What could Emmanuel Okose, a.k.a. Soul E, be up to this time? That seemed to be the question on the lips of many when the popular Nigerian musician posted the details of his latest prophecy concerning President Goodluck Jonathan and two sensational singers, Wizkid and Davido, on the Facebook earlier in the week.
How has life been since you started working in the vineyard of God?
Life has been beautiful. I started this ministry towards the end of 2009 and God has been faithful. Basically, we have been building lives and sharing the Word of God with everyone we meet in and outside the country. So, it has been fantastic and we thank God.
What particular experience led you into working for God?
I have always operated in a prophetic office right from my birth. My father is a preacher of the gospel. I grew up in Mile 2, Lagos and everybody there knew me as a pastor. I have always been in church, working for God. But along the line, I kind of missed it in 2003. It will shock you to know that I was a pastor and I had my own fellowship called Youths Success Fellowship in Mile 2. It was very successful from about 2002 to 2003. Then, I had over 800 to 1000 youths in the fellowship. A lot of things happened and people were healed of their afflictions. But in 2004, I lost it!
How?
I backslid. But it was for good. God wanted me to experience the other side of life, so that when He brings me back into His vineyard, I will have words to say to those that are living the kind of life I had lived before. That is why a lot of people are so shocked today when they hear that Soul E is a prophet. They wonder when and how I became a prophet and so on. It is not news to me. But I thank God that everyone that has come in contact with me has a testimony to give. In 2009, I got a transformation. In fact, I was at a train station in Singapore when a white man walked up to me and said, “Se o fe ki oloun so e di cripple ki o to gboran? (Do you want God to turn you into a cripple before heeding His call?)
Did you say a white man spoke to you in Yoruba?
Yes, a white man spoke to me in Yoruba in a strange land. It was funny. That was how God wanted to arrest me because I am very stubborn. In 2009, I came back to Nigeria and surrendered faithfully to God. So, that was how He started using me in His vineyard.
Could you recall a decision you took and later regretted?
It is not really a regret. Everywhere I go to preach, I say it that churches are not encouraging their talented members to grow. If churches were encouraging the talents they have, many of us would not have been thrown into the world. That is where I became a victim. I have always wanted to be a singer and someone who worships God with songs and all that. But the church did not support what I had; it was the outside world that supported what I had. Many of us in the industry today are from gospel backgrounds, but look at what we are doing. It is not because we wanted to do it, but the church chased us out. This is one thing that a lot of churches don’t want to hear and this is also why God has raised me at this point in time to tell the world that churches should accept what they have. They should encourage their musicians, dancers and comedians, so that the world will not take them away. I am lucky that God had to bring me back, but many are not as lucky as I am.
What church were you attending at that time?
I don’t want to mention the name of the church.
So, how should one address you now?
Some call me a prophet, while others call me a pastor. But I prefer to be addressed simply as Soul E. I operate in a prophetic office. I am actually a prophet of God, but I prefer to be called Soul E. The name of my ministry is Kingdom Builder Assembly. I don’t run a church. It is based in Abuja, but I do programmes here and there. There is an arm of the ministry called Soul E Ministry.
Earlier in the week, you dropped a bombshell of sorts when you revealed a prophecy concerning President Goodluck Jonathan, Davido and Wizkid…
(Cuts in) I have received so many calls on this issue. You see, prophets are messengers of God. I love Davido and Wizkid and I don’t wish them any bad thing. But all I am saying is that they should be careful. I am not close to them and I don’t have their phone numbers either. Some people have asked me why I didn’t speak to them personally. Well, the only reason I released those words online was to reach out to them and make their fans pray for them. But Nigerians are very funny. They say, “Why do prophets not see any good thing?” I am just acting according to my Father. I saw a vision and I saw Wizkid being poisoned. I wrote it clearly on my Facebook page that Wizkid should get close to God and should be prayerful. I also said that I saw Davido in a fatal motor accident. However, I said as a prophet, I cancelled that. But they should get close to God and pray. When God gives you a prophecy, it is for you to be careful and pray about it.
When did you actually see this vision?
I wasn’t sleeping; it was an open vision. I was praying in the afternoon when I saw it. Immediately I received it, I went straight on my Facebook page. I didn’t think of Davido or Wizkid when I was praying. For God’s sake, it wasn’t my first prophesy. I have been prophesying to people since 2009 and they have testimonies. That I wrote this on the Facebook doesn’t mean it is my first prophesy. Also, it is not because I am seeking attention. I am already a star, so I don’t need any attention. It was God who announced me, so I don’t need the media or anyone to do that for me. You were the first person who actually called me for an interview and I accepted. I am not flattering you, but I work with my spirit. I saw three visions: I saw Wizkid being poisoned and I prayed it won’t happen. But he should pray about it. He is surrounded by so many people who envy him. That is why it is important for everyone to have a prophet. Yes, it is good to go to church, but every king has a prophet. Wizkid should really be careful- that is, if he will listen to me. I might not be T.B. Joshua, but he should listen to me. Davido should also be careful because I didn’t even reveal all that I saw in my dream. I also said in my write-up that I saw Aso Rock on fire. It was like a terrorist attack on Aso Rock. President Goodluck Jonathan should call for a three-day fasting for the nation. I am not saying this because I want to meet him; rather, I am saying it because I am a Nigerian and a prophet in this land. Of course, I know a prophet doesn’t have honour in his land. Jonathan should call all the men of God he knows to pray for him – he doesn’t have to call me.
As a popular and well-connected artiste, one expects that you should have contacts of these guys. So, what efforts have you made to reach out to them?
I contacted my publicist to send text messages to them, but he said he couldn’t reach any of them. So, I decided to put it on the Facebook, so that it would get through to them. I can’t get through to the president, but posting it online is the fastest way to get to him. If they get to hear this piece of news everywhere, then they will pray over it. I don’t want the blood of anybody on my hand. I am a prophet and not a pastor.
Are you sure it is not a ploy to launch you back into the limelight, since your career seems to have been eclipsed?
I don’t need the attention of anybody. It was God who called me into the ministry; I didn’t call myself. By the grace of God, I have travelled to over 30 countries since 2009. I am not a noise- maker. I work by the spirit. It is a very important message that needs to get to Wizkid, Davido and Jonathan. So, I don’t care about what people say.
Will you still be singing now that you are a prophet?
I am not really a musician, but I am a minister. I do more of God’s works right now. But I will be releasing a lot of gospel songs from now. We released an album entitled Message last year, but it was not really publicised. It sold about 600,000 copies. I am not into music for competition, so it doesn’t matter whether I am in the spotlight or not.
Could you recall any decision you took in the past that you later regretted
The only experience I kind of regret is my relationship with my former record label, Colossal Entertainment. If I knew what I know now, I would have stayed and finished my contract and everybody would have peace. Now, I feel that I should not have left at the time I did.
But I thought you were going to talk about Queen Ure
Everybody has been in a relationship that didn’t work.
After you got married to your new wife, a banker, you were quoted to have said that you were never married to Queen Ure…
I am not married to a banker. Linda Ikeji is always posting things that are not necessary. I don’t understand her and I don’t know her problem. I pray I will have an opportunity to meet her and tell her my mind. She calls my wife a banker, but my wife is not a banker. In fact, she has never worked in a bank. Queen Ure and I only had a relationship, so we were never married. There is no picture of our marriage anywhere and there is no certificate of marriage anywhere either. But when I got married to my wife, there were pictures all over the Internet.
What is your wife into?
She is into aviation and has her own agency.
I am sure you will agree with me that there is need for you to always grant a press interview when necessary.
My problem is that I don’t know if you will be different. More than 15 people from different media houses had called me to request for an interview, but I turned them down. The truth is, you will say something, but they will write a different thing entirely. I have said it a million times that I was never married to Queen Ure and my wife is not a banker.
How did you meet your wife?
Let’s not talk about this now.
Why?
I have said it a million times.
Was it love at first sight?
I met her on the Facebook towards the end of 2008, while I was in Singapore. There was even another report that I love to marry older women. Oh, it is so horrible!
Is your wife not older than you are?
She is two years younger than I am. So, where are all these stories coming from? I don’t understand the Nigerian press and that is why I just like to stay on my own. I am telling you this as a brother, but I don’t know if you too will write another thing. Nigerian journalists have not been so favourable to me. They have painted me in a horrible way. They tell me I jump from one woman to another. If my wife didn’t love me, she would not have married me, especially because of all the nonsense that had been written about me. My in-laws almost didn’t want to bless my marriage because of the nonsense written about me. But in the end, they found out the truth.
At a time, you were attending Jehovah, Sharp Sharp Church and it was rumoured that you went there to seek spiritual power. How will you react to this?
Reverend Samson Mustapha, who is the spiritual head of Jehovah, Sharp Sharp Church, is my very good friend. Sometimes, when I come to Lagos, I worship with him. He is my friend and we have a relationship. Nobody can give me power, except God. He is like a father to me and I don’t have anything against him. Apart from this, Rev. Chris Okotie is like a father to me. Most of the things I have read on the Internet are lies. I have never spoken ill of him. O su mi (I am tired). Maybe I have also contributed to the rumours probably because I don’t grant interviews.
