Encomium
+ Why Jonathan administration is full of challenges
ON Saturday, March 21, 2015, ENCOMIUM Weekly was at the headquarters of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Oke-Afa, Isolo, Lagos, where we had an exclusive encounter with the spiritual head and founder of the church, Primate Babatunde Elijah Ayodele. The humble preacher of the Word and popular seer opened up on many issues, especially those bordering on burning national matters
You have been fasting and praying for quite long, what are the new prophecies you want to share with us concerning the country?
There are lots of revelations. Those we gave out in the early part of the year, most of them have come to pass. For instance, the death of an aspirant, fire outbreak in some media houses, the political terrain of the country, the blackmail here and there, the decampees of both PDP and APC, the bomb scare, Boko Haram issue which we said the joint military force will definitely succeed. We have said Boko Haram days are numbered. We also predicted there will be changes in election dates and a lot more. We give glory to Almighty God. And now that the elections are closer, we still need to be very prayerful against violence after the elections, even during the elections. And the days will not be palatable in some areas. Not every local government recovered from Boko Haram will take part in the elections. There is going to be a lot of political tension all over the country, especially in some areas where unexpected candidates will be declared winners of the elections. Definitely, there will be rigging by the PDP and APC. The two parties will want to rig the elections. And we should pray very well against disagreement during and after the announcement of election results. Definitely, there are some states where there will be surprises. And in the presidential election, PDP will still win certain areas in the South-West. No matter how hard APC try, Buhari will not take the whole of South-West. Generally, the contest is between the APC and PDP, which everybody has seen clearly.
In some states, APC may also lose. For instance, in Rivers State, if APC doesn’t work very well, the party will lose to PDP. In Abia State, if those in PDP are not serious enough, they will lose to APGA. And Kaduna is going to be very bloody. PDP may take Kaduna but it’s going to be by narrow margin. Yobe, Gombe, Benue, Delta, Akwa Ibom, all these states will be won by PDP. But APC will win both presidential and governorship elections in Kwara State. But there will be issues in Kogi. If the present governor of the state re-contest, PDP will lose the state to APC but if not, PDP will still win Kogi State. Also, in the South-East, PDP will win in Anambra, Ebonyi, Imo and Enugu but where PDP will have it rough and tough is the core North. But the point is no matter what, we’re going to hear a lot of secrets about method of rigging and the Permanent Voters Cards (PVC). And the PVC of a thing won’t work. There will be a lot of disappointments about it. Government got it wrong because it has not heeded the warnings of the Lord.
Before, we said PVC or internet voting won’t work but because those in government don’t follow instruction from the Lord, maybe that’s why all these things are happening. PVC will cause a lot of disappointments. And there will be a lot of agitations here and there, there will be a lot of disagreements on the votes counted. People around President Jonathan want him to lose. They really want to battle him. They want him to fail. The president has a lot of good agenda for the country but he is surrounded by people who don’t want him to succeed. That’s why they’re giving him a lot of problems. There must always be challenges. Jonathan is not the person that’s supposed to be laboring for anything before he gets it. He is not supposed to be struggling for anything at all but this time around, God wants him to learn a lesson. This election is a lesson for him and there are still lessons for him to learn if he now gets it back. He still needs a lot of prayer. But in the midst of all these ups and downs, he may still have a very slim chance of winning the election. I don’t see any landslide victory at all between him and Buhari. At the end of the day, PDP will win the federal but the party will crash after the elections. So, also APC will crash. These two parties may not be in existence in the nearest future. And a very big confab is coming. Let me tell you, whatever crisis Jonathan is facing now is from God. It’s now for him to go back to God and do whatever God has sent him to do for this nation.
There are lots of things that God has sent Jonathan to do for this country that he has not done. And that’s the reason he’s facing all these problems. If he doesn’t do that, God will query him for that. And he can’t have peace of mind.
You said Jonathan has not contested before…
(Cuts in) Yes, everything came on a platter of gold. It’s now he knows he’s just contesting. Everything before now was just God’s grace. So many things will happen after the elections. There is going to be a lot of surprises.
The Lenten period is still on, what’s your advice for Christians all over the country and beyond?
My advise is to learn how to give. This is a period of sober reflection. A period of forgiveness of sins and when we have to get closer to God and remember the under-privileged. It’s a period for me to give and appreciate God. So also Christians all over should recognise the fact that we need to share whatever we have with those who don’t have.
There was a time a story was flying around that some pastors collected about N6 billion from President Jonathan to support him, and you fired the men of God allegedly involved in the bribery scandal, including Pastor Enoch Adeboye, Bishop David Oyedepo, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) president, Pastor Oritsejafor and many more. What’s your comment on this?
I didn’t lambast or fire Pastor Adeboye or Bishop Oyedepo concerning that, but all I was trying to say is what’s right and how to live a Christian life because there is a lot to do. Anyway, I am not aware of the money they are talking about, I am not aware whether Jonathan gave any money to anybody. That’s their business. I am not worried about that. And I am not even bothered about CAN leadership because I don’t see anything in CAN. So, talking about CAN again will just be a mere waste of time. I know there will be a new Christian forum very soon and a vibrant leader will emerge. That’s going to be the one that will teach how things are to be done in Christendom. And as a prophet, pastor or what have you, you need to stand on the path of truth. I regard Pastor Adeboye and Bishop Oyedepo but people like us should be able to talk the truth. We’re just telling them to show us more action. About collecting or not collecting money, that’s not my business.
But you have accused them of mixing faith with politics…
Don’t bother about that again. That’s then. I have forgotten about that. But whatever I have said, I have no apology about it because it’s not me that said it. If there is anything I see that they’re not doing right, I will say it.
A couple of weeks back, we learnt you clocked 55 and it’s celebrated with thanksgiving as usual.
I didn’t tell anybody about my age. Let’s leave age matter aside.
Okay, since last year February till this time you added another year, what are the things that have changed in you?
Nothing has changed really, but a lot of things have improved in my life and church. For instance, in the church programme, we’re now having both English and Yoruba services. We have church clinic, church extension. Then my thinking and approach to life. The way I look at life generally, I got to know more about people, I got to know more about our purpose in this life. I got to understand that our purpose needs to be redefined. We don’t see the world as our final destination. We’re here in a market and when we’re through, we will all get back to our home. You must think about your mission in life and that’s what I do from time to time, especially during my birthday. I am not a party person. You can’t see me in the public anyhow. It’s very rare for you to see me in any occasion. I believe in humbling myself. Then, think more of the less privileged. What life has taught me is always do good and know your purpose of being in this world. And never waste your time on anything that won’t add value to your life or the lives of others around you. You’re in this earth for one ambition or the other and whatever you’re, just see it as a grace of God. See it that you’re being favoured. For few days, I have not seen light, I come out only in the midnight. Since I started the prayer, today will be my third day of seeing light. When I talk of prayer, it has a lot of segments but the most important thing is to be very close to God. And it’s good to be doing good because your good deeds are going to be your legacies. For 20 something days, I have not even taken my bath. I think you can notice how I am scratching my body.
What’s happening to your parish in Badagry, Lagos State? Has it been completed?
Yes, we have completed that one. Now, we’re having an extension here now. That’s where we will be having our second and children’s section. By the time you come back in two months, I believe we would have finished the whole thing.
Would you say God has blessed you marvelously?
I don’t need to say that. I think you have to say it. But I am grateful to God for all He has done for me. He has been so wonderful to me because I was nobody but he made me somebody that everybody will want to be like. So, I am grateful to Him for what He had done in my life and for making me His humble servant. I so much thank Him for making me one of His ministers, not minister of Federal Republic of Nigeria.
A lot of people are saying you’re very humble, what does humility mean to you?
Humility is just about your personality, who you’re and your presence. Whatever positive you are, don’t think it’s by your power. It’s just a grace from God Almighty. And of course, you don’t think of yourself alone, think also about the people who are to benefit from your presence in their lives and the environment. Being humble is not an easy thing, it’s just a grace of God. So, I am grateful to God about that.
Your popular book, Warnings To The Nations, when is the next edition coming out?
We’re on it. It will be out by first Friday of July 2015. And we’re having a very big revival that same day at National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos. It’s going to be a very big event.
– TADE ASIFAT
