In this interview, Prof. Jide Osuntokun, former lecturer in the University of Lagos, former
Nigerian Ambassador to Germany and adviser on Foreign Affairs to President Olusegun Obasanjo, reflects on his sojourn in Christianity. This started in Christ School, Ado Ekiti through his ambassadorial days in Germany where his sermons on the pulpits led him into the gulag of Col. Frank Omenka at DMI, Apapa. Long before the plague that Abacha regime was busted by God, Osuntokun who saw him in his dream as a python had already shot him to death. Few months later, Abacha died. More on this in these excerpts from an interview conducted at his Ibadan residence by Bola Adewara and Toyosi Ololade
 
Reconciling great learning with beliefs in God
I should think that you are right to think academics are difficult people to convert. I always tell my friends that academics are the Sadducees of the contemporary times who don’t believe in the resurrection.
 Prof Jide Osuntokun His tormentor, Sani Abacha (now late)
Through out my undergraduate days in the University of Ibadan, I don’t believe I went to church. Through out my post-graduate days in London, Canada, I also did not go to church, which means that for a period of about seven years I did not go to church. But that does not mean that I was not a Christian.

I was born into the Anglican Communion in my hometown in Oke Imesi, now in Ekiti State, and my mother was in fact the Iya Egbe (Matron) of the church. I went to the best Christian school in the country Christ School, Ado Ekiti. I don’t know if the school is like that today because I suspect they must have been ruined by government. But while I was there, we prayed about eight times a day and this began at 6am. We had to memorise all the songs in the hymn book such that if you did not know them, you would be heavily punished.

As for why some academics shun matters of faith, a friend of mine in academic once said when some people get to age fifty, out of fear of death they suddenly troop to cChurches for solace. But I think that is not true. What I come to know is that the more you know as an academic the more you know that you don’t know, even scientists would tell you that.
* Prof. Osuntokun with Adebola Adewara
 
"The life of man is 70, if God loves you, He gives you more, but that is usually full of pain and agony because the body is no longer the same. Our stay on earth is short. There is something about eternity and if we are not prepared for it, when it catches up with you, what will you say?..."
Each time I read that a new star or galaxy has just been discovered, I laugh because they have all been there since creation. Scientific knowledge is finite. There is a limit to what it can know where as God’s existence and the knowledge of him is infinite. No matter how versatile the brain is it can never comprehend the true conception of God. There is something holding this universe, which is in motion, together. The fact that the universe is not crashing, we are not being hit by meteorites, that this planet earth is in space and revolving while nobody feels it shows there is a being holding these together. There is no other way except to believe in Christ, whether we like it or not.

The life of man is 70, if God loves you, He gives you more, but that is usually full of pain and agony because the body is no longer the same. Our stay on earth is short. There is something about eternity and if we are not prepared for it, when it catches up with you, what will you say?

I always say of those who say there is no God and resurrection that suppose there is, it will be too late for them to come back here to believe and go back. But for me who believe in God and resurrection, suppose God and resurrection turned out to be figments of imaginations, but I have lived as a Christian and loved my neighbour, people will love me as a good man and I have nothing to lose in death. But if there is God and resurrection, while the other man must have lost, I would have gained here and hereafter. I must say that academics were a difficult people to bring to Christ but to God be the glory, many of them are now in the church with their families.

Transition from Anglican to Pentecostal
I will say my wife brought me into that mode of worship. It was a bit difficult for me because I enjoyed all the revealed songs in the Anglican Hymn book, the solemnity of the church, the Holy Communion and the Holy sacrament.

 It was easy for my wife because she came from the CAC background into the Anglican after our marriage and then into the Redeemed Christian Church of God. It took me probably three to four years before I joined her because I worshipped at All Saints Church, Yaba, Lagos while she and the children would go to the Redeemed headquarters and after closing come to worship with us at Yaba.

After some time I began to feel that, that shouldn't’t be the case because it was too strenuous on the children and I thought we should drink from the same spiritual source. I did not enjoy the jumping, clapping and shouting of the Pentecostal at first because of my solemn background in the Anglican, but because I love my life very dearly, I decided to cope with the Pentecostal mode of worship, though I still attended the Yaba church when there was wedding, birthdays, etc. I also insisted we sing some of the hymns at home while praying.

When I became the Nigerian Ambassador in Germany, my wife was already an Assistant Pastor in the RCCG and the Lord established the Living Water Parish through her in Bonn. When so many people joined us, I advised her to include some of the hymns so that people coming from various backgrounds of cChurches could feel at home. The RCCG spread to South Africa through the Ambassador of South Africa who used to worship with us. The GO of the church, Pastor Adejare Adeboye used to come and worship with us and have some kind of Mini-Holy Ghost Service.

After the ambassadorial days, God gave my wife the opportunity to establish the Jesus Chancery Parish of the RCCG here in Ibadan. Even though she has her degree in Zoology and Library Science, she opted to abandon paid employment in Lagos State University for a non-stipendiary work as a pastor, which of course means that I will have to support her all the way.

From the pulpit to Abacha gulag
I must say that being a Christian does not mean you will not have problems. When I was the ambassador in Germany during the General Sani Abacha era, there were some members of the diplomatic mission, who did not believe in the Christian God or for some pecuniary rewards, were writing reports home that the ambassador had turned the embassy into a church where we criticize African governments including the Nigerian government. Those reports did not worry me because I know the God I was serving.

There were so many attempts to remove me but God kept me there until I was recalled home by the Abacha regime because of my campaign against the death sentence passed on General Olusegun Obasanjo. Of course I came home in hurry but not in disgrace. Against all protocols, the German President saw me within a week and I have all the testimonials and speeches delivered at my departure. This was God’s doing.

I thank God for my wife who has been bedrock of support for me. She is a stronger and more faithful Christian than me. Whenever I was discouraged, she encourages me. Unfortunately I lost my brother Kayode when I was being buffeted by the state after being harassed out of Germany.

Through out my undergraduate days in the University of Ibadan, I don’t believe I went to church. Through out my post-graduate days in London, Canada, I also did not go to church, which means that for a period of about seven years I did not go to church. But that does not mean that I was not a Christian.

I was born into the Anglican Communion in my hometown in Oke Imesi, now in Ekiti State, and my mother was in fact the Iya Egbe (Matron) of the church. I went to the best Christian school in the country Christ School, Ado Ekiti. I don’t know if the school is like that today because I suspect they must have been ruined by government. But while I was there, we prayed about eight times a day and this began at 6am. We had to memorise all the songs in the hymn book such that if you did not know them, you would be heavily punished.

As for why some academics shun matters of faith, a friend of mine in academic once said when some people get to age fifty, out of fear of death they suddenly troop to cChurches for solace. But I think that is not true. What I come to know is that the more you know as an academic the more you know that you don’t know, even scientists would tell you that.
* Prof. Osuntokun with Adebola Adewara
 
"The life of man is 70, if God loves you, He gives you more, but that is usually full of pain and agony because the body is no longer the same. Our stay on earth is short. There is something about eternity and if we are not prepared for it, when it catches up with you, what will you say?..."
Each time I read that a new star or galaxy has just been discovered, I laugh because they have all been there since creation. Scientific knowledge is finite. There is a limit to what it can know where as God’s existence and the knowledge of him is infinite. No matter how versatile the brain is it can never comprehend the true conception of God. There is something holding this universe, which is in motion, together. The fact that the universe is not crashing, we are not being hit by meteorites, that this planet earth is in space and revolving while nobody feels it shows there is a being holding these together. There is no other way except to believe in Christ, whether we like it or not.

The life of man is 70, if God loves you, He gives you more, but that is usually full of pain and agony because the body is no longer the same. Our stay on earth is short. There is something about eternity and if we are not prepared for it, when it catches up with you, what will you say?

I always say of those who say there is no God and resurrection that suppose there is, it will be too late for them to come back here to believe and go back. But for me who believe in God and resurrection, suppose God and resurrection turned out to be figments of imaginations, but I have lived as a Christian and loved my neighbour, people will love me as a good man and I have nothing to lose in death. But if there is God and resurrection, while the other man must have lost, I would have gained here and hereafter. I must say that academics were a difficult people to bring to Christ but to God be the glory, many of them are now in the church with their families.

Transition from Anglican to Pentecostal
I will say my wife brought me into that mode of worship. It was a bit difficult for me because I enjoyed all the revealed songs in the Anglican Hymn book, the solemnity of the church, the Holy Communion and the Holy sacrament.

 It was easy for my wife because she came from the CAC background into the Anglican after our marriage and then into the Redeemed Christian Church of God. It took me probably three to four years before I joined her because I worshipped at All Saints Church, Yaba, Lagos while she and the children would go to the Redeemed headquarters and after closing come to worship with us at Yaba.

After some time I began to feel that, that shouldn't’t be the case because it was too strenuous on the children and I thought we should drink from the same spiritual source. I did not enjoy the jumping, clapping and shouting of the Pentecostal at first because of my solemn background in the Anglican, but because I love my life very dearly, I decided to cope with the Pentecostal mode of worship, though I still attended the Yaba church when there was wedding, birthdays, etc. I also insisted we sing some of the hymns at home while praying.

When I became the Nigerian Ambassador in Germany, my wife was already an Assistant Pastor in the RCCG and the Lord established the Living Water Parish through her in Bonn. When so many people joined us, I advised her to include some of the hymns so that people coming from various backgrounds of cChurches could feel at home. The RCCG spread to South Africa through the Ambassador of South Africa who used to worship with us. The GO of the church, Pastor Adejare Adeboye used to come and worship with us and have some kind of Mini-Holy Ghost Service.

After the ambassadorial days, God gave my wife the opportunity to establish the Jesus Chancery Parish of the RCCG here in Ibadan. Even though she has her degree in Zoology and Library Science, she opted to abandon paid employment in Lagos State University for a non-stipendiary work as a pastor, which of course means that I will have to support her all the way.

From the pulpit to Abacha gulag
I must say that being a Christian does not mean you will not have problems. When I was the ambassador in Germany during the General Sani Abacha era, there were some members of the diplomatic mission, who did not believe in the Christian God or for some pecuniary rewards, were writing reports home that the ambassador had turned the embassy into a church where we criticize African governments including the Nigerian government. Those reports did not worry me because I know the God I was serving.

There were so many attempts to remove me but God kept me there until I was recalled home by the Abacha regime because of my campaign against the death sentence passed on General Olusegun Obasanjo. Of course I came home in hurry but not in disgrace. Against all protocols, the German President saw me within a week and I have all the testimonials and speeches delivered at my departure. This was God’s doing.

I thank God for my wife who has been bedrock of support for me. She is a stronger and more faithful Christian than me. Whenever I was discouraged, she encourages me. Unfortunately I lost my brother Kayode when I was being buffeted by the state after being harassed out of Germany.
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