When I first established my church, nobody attended —Ikotun

Founder of High Tower Prayer Ministry Incorporated, Ipaja, Lagos State, Prophet Rufus Olawale Ikotun, in this interview with SEYI SOKOYA, speaks on national issues and the Christendom.

Security issue has become worrisome in the country. How do you think this could be addressed?

It is not a normal thing, but we have been praying, because the devil is at work. I was born and bred in Kano. I am familiar with the city. North was then safer than the South. I am a Hausa boy. In fact, I failed Yoruba during my WAEC examinations and passed Hausa language. I have more knowledge of some of the things going on in the north than most people don’t know, but I will like to keep them so as not to stoke any fire. It is sad that despite the fact that we are known as a praying nation, we are still one of the poorest in the country, where did we get it wrong? People believed in prayers than work. Prayers make things work, but you have to work. As powerful as God is, God cannot multiply you when your job is in distress. This is why God gave us wisdom. We cannot sit down or put all our hope on government. We have to work and make things happen for the betterment of the country. The current state of the country, especially on security matter, requires collective responsibility of all Nigerians. The government cannot do it all alone; we all have a role to play to sanitise and restore Nigeria.

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Have you received any message from God on how to overcome the many challenges Nigeria is facing?

Prophecy is of the Lord and it is a secret of the Lord. Back then, I made prophesies on the high rate of the dollar and fuel price increment. I also prophesied President Muhammadu Buhari’s victory in 2015, but I said there would be hardship and that we needed to intensify on our prayers for the nation and especially, for our leaders in order to always listen to the voice of God through God’s prophets. Though God has spoken, but I will not say it publicly, because you don’t talk all the time.

Why do you think some clerics nowadays focus more on prosperity than salvation?

Prosperity is good, but it must not be given more attention than our core responsibility as clerics and as a church. It is not a hidden fact that Christianity is underfunded compared to other religions. When it comes to the propagation of the gospel of Jesus Christ, money is very important. The fact is that money is the only thing competing with God, because the Bible even said: ‘With God, all things are possible’ and the same Bible also stated that ‘Money answereth all things.’

What role can the church play in the current security situation of the country?

You can only play a role when you are wanted, but in a place where they are silencing the church, what do you want us to do? In the past few years, have you noticed there have been much attacks on the church and church leaders? The question to ask is that does the church deserve such treatment? The church has remained the hope of many Nigerians and we have not stopped interceding for the nation’s unity and transformation. We will not relent in our roles in ensuring the peace and stability of the country because we are also Nigerians and we are feeling the heat as citizens. I want to advise the church as a body not to be dejected with all the challenges and the attacks, we should continue in our prayers for the restoration of the country’s glory.

What are the challenges you have encountered since you became a prophet?

They are many. Do you know I started this church in 2007 but when there was no one, I closed it down and ran back to Kano State where I came from? I remember then when I would be preaching and people would be mocking me. I staged a revival and no one came and so many other problems. So, I had to close down for two years until God told me to rise up again and since the past 10 years, God has been really faithful.

It seems there is a close relationship between you and  cleric-turned-philanthropist, Reverend Mother Esther Ajayi despite belonging to different denominations?

She is my mother in the Lord and one of the clerics that have distinguished themselves in the vineyard. Christ is not divided, but it is we that are dividing it. I met her in the United States. I have noticed that people are more interested in her philanthropic side than her spiritual life. What many don’t know is that she is a blessed woman. When she tells you something, it will come to pass. She is a real woman of God. We have a cordial relationship and I respect the anointing upon her.

 What differentiates you and your ministration from others? What makes your ministration unique?

Our mandate is revival. There is nothing that is dead that cannot be revived. This is what God has sanctioned us to do in this ministry and we are unique in that aspect. My call is to revive the lost souls and nurture them in the way of the Lord. We thank God for the success we have achieved so far. The church has grown in leaps and bounds in the past 10 year and we have been able to diversify as well as impact many lives positively. Part of it is the near completed project of the establishment of our school and it will be free for all. Though it has not been easy, God has manifested Himself in numerous ways in the last 10 years. This is why we have decided to return all glory to Him with the celebration of the success of the ministry in the last decade. As part of the plan of the church to mark the celebration in a unique way, we have decided to hold a 29-day event to make the anniversary remarkable. The event will commence from September 1 to 29 with various programmes. Many popular clerics within and outside the country will minster at each of the programmes, but the mega event is the Praise Concert, which would be held on September 20.