees.

    “A lot is done behind the scenes that our faith doesn’t allow us to speak publicly about. Running a university is not a profitable venture. It is just our contribution to better the future of this country. The mission schools you talked about were founded by missionaries who got funding from their home countries.

    “In Nigeria, we are the home. We are the nation. We are the people generating everything. We’re not being sponsored from America or from anywhere else.

    “We would like you to inform the people about the good sides. In our universities and institutions, there is zero tolerance for cultism. Sexual harassment is not tolerated, and there are no interruptions in the education calendar of the students…

    “We stand on two very serious pillars – academic excellence and moral/spiritual soundness. We make sure that we’re not producing educated crooks who will go to Africa to loot our treasury. We produce people with a moral compass based on core biblical values,” he added.

    Oke also said the PFN had made impact in the arts and culture sector, adding that millions have been employed within its landscape across the world.

    Announcing the activities lined up to celebrate the body’s 40th anniversary, Oke said the association would unveil a new legacy headquarters in Abuja during its weeklong festivities.

    He dismissed claims that the PFN had been silent on national issues, especially insecurity, stressing that aside from speaking, the PFN has set aside special days to pray for the country so that God will reveal the sponsors of the killings.

  • UNICEF: we’re committed to clean environment in Anambra

    The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has reiterated its commitment towards a sustainable clean and healthy environment in Anambra State.

    The Water and Sanitation Hygiene (WASH) specialist, UNICEF Enugu, Ferdinand Njue, stated this during a two-day workshop on Institutional Triggering and Sensitisation meeting for stakeholders in Ekwulobia, Aguata Local Government Area of the state.

    Njue, represented by the Zonal WASH consultant, Mr Toyin Adisa, said the agency had continued to collaborate with the government in ensuring that all the communities in the state attained wide Open Defecation Free (ODF) status in the shortest possible time.

    He said, “The major role of UNICEF in the implementation of WASH programmes in the State is to ensure that investment made is sustained.

    “This the agency does through the building of the capacity of WASH institutions.”

    According to Njue, the workshop was aimed at identifying the successes and failures of the various communities in the council area in attaining ODF.

    He applauded the State Government for its support and commitment towards UNICEF WASH programmes in the state.

    Also speaking, the Transition Committee Chairman of Aguata, Honourable Eche Ezeibe, attributed causes of regular outbreaks of Cholera and Diarrhea to poor access to safe drinking water and inadequate sanitation.

    Ezeibe, who was represented by the Head, Local Government Administration Officer, Sir Jaja Nwankwo, called for strengthening of health institutions in the state to checkmating the ugly trend.

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    On his part, the WASH Coordinator, Aguata Local Government Area, Mr Akwobi Peter, disclosed the Council’s plans to engage Toilet Business Owners towards the construction of affordable toilet facilities.

    “We’ve been sensitizing the entire council area through jingles and public announcements on the need for clean and healthy environment,” he added.

    One of the participants, Mrs Okonkwo Ebere, Women Leader, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, attested to impacts of UNICEF WASH in their communities, pledging to contribute towards ODF in the area.

    The workshop, organised by EU/UNICEF in collaboration with the State Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASA), attracted traditional rulers, clergy, teachers, representatives of various WASH communities, amongst others.

  • New Ikeja PFN executives take over

    The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) Lagos chapter last week inaugurated a new executive council for its Ikeja province.

    In a message titled: Building the wall, Lagos PFN secretary Rev Toyin Kehinde, charged the new executives to provide effective Christian leadership and build a wall separating the wolves from the sheep.

    He said there were no benefits in building bridges to reach out to those who claimed to be members of the flock but don’t share the true ideology and mission statement of the body.

    “This is no time to build bridge but rather a time to build a wall, separating us from the wolves among the flock so that our heritage as a true member of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria can be protected,” Kehinde stated.

    Apostle Enyinnaya Okwuonu, state Vice Chairman of PFN who stood in for the state chairman, Bishop Dr. Sola Ore, charged the new executives to see their elevation as a new call for service and more commitment in Christendom.

    He said they should consider their election as an opportunity to look inwards in empowering members for effective preaching of the gospel.

    Okwuonu also appealed to them to measure up with contemporary issues in the church globally.

    Delivering the inaugural speech, the new Ikeja province chairman, Pastor Tope Ilesanmi, said their desire in the next four years will be to enlarge the territory of Jesus Christ through effective evangelism.

    Hinting on the focus of the new administration, Ilesanmi said: “Our mission thrust will be in the area of grass root development, evangelism and empowerment.

    “We are going to work on ways of helping our members and empowering them for spiritual and economic advancement.”

    He added: “As Christians we should be accountable to the people who got us elected.

    “We are also going to look at ourselves as the light and the salt because we cannot afford to disappoint God in this dispensation.”

    Other members of the new council are: Rev Dr. Amos Obidare- Vice Chairman; Dr. Patrick Anidi- Secretary; Femi Adesina- Financial Secretary and other province directors.

  • Kumuyi, others extol late PFN chair

    General Superin-tendent of Deeper Life Bible Church Pastor William Kumuyi led tributes at the weekend for former chairman of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) Alimosho province in Lagos, Apostle Raphael Olorunmaiye, whose remains were laid to rest.

    Speaking with reporters at the Service of Song, Kumuyi said demise of Apostle Olurunmaiye was a wonderful transition within the body of Christ.

    Kumuyi, who was represented by the Pastor in Charge of Aids Ministry Deeper Life Bible church, Pastor Bayo Oyeyemi, noted although his temporal exit might be painful, it that has been overshadowed by the glory of God that awaits all faithful saints in heaven.

    “If you wake him up and ask whether he want to be here or in heaven, definitely he will want to stay in heaven,” he stated.

    He challenged church leaders to continue to take care of the flock under them while not leaving out thousands who die daily without hope of eternal life in heaven.

    “We need to empower our members with message of salvation, sanctification and endowment of the Holy Spirit and prepare them for heaven as Christ imminent return is sooner than anyone can tell,” he stressed.

    In his sermon, Chairman of Lagos PFN, Apostle Sola Ore, said Olorunmaiye remained one of his finest province chairmaen.

    “I wept when I heard he is gone because I will not see him again on this side of the world,” he lamented.

    He told those at the funeral not to be sorrowful because Apostle Olorunmaiye was an energetic preacher who laboured for the Kingdom till he was called home.

    General Overseer of Faith Revival Apostolic Church Lagos, Apostle Paul Adenuga described the death of Olorunmaye as good news because it is a call to rest having won the battle of faith.

    He urged all servants of God to see Olorunmaye’s death as a lesson and think of when it would be their turn.

    “The lesson we all learn from Olorunmaye is his stand for God even in the face of challenges.

    “He never used his position as PFN chairman to amass wealth for himself,” he said.

    The remains of the late Olorunmaiye, who died at 59, were laid to rest at his residence in Isefun, Ayobo area of Ogun State in the presence of friends, families, church leaders and PFN state executives.

  • 2019: Use your PVC to vote out bad leaders – PFN tells Nigerians

    The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) on Wednesday called on eligible voters in Nigeria to arm themselves with their Permanent Voters Card (PVC) and get ready to vote out bad leaders.

    The Vice President, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (South-South), Bishop Simeon Okah made this call in Warri when he played host to the South South leaders of the PFN.

    Okah said the era of complaining and doing nothing has past, stressing that the time for people to stop complaining and take action by going to the polling units to vote during election has come.

    He said it was not enough for people to sit down in their homes complaining about bad leadership when they can actually change the leaders through the power of their PVC’s.

    Okah, who is also the Bishop of Flock of Christ Mission Incorporated called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to sit up and ensure that they build the trust of the people by conducting credible elections in the country.

    “We want INEC to do what we are paying them for. It is not a good thing that after involving professors in the conduct of election, the professors will begin to manipulate elections. This only means that Nigeria is gone. We do hope that this time around INEC would sit up and do the right thing because if they fail to sit up, they will end up setting this country on fire,” the South South PFN Vice President said.

    Read Also: Use your PVCs wisely, Fape tasks Nigerians

    On the involvement of security agents in the conduct of elections in the nation, Bishop Okah cautioned against the use of military men, saying that the function of military was to keep the nation free from external aggression.

    “The military should not be involved in the 2019 general elections. Their duty is to maintain peace and unity of the country. They should not be used in the conduct of elections. That is the duty of the police. Only policemen are allowed to monitor elections,” Bishop Okah added.

    Okah said that those people praying for the downfall of the country will not succeed, noting that God will not make their plans to succeed.

    He advised Christians in the nation to come together and use their numerical strength to get involved in the politics of the nation, saying, “Christians should organize themselves and try to know the number of eligible voters that they have so that they can use this to vote out any leader who is not performing.”

    Okah also called on Christians not to vote for any politician who has used the platform of the PFN to climb to leadership position but has forgotten to do the will of the people.

    He also warned politicians who are involved in snatching ballot boxes to desist from it saying that they are setting a bag precedent for the younger generation.

  • God will decide Nigeria’s next President – PFN

    The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) on Wednesday said only God can determine who becomes the next President of Nigeria after the 2019 general elections.

    PFN Chairman in Ondo state, Rev Opayinka Kolawole who spoke with reporters in Akure, the state capital said for now, emphasis should not be placed on next year election, but how to curtail the spate of killings and insecurity in the country.

    Speaking shortly before the inaugurating the new PFN’s executive committee,the cleric lamented that the killings were not limited to Christians alone,but Muslims and other sects.

    He noted that the recent wake-up protests against arbitrary killings across the country initiated by the PFN’s leadership were successful, saying the process sent a wrong signal to the federal government on the need to find solution to the menace.

    The PFN chief said” we embarked on the protest peacefully with songs and intermittent prayers. It is like a spiritual warfare to let those in corridors of power know the implication of shedding innocent blood unnecessarily by the culprits.

    “We had carried out the exercise and thereafter made personal contacts, issued press statements, media interviews, messages on social media and others on diverse issues concerning  the attack on innocent Nigerians .

    “We are now watching, as our leaders continue to dialogue with those in authority, they are going back to the drawing board with relevant stakeholders to nip the dastardly act in the bud.

    On 2019 election, Rev. Kolawole said the Pentecostal and other churches have been praying to God to choose anybody after His own heart to govern the country as expected.

    He urged the present administration to face governance strictly rather than concentrating on 2019 general elections.

    The cleric expressed satisfaction that the recent protest had been impactful, urging President Muhammadu Buhari to set machinery in motion to tackle the menace.

  • Calabar ready for CFAN two million man crusade

    Calabar ready for CFAN two million man crusade

    Chairman of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) in Cross River State, Rev Dr Lawrence Ekwok says all is set for the Great Gospel Crusade by Christ for All Nations (CFAN) with Evangelist Daniel Kolenda in Calabar.

    Kolenda, who took over from world renowned Evangelist Reinhard Bonne, will be having his first crusade, tagged Calabar 2018, from February 15 to February 18 at 3.30pm daily, while the fire conference for gospel ministers and church workers will be on the same dates but at 7am daily at the Cross River University of Technology field.

    The event which is expected to host over two million, Ekwok said would be the biggest spiritual event of the decade in the state and probably the South-South and South-East regions of the country.

    Ekwok, who is also the crusade chairman and chairman of the central working committee said security arrangements have also been put in place with 24 hour security at the venue and other strategic locations.

    “We want to take this opportunity to encourage churches that are yet to join the crusade workforce to join the train as fast as possible for the spiritual harvest of the decade in Cross River State.

    “Permit me to express the gratitude of the Church in Cross River State to CFAN, the ministry of the world renowned Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke for the love they have demonstrated towards Cross River State, by staging this crusade for a record six times, with total funding from the evangelistic organization.

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    “It is our prayer that God will continue to keep the founder of CFAN, Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke, in good health, especially as he recently turned 77 years and also his successor, Evangelist Daniel Kolenda, in the best of spiritual and physical health to carry out the preaching of this gospel to the ends of the earth with signs and wonders following.

    “We are also grateful to God for giving us good fathers in Cross River State, most odd whom constitute the Board of Advisers of this crusade, for their sacrifice and guidance, which have positioned this crusade on the path of total success,” Ekwok told reporters in Calabar.

     

     

  • 2019 election results will be transmitted electronically – INEC

    2019 election results will be transmitted electronically – INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) said on Tuesday it has developed a technology that would enable it transmit election results electronically direct from polling units to the states’ headquarters.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Ebonyi, Prof. Godswill Obioma, disclosed this at a meeting with faith-based organizations in Abakaliki.

    According to him, the new technology is part of efforts by the Commission to eliminate rigging, electoral frauds and other irregularities and to ensure the enthronement of credibility and transparency in the electoral process.

    Obioma reassured the electorate that their votes would count in the 2019 general elections and urged them to participate in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration ( CVR ).

    He said: “INEC is strengthening the process of transmitting election results electronically direct from polling booths to INEC headquarters.

    “We hope that the latest technological innovation would be perfected and deployed in the 2019 general elections.

    “The new strategy would discourage politicians from ballot box snatching, stuffing of ballot boxes and indulgence in other forms of electoral irregularities.

    “The commission would do everything to ensure that votes count in 2019 and that those who would emerge do that through popular votes.

    “We have only one message and the message is that you come out and register and ensure that you collect your PVC to qualify you to exercise your franchise.”

    Read also: 2019: INEC to partner political parties for credible elections

    The REC explained that the meeting was part of conscious efforts by INEC to build strategic partnership and alliance that would be harnessed to mobilize the electorate.

    “This meeting is aimed at jointly charting strategic paths for a credible 2019 elections and to see in what best ways we can partner with the organizations to reach out to their members.

    “It is also to mobilize those who are 18 years and above to come out and register and collect their PVCs,” he added.

    Obioma explained that making the electoral process more inclusive by getting more people involved in civic responsibilities would reduce political tension and those chosen in elections would be better accepted as representatives of the people.

    He said that the commission had embarked on aggressive sensitisation and voter education since he resumed office as REC in Ebonyi on July 12.

    “We have undertaken stakeholders’ town hall meetings in all the 13 local government areas of the state where we met with the people in their localities and sensitise them to the continuous voter registration.

    “We followed the town hall meetings with the stakeholders’ village square meetings in the wards across the local government areas.

    “We listened to their views on how we can do better in our programmes to achieve greater penetration in the society,” he said.

    Reports say no fewer than 50 representatives of faith-based organisations, including Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria and Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs attended the meeting.

    NAN

  • PFN greets Muslims on Eid-el-Fitr

    PFN greets Muslims on Eid-el-Fitr

    The President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Reverend Felix Omobude has felicitated with all Muslims on the occasion of this year’s Eid-el-Fitr.

    In a statement, Dr Omobude congratulated them on the completion of this year’s Ramadan season and prayed for a joyful time of celebration for everyone.

    He urged Nigerians to embrace mutual tolerance and understanding in their conduct and relationships, irrespective of faith, ethnicity or gender to take the country to greater heights in the different areas of life.

    The PFN President called on all religious leaders to continue to lift up the country in their prayers so that there can be an end to bloodshed in the land and eschew all forms of hate and provocative speech, kidnapping and terrorism in whatever form.

    He prayed for wisdom for those in public office, so they are able to guide the nation in the right direction and attain success in the march for a restoration of the right values.