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| Prophet Joseph Ade Ologbonyo |
Prophet Joseph Ade Ologbonyo, the Planter of CAC Boanerges is one of the Prophets God raised for the end-time revival. The Editor of CAC NEWS, 'Gbenga Bankole caught up with him in Osogbo recently at a programme he organized tagged "Osogbo Apostolic All Night." The theme of the well attended programme is "No More Slavery."
What is responsible for people being in slavery?
There are many things that contribute to people being in slavery. One of such is ignorance. Ignorance is a terrible disease. When your understanding is not open that you are in slavery, you will remain there till eternity. Understanding or acknowledging that you are in bondage would trigger you to look for the way out. The only way out of slavery is God through our Lord Jesus Christ. You need to know God and have Him. Some people know God but don’t have Him. You can’t apply what you don’t have. You may know that God has power to answer prayers or do all things, but when you have Him you will have access to everything from Him.
The number two thing that can send somebody into slavery is curse. For example in Genesis chapter 15 verse 11, when Abraham chased away fowls which came down upon the carcasses, God cursed his generation. God said his seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs and they shall serve there and be afflicted for four hundred years. It eventually came to reality. The Israelites served for 430 years in Egypt and it was until their understanding opened that they cried on God. The Bible says God heard their cry and sent a saviour in the person of Moses. When you lack knowledge you may remain in slavery for life. There is something God has deposited in you, but if you don’t discover it, you may remain in slavery for life no matter how prayerful you are or the Prayer Mountain you go.
Number three thing is to cry to God. The Bible says the Lord heard the cry of the Israelite. This is because they never kept quiet. When Bartimaeus was crying unto Jesus people tried to silence him but he never stopped. He said “Jesus the son of David have mercy on me” and eventually Jesus had mercy on him. Whoever wants to come out of slavery must not shut his or her mouth. A mouth shut in an unjust society is a sin. It is sin to keep quiet in an unjust society. Don’t shut your mouth. Speak out! Let God and people know what you are passing through.
What are the signs that someone is in slavery?
There are a lot of signs which indicate that one is in slavery. Number one, once you don’t experience some certain things you need to experience at some stages of life, it is a sign that one is in slavery. For example, you are 45 years and you are yet to marry and when they ask you why you said you are still putting things together. Such person is in slavery. You have graduated from higher institution and you are still doing the job of N5000, it is a sign that you are in bondage.
God usually seals peoples’ womb for a purpose, but God didn’t seal your own and you are married for over 15 years without the fruit of the womb, you are in slavery. Slavery doesn’t spare Pastors. There are Pastors who pray for some individuals and after God has answered those individuals they don’t remember the Pastors again, it is a sign that those Pastors are in slavery. You have philanthropists around you, instead of them to help you, they are sending you to another person they intend to help, you are in slavery. You are somewhere for 20 to 30 years and you are not progressing, it is slavery.
Despite the independence of Nigeria since 1960 the country has not lived up to expectation. Can we say Nigeria is in slavery and what is the solution?
The number one solution is for all of us to go back to God. If you know what the word “Nigeria” means you won’t be happy to call the nation such name. “Niger” means area of darkness. It is quite unfortunate that someone gave us the name “area of darkness.” The name is affecting us and we should take note of that. We need to cry on God that He should redeem the name “Nigeria.” When the name of Abraham had not been changed, there was no testimony in his life, but once the name was changed, things began to work out well. The country Israel was named after Jacob. It was when the name was changed to Israel that things began to work out for him. All men of God in Nigeria and all our leaders should look at the name.
In Nigeria we only have one problem and it is leadership. A visionary leader thinks of the next generation. Nigerian leaders are politicians. They always think about the next elections and that is why things are not working in Nigeria. A lot of our graduates have no jobs. There is no adequate security. People are being kidnapped, killed and molested. There was no kidnapping in Nigeria about 30 years. If you go to Europe or America you will know that things are not working in Nigeria. The country is in slavery. We are producing graduates every year without jobs and that is what contributed to the menace in the society.
Are you categorically saying that the name “Nigeria” should be changed?
We can remain Nigeria, but ask God to redeem the name. But if we pray and God says we should change it we should not hesitate to do so. God changed Jacob to Israel. I’m not supporting that Nigeria should break or divide, but we should look deeply at our foundation.
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