President of the Christ Apostolic Church Worldwide, Pastor Abraham Akinosun
President of the Christ Apostolic Church Worldwide, Pastor Abraham Akinosun, tells OLUFEMI ATOYEBI how he got into the ministry and his growing up days
Where did you spend your childhood?
I grew up in an average and humble
family. But for the administrative genius of the late Chief Obafemi
Awolowo, who introduced free education, some of us would not have gone
to school. We also thank God for his followers like the late Chief Bola
Ige and the late Adekunle Ajasin.
I was born in a village called Deooye,
but my family home is in Isale Afaa area of Beere in Ibadan. I attended
St. Mathew’s Primary School, Isabe, near Akinyele in the outskirt of
Ibadan.
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After
my primary education, I went to Ibadan City Water Works where I was
trained in plumbing and fitting between 1961 and 1964. I sat for the
Government Trade Test Grade Two and after that, I worked with many
companies across Nigeria.
I started with a company in Lagos, which
executed several water projects in Ekiti. I later moved to Drake and
Score in Jos. The company dealt in refrigeration, plumbing and fitting
works. I also worked with Julius Berger and G Cappa before I resigned to
attend Bible Training College in Akure in 1973.
What led to your resignation?
In 1972, the Lord revealed Himself to me
in a vision reminding me of the vision I had in 1956 when I was in
Primary Two. He said whether I liked it or not, I would be His minister
and I should be praying for the willingness to accept Him. I did not
want Him to force me to heed the call so I resigned to begin
ministration.
I completed the Bible training in 1975
but I did not wait for my posting. A church leader from Ilaro begged me
to work with him in his church at Oja-Odan, near Ilaro in Yewa area.
During this period, I began to hear voices and vision from God, telling
me that he did not send me to Oja-Odan. He told me that He had a
different assignment for me.
I spent only one month in the church at
Oja-Odan and returned home to meet three letters to go and report at
Yaba in Lagos. I obeyed the instruction and moved to Lagos for three
years before going abroad for further Bible studies. I studied at Bible
institutes in Germany, Sweden and Belgium. I returned to Nigeria in
1981.
Did your parents support your decision to become a pastor?
Initially, they did not accept the idea.
When I narrated my vision of 1956 to them, they said no. My mother later
died in 1957 but my father was still not happy with me. At the time, he
was not fully converted to Christianity but after that was done; he
accepted my decision to work for God.
Did your siblings also accept your decision?
When I resigned in 1972, my brother was
not happy about it. My wife, who knew I had a call before our wedding,
was not happy with my decision. I told her it was time for me to heed
the call of God. She took the case to my family and even those who were
not Christians among them but I stood my ground. I told her I had to go
into the ministry because the 1972 vision was clear. God said I would be
the leader of His church in the future.
Apart from your family, what were the other hurdles you faced at the initial stage?
Nobody can say that he is spiritually
sufficient without the help of God. After my resignation, I did not know
how I spent what I had saved over the years in preparation for the work
of God. I had a wife and a child and I had to settle them before going.
I suddenly realised that I had no money again. I was almost discouraged
and I almost approached one of our elders for financial assistance. But
God surprised me in a big way. He provided the money for my two-year
Bible training.
At 70, what is your view about life?
Life is a free gift from God to be used
for His work. Looking back, there is no regret in my life. When I was
young, I was busy working for God. There was no spare time for The Devil
to influence me in any way. My peers in Isale Afaa would tease me for
going to church frequently. I hardly slept at home. After work, I would
join the prayer group called Light of the World in the church, spreading
the gospel. So, looking back now, I have the joy to say that I have had
a fulfilled life and hoping for more from God. Anyone who is not born
again is living a loose life.
How was the transition from being a church member to the head of the church?
We cannot compare the two halves. Even
when I was a catechist, it was a much higher position than being a
member. People know that when I am offended, God fights for me always.
As you go up, many people will be against you but God intervenes on our
behalf. In 2003, it was clear that I would be the President of the
church after Pastor Elijah Olusheye.
Some people came to me and told me not to
seek revenge when I ascended the throne. I told them since I was not
God; I could not decide who had done wrong and who should be punished.
So, the position of a pastor, district superintendent or chairman is
different from being the head of the church. I have occupied all these
positions and climbed all the ladders in CAC to reach where I am today.
How was the church crisis resolved?
The crisis has not been totally resolved.
It started from a group, which tried to envelope the whole church.
After they were suspended from the church, they challenged the decision
in court and lost. They went to the Appeal Court and failed again. Then
they formed a parallel government.
The last president tried to bring them
back under an umbrella but having enjoyed a period of independence from
the church authority; the faction did not want to come under an
authority. We are still holding meetings, trying to resolve the issues.
What the group wants is not unity but
position. Members of that faction know that the faction no longer exists
because a court has pronounced it illegal. I must say that the members
are eager for unity but the leaders of that faction do not want it,
especially, church planters. They do not want to come under any
authority.
How far have you succeeded in bringing an end to the crisis?
We thank God we have succeeded in
restoring unity in Europe and America. Before now, everyone would
establish a church and register it individually with the government in
those areas. But now, we have secured single certificate for them all.
In the UK, we have over 100 assemblies.
In the US, we have a CAC Village occupying 63 acres of land and 15
church buildings. I have united them too. There are about 60 assemblies
there while France has five. In Italy, we have 12 assemblies while in
Ireland, we have seven assemblies and eight in Canada.
Why is it still difficult to do the same in Nigeria?
The crisis in the church is the major
challenge facing us. We are now focussed and praying to end it. The
target is to ensure that by the end of 2015, CAC crisis would have been
over.
Has the death of Prophet Timothy Obadare taken anything away from the church?
His death does not affect the expansion of the church, its spiritual life and its progress.
What is your view of other churches apart from CAC?
CAC has a fulfilled task. The late Ayo
Babalola told us that God revealed to him that CAC could not do the work
alone. He said God told him that He would bring more churches and
people to propagate the gospel. All churches now emulate CAC. They now
pray to the water, hold revival and so on, glory to God because that was
the prayer of the CAC founder, Ayo Babalola.
Unfortunately today, we have churches
preaching wealth, miracles and healing. Churches should be preaching
holiness, heaven and hell. The church is to teach the people how to live
and die and not how to accumulate wealth. This is the challenges we are
facing as Christians. If you are healed or you become wealthy and don’t
make heaven, what have you achieved in life?
What advice do you have for President Muhammadu Buhari?
We must thank God for Buhari’s emergence.
It is an answer to prayers that God should intervene in the affairs of
this country. I urge the new government to be focussed on the goal to be
achieved.
Some people are crying that Buhari is
picking on his enemies alone; he should not be discouraged in his bid to
tackle corruption. Good road, power and provision of jobs are areas
Buhari must tackle. If he can fix these areas, the economy will pick up
and prosper again. The church is praying for him to succeed. He should
not allow himself to be caged by mere reaction. Those who are crying
foul are doing so to evade justice. This country must be sanitised.
Do you have any of your children following in your footsteps?
My first son is in a London Bible
College. Before he left, he was an organist for the church in the whole
of Osun State. He also wants to become a minister of God.
I want to leave a good legacy behind. I
have never associated with failure and in every place where I have
worked; I have always left it better than I met it. I want to restore
the church to its original position. That is the mandate that God gave
me when I became the church president.
