L-R. Reverend Christine Ocansey – Ghana Chapter & Member Governing Council, Bishop Chris Otaigbe- Member, Governing Council, Bishop Robertson Akwazi- Vice-Chairman, Governing Council, Archbishop Margaret Benson-Idahosa, President Church of God Mission International, Apostle Joshua Olaoye- Member Governing Council and AA Board of Trustees, Dr. Habib Usman, Provost of the School and Member AA Board of Trustees, Bishop Frank Ogagba, AA South Africa Chapter, Reverend Vivian Akinyosoye, Secretary, AA Governing Council
The memory of Archbishop Benson Idahosa is set to be rekindled with a mega-conference being planned by those he impacted while he was alive.
Archbishop Idahosa was born on September 11, 1938. He died on March 12 1998 after several years of global evangelical work in many countries of the world.
Idahosa was the founder of the Benin-based Church of God Mission and was a leading figure in the Pentecostal movement. He also established All Nations for Christ Bible Institute and the Benson Idahosa University during his lifetime.
His wife, Archbishop Margaret Idahosa who succeeded him in the ministry announced the plan for the conference at a press briefing in Benin on Sunday, February 20.
She said the alumni association of All Nations for Christ Bible Institute initiated the mega-conference scheduled for September to coincide with the date of Idahosa’s birth.
Several servants of God in Nigeria and abroad including Bishop David Oyedepo, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, Archbishop Duncan Williams, and Dr. Felix Omobude are expected to minister at the conference.
Idahosa, always a reference point
Vice-Chairman of the Alumni of the Bible Institute, Bishop Dr. Robertson Akwazi while speaking during the briefing disclosed that “Archbishop Benson Idahosa’s life and time is one that would continue to serve as a point of reference in the Church, not just in Nigeria but the world all over.”
Akwazi expressed confidence that many great men and women of God today are expected to show up for the event.
He said, ”We decided that since we are the Idahosas that you can see not only in Nigeria but in Ghana, Liberia, Kenya, South Africa, and the World all over, now is the time to cause his voice to be heard once again throughout the Land.
“And just as you heard the Archbishop during the inauguration service, we have been given a fresh mandate, and that is to raise men and women, to raise leaders who will impact not just on the Church but as well on the society for good. ”
AA Global timely
Apostle Joshua Olaoye also at the press briefing said the Bible Institute has produced well over 15,000 leaders spread across the globe.
He said the coming together of old students of the Bible school also known as AA Global was timely adding also that the validation by Archbishop Margaret Benson-Idahosa is one that cannot be overestimated.
Another member of the Governing Board of the alumni association, Bishop Chris Otaigbe said the September conference would kick-start an annual movement.
“The conference will shake the Nation for good. Amongst the Sons of Benson Idahosa, we have Papa Ayo Oritsejafor, our immediate past PFN Chairman, Pa Omobude, Archbishop Nicolas Duncan Williams, we are bringing everybody together to cause his voice to be heard once again as we converge,” he said.
All Nations Bible School’s impact
The Provost of the School Dr. Habib Usman expressed confidence that the conference would be a huge success.
He said, “I believe in historical legacies. Idahosa being a foundation Apostle set the platform for everyone to run through. The school has produced 15,000 students. That is not a mean number.
“And saying this covers all seven continents of the world, is not an assumption, it’s a reality. We have seen students from Australia, from India. Currently, we have students from America studying with us. We have seen students from all 32 countries in Africa come to study with us here in Benin city.”
He said the impact of the Bible school could not be scribbled down with an academic pen. “It is beyond our explanation. Those of us in our 40s and 50s will recall the proverbial saying ‘As poor as a church rat’, Those were the days when the Church was designated to be meant for poor people. With Archbishop Benson Idahosa coming into the center stage of Christianity, that expression no longer exists.
Prosperity doctrine explained
Usman explained the genesis of the prosperity doctrine which Idahosa championed. He said the doctrine was necessary then because Nigeria had just come out from a civil war. “The revival in Nigeria started shortly after the civil war. There was so much poverty in the land. Papa Idahosa was able to tell the church that we can come out of that poverty. That was the genesis of the prosperity doctrine. The rest is what you and I are able to attest to.” Usman said.