Reverend Achilles Edwards of My Father’s House, Owerri, Imo State, who predicted the emergence of US President-elect, Donald Trump and President Muhammadu Buhari in Nigeria’s 2015 polls, in an interaction with RITA OKONOBOH, speaks on the expectations from both presidents, his experience in the ministry, and what the future holds for Nigeria. Excerpts:
HOW did you find yourself in the ministry?
I didn’t just find myself in the ministry. Years back, in 1986, I was at a church and the cleric’s teaching inspired me and I gave my life to Christ and was very active in the church. As I began to understand a lot of things about the work of God, I realised that God wanted me to be in the ministry. I worked with Rhema Chapel International Churches for close to 15 years before I started My Father’s House.
You’re one of the few clerics who prophesied President Muhammadu Buhari’s victory at the 2015 polls. How would you assess the situation of things so far?
Things have been quite bleak. I hear a lot of people say we would come out of the woods soon and that recession would soon be over but I have a different opinion. If you go by the scriptures, that is not true. When you don’t take care of the workers and don’t cater to the welfare of the people; that’s a sin and is not a fulfilment of God’s word because the Bible states that righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach to any people. When you do well to the people, the nation will be exulted. Such change we desire is coming in the form of a man God will use.
You also predicted that Donald Trump would emerge US President. What does Trump’s victory hold for the United States and the world at large?
Long before the contest began, persons who understand the word of God would know that I was against Obama becoming the president of the United States. Then later, God told me that he would be in the reins of the power to help a lot of us understand the prophecies in the Bible. Obama’s administration had some accomplishments. However, there couldn’t be an extension of Obama’s administration through Hilary Clinton because while Obama was there, he allowed a lot of things to happen. America is a very important country in the heart of God. America has produced great clerics from early times, and so God has a plan for them to go back to the old times. It is a land whose foundation is God but during Obama’s administration, a lot of these godly virtues were eroded – homosexuality issues, abortion laws, among others. Continuation of the Obama administration through Hilary Clinton would result in the fact that those policies would keep running but God wants to bring America back. One of the things God appreciates is when people are obedient to His word. Even Trump may not realise that or even understand why he has won. If the Obama administration had continued, there would have been war and that would have disrupted God’s plans.
Some people predicted otherwise, regarding Buhari and Trump. Would you say something went wrong with regard to these prophecies?
One must be careful with prophecies because you have to first subdue your own interest otherwise, you may run against God. God owns the world and knows who should be in place. So, with prophecies, one must be very careful.
As we approach the end of 2016, is there any major thing Nigerians should expect for the future?
God has not shown us any major thing that would happen. However, next year would be very turbulent. It would be a year of the fulfilment of scripture that states: ‘Those that know their God shall be strong.’ I would implore all Nigerians to make efforts to come close to God. The economic problem on the world is allowed by God for the purpose that people would know that there is a God who runs the affairs of men. Again, it has also afforded people the opportunity to come close to Him. The essence of prophecy is to bring people closer to God but many do it for selfish purposes. In Nigeria, a lot of people are going to church now. Things will get more difficult. There would be more job losses and more business organisations will close down. Even government will face difficulties and allies of the president will have issues with him. There will be calls for him to quit too. However, we need to remain prayerful. It is only God who can give peace. Besides, there will be a revolution after Buhari’s administration, and that revolution will bring up a young Nigerian who will change the order of things.
You’re from the South-East. Do you also support the calls for Nigeria’s disintegration represented in the proposed Biafran secession?
I do not support the secession of the South-East. There was a United Nations convention in which it was stated that after a Civil War, if the people have lived in that country for over 30 years, they should be inculcated into that system. There is a conspiracy in Nigeria that somebody of Igbo extraction should not be president because he may likely use that position to pull the Igbo out of Nigeria. However, personally, what I believe is that no region can break up Nigeria because before the regions were brought together, God had His plans. Nigeria is very special to God. The primary duty God has given Nigeria is that the nation would be at the forefront of evangelism in the world and that is why our pastors are breaking so many records worldwide. So, any attempt by any region to break away is met with resistance from God. However, I would only implore government to dialogue with the Igbo.
Is Trump’s emergence a signal to the end of the world?
It’s not the end of the world. It’s preparatory towards the end of the world. Trump will bring back values and improve America’s economic power. His emergence is God’s compensation for the good America has done in the past for God. Whoever comes after Trump would find things difficult. That economic buoyancy, peace and security America would enjoy will be short-lived. Before the anti-Christ comes, the stage will be set for everything to be upside down. I see Trump ruling for eight years.