ArchBishop David Irefin is a disciple of Leader Olumba Olumba Obu and the International Chairman Christ Missionary Crusade Fellowship for the Brotherhood of Cross and Star. In this interview with Journalists in Lokoja, Kogi State, Irefin a Professor of Economics at the Federal University Lokoja dwelled much on the need for Nigerians to love one another for prosperity and the favour of God.
EXCERPT:
Nigeria as a country is still embroiled in economic hardship and insecurity even in the face of plenty Churches and Mosques. How come Nigerians are facing these challenges?
Nigerians are faced with economic hardship and insecurity because they have not embraced the teachings and practices of the Holy Spirit in their midst, the Sole Spiritual Head of the Universe Leader Olumba Olumba Obu.
The scripture does not say establishment of many churches and Mosques will solve people’s problem and earn them salvation. Rather, it says those who put the word of our Lord Jesus Christ into practice will not suffer and such people will earn economic bliss and prosperity.
For example, consider the Israelites how they suffered and are still suffering because of rejecting the word of God. That should be a good lesson for Nigerians, that building churches and mosques everywhere without loving one another and discriminating against one another will only multiply their problems.
In Nigeria, they have even extended discrimination into government companies and organizations. Where is this found in the universal love of God? Peaceful coexistence in Nigeria is being threatened by the doctrine of discrimination and segregation in religion and political arena.
The Holy Spirit is asking Nigerians where do they get this evil doctrine from?
Remember that all Nigerians belong to God and none belongs to what people call Satan. We should learn how to serve all type of people no matter their statue and status. Recall 1st Peter 2: 17, it says “Honour all men, love the brotherhood, fear God and honour the King”.
Olumba says don’t despise the thieves or the robbers or whosoever for that matter, that the Almighty God expects us to minister to them. By so doing, they will change for the better. You can see from that portion of the scripture, we are all debtors to God to serve him, for he owns us and all things in both heaven and on earth.
We are his ministers and messengers and have to do everything to serve him at all times. If we put his words into practice, then in whatsoever we engage in, he will shower his infinite blessings on us. Remember, whatsoever is done through force or compulsion is sinful and of the world.
We have heard a lot of Leader Olumba Olumba Obu’s teachings. How can this help Nigeria to wriggle itself from this present predicament?
Leader Olumba Olumba Obu mission in this advent is to come and save the world rather than to destroy mankind. That the focus of His teachings is Love, Mercy, Peace and Joy, rather than threat, punishment, or excommunication.
It is incumbent on the entire creation to practice this gospel in this close of age.
The duty of the people of the world is to be violent. They beat, cheat, maim and kill. They practice and uphold oppression; hence they fight and kill one another from time to time. They do this in defiance of the words of God that, whoever wants to be the greatest must first be a servant. The religious sects themselves engage in one form of war or another such as the Holy War, the Crusade and the Jihad. This is what is the practice even up till now.
Within families, communities and nations, oppression is their main instrument through which they bring the less fortunate ones in their midst to submission. Is that what Christ taught us to do? Did Christ teach us to swear by the bible or take any oath whether for the purpose of appointment into government offices or otherwise? Did Christ teach us to enslave, maltreat or kill anybody? The works of men are devilish. This is the reason why our Lord Jesus Christ said it shall not be so amongst you.
Leader Olumba Olumba Obu says in this Kingdom of God all hands must be on deck. Live and let others live too. All what we have to do is to follow the good examples of our Lord Jesus Christ as He illustrated it.
The only way you can make God to recognize you and promote you is by servings others. You have to administer to them and provide their needs. You also have to purify yourself and abide by all the instructions of God. You have to serve others with the spirit of meekness sad humility. If we all join hands to serve each other the world would be a beautiful place we can be in.
Accordingly, Leader, Obu says money, education, status cannot give you salvation or economic bliss unless you practice the Word of God. Whatsoever is your name, colour, statue or position, Obu says leadership by example.
Is it not ridiculous that a person could be a teacher and not practice what he teaches? Olumba is asking, how many political and religious leaders obey the laws of the land? If you want to get benevolence, love, kindness from people, you have to first of all do same for others. If you expect people to respect, obey and believe you, you equally have to do same to others too. Do not rejoice in money, academic qualifications, political offices or religious affiliation, rather rejoice if you are able to practice the Word of God.
It is true that many countries are confronted with problems, but why are Nigerian leaders appear to be helpless in the current situation?
The question is “How many Nigerian leaders, political or religious, have a copy of the Everlasting Gospel preached and practiced by leader Olumba Olumba Obu?” and if they don’t have this book, how would they know what God expects of them? How then can they have anything to do with God’s teachings and how can they rule successfully?
God has given the wealth of the world to all the inhabitants but out of greed the rulers and their princes and princesses divert such to themselves and allow the people to die in abject poverty. Millions of unemployed youths continue to roam the streets in search of means of livelihood, what is the fate of these jobless youths and the less privileged in our society?
In the Western world, unemployed youths are paid some allowances to enable them survive. Why is this not done in Nigeria? The economic hardship we are currently experiencing is as a result of Government’s insensitivity towards the plight of the suffering masses. Or why should government fail to use the God-given resources to help the people? Taxes, rates, minerals and agricultural produce are all controlled by the government yet the government is in lack of money.
A critical examination will reveal that only a few persons or group of individuals are cheating others. Anyone who wants to be a leader must first become the people’s minister. You claim to be a Governor yet your State is filled with all sorts of problems unsolved. If you claim to be a King or President and cannot solve the problems of your people or serve them well, what type of President or King are you? Remember that no community, nation or country will enjoy peace or good things unless the ruler is ready to render selfless service to his people.
In the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star, Love is the king. What is the meaning of Love and what consequence will the people face when they refused to have Love?
The Holy Spirit personified in the Sole Spiritual Head of the Universe Leader Olumba Olumba Obu maintains that there is only one God and law and we, all humans are brethren. This contradicts many people’s beliefs that there are many and different gods. He further explains that God has only one commandment which is love one for another.
He further explains that love means oneness, this means regarding everybody as yourself irrespective of faith, colour, status, and gender. He emphasized that God regards everybody in the world as one, whether you are a man or woman, white or black or red, young or old, rich or poor, high or low, God regards all as same.
No matter your situation in life, a thief, murderer, fornicator, smoker, drunkard, liar, cheat, polygamist, adulterer, etc., God will not deny you, because God is love and you are part and parcel of that God and Love.
If you have love you will not kill, steal and disgrace or abuse or curse any person.
A lot of people think that when you give money or a building or expensive presents to another person, it means you love. No! The truth is that no matter what you give to another person, unless you regard that person as yourself, as part and parcel of yourself, then there is no difference between you and the person. That is why Our Lord Jesus Christ gave us the only one commandment namely, “Love one another as I have loved you”.
Love worketh no evil against his neighbor. Love is the fulfillment of all laws. Whosoever has love is known of God. As you think about yourself, God is thinking about every human being, fishes in the water, animals in the bush, birds of the air and all His creation. Why should we then not take stock of ourselves and regard every other person as ourselves?
Thus, Love is the only law promulgated by God and Our Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord Jesus Christ did not found a church nor did He erect a building. He founded and established LOVE. He said we should love one another as He has loved us. For you to shout ‘Jesus’ etc., everyday at the top of your voice without putting the Word of God into practice profits you nothing. Go back and put these words into practice because He has said that anybody who hears His commandment and keeps it is the person who loves Him.
If we have love, we will not indulge in any vice or commit any sin because love doeth no ill to his neighbor. Love is patient, kind, long suffering and merciful; Love does not envy, is not jealous, selfish, proud; Love is not easily provoked and thinks of no evil.
So, instead of spending all your time looking for money and other material things, use this opportunity to look for and practice love because God does not require your money or children; but He requires you to have love.
Love is power and life; Love is the wisdom of truth; Love is Our Lord Jesus Christ; Love is God; and when you have love, you have everything in the world. Olumba further explains that all of us are Children of God; a thief is a child of God even though he is a Wanted Person. When we talk about Prodigal Children, we mean thieves, robbers, prostitutes, drunkards, murderers and those who engage in sins and vices; they are all Children of God, but they are Wanted Children.
Do not ever refer to another person as Satan. There is no Satan but the Spirit of Error. When we steal, we say it is Satan; this is not true, the problem is that we have no love. The Bible refers to the lost sheep of Israel, and who do you think they are? They are those who drink, smoke, the idolators, liars, fornicators, etc.; yet are they not all Children of God? Wanted Children?
The consequence of refusing to abide in the only law of God which is love, is the cause of all the problems we are facing today. Do what you may in the world, if you do not have love, you cannot achieve anything and there will never be peace among the inhabitants of the Earth.
All those who have no love remain in death and death is waiting at their door steps. All the woes, suffering, insecurity challenges, hopelessness confronting Nigerians emanate from our refusal to abide in the teachings of Our Lord Jesus Christ which is centered on love for one another.
Let Nigerians know that no amount of prayer and fasting, construction of churches and mosques, and political manipulation will guarantee them peaceful coexistence and economic stability. Unless they retrace their steps and go in humility to embrace the teachings and practices of Leader Olumba Olumba Obu, their future will be worse than the current situation.