Pastor David Oluwasola Adepoju is the General Overseer of Newlife Eternal Ministries. He started the ministry about 27 years ago but he has been in ministry for 30 years now. He obeyed God’s call when he was 33 years though God had called him when he was 19. He shares his views about the present government and other issues with Church Times’ ISAAC NJUMAH
Is there anything to cheer about the present government’s one year in office?
Everybody knows that there is nothing good to cheer at all. I am one of those who did not see anything positive at all even before he assumed office as president. I said nothing good was going to come out of this government. I knew they didn’t have programmes, they didn’t have things they were coming to do. They were only coming to make their own money. They were coming to make themselves richer and more satisfied.
But some pastors believe we should be patient with the government and also pray for them. How will you respond to this?
I am over 60. I think I am old enough to know a bit about this country. We have always been told to be patient with every government that comes into power. They said let us be patient with Buhari. Our fathers in the Lord said so till Buhari left office. Nothing good came out. A government that is not serious after 100 days in office can’t be trusted to deliver
Are you therefore saying there is no hope for Nigeria’s economy? The inflation won’t abate?
We can only put our hope in God not in government. But things will continue to rise if the government continues running a government without human face. They are operating a godless system. By the way, no government has solutions to man’s problems. But this particular government seems not to be thinking of the masses. If they are thinking well of Nigeria they should fix electricity first because when God wanted to create the whole world the first thing he called into existence was light. But then like I said, there are no signs the government is on the right path.
Let’s talk about your constituency. What do you think the church can do to make a better society?
Unfortunately, too, the church has derailed. The church is waiting for the government that has no solutions. All our fathers in the Lord are looking up to the government. The point is that the church has failed God. A failure before God is a failure before humanity.
The church deviated from its original commission. The church is supposed to win souls for Christ. But many church leaders are after the worldly things of this world. Some pastors are arresting their church members and taking them to court. This is a clear sign that we are not in line with what we have been called to do.
How many church leaders are speaking truth to power? Many are busy with the prosperity gospel. They also want to have a share of the vanities of the world. That is why I say the church has failed God. But the only way the church can redeem its image is to do what God asked us to do. Preach the gospel and be the instrument of transformation. If Nigerians are transformed by the preaching of the gospel, the country will be a better place.
I don’t think there is any institution in Nigeria that is not corrupt. So the real transformation we need is the transformation of lives. That is where the church comes in.
There is also a lot of concern about the security in the country. Many lives are lost daily to bandits and kidnappers. How will you react to this?
We have a faulty security architecture. Those who are in charge of security are making money out of the bad situation. They know what to do. Do you want to say that all the security agents with their gadgets weapons and helicopters do not know where these criminals are? The fact is that some people are profiting from the kidnapping business. No solution is beyond those in the security agencies. It’s a very pathetic situation we find ourselves in.
Some believe Nigeria should hire mercenaries from other countries to help fix our security. What do you think?
If the security agencies in Nigeria can’t guarantee the safety of lives and property, the wise thing is to allow people who can do it to step in. However, I am convinced the security agents in Nigeria can tackle these problems. But because they are profiting from the mess we find ourselves we will keep having issues of security. For example, in Burkinafaso the military head of state within a short period tackled the terrorists in that country. The place is changing for the better.
During Buhari’s tenure, he promised to root out the terrorists but he couldn’t do anything. The present government promised the same but it cannot do anything because the security agents are profiting from the kidnapping business. So the security system remains the way it is today.
So will you support the idea of State Police?
I pray it works. The community police in England are working effectively. If we have such a system in Nigeria it will be great. But we still need to address the issue of institutional corruption. If the institutions that put them there are not properly and adequately handled things won’t change. We have many security outfits yet we can’t say we are secure. But I will still support community policing. You cannot bring a policeman from Borno state to Lagos and expect him to know the terrain of Lagos. I believe community policing will help reduce the crime rate.
The Tinubu government came with renewed hope agenda. Do you see this agenda working?
We have had so many introductions of things like 10 points agenda 12 points agenda under different kinds of government none worked. It’s not about the agenda it’s about the people behind it. We have had similar promises in the past that have not worked. I am hopeless about what the president is promising us. Many are disappointed right now because they put so much hope in the government. I never put my hope in his government. I am not hoping for anything from his government if he does well to God be the glory if he does not do well in the long run to God be the glory.
What then do you make of the Lagos government?
The government of Sanwolu is trying according to its ability. He cannot do more than his capacity because he is under a leader. He cannot go beyond what his party leader dictates to him. They are under the APC government. Whatever their party tells them, they do. He cannot do more than his party.
What are your views on the outcome of the 2014 confab?
Nigeria should go back to the regional system if not Nigeria as a country won’t go anywhere. The 1999 constitution can never take this country to a promised land. God divided us by our language. If God wants us to be one he will not give us different regions. Until Nigeria is divided into how God used rivers to divide us: River Niger and River Benue; we won’t make progress. Let the North govern themselves alongside their culture and their religion. The East should govern itself and let the West govern itself.
We can then call the country the United States of Nigeria. If we don’t go back to the regional system this country is not going anywhere. The British that we got independence from also have their peculiar governance system.
What would you then say of self-determination groups like IPOB, Oduduwa Republic
I support every one of them because one Nigeria is not working. We all know that one Nigeria is not working we are just deceiving ourselves. One Nigeria is not working. Let every region govern itself. Marriage is not by force. If I want to marry you and our relationship is not working there is an open door to separate.
Nigeria is not working. We should not be allowed to go into another civil unrest. It will be disastrous. I believe they should allow an Igbo man to rule this country. Hausa Fulani ruled, and nothing good came out of their ruler-ship. Yoruba have been ruling too, nothing good came out. They should allow the Igbos to come and rule. Let’s see how it turns out. Where there is injustice Nigeria won’t work.
The leader of the IPOB group is still in incarceration. Do you think its advisable he be released going by the activities of IPOB?
He should be released. He has not committed any crime. He is only agitating for Biafra and Biafra has been in existence before Nigeria. We call them the Bight of Biafra. Which offense did Nnamdi Kanu commit? He is only agitating for his country. I see injustice in this. Why holding Nnamdi Kanu? We have repentant Boko Haram folks who have been forgiven. These are people who were killing us every day but now they have been brought back into society. It is injustice to still keep Nnamdi Kanu in detention.
Let’s talk about your ministry. In what way has it been a blessing to the society?
Well, we are trying our best. Our mission is spreading across the world and impacting lives with the gospel of Christ. In this church, we give priority to children. We build our members from children departments to youth departments and from there we can have responsible adults. We encourage youths to participate in skill acquisition and vocational training both farming, etc so they don’t be a burden to their parents.
Some preachers live flamboyant lifestyles to the detriment of their members. How will you respond to this?
They will account to God. Every servant of God will give an account of every kobo that passes through their hands. We are not called to make money, accumulate wealth, or gather material things. All those things are for us to spread the gospel, bless the lives of people, and raise destinies. If we use those things for our selfish ends we will give account to God
Will you support pastors who use private jets?
If God gives them, let them fly. I have nothing against it they run a large ministry. Some pastors have reasons to visit many nations, but they may not be able to achieve that with our aviation system and issues with delayed flights.