HOW DID WE GET HERE?
I grew up, in the 1960’s, having been born in the 1950’s, knowing Jesus as the Son of God through whom we have access to God and acceptance with Him. I started ministering in our church, the St. Thomas’s Anglican Church, Isinkan, Akure, in 1963, at the age of 9 years, as a Practising Lay-Reader, even at that young age, reading Bible lessons and performing other functions as an officiating minister, short of outright preaching, in the adult congregation of our church. I was under tutelage, to become a Licensed Lay-Reader, and qualified for full-blown preaching as soon as my tutelage was over.
The overriding scenario at the time, apart from churches like the CAC of Apostle Babalola (who had died in 1959) and such other “fringe” christian denominations, was the orthodoxy of churches like ours – the Anglican, Catholic, Methodist, mainly speaking. There were others like the Presbyterian, Baptist and even ECWA which were “lesser known” and only concentrated in certain specific parts of the country. It could be conveniently said that “Christianity” in Nigeria was mainly represented by the “Catholic-Anglican-Methodist” scenario, long before these churches became “pentecostal-oriented” as it is today.
Although the word “born again” existed in a variety of forms within the liturgical books of the Anglican church, it wasn’t brandished from the pulpit as a definite experience for entry into the Kingdom of God. All in all (for those of us in the Anglican Church which I’m familiar with), we knew God is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the world through His Death and Resurrection, and whatever you choose to do with him, in your “christian” walk, determined whether or not God considered you good enough for His Kingdom after this life. In other words, in the “orthodoxy” of those days (the Catholic-Anglican-Methodist scenario), there was vagueness as to details (at least that was how it appeared) but clarity as to basics – Jesus is the Son of God through whom we have access to, and acceptance with, God.
However, there was a “sideline” group, the Scripture Union (SU), who were NOT a church denomination but consisted of a people from various backgrounds, but mostly Anglican, who emphasised a specific experience of being “born again” through what they called “accepting Christ into your life,” or “giving your life to Christ,” and through which definite experience you became “saved” and had the definite “assurance” of salvation. They were particularly present as “fellowship groups” on secondary school campuses, especially Anglican secondary schools.
In 1970 January 15, the Nigerian civil war ended, with an unprecedented “release” of “born-again-preaching” evangelists criss-crossing places in Nigeria with this hitherto “SU” message. They were mostly lower-class people and not much of the elite class paid attention to them.
However, this “born-again-preaching” people began to gradually find more and more expression on university campuses – especially Ife, Ibadan, Lagos, ABU, Nsukka and Benin, the only universities in Nigeria at the time. I was in Benin, beginning from 1974. The commitment of these “campus christians” was superb, even if their social and physical disposition was drab and turn-coat. They were more or less like “outcasts” on campuses around Nigeria, although they were ALWAYS trusted for their HONESTY in any matter, particularly financial matters. So, in any departmental, faculty or university association of students, for instance, the post of Treasurer, almost invariably, went to one of these “SU’s.” You could TRUST them, even when you didn’t want to embrace their idea of “christianity” – “born again” christianity.
Then, beginning from about the year 1975, Pentecostalism (in addition to “basic born-again christianity”) started being entrenched in these little campus fellowships of “born-again christians.” More and more of them started getting “baptised” in the Holy Ghost, started speaking in tongues, etc. Meanwhile the “outside” world in Nigeria, “outside” these university and polytechnic campuses (which were beginning to increase in number at the time) was still essentially deep in “orthodox” christianity as exemplified by the “Catholic-Anglican-Methodist” model I mentioned earlier, although with a few distinct churches which did not follow that “orthodox” model but at the same time did NOT enjoy large followership or popularity too. These churches were churches like Gospel Faith Mission, the Redeemed Christian Church of God (under Pa Akindayomi), Foursquare Gospel Church, and the like. Of the entire bunch, Foursquare Gospel Church was the one that had the semblance of one that a few high-profile people in the society could identify with – e.g. Revd. Odunaike, a top management staff of Mobil Oil at the time, who eventually became the General Superintendent of Foursquare Church and even a Presidential candidate in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Church of God Mission of Revd. B. A. Idahosa however started becoming very popular at this time with the charisma and colourfulness of its leader, now known as the late Archbishop B. A. Idahosa. All in all, there was NO mistaking of what constitutes salvation in either the (now Pentecostal) campus fellowships or other such groups, even if they were organized churches – like the Foursquare Gospel Church and the Church of God Mission. “Salvation” meant recognising Jesus of Nazareth as the Son of God who gave His life for you on Calvary’s Cross and resurrected on the third day for your justification. You were “saved” (and assured, without any iota of a doubt, of your place in God’s Heavenly Kingdom) by reason of your FAITH in that substitutional and sacrificial death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. You were either “saved” or you were not, depending on if you believe in Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour who gave His life for you on Calvary’s Cross, or you did not believe. There was NO inbetween. A favourite scripture was “By grace are ye saved through FAITH, and that NOT of yourselves; NOT of works, lest any man should boast.” It was the identifying mark and message of “children of God.” There was absolutely no ambiguity as to who was a child of God or not, who was a heaven’s citizen or not – BELIEVE on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. Simple, straightforward, unambiguous. “Works” (we’re saved UNTO good works, they would tell you) were the “product” of salvation and NOT the “reason” for salvation. They were very vehement about that.
By 1979, the Pentecostal explosion on Nigerian campuses had become a full-blown charismatic thing – going beyond speaking in tongues alone, to include manifestations of other gifts of the Spirit – interpretation of tongues, prophecy, word of knowledge, word of wisdom, discerning of spirits, faith, gifts of healings, working of miracles. Students on campuses who embraced this move of God, walked in the supernatural – as students, not as “pastors” or any such titles. We were on fire for God.
Then in 1982 (I had graduated in 1980), the ‘explosion’ really got out of the campuses to spread around Nigeria. Tunde Joda started Christ Chapel in Lagos – a full-blown pentecostal/charismatic/faith church. Several others started in other places. These were majorly people who had been part of that pentecostal/charismatic move on the campuses. Their churches became vibrant, while the older “evangelicals” (supposedly) like Gospel Faith Mission, Redeemed Christian Church of God, etc., with their peasant, drab, “orthodoxy-evangelical” disposition could NOT command the attention of the public like these younger pastors’ churches did. At about this time (in 1981) the Pastor E. A. Adeboye became the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God. That was a church that, due to what I called “peasant, drab, orthodoxy-evangelical” disposition, could not command the attention of a sophisticated society. So, Adeboye, with a Ph.D., among them, was like a “god.” He had NOT been among the campus generation I talked about – the ones who were definite about their salvation and who knew the scriptures concerning redemption. If I remember well, he got “saved” (or so is claimed) in 1972. He was already a lecturer then, and married. However, with a “Ph.D” man now leading an otherwise “pseudo-evangelical” or “orthodox-evangelical” organisation, many lower-class people – who constituted the population of that church – and outside the church as well, were “drawn” to it. If a Ph.D holder could be there and be the head, then it must be “God.” These other vibrant pentecostal/charismatic/faith congregations were led mostly by people who went into ministry after their first degree (e.g. Chris Tunde Joda) or who didn’t even finish school before going into ministry (e.g. Oyedepo). Oyedepo had been “saved” since 1969, long before Adeboye. However, nothing was going to stop the large popularity and followership that this “Ph.D” man, Adeboye, was gathering, after becoming the G.O. of this organisation that was several decades old and with 40 branches.
There was a scenario when we were on campus. There was practically no “born-again” presence among the staff of the universities – whether academic or non-academic. So anytime a lecturer was said to have become “born-again,” he was highly celebrated among the student “born-again” population as an “elder” or “senior brother” to whom they could “look up to,” at least to shield them and defend them from the persecution that often came from “high quarters” to born-again students. They looked up to such a “born-again” member of faculty or staff, even if it was the students themselves that ministered to him before he became born-again. In today’s scenario, they were actually his “spiritual father,” but, instead, they made him their own “spiritual father” and mentor, just because of the circumstances of the time! That’s why a person like Oyedepo who got saved in 1969 would be calling Adeboye who got “saved” in 1972, “Papa.”
The Redeemed Christian Church of God, drew crowds, under Adeboye. Even then, it wasn’t just because this was a “Ph.D” man which fact mesmerized a lot of people (not many graduates then embraced being born-again, not to talk of being a “pastor,” and not to talk of a Ph.D holder); but, also, the Redeemed Christian Church of God drew crowds because, first, certain people, in their own PERSONAL capacity and charisma, drew the crowds through “correct” preaching of the Word; e.g. Pastor Tony Rapu (now of This Present House) and Pastor Tunde Bakare (now of Latter Rain Assembly). But not long after these noble souls brought in the people, they themselves were “shown the way out” (one way or another) while the people they had brought in, instead of “continuing” in the truth of the Gospel that those who brought them in had taught them, were now brought under “another gospel” of Adeboye – a gospel of “works” and of “curses” and other abominations.
But, that wasn’t all. The Redeemed Christian Church of God also “grew” (in numbers) because, unlike other churches, they started this idea of a ‘church’ within five minutes walk to everyone’s house. While there’s nothing wrong in that by itself, people found it more ‘convenient’ (at least, physically and financially – if you’re thinking of transportation cost) to go to an RCCG parish close to their house (even if the word of Redemption is NOT there – which of course the people don’t know) than to ‘travel’ across town to a “Word-church.”
But, again, that wasn’t all. In the 1990’s (I’m an eye-witness to this), RCCG actually sent emissaries to go after people who were in the “vibrant” pentecostal/charismatic/faith churches and LURE them into RCCG with promises of ‘positions’ to be given to them. There was MASS EXODUS of people from real “Word-churches” to RCCG in the 1990’s. Indeed, they were given ‘positions.’ Spiritual ignoramuses who were still being tutored in a Word-church became “pastors” in RCCG.
As the population of RCCG grew (even though there was NO word of Redemption there), Oyedepo had deviated into a “prosperity” gospel that was more of materialism. In the process of time, Adeboye (the man with the ‘largest’ followership, even if fraudulently acquired) and Oyedepo (the ‘richest’ pastor, even if he had deviated into a materialistic gospel) became THE MOST POPULAR preachers in Nigeria, especially after the passing on of the Archbishop Benson Idahosa.
With the economic conditions biting harder in Nigeria, it produced two classes of people: (1) people who, in their desperation for material ‘breakthrough,’ went to become members of those churches that preached ‘material breakthrough’ and had ‘evidences’ of it, and especially the RCCG which had a large population – as people felt that ‘if God is NOT with them, how come they’re growing so large?’ and (2) people who, in their entrepreneurial instinct, but hugely limited by the ‘frustration’ called Nigeria, went into ‘ministry’ business (although they wouldn’t call it that), and particularly patterned after Adeboye (RCCG) and Oyedepo (Winners’) who were obviously getting MORE and MORE financially prosperous. In the midst of all of this, the TRUE REDEMPTION MESSAGE that characterised the campus christians of the 1970’s (which I told you about) had been LOST. That’s how we got to where we are today.
I grew up, in the 1960’s, having been born in the 1950’s, knowing Jesus as the Son of God through whom we have access to God and acceptance with Him. I started ministering in our church, the St. Thomas’s Anglican Church, Isinkan, Akure, in 1963, at the age of 9 years, as a Practising Lay-Reader, even at that young age, reading Bible lessons and performing other functions as an officiating minister, short of outright preaching, in the adult congregation of our church. I was under tutelage, to become a Licensed Lay-Reader, and qualified for full-blown preaching as soon as my tutelage was over.
The overriding scenario at the time, apart from churches like the CAC of Apostle Babalola (who had died in 1959) and such other “fringe” christian denominations, was the orthodoxy of churches like ours – the Anglican, Catholic, Methodist, mainly speaking. There were others like the Presbyterian, Baptist and even ECWA which were “lesser known” and only concentrated in certain specific parts of the country. It could be conveniently said that “Christianity” in Nigeria was mainly represented by the “Catholic-Anglican-Methodist” scenario, long before these churches became “pentecostal-oriented” as it is today.
Although the word “born again” existed in a variety of forms within the liturgical books of the Anglican church, it wasn’t brandished from the pulpit as a definite experience for entry into the Kingdom of God. All in all (for those of us in the Anglican Church which I’m familiar with), we knew God is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the world through His Death and Resurrection, and whatever you choose to do with him, in your “christian” walk, determined whether or not God considered you good enough for His Kingdom after this life. In other words, in the “orthodoxy” of those days (the Catholic-Anglican-Methodist scenario), there was vagueness as to details (at least that was how it appeared) but clarity as to basics – Jesus is the Son of God through whom we have access to, and acceptance with, God.
However, there was a “sideline” group, the Scripture Union (SU), who were NOT a church denomination but consisted of a people from various backgrounds, but mostly Anglican, who emphasised a specific experience of being “born again” through what they called “accepting Christ into your life,” or “giving your life to Christ,” and through which definite experience you became “saved” and had the definite “assurance” of salvation. They were particularly present as “fellowship groups” on secondary school campuses, especially Anglican secondary schools.
In 1970 January 15, the Nigerian civil war ended, with an unprecedented “release” of “born-again-preaching” evangelists criss-crossing places in Nigeria with this hitherto “SU” message. They were mostly lower-class people and not much of the elite class paid attention to them.
However, this “born-again-preaching” people began to gradually find more and more expression on university campuses – especially Ife, Ibadan, Lagos, ABU, Nsukka and Benin, the only universities in Nigeria at the time. I was in Benin, beginning from 1974. The commitment of these “campus christians” was superb, even if their social and physical disposition was drab and turn-coat. They were more or less like “outcasts” on campuses around Nigeria, although they were ALWAYS trusted for their HONESTY in any matter, particularly financial matters. So, in any departmental, faculty or university association of students, for instance, the post of Treasurer, almost invariably, went to one of these “SU’s.” You could TRUST them, even when you didn’t want to embrace their idea of “christianity” – “born again” christianity.
Then, beginning from about the year 1975, Pentecostalism (in addition to “basic born-again christianity”) started being entrenched in these little campus fellowships of “born-again christians.” More and more of them started getting “baptised” in the Holy Ghost, started speaking in tongues, etc. Meanwhile the “outside” world in Nigeria, “outside” these university and polytechnic campuses (which were beginning to increase in number at the time) was still essentially deep in “orthodox” christianity as exemplified by the “Catholic-Anglican-Methodist” model I mentioned earlier, although with a few distinct churches which did not follow that “orthodox” model but at the same time did NOT enjoy large followership or popularity too. These churches were churches like Gospel Faith Mission, the Redeemed Christian Church of God (under Pa Akindayomi), Foursquare Gospel Church, and the like. Of the entire bunch, Foursquare Gospel Church was the one that had the semblance of one that a few high-profile people in the society could identify with – e.g. Revd. Odunaike, a top management staff of Mobil Oil at the time, who eventually became the General Superintendent of Foursquare Church and even a Presidential candidate in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Church of God Mission of Revd. B. A. Idahosa however started becoming very popular at this time with the charisma and colourfulness of its leader, now known as the late Archbishop B. A. Idahosa. All in all, there was NO mistaking of what constitutes salvation in either the (now Pentecostal) campus fellowships or other such groups, even if they were organized churches – like the Foursquare Gospel Church and the Church of God Mission. “Salvation” meant recognising Jesus of Nazareth as the Son of God who gave His life for you on Calvary’s Cross and resurrected on the third day for your justification. You were “saved” (and assured, without any iota of a doubt, of your place in God’s Heavenly Kingdom) by reason of your FAITH in that substitutional and sacrificial death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. You were either “saved” or you were not, depending on if you believe in Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour who gave His life for you on Calvary’s Cross, or you did not believe. There was NO inbetween. A favourite scripture was “By grace are ye saved through FAITH, and that NOT of yourselves; NOT of works, lest any man should boast.” It was the identifying mark and message of “children of God.” There was absolutely no ambiguity as to who was a child of God or not, who was a heaven’s citizen or not – BELIEVE on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. Simple, straightforward, unambiguous. “Works” (we’re saved UNTO good works, they would tell you) were the “product” of salvation and NOT the “reason” for salvation. They were very vehement about that.
By 1979, the Pentecostal explosion on Nigerian campuses had become a full-blown charismatic thing – going beyond speaking in tongues alone, to include manifestations of other gifts of the Spirit – interpretation of tongues, prophecy, word of knowledge, word of wisdom, discerning of spirits, faith, gifts of healings, working of miracles. Students on campuses who embraced this move of God, walked in the supernatural – as students, not as “pastors” or any such titles. We were on fire for God.
Then in 1982 (I had graduated in 1980), the ‘explosion’ really got out of the campuses to spread around Nigeria. Tunde Joda started Christ Chapel in Lagos – a full-blown pentecostal/charismatic/faith church. Several others started in other places. These were majorly people who had been part of that pentecostal/charismatic move on the campuses. Their churches became vibrant, while the older “evangelicals” (supposedly) like Gospel Faith Mission, Redeemed Christian Church of God, etc., with their peasant, drab, “orthodoxy-evangelical” disposition could NOT command the attention of the public like these younger pastors’ churches did. At about this time (in 1981) the Pastor E. A. Adeboye became the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God. That was a church that, due to what I called “peasant, drab, orthodoxy-evangelical” disposition, could not command the attention of a sophisticated society. So, Adeboye, with a Ph.D., among them, was like a “god.” He had NOT been among the campus generation I talked about – the ones who were definite about their salvation and who knew the scriptures concerning redemption. If I remember well, he got “saved” (or so is claimed) in 1972. He was already a lecturer then, and married. However, with a “Ph.D” man now leading an otherwise “pseudo-evangelical” or “orthodox-evangelical” organisation, many lower-class people – who constituted the population of that church – and outside the church as well, were “drawn” to it. If a Ph.D holder could be there and be the head, then it must be “God.” These other vibrant pentecostal/charismatic/faith congregations were led mostly by people who went into ministry after their first degree (e.g. Chris Tunde Joda) or who didn’t even finish school before going into ministry (e.g. Oyedepo). Oyedepo had been “saved” since 1969, long before Adeboye. However, nothing was going to stop the large popularity and followership that this “Ph.D” man, Adeboye, was gathering, after becoming the G.O. of this organisation that was several decades old and with 40 branches.
There was a scenario when we were on campus. There was practically no “born-again” presence among the staff of the universities – whether academic or non-academic. So anytime a lecturer was said to have become “born-again,” he was highly celebrated among the student “born-again” population as an “elder” or “senior brother” to whom they could “look up to,” at least to shield them and defend them from the persecution that often came from “high quarters” to born-again students. They looked up to such a “born-again” member of faculty or staff, even if it was the students themselves that ministered to him before he became born-again. In today’s scenario, they were actually his “spiritual father,” but, instead, they made him their own “spiritual father” and mentor, just because of the circumstances of the time! That’s why a person like Oyedepo who got saved in 1969 would be calling Adeboye who got “saved” in 1972, “Papa.”
The Redeemed Christian Church of God, drew crowds, under Adeboye. Even then, it wasn’t just because this was a “Ph.D” man which fact mesmerized a lot of people (not many graduates then embraced being born-again, not to talk of being a “pastor,” and not to talk of a Ph.D holder); but, also, the Redeemed Christian Church of God drew crowds because, first, certain people, in their own PERSONAL capacity and charisma, drew the crowds through “correct” preaching of the Word; e.g. Pastor Tony Rapu (now of This Present House) and Pastor Tunde Bakare (now of Latter Rain Assembly). But not long after these noble souls brought in the people, they themselves were “shown the way out” (one way or another) while the people they had brought in, instead of “continuing” in the truth of the Gospel that those who brought them in had taught them, were now brought under “another gospel” of Adeboye – a gospel of “works” and of “curses” and other abominations.
But, that wasn’t all. The Redeemed Christian Church of God also “grew” (in numbers) because, unlike other churches, they started this idea of a ‘church’ within five minutes walk to everyone’s house. While there’s nothing wrong in that by itself, people found it more ‘convenient’ (at least, physically and financially – if you’re thinking of transportation cost) to go to an RCCG parish close to their house (even if the word of Redemption is NOT there – which of course the people don’t know) than to ‘travel’ across town to a “Word-church.”
But, again, that wasn’t all. In the 1990’s (I’m an eye-witness to this), RCCG actually sent emissaries to go after people who were in the “vibrant” pentecostal/charismatic/faith churches and LURE them into RCCG with promises of ‘positions’ to be given to them. There was MASS EXODUS of people from real “Word-churches” to RCCG in the 1990’s. Indeed, they were given ‘positions.’ Spiritual ignoramuses who were still being tutored in a Word-church became “pastors” in RCCG.
As the population of RCCG grew (even though there was NO word of Redemption there), Oyedepo had deviated into a “prosperity” gospel that was more of materialism. In the process of time, Adeboye (the man with the ‘largest’ followership, even if fraudulently acquired) and Oyedepo (the ‘richest’ pastor, even if he had deviated into a materialistic gospel) became THE MOST POPULAR preachers in Nigeria, especially after the passing on of the Archbishop Benson Idahosa.
With the economic conditions biting harder in Nigeria, it produced two classes of people: (1) people who, in their desperation for material ‘breakthrough,’ went to become members of those churches that preached ‘material breakthrough’ and had ‘evidences’ of it, and especially the RCCG which had a large population – as people felt that ‘if God is NOT with them, how come they’re growing so large?’ and (2) people who, in their entrepreneurial instinct, but hugely limited by the ‘frustration’ called Nigeria, went into ‘ministry’ business (although they wouldn’t call it that), and particularly patterned after Adeboye (RCCG) and Oyedepo (Winners’) who were obviously getting MORE and MORE financially prosperous. In the midst of all of this, the TRUE REDEMPTION MESSAGE that characterised the campus christians of the 1970’s (which I told you about) had been LOST. That’s how we got to where we are today.
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