Apostle Sunday Popoola is the President and Set man of Word Communication Ministries (WOCOM). In this interview with BAYO ALADE and SEYI SOKOYA, he speaks on national issues and the unity of church in overcoming its challenges.
The situation in the country seems hopeless. Even the choices of Nigerians seem limited now. Do you think there is hope that we might get it right?
I believe through God’s mercy and intervention we will get it right, but looking at what is on ground politically, Nigeria is in a very dismal situation. Honestly, in 2015 we had hoped that we had a messiah, but President Muhammadu Buhari, coming on the scene was no near the solution. If you flash your mind back, after he won the election, corruption index dropped because people believed he is a no-nonsense person and that he will not allow any form of corruption in his government. When he came in and completed his first term, the hopes of Nigerians got shattered. We have been so disappointed and at some point we felt deceived because I witnessed him say that ‘I want to prove that Nigeria can work’ and I believed it. This is a man who had been the Head of State, and risen to the position of a General in Nigeria Army and eventually becoming the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces as the president.
Do you believe we can still have a country post-2023?
I will say we have a country now, but we don’t have a nation. A country is just a geographical location, but a nation is a people with common destiny. We are not looking for a country, but a nation and except by divine intervention we may not have a nation. If we are by the present arrangement that we are seeing, judging from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that dominate the political scene, we are far from having a nation. But I believe God will intervene.
The choice of the APC presidential candidate has continued to generate reactions majorly in the Christian fold. Is it true that he would not get enough votes if he had chosen a Christian in the North?
The unfortunate thing about our politicians is that their activities are driven by their personal ambition. They are not thinking about the people. They are just thinking about how win elections and not thinking about how to lead this nation into her destiny. Tinubu picked Shettima because there is a Northern agenda and he is aware that he is a front-player in that agenda, which is revealed by his complicity with Boko Haram. That was why he chose him to win the election and not about the vision he has for the nation. So, whatever happens to Nigerians doesn’t matter after winning the election.
The present government was massively supported by the Christians thinking that President Buhari had a vision, move Nigeria forward, put an end to corruption and that the economy will boom, but here we are; worse than the government that we voted out. So, how do we believe Tinubu when it is obvious that he only wants to fulfil his (personal) ambition?
We need all these old men to go away for heaven’s sake. We need young brilliant people, who are not religiously biased, visionary and Godly to take over. That is the only hope for Nigeria. Atiku and Tinubu are too ambitious to become president and they don’t care what happens to Nigeria. They are not concerned about bringing people that can help them fulfil their vision of transforming Nigeria.
You said Atiku and Tinubu are not the solution for Nigeria, so, are you pitching your tent with Peter Obi who is also a presidential aspirant?
I am not pitching my tent yet, but I am just telling you that we are disgusted and disappointed with the political class and I don’t see a future for Nigeria in the APC and PDP arrangement and that is my position. I would have wished they did something better.
Do you believe that the attack on the church and kidnapping of clerics are part of a grand plan against the church?
It is obvious and no prophet needs to explain that there is a plan to take the church out of the nation in order to fulfil their agenda. The church seems to be the stubbling block, especially in the way of their Jihadist agenda. Before now, nobody cared; we lived with one another. I have a lot of Muslim friends. I didn’t care about your religion, but care about your heart, your uprightness, fairness, and how loving you are. I am not bothered about your religion, but it is different now. We have seen a people who have set themselves to humiliate the church. It is an impossible task anyway.
It was said in some quarters that Christians played a major role in the recent Osun State governorship election. Is this a signal from the Nigerian Christians at large concerning the 2023 election?
It looks so. I think it is a sign to our political class that people are fed up with the present arrangement. It is a warning sign that people are angry about how Nigeria is presently being governed.
How do you think Christians in Nigeria can overcome the security challenges?
Honestly, we need God’s intervention and I believe that we will experience God’s intervention when the Christians unite and cry to God. Our Bible is full of divine interventions. The God that did it for people in those days is still alive today and He still intervenes in the affairs of men today. I am confident to tell you that massive prayers are going on; people are tired and fed up with the situation of the country. I also believed that when you push a goat to the wall it will bite; when people perceive danger to their lives, they will put up a defence.
The convention of the church is around the corner. What is the main target of this year’s convention and those expected to be impacted?
The convention is holding August 17 to 21 and the theme is “God be magnified.” Our goal is to bring hope in the midst of this present hopelessness, because we want to showcase the amazing power of God in His intervention in human crisis. Our nation is in crisis, families are in crisis. There is an atmosphere of seeming hopelessness, and even people quietly asking questions that “is God really involved in the affairs of men? If God is involved why are we in this situation?” So, this convention is going to address God’s intervention in the life of humanity, nations and in individuals’ lives and families and people will express practical miracles. I believe in miracles and in fact my life has been full of miracles. People will experience practically God’s intervention in some difficult situations of their lives, and some of the challenges that they are facing right now.
God can destroy the yoke of poverty, sickness and afflictions. God can bring wisdom and ideas that will make people’s life flourish and blossom. God can change negative circumstances and situation. We see him do it everyday. So, that it is time of distress, and this time of seeming hopelessness and helplessness many people are experiencing. We want to create an atmosphere for people to experience God in His love, and in His mightiness and power.
Also we will be focusing on our prayers on the nation as we will lift up our voices to pray very strongly for Nigeria. I believe God can change the present arrangement. Now, let me end up with this by saying that I am not against any political party. I am not for any party; I am for Nigeria. I just want to see an arrangement that promises a future for Nigerians and arrangement that guarantees equity, inclusion, fair-play, justice and progress.
We will frown at an arrangement that looks pretty selfish and myopic. Having said this, I still believe that God can change the arrangement of any party. If God wants to use Peter Obi, the structure people are complaining about will come in place and by the way, I’m not campaigning for him. When there is movement of people, structure is beginning. One thing Obi might do for us is to create a third force, because out of this movement heavy structure will come up. The structure of other popular political parties did not come over night.
As an authority in the Christian faith, do you feel that there is a genuine unity among Christian leaders to collectively challenge the government on its wrong doings?
I will say that Christians have come a long way with what we have had to face in recent years. All Christian leaders have realised that our unity is our strength and I see the church coming together strongly. Although, there are some that are using divide and rule, but it is not going to work. The more the church is being opposed and killed, the stronger we will be in unity. The church is becoming strong and becoming united, which will be more difficult for those who are setting themselves against the church.
As a cleric what is the hope of the masses with the wave of the current happenings politically in Nigeria?
I do not base my thoughts about the future of Nigeria on what is observed politically. I am a spiritual man and I base it more on what I would call revelation knowledge; what God says. God has been speaking about Nigeria, that I know for over 40 years and what God has been saying about this country has been very consistent over the years, even though at a certain stage it was like ‘God what we are seeing seems to be the opposite of what you are seeing,’ but He keeps saying the same thing, that He has a plan to make this nation great. There will be righteousness, peace, equity, and true prosperity. I can tell you that Nigeria will win and those who are pursuing obnoxious, evil agenda will not succeed. Why? God has interest, plan and a purpose for this nation, which is the most populous black nation in the world.
Obviously, man has a part to play, but at the end of the day God is still all-controlling. God is still going to bring us to that point where we, especially as Christians, begin to play our part, even with all that is happening right now. Christians are beginning to wake up and engage politically. Christians are beginning to know that having their PVC and voting is crucial. You know, people like me has been trying to educate Christians politically for over 20 years and all we got was criticism, but it is different today. Experience has taught us and there is an awakening to take place politically.
You’ve been around for a very long time and you are a well-respected cleric in the country. Would you say people have had enough of the vision God has given you?
I will deceive myself if I say that. I believe with my walk with God and with my experiences that God has allowed me to have, I still have a lot more to deliver than I have. I’m just praying for grace to be able to do more. I believe I can still do much more for the society and nation now than ever before.
Though age is running, it still pleases God to keep me strong. I won’t say that people have had enough of me, there is so much that I can give, because I have grown over time, I’ve had experiences. There are many things I didn’t know even a few years ago that I’ve come to know now, you know, and all these experiences, with God’s experiences, around the nations, have better equipped me to give more for the progress and wellbeing of the society and the nation than before.
How was the experience like when you started the ministry? Did you ever envisaged WOCOM will remain vibrant till now?
Well, as a person of faith, I based my thinking and expectation on the word of God. So, I believe in longevity, I believed God for it, because He promised it in His word and I believe that the Bible says: “The path of the righteous shines brighter and brighter onto the perfect day.” I believe God is going to give me a long time of positive impact and influence. I have always believed that and I’m not surprised that he has kept me this far.
God has been gracious to the ministry. The impact of WOCOM has been much more than meets the eye. The ministry has positively influenced the nations and not just the church alone. The main focus of my ministry now is actually bringing Christians to be strategically positioned to positively influence society and the nations in what I call the seven mountains of social impact, which include politics, economy, education, the arts; of course, religion, family, and technology. Great nations become great because of positive impact on those seven mountains and nations that are ruined come from negative impact on those seven. Look at what politics and religion have done to us in Nigeria.
Look at how our lack of investment in technology has done to us. Look at the negative things that the media, the arts, and music have done to us in Nigeria. And of course, nations that gave attention to those seven mountains of social impact are the nations that are great today. So, that’s the area my ministry is focused on right now; to see how Godly visionary Christianscould be strategically positioned in those areas so that they can contribute positively to the wellbeing and progress of society.
What do you do if you are not on the pulpit or studding the Bible?
It is either I am praying or spending time with my family, my leaders or people that matter to me.
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