PTL News is 12 years. Accept our congratulations. How do you feel celebrating the 12 years of the newspaper?
All glory and honor to God for the 12 years of PTL News. The celebration gives us a feeling of God with us . If not for God, and if God had not been for us, what can we say? We cannot do anything without God. Many people at the inception could not believe we can go such far. We have been moving forward despite the challenges, the skepticism and the odds.

So 12 years is worth the celebration. 12 years is symbolic, it symbolizes fullness. God I think has made us to grow to maturity. That is why we are thanking God for the 12 years. So we are happy and we are calling all our friends and well-wishers to join us to thank God. It is a story of 1994 to 2006.

You talked about challenges and the odds, what were the odds like?
Like I said earlier many people did not think that a Christian newspaper could live up to these years of age. They told us then of many people who started and abandoned the vision, they told us how Christians might not support and several other reasons that could discourage the vision. Yes we faced many of these in truth, but God has made us to overcome them all. Discouragements used to come, disappointments would come, betrayers even came along the line, and intimidation but God gave us the grace that none was so strong to frustrate us.

Would you like to point to any in specific?
Yes, they could be many. We are not celebrating these challenges but it could be good for those who are in the same system, or someone who wanted to do something from the scratch to be wary of such things. I think I used to mention it occasionally when the need arises. Many times we have faced complete brick wall in some churches, some of them initially did not recognize us as a force to reckon with in publishing. But today for our consistency, doors are being opened to us.

Number two there was a time I felt betrayed. In fact this was like our darkest moment ever. It came between 2002 and 2003, when a group of some boys I worked with pulled out, without any sign, at the midst of a strategic production. They came with great threats. I almost gave up but God again gave us the strength to continue. It was very painful.

I started with God. God is our foundation, our corner stone. When the vision started, I saw it as a commission by God, I took it up and He has been providing for our needs.

At that time one could say PTL News had got to a breakeven point, we were known and seen everywhere and everything was working fine without knowing that there were wolves in the house. We thank God for overcoming that. It came like a storm and personally it took me some times to overcome it but today we can also return the glory to God. It is part of the lessons of life.

Then another one came recently. That was about our previous accommodation. It was a time that we were using a flat, but it was another nightmare on its own. Things were not working and we got there at the height of the success of PTL News, but when we got there, it was like we started another battle unknown to us. But the hand of the Lord forced us out of the place.

We felt reluctant to leave but from the knowledge of the hindsight God used the landlady to force us out of the place. The experience was terrible but today we are thanking God, this I think is our fourth month of leaving there and we know what God has done in our lives. So what comforts us is the hand of the Lord that comes to our rescue anytime the devil makes attempt to strike.

At 12 years many people would have expected to see a big company grow as a Christian Newspaper, beyond this level, what were the reasons affecting the growth and expansion of PTL News?
I believe everything happens according to the will and programme of God for us. We are small indeed, but God knows He is doing great things through us. Today we are known almost in all Christian circles in Lagos and in Nigeria , even outside Nigeria. Yet we believe things can be better. God has taken us such far to let us learn some things, and great things in publishing a Christian newspaper. With humility, and all thanks to the Lord God has made us to be a pioneer in our own little way, of a Christian newspaper.

So we are learning from it. I want to say that in truth we need money, we need people and we need the materials, and today God has given us the experience it takes to be a true publisher of a Christian newspaper. So now if the money comes. When the people, the staff come, when the materials come we have acquired skill in managing a Christian newspaper. So we can now manage a full Christian publishing outfit.

Therefore I want to use this forum to appeal to Christians in business, the bankers and investors, even philanthropists to look into our direction, we are ready to work, and we have raised our hands waiting to be lifted up. We can see a full – fledged Christian newspaper thriving in Nigeria , to cut across the world. Christian newspapers can also lead publishing in Nigeria . So God has taught us the experience, He has given us the grace and He has anointed us for it. Let the people come to talk to us.

You speak with confidence, what gives you the confidence in spite of the seeming challenges?
Like I said earlier that God had trained us. When God trains you, you are not expected to fail in the hand of any man. We are not boasting but all we are saying is that God is our confidence. Give us the mountain today, you will be surprised with the way we will climb it with ease. God is our strength.

You started with almost nothing, how did you weather the storm?
I started with God. God is our foundation, our corner stone. When the vision started, I saw it as a commission by God, I took it up and He has been providing for our needs. Well, all along, we did not feel we need so much money to start and continue. And along the line, God has been helping us to build the wealth so to say. We started absolutely with nothing.

For the first one year I was using my sitting room, when we started being noticed, we moved to a shop near my house, from there we were at 174 Abeokuta Road along the main road and since then we have been growing. We are no more local.

At the same time we need to acknowledge the fact that God has been raising people to support us. They won't like to be mentioned, sometimes God allows them to give us something, it may not be the big money you think, but any kobo given to us goes directly into the vision, and we thank God for that.

I believe everything happens according to the will and programme of God for us. We are small indeed, but God knows He is doing great things through us.

So far what can you say you have achieved in doing this work?
Peace, joy and satisfaction. When you are doing what God wants you to do, He gives you peace and satisfaction, and joy with it. Even though many people believe physical things need to go with it, we believe in it too, all things have to be ordered by God. Today if God blesses us with a car we know how to use it well, if with a bus we will know how to use it. So if anyone is led to give us any of these things we will still be very grateful to them and God. Besides we need to upgrade our work.

Publishing advances each day, so if we see people who can help us in terms of computers, printers and all other things desirable we welcome them.

Yes, it is seen these days that some junk writers and publishers are also coming into Christian publishing, do you feel threatened, and what are your views on them?
We thank God for everything. There is nothing that happens outside the knowledge of God. I see those publications, and I know some of the publishers, I have tried to talk to them about it. Some people would like to say wherever there is the original you should expect the counterfeits. Some people saw PTL News, and how we sell easily among Christians, they came into the scene; they have almost destroyed the concept of a Christian newspaper.

But be that as it may, God has given us favour in diverse ways and in many places that we don't feel threatened. We are talking about doing what God wants you to do, we are not competing, but we are trying to add our concept to Christianity. We are a ministry raised for the purpose of promoting the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Sometimes when people come to give us negative stories about church or any pastor, even though we need to publish the truth, we publish with the mind of Christ for information, education, and of course to entertain, and then to evangelize. Those are our cornerstones and principles.

Well, I need to advise fellow Christians to be wary of what they buy to read. What is the need for you to buy an evil report, and you get back home importing demon into your life? Some of the so called Christian publications are demon inspired, Christians should be conscious of what they buy and read in the name of Christian newspapers.

It is also true that many Christians like to read these things, but it is unfortunate and I see such Christian as not having enough teaching to know the truth from falsehood. It is a matter of time such falsehoods will fizzle out. If they don't fizzle out their publishers may turn over a new leaf. Today we knew when the junk magazines entered the newspaper market and many of them are either changing or have completely changed. So such will also be witnessed in Christian publishing. Yet there are good sound, solid Christian publications available today.

What is your real dream of a Christian newspaper like and how do you intend to achieve the goal?
I have mentioned these in the course of the interview. One we are looking towards a newspaper with stories written and published based on Christian principles with the mind of Christ to meet the needs of a complete man, Christians and even non-Christians. Then perhaps to own our publishing outfit with the printing press and machines to do our work. We believe and God has also assured us to take us there.

What is the future like?
With God, it is very bright and the journey very smooth, with safe landing.

Will you let us discuss your passion for this work? What is the secret of your passion for the consistency?
Passion people say is the oil of success even in business and in the ministry. Passion is one thing that drives the engine of the consistency and the success being mentioned. It is my wife that only understands this, and I thank her for her support, cooperation and great understanding.

She needs to be commended. I usually tell her that it is like I have two wives-one, she is, and the second PTL News. One can understand my explanations for inadequacies, the other cannot. if I remove my mind and my hand from it, it will suffer and everyone would know, that is PTL News. PTL News is much demanding, it takes almost 24hours of the day, Sunday is a very serious working day, the nights are there, either to cover some vigil or wake up to write and to do personal, and passionate prayers to move the work forward. Secondly, those who are close to me especially my wife knows my weakness when PTL News seems to be sick.

PTL News is sick when I cannot afford to go to press at the right time for lack of money, PTL News is sick when I can not meet my obligation in the office, not at home. This is one gap my wife has been consistently filling. I can borrow from her, long term and short term; it may not be funny to say it that on occasions when she knows I need money when I don't have it, she reluctantly put it where I will find it, only to return it later. I am highly indebted to her. Another one is that seeing the paper gives me strength.

Anytime I have enough money, you see me buy books, newspapers and magazines. But if I go out without coming back with them, that shows, I don't have enough money.

Even in some places where we are victimized. I always rest my case with God and He fights for us, I do not hold any malice with anyone. I take everything that happens in good faith that is part of what drives us on. Still talking about passion, I love books and newspapers anytime I have enough money you see me buy books newspapers and magazines, but if I go out without coming back with books, magazines and newspapers, that shows, I don't have enough money. He who wants to do the business of writing and publishing must be interested in printed words.

Let us also talk about your background; did anything give you the impression that you would go into writing and publishing while you were growing up?
Yes many, I am just now realizing it. I was born in a small community. It is called Ikeji-Ile in Ijesa land. It is the sister town to Ikeji Arakeji, the university town and the spiritual headquarters of Christ Apostolic Church Worldwide, I had my primary school there at St. Jude's Anglican School. Modestly speaking, among my classmates in the school then I could say I was the best or one of the bests, coming first from primary three to six.

Before I entered primary school I had started reading books, I was so brilliant that I was invited to join the members of the church choir in my primary three, and others would not be allowed to join until they were in primary five. I was singled out to read Bible at the choir anniversary in primary three that people gave me a lot of gifts then. Some of my mates then could testify to this today, so it was no surprise to them seeing me doing what I am doing today. Secondly my mother had a very great contribution.

Even before I entered primary school, my mother used to buy books and tracts published by the Jehovah's Witnesses, she would always bring home any published material for me to read. Then I was very close to her, as the last of her four children, and my immediate sister was far older than me, she was in the secondary school by the time I entered my primary school. I was the only one at home. My mother made me to like books.

Then in my secondary school, I attended my village [now town] secondary school Ikeji-Ile High School , even with my background I was able to meet up with the standard of our colleagues who came from Lagos, Ibadan and even modern schools.

Also in all modesty, I was one of the bests. Infact I had the best result in my secondary school, and I was an all rounder doing well in Science ands Arts subjects including English and Mathematics. So I find it very easy to read and understand till today. And I have this to say that in my secondary school then, we were trained to be hard readers.

In fact my mates could be said to have trained ourselves without depending on teachers. Some of us were brilliant and more exposed than our teachers, there were healthy rivalry and competition among us. All these habits help me till today. Then I attended Oyo State College of Arts and Science Ile-Ife, another training ground for tough readers, to the glory of God I came out excellently in my Advance Level papers. By the time I entered the university reading and writing had been part of me. I also want to say this that since secondary school days all these virtues had been coming into play.

We started a magazine in my secondary school, but we could not publish for not getting enough support from the school authority, one of us then is also into publishing today in Lagos. I could also remember an address I delivered at the graduation ceremony of my secondary school once on behalf of my club I was already in the University even though the school authority did not like the critical stand I took, the chairman of the Board of Governors later asked me for the copy of the address. Everybody in my village used to acknowledge my creativity then.

By the time I finished in the University nothing caught my interest outside writing. For a whole year I was in Katsina, after my NYSC studying on my own, and that was when I had the idea of Marketing and Public Relations. I was employed later in Ilesa at International Breweries Ilesa, I left the place because it did not give me the kind of fulfillment I desired.

I later came to Lagos when I started practising writing. I also attended Nigerian Institute of Journalism Ogba. To the glory of God I love what I am doing and I think I enjoy it. Today I do not only write but publish and train others in writing and publishing. To God alone be the glory.

You are celebrating 12 years now, what will you like to see of the newspaper by the time it is 15 years?
Let the plans and purpose of God be achieved to the fullest. We want to be known more, and be more relevant to people, doing what God want us to do, to His glory.

Appreciation?
To God and the people He has been using for us. Like those who buy the papers, those who advertise, those who pray for us, those who advise us, those who challenge us, and those who encourage us then my appreciation to the members of staff of PTL News. We are all celebrating.