The first thing that attracted me to you is your email: I never stopped believing. That is curious? Why do you coin that kind of email?
Actually, the email address came into being as a result of my published book titled “I Never Stopped Believing.” I had come out of a series of gruesome trials involving very harsh realities and circumstances and what held me together was my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Within the space of nine months, I had lost my five bedroom house in Queens, New York, two cars (Mercedes Benz S430 and a Lexus Jeep), gone through a divorce, not seen my only son in close to a year, had my immigration status revoked as a result of my being an innocent victim of identity theft, threatened with deportation proceedings by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, suffered acute pericaditis of the heart that resulted in my hospitalization in Brooklyn, New York and the list goes on and on.

I lost my job; my license to practice law in New York was placed on delinquent status for over two years. As soon as I came out from hospital, I was so weak physically and was unable to accomplish the things needed to ensure a livelihood of quality.

A few months still into my recuperation, I lost the one room I was renting and then became totally homeless. Eventually, I rented a one room space in one of the worst ghettoes of New York, in the South Bronx. Here, it was common to witness shootings, drug wars, gang fights, teenage pregnancies, etc. But God preserved and protected me. In spite of what seemed like a death warrant against me, I chose to continue believing God. After all, with God all things are possible.

When and why did you leave Nigeria for the US? Did you leave Nigeria with a vision or you just left like so many others? With the power of hindsight, what were the mistakes you committed and what were the repercussions?
My first trip out of Nigeria with a view to a long term stay was to do my Masters degree in Commercial and Corporate Law at King's College London in 1989. Thereafter, I joined my family in South Korea and later moved to Japan. By mid 1991, my dad had convinced me to return to Nigeria and take up a lecturer position at the University of Benin and subsequently, the University of Uyo. It's interesting that this trip that I thought would result in a long term stay only lasted two years.
Now my second trip out of Nigeria was in 1993 to the USA . This was intended to be a short term trip. This trip is now going on its 17th year!
In 1993, I was a lecturer of law at the University of Uyo and there was a nationwide strike involving all universities. Then, there was this dispute about parity of wages for ASUU and NASU staff. University of Uyo also experienced a violent student uprising in 1993 that resulted in the closure of the university.
To make matters worse, there was the June 12 crisis which made solving the problems of the universities, a non-priority of government. It is against this background of the universities idling away, that I decided to make a quick dash to the USA . In the USA , I was now presented with the opportunity to further my career in law by sitting for the New York State Bar. That is not an easy bar but thanks to God, I passed it at my first and only attempt. So to answer your vision question, the vision came after I left Nigeria.
Bola, I have committed so many blunders. But one major mistake I committed with such horrifying repercussions was to dabble into the world of occultism in 1992. Without any concrete reason and out to satisfy my curious mind I was initiated into a cult in Lagos called the Sea Lodge. The cult deals with seven sea spirits, a wicked demon in Satan's kingdom called the Queen of the Coast and spirits from India . It took the grace of God to get me out of there in one piece. I knew that the only way to defeat these demonic powers with whom I had had close encounters with was through an abiding and uncompromising faith in Jesus Christ. It is this same faith that has enabled me to overcome every repercussion and trial of the world.
My involvement in Christianity had been from my childhood. I grew up in a Christian environment but I was not a Christian. I did not have a personal, love and faith relationship with Christ. The first time I actually encountered the risen Christ was in my dream in late 1992. Christ summoned me in my dream and preached to me. Christ gave me scripture verses in my dream and when I woke up I went in search of a Bible to check out these verses.
The scriptures I got from Christ dealt with Repentance. I was into occultism at the time and so I decided to disregard Christ. Eventually, when I totally gave my life to Christ in early 1995, it was the Word of God and Christ's personal and direct revelation to me in the dream that quickened the process. Of course, through all these, the Holy Spirit was silently working without my even realizing it. I became a Christian in the quietness of my room in Virginia , USA in early 1995.
A number of well meaning people, including my parents and siblings, had asked me to return home at the time I was going through severe testing here in the US. My attitude has always been that you don't move because of trouble. You move because of God. You move because God says so. At the time, there was nothing in my spirit telling me that I was to relocate to Nigeria.
Rather, the Holy Spirit seemed to be confirming through several means that I was to tarry in New York. No test, no testimony. I am glad that I drank of the cup of suffering that God willed for me to drink from. As Christians we have to remember that without crucifixion there could have been no resurrection of Jesus Christ.
It is not so much about the challenges and trials. It has more to do with how you respond to it. It has to do with your attitude. And so, I was determined to focus more on God than on the trial I was going through. As I focused on God, I learnt to always clothe myself in the full armor of God as mentioned in Ephesians 6.

I tried to hide from my family the trials I was facing in 2005 and 2006 but it was difficult to do so. These are people that visit Europe and the USA once in a while so where could I hide? My mom was praying hard for me. My dad? Ha! He said “son, pack your bags and come back home.” Little did he know that at that time, I did not even own as much as a bag. I was stark homeless, hanging around the parks of Brooklyn or taking shelter on the floors of a church.

One would wonder that coming from a privileged family, what were the supports and reactions from home?
I thank God for my parents. In spite of the high status they had both attained in their respective careers, they are such humble people that live a very simple life. My dad at one time was an ambassador of Nigeria to South Korea and Chairman of INEC. My mom retired as the head (Senior Deputy Registrar) of WAEC for Bendel and Ondo States in 1987. I come from a family that will support you but will also encourage you to make it on your own merit without depending on connections.
I tried to hide from my family the trials I was facing in 2005 and 2006 but it was difficult to do so. These are people that visit Europe and the USA once in a while so where could I hide? My mom was praying hard for me. My dad? Ha! He said “son, pack your bags and come back home.” Little did he know that at that time, I did not even own as much as a bag. I was stark homeless, hanging around the parks of Brooklyn or taking shelter on the floors of a church.
In a sense, my dad may have been pleased with my trials because to him, that would be a catalyst to compel me to return home. At the slightest opportunity, mom will send me money. Dad's attitude was Idemudia should come back home and so he was not giving me the kind of support I expected. I never ever doubted my dad's love for me.
Remember in Hebrews 11:23-26, Moses chose rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin. Moses considered the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt . So I had to make family understand that my escaping to Nigeria and living comfortably may not necessarily be God's will for me at the time. Eventually, they let me be.

At what point did help begin to come? How, where and when?
From working as a New York attorney, I had now fallen to a position where I was now parking cars in a garage in order to earn a living. I had gone from earning about $75/hour to earning $9/hour. It is not easy to park the cars of your colleagues and receive a tip from them. Believe me, that is a humbling experience. And it was in this garage that help started to come. I met an Italian American Christian gentleman in his early sixties who really encouraged me and linked me to others that could help me jump start my career. Eventually in early 2007, an old classmate of mine from King's College Lagos was visiting New York and was able to connect me to someone who connected me to an agency that offered me the opportunity to work as a lawyer again.

For Africans currently going through what you went through, how do you advise them? Return home or stay put?
My first advice to them is to first, be still. Don't panic and be running from pillar to post, trying to fix things by yourself. Be still, so that you can hear from God. You need to know what God is saying. For some, God may be saying return home and for others, He may be saying, stay put. So it all depends on God. That is why, it is very essential that we develop our own personal relationship with God rather than looking for a quick fix all the time. So in other words, only God can answer that question for them because the answer to that question depends on that individual's God-given purpose and destiny in life.

During the challenges, did anybody tell you it was caused by people from home? You know Africans always explain issues away as being caused by witchcraft, enemies, etc.
Yes! A few people did say that my troubles were home trouble. Well, the Bible says in Ephesians 6 that we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against various levels of invincible spiritual entities. Problems are usually caused by something, someone or ourselves or by divine purpose. In my opinion, the focus should not be on who is causing the problems but rather, on what God is doing behind the scenes.
Our people back home tend to focus on the source of their problems rather than on developing a sincere relationship with God. John 16:33 tells us point blank that in this world, we will have problems but that Christ has overcome this world. In Christ is where we have peace.
Make no mistake, witchcraft and demonic beings exist. I was once in the occult and frequently communicated with demons. They exist. But we as believers must begin to see that they are under our feet, that we are seated in the heavenly realms in Christ and that God has given us authority over powers of witchcraft, voodoo, juju, etc.

To be concluded next edition.