At 70, I have not seen the Nigeria of my dreams —Bishop Okah

Bishop Simeon Okah, the Presiding Bishop of Flock of Christ Mission Int’l Inc, Warri, Delta State, is the immediate past Vice President, South-South, of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN). As he clocks 70, he speaks with EBENEZER ADUROKIYA on his journey through life, his worries and dream for Nigeria, as well as the need for the youth to keep hope alive. 

How does it feel to be 70, sir?

I feel very happy because there was a time I thought I won’t be able to make it. We theologians believe that there is time God puts you on hold. There was a time God put me on hold and there was all kinds of tribulations and trials to the extent that I had handed almost everything to my wife. Sickness came and there was a time I was taken to America. I had brain problem and my son in America took me to an expert. They looked at my brain and found out that it was beyond medical cure. So, they asked me to come back home and wait for my death. I told my wife what they said. Painfully enough, none of the daughters I have was married so I wanted to live. I told my wife to arrange for a crusade. The crusade was arranged for Friday and Saturday; I preached and prayed and people were healed. They didn’t believe I was the person that doctors asked to come and die.

Not only that, there was a time I had glaucoma. My left eye was 90 per cent; it went to 35 per cent and right now, it’s about 10 per cent.

Then, I went to a swimming pool one day in Lagos but I was having serious pain on my back. I was conscious at first but after sometime, I lost consciousness of my environment. Before I knew what was happening, I fell inside the water. As I was sinking down to the bottom of the swimming pool, I heard a voice that asked me to get up and my legs that lost strength before, regained strength immediately and I got swimming to the surface of the swimming pool. Luckily, I was able to make it to my hotel room but when I got to my room, I realised I couldn’t walk so they had to bring in a stretcher to carry me but it was one of my boys that was around that gave me a piggyback to the ambulance outside that took me to the hospital.

The enemies have tried all they could to kill me but I overcame. I am full of excitement.

Have you achieved the goals you set for yourself in life? 

I will tell you with all my heart that I have. There’s nothing I needed in life that God has not provided. More than 35 years, my wife and I have been travelling round the world in business and first class flights. I have five daughters and one son and they are all doing well. God gave me one of the best women I could have asked for and we have been together for 50 years. I will say I am blessed and I am grateful to God Almighty.

Being around for 70 years, would you say you have seen the Nigeria of your dream? 

The Nigeria of my dream is a long journey. You can understand as a press person that all the founding fathers who have died did not die happily. This is because Nigerians are so deceived to the point that they don’t know what is good and what is bad in leadership. When Obasanjo was the leader in this country, Nigerians never appreciated him. They bad-mouthed him. I know he did some things bad, but can you compare his time with the time we are now? Are we aware that it is Obasanjo that made this country not to owe a dime? He fought for it and it was not easy. Then what about Jonathan? Jonathan was the appointed man for us. He accepted defeat even when he knew that the election was rigged. The present man there now, President Muhammadu Buhari, was ready to set this country on fire if he had lost that election but Jonathan said no Nigerian blood is to be shed because of him. Jonathan is a hero. He is my political hero. He is a sound Christian and a humble man. I won’t say Buhari is proud; he is a man who listens to nothing.

It is very unfortunate for this country especially the youth. The youth of this country have been raped, their future has been raped. Every time, you hear ASUU strike. Buhari has destroyed almost every part of this country. Look at the naira, when he was campaigning he told us that dollars and naira would be equal. How is it today? He brought all his men and women to be in charge. Our present president doesn’t know what shame is. You know I feel bad; I even cry sometimes when I see what this man has done to this country.

I have not seen the Nigeria of my dreams but I have good news. What is the good news? There’s an underground revolution going on. I’m happy what the Igbo have done now. I heard Buhari said he is going to release Nnamdi Kanu; he used the word “he may” so that if he doesn’t, people will continue to beg him. But he is going to release him.  What I thought I won’t see, I believe I’m going to see it. Nigeria has a future; I will tell the youths not to give up, there is a future coming.

You made mention of a revolution, can you please elaborate on it?

There’s a revolution now with all clear indications. I told the Delta State governor to unite the South South-West, South-East and Middle Belt governors and be ready to do something on your own. But unfortunately, the Middle Belt are like slaves to the Fulani. But that is changing now. So, there is a good future for this country.

What do you have to say about the ENDSARS protest report? 

ENDSARS issue is one of the greatest things that has happened to this country. What were the protesters asking for? Did they ask anything for themselves? No. They asked for things that would benefit the country. How would a Nigerian boy with a Nigerian flag be shot to death by the Nigerian Army? They said the salaries of policemen should be increased; was that wrong? They use the guns we bought for them to kill these boys because they were blind.

What do you have to say about the economy of the nation? 

I have said that nothing is going right in this country. Naira is about 600 to a dollar; you don’t talk of pounds or euro. Things are bad! But as a man of God, I have faith.

As a cleric with a voice in the body of Christ, would you say the body of Christ is fulfilling its mandate? 

I think so to a major degree. The Church is not a perfect body, anytime. The church is like a laundry; you bring in dresses to be washed and the washed ones are taken away. The church is never perfect, anytime. So to a major extent, I can say the Church has done its work. One of the mysteries of the Church is that no matter how bad anybody is, he can change and become a saint. That is the proof of God’s mercy and grace. The harlots, kidnappers, armed robbers can be saved. It’s only Satan that cannot be saved.

What’s your final word? 

My final word goes to the youth. Nigerian youths, you have a future; don’t give up, don’t kill yourself; give your life to God. Believe in Christ so that your success here can also make you to be successful eternally.

To the politicians, enough is enough. You are very few; you’re less that 5 per cent of the Nigerian population. How will you now be a source of trouble, troubling this country? Politicians, change. To the church, brethren, are we not blessed to have Jesus as our Lord and Saviour? He is our everything and he loves us so much.

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