Prophet Wale Olagunju, Presiding Bishop of Divine Seed of God Chapel, Sasa, Ibadan, has called on Nigerians to pray for then-President Muhammadu Buhari, warning that the health crisis that preceded the death of former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua could be repeated.
Olagunju made the statement in an interview with The Anchor Online’s Wole Adejumo and City People’s Dare Adeniran ahead of the launch of his Last Days World Outreach Prophetic Ministry on January 21, 2017.
The event, held in Ibadan, marked the commissioning of Olagunju for a nationwide repentance crusade.
Apostle John Oyelade, a former Vice President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Oyo State chapter, presided over the programme.
Among those in attendance were Rev. James Ojelade, Chief (Mrs.) Aegbite, Maye Iyalode of Ibadanland, Mrs. Otulana of the National Council of Women Societies, Rev. Oyekale and Chief Iyabo Oladosu.
Speaking on the new ministry, Olagunju said its establishment was based on what he described as a divine instruction to embark on a nationwide campaign for repentance.
“We are conducting three programmes today. The first one is the commissioning, which means send forth. When you look at Luke Chapter 9, the Lord Jesus sent forth His disciples,” he said.
According to him, he had been instructed to gather Christian leaders to pray for him before embarking on the assignment.
He said the ministry would organise crusades under the theme, “National Repentance Crusade”, while also preaching what he described as messages of hope and positive prophetic declarations.
Olagunju said he had spent years in spiritual isolation, describing the new assignment as the culmination of a long period of preparation.
“I have been like this for 16 years, moving from one mountain to the other without taking my bath. I nearly isolated myself from people, even my family. I didn’t know that this was what God wanted to do in my life,” he said.
‘Sin Has Grounded Nigeria’
Explaining the reason for the repentance crusade, the cleric blamed what he described as widespread sin and materialism for many of Nigeria’s problems.
“That is why the Lord Almighty said I should embark on a repentance crusade, because sin has grounded Nigeria,” he said.
He also criticised what he regarded as excessive emphasis on prosperity within sections of the Christian community.
“Even merely looking at the church today, it is money galore. The Bible says righteousness exalts a nation,” he added.
On how he intended to persuade Nigerians to embrace repentance at a time when prosperity messages appeared to dominate Christian preaching, Olagunju said he would rely on the Bible and what he described as divine guidance.
“I believe the Lord will change them. In the church today, it is money galore. There is a problem in the church. Who knows, maybe that is the reason God raised me up at this particular time?” he said.
Buhari’s Health: ‘Nigerians Must Pray’
Olagunju was then asked about his earlier prophecy concerning the health of President Buhari.
He claimed that he had previously warned that the President was sick and said his 2017 prophecy had identified certain health problems.
“I said the President was sick. He went abroad and when he came back, his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Femi Adesina, said the President was not sick,” Olagunju said.
He went on to make his most striking prediction.
“Let me be clear, if Nigerians fail to pray for Buhari, what happened during the time of President Yar’Adua will happen. So the only solution is prayer,” he said.
The statement was made in the context of the controversy surrounding Buhari’s health at the time and should be understood as Olagunju’s prophetic claim rather than an established medical assessment.
Adeboye’s Exit And Church-Government Relations
The cleric also weighed in on the controversy surrounding regulations governing religious organisations and the decision of Pastor Enoch Adeboye to step down as General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in Nigeria.
Olagunju said he regarded it as inappropriate for anyone to force Adeboye out of office but argued that some Christian leaders had become too close to politicians.
“To me, it is an insult for anybody to force Pastor Adeboye to resign. But the reality is this: Adeboye, Oyedepo, Oritsejafor and others were not careful enough. They should have separated religion from politics,” he said.
He further questioned the relationship between some prominent church leaders and political office holders.
“Are you saying if Buhari should probe the so-called bishops and CAN executives, there won’t be scandals?” he asked.
‘Church And Business Must Be Separated’
Olagunju was equally critical of the involvement of churches in commercial ventures and the luxurious lifestyles of some religious leaders.
“They are too flamboyant. Some of them live even better than governors. Some of them live like kings,” he said.
He argued that religious organisations should operate in accordance with biblical principles and questioned the high cost of some church-owned institutions.
“They love money more than God. And when you allow the love of money to take over your heart, the love of God cannot be there,” he said.
On the issue of taxation and the distinction between religious activities and business ventures, he maintained that church and business should be clearly separated.
“We need to separate business from church and separate religion from government,” Olagunju said.
Criticism Of Political Alliances
The prophet also criticised the involvement of church leaders in partisan politics, particularly their support for political candidates during elections.
Referring to the 2015 presidential election, he claimed that some Christian leaders had openly supported then-President Goodluck Jonathan and suggested that their political involvement contributed to his defeat.
He also questioned the manner in which prominent politicians received prayers and endorsements from different religious leaders.
Olagunju maintained that religious leaders should be cautious about becoming closely associated with political power.
‘I Am An Oracle Of The Living God’
Asked who he was and what distinguished him from other preachers, Olagunju described himself as “the oracle of the Living God in Ibadan”.
He said his prophetic calling was what distinguished him, while emphasising personal discipline and adherence to his faith.
“I don’t want my life to contradict what I profess and what is in the Bible,” he said.
He added that his ultimate goal was to remain faithful to his Christian calling.
Prophecy On Nigeria’s Future
Olagunju also revisited his earlier prediction that Nigeria would eventually break up.
Asked about the possibility of the country’s disintegration and the potential consequences, he maintained that the prediction would eventually come to pass.
“The Lord God Almighty revealed to me that whether our leaders like it or not, it will happen. It is just a matter of time,” he said.
He rejected the suggestion that such an event would necessarily lead to bloodshed, insisting that his 2017 prophecy contained details about how he believed the process would unfold.
Atiku Will Defeat Buhari, He Predicted
Olagunju also made a prediction about the 2019 presidential election, declaring that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar would defeat Buhari if the two eventually faced each other.
“Even if the elections are held now, I am saying with the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ that Atiku Abubakar will defeat Buhari hands down,” he said.
He criticised the Buhari administration, accusing it of failing to fulfil what he described as its mandate to tackle corruption and improve the welfare of Nigerians.
Olagunju also accused the administration of favouring particular regions and groups, citing appointments in the petroleum sector as examples.
He said he had previously written to Buhari warning him against tribalism and other issues that, in his view, could undermine the administration.
‘Everybody Is The Target’
Concluding the interview, Olagunju said his proposed repentance crusade was not targeted at any particular group.
“Everybody. We all have sinned. Our leaders have sinned, the downtrodden people have sinned, or is it the pastors that have been talking about money? They have derailed,” he said.
He said the ultimate objective was to encourage Nigerians to return to what he described as godly values.
“It is God first in our lives, so we have to take our nation back from the hands of the devil,” Olagunju said.
0 Comments