So, I continued to teach for another three years before God called me into the ministry. I was then a Grade II Teacher.
The call
In 1945, I gave my life completely to Christ when I was still in school. And this motivated me to answer the call of God. Before then, I never wanted to be engaged in ministerial work because I knew what it entails. But when I heard the call and I knew it was God speaking, I had no choice but to heed. Otherwise, I was aspiring to become a vice chancellor of a university. That was my aim in life. In 1969, I was away in Whales, the United Kingdom, where I attended a theological school. Before then, I was in the Theological Seminary at Ilesha.
After I worked in the field for sometime, I gained admission into a seminary in the UK in 1969. I was in the college for two years and then came out with distinctions. Later, my home church asked me to come back to Nigeria and continue with the work of the ministry. I have pastored in many towns and villages within Nigerian in the last 54 years.
Challenges
Pure ministry has many challenges. When you decide fully to follow Christ, you are now in the trap of Satan. Satan will not allow you to go on with the ministry because he knows that it leads to the salvation of men from his bondage. So, the devil will try all in his power to pull you away so that you can no longer preach the gospel. I have been transferred to various towns and villages including hamlets – in the bush, on water and so on. In 1963, while in Nupe land, I was swept away by a big river and almost got drown because the canoe peddler lost control and the canoe capsized. God helped me to also rescue my boss, a retired minister of God, who was on the canoe with me, because I knew how to swim.
My elevation
By the constitution of the Apostolic Church, you have to start as a local worker. And if you are very committed, you can be promoted to a full worker. Before becoming a full worker, you must have graduated form the Bible College with distinctions. After that, based on your commitment, you would be called by God into full-time pasturing. All offices that I have occupied in my church is through the call of God.
Then after that, when God and the people see your commitment, you would then be promoted to a district pastor with you overseeing some assemblies. All these take many years. If you do very well, you would now be promoted to the position of an apostle. In my own case, I became a prophet. And if you are doing well, then before you can become a member of the council, they must have seen your past achievements and recommendation. Then the selection now begins before you can become a superintendent.
For instance, I am the superintendent for this area. I cover part of Nassarawa, Kogi and Benue. So, I have over 80 churches under me. After that, it you are still doing the work and the leaders see that God is using you and you have good recommendations from people who are demanding for you, then you become a member of the General Executive Council. That one consists of only superintendents and the Executive Council. The Executive Council has the final say and is the highest authority in our church. In other churches, you call them Archbishop. After that, you can be promoted to become an Executive.
The church and Nigerian politics
It is very sad that some Christian leaders these days are corrupt. This makes it difficult for them to preach the actual undiluted word of God and for the leaders of the country to do what is right. It is sad to note that some of these purported ministers of God aid and abet corruption in the country. That is why in Apostolic Church, we love politics but we don't play politics. Because we know that the moment you become a politician, you become a liar.
There is noting you can do but to be a liar. You become corrupt. And then corruption spoils the mission. That is why you see that those whose names are on the EFCC are either Christians and Muslims. To me, I know that it is weakness on the part of leaders of churches and mosques that makes Nigeria to become what it is today – corrupt. If we had stood our grounds in both religions educating our followers on the tenets of our faith and practising it, Nigeria would not have been where it is today. Today, things have spoilt because our religious leaders are spoilt.
So, what can rescue this nation now is to do justice. Unless we go back to God and work hard at stamping out corruption at all levels, then we still have a long way to go. I am calling on EFCC to go to all the churches and mosques; if they do that, many pastors and imams will be imprisoned because of their high level of corruption.
So, unless we go back to God, preach the gospel, be transparent and then make the politicians to realize that they are in that position only by the grace of God and not their own making, corruption will continue to thrive in this country.
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