17 YEARS TO THE GLORY OF GOD

Yes, exactly seventeen years ago today, in a hot afternoon, I stepped into the city of Sokoto. As my foot touched the ground, a voice spoke on my inside, you have come to suffer and waste away. And I quickly replied, according to the word of the Lord, wherever the sole of my foot thread upon, that I take for a possession. It’s been 17 years of great adventures (good, bad, ugly, threatening, victorious, disastrous, great experiences etc.). However, in all, the faithfulness of God cannot be denied.  

That day, I came with a box and a bag filled with books, some clothes and less than thirty thousand naira with me, home and abroad as the saying goes. It was like starting life all over again not knowing when I will see anyone again. Remember at that time, no GSM, email etc. 

When I arrived, I squatted with some Corpers, made benches, a pulpit, opened a savings account with First Bank and opened a postal box, then made payment for the first month of service (which eventually did not hold because there was no member, couldn’t really take off till June). Then the money finished, brethren, fellowship of his suffering and fellowship with suffering began oh.

I still remember one of those days, I told God if 1, two or three of these seven people (I gave Him names, interestingly, they were all LOCCAFITES) would call or write me now to say COURAGE, you took a wrong step, I would retrace my steps. No one called or wrote. The story long let me put down a few highlights that I can recollect now.  

MY FIRST OFFERING

Very interestingly, it came from my wife not even my fiancée then, though, I had proposed. To keep track with my proposal, I had to be writing letters, it got so bad that Iran out of writing sheets, I had no one to ask. I had to get some from the waste bin to finish up my writing. I was taught how to trek honourably on streets by some professional trekkers I met. I became a member of the free newspapers readers association because that was the only way to keep track with the outside world. One of those days, I trekked to the post office just to see if I had any letter, lo and behold, I got a letter from my wife, loaded epistle with a fine writing and twenty naira (N20) inside (mint). Brethren, I sat for a while tired with a heart of gratitude. For me, that was a green light that there is hope for me from God and her then the purpose why I was here.  

BANK EXPERIENCE
I had a car in Benin I wanted to sell before coming but never could. My dad promised to do it on my behalf and remit the money. Trekking every other day to the bank became part of my work to see if it would come.It never came and the car actually rotted away there. God wanted to do it His own way. However, two main experiences in the bank, one with the branch accountant. I was hungry that I went to him and said I wanted to withdraw below the minimum of five hundred naira (N500) then. I went up charged up in my spirit, he looked at me, approved my withdrawing three hundred (N300) and said, please don’t come for such a request again. And I said ok. To the glory of God, it has been so. The second has to do with when one of the staff said my constant coming to check, he called me and asked for my address and said when
this money comes, I will let you know.   

CHURCH GROWTH – With all the word of faith and church growth messages I knew, I didn’t see any reason why the church shouldn’t explode after one or two messages. I remember telling folks in Benin then that any pastor that can’t have at least a hundred people after one year is lazy or not called. Brethren, all these theology slapped me in the face. I put all the principles to work, exercised all the faith, in conclusion, I came to the end of myself. I had to go on another retreat, seeking God for a definite detail for this task in this place. Days into weeks, praying, meditating, and studying. In the process, two things happened:

ONE: The Lord told me any unbeliever that’s your crusade ground and any believer you meet that’s your teaching centre. After that, the first unbelievers I would meet, I preached to them till one of them gave his life to Christ and later became a member of our church, five or more years after, while the other abused me and left. The believer I would meet happened to be a pastor; we shared for hours non-stop till I was exhausted and hungry. We grew to become very good friends. He is happily married now and based in Australia with his family. Will tell you more about him another time.

TWO: It was while praying that God showed me two faces, a male and a female. He told me those were my members. I went to the male that night, spoke to him and gave him two weeks to come join me. After three days, he came over. He became the first and only member of the church for one month. While the lady eventually became a member months after. In the seventeen years, these two are the only ones I personally have been privileged to invite to church. 

 LOCCAF – In the course of my waiting on God, one of the instructions I got was not to travel out till after one year. I came in February, the ministry/church took off in June. Since I didn’t know which one He meant, I had to make sure that both marked one year before stepping out of Sokoto for any reason. Of course, I knew the Lord wanted me to stay, concentrate, give the work attention especially considering the hard, hostile nature of it. It needed some serious, consistent, spirit filled word pressure. Moreover, even if I had wanted to travel, that was not even possible because there was no means to. But one thing was certain, I was determined to keep the fellowship bond of my company (LCC/LOCCAF), I also knew one way to stay up and fresh here was to create the avenues to go refire. So I began to attend LOCCAF, and the common question everyone would ask me where’s sis. Bibi, the family? Hearing the question and trying to answer was painful but inspiring. My pain, you are seeing me, it’s a miracle, you don’t even know how I will go back, inspiring in the sense that my faith was rising. One day, you wouldn’t need to ask, you will see. At this junction, I will speak to two sets of people.

The First 
Don’t just ask, find out why and see how you can make it happen.

The Second

Their asking shouldn’t embarrass or make you withdraw rather, it shows you are important and they care.  One interesting experience I will never forget, that was before Rasheed relocated abroad. He came for one Loccaf and he and Pastor Bankie were talking about a camera which belonged to one of them. I was completely lost and it occurred to me that realistically, I must have owned a camera before any of them but right now, I didn’t know anything about the camera. I told myself the more I should keep coming to stay current and keep track. And it occurred to me some others would have stopped coming. For me, the scripture that says iron sharpeneth iron, a company with the wise makes you wise is what coming to LOCCAF against all odds have been for me. To the glory of God now, Loccaf is a fixed yearly programme in my ministry and family programme. We plan and look forward to it yearly. Don’t wait till you are somebody to come, rather coming is part of the process to becoming somebody.  The old, young, contemporaries all used of God to bless, inspire you in diverse ways. 

 I STOLE – How can I forget that I deliberately went out of my way to steal one day? What did I steal and why? I stolea cloth from a passing out Corper. They were the ones I was squatting with for that whole period. They never bothered about my welfare. They just moved on though they were Christians and I was suffering. So it was time for them to pass out and they decided to clear all their properties to travel with, knowing full well that I had nothing to my name. In Sokoto, all weather is extremes and this time, it was extremely cold. Sleeping without a cover was unimaginable. So when they had packed up everything, they went to arrange their transport, I opened their bag and stole a wrapper so that I would not die of cold and since their heart had become cold too, I knew they will never need the wrapper nor will ever know it was stolen. Selfish brethren – anyway, I STOLE. 

Time will fail me to tell of the deliverance from sickness, accidents, and threats. In all, where are we? God has been faithful in these seventeen years. Blessed with a wife and four children. Blessed with members. Been an active leader in the land and region. My case has become though poor making many rich (spiritually, physically etc).  In the same land, I have been honoured by God spiritually, physically etc.  

Brethren, please join me to thank God. Indeed He has been faithful. I don’t want to commit the sin of omission or water down anyone’s blessing and reward from God, that’s why I don’t want to call names. But these seventeen years have not been me, I am sharing this with the house because you’ve been a part of it and it’s your testimony. Thank you for all of your support one way or another, known and unknown.  Gabriel, your call for write ups helped pull this out of me against all odds and it’s dawned on me that the book titled MY STORY – MY SONG that I always joked with my wife about, is long overdue. Let’s call all these extracts from the book and pray it will be a blessing.