To be honest with you, sir, anyone who has a genuine calling from God should be willing to be accountable. A lack of accountability is a major issue within Christian circles today. That’s why I’m particularly encouraged by what’s currently happening within the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN). We are in the process of reviewing our Constitution to ensure that anyone who identifies as a Pentecostal minister is accountable to the broader body.

We’re not trying to become dictators or authoritarian leaders. However, we also cannot allow a situation where anyone who claims to be a Christian—or a minister under PFN—engages in practices that go against our beliefs. Such actions tarnish the image of the entire body and bring the fellowship into disrepute.

I’m pleased that we are tightening our scrutiny. I believe that very soon, concrete measures will be put in place that will give the public more confidence in the integrity of our leadership. The truth is, anyone who is truly called by God should willingly submit to a higher authority or structure. Without accountability, a minister’s credibility is questionable.

As ministers of the gospel, we are called to be exemplary. So, in response to your question: yes, I believe the time is coming—and is already here—when every minister will have to be accountable to a recognized fellowship or oversight body. This will enable us to enforce discipline, maintain sound doctrine, and uphold integrity in ministry. Ultimately, our goal is to ensure that nothing we do brings dishonor to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

During the 2023 general elections, the Church was clearly against the Muslim-Muslim ticket, but it eventually stood. Is the Church comfortable with the kind of leadership we have today?

As is expected in any democratic society, we have the right to express our views and state our desires. It is no secret that the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN)—at the highest levels of leadership, of which I am a part—openly expressed our displeasure over the Muslim-Muslim ticket.

I stand firmly with the position taken by CAN and PFN at the national level: there must be equity in the leadership structure of this country. Nigeria is not a Muslim country. Therefore, there is a clear need for balance. To be honest, there should be a blend—an inclusive representation of both the Christian and Muslim faiths. We’re not necessarily talking about the depth of individual religious commitment; rather, we’re emphasizing the importance of ensuring that all major faiths are represented and recognized at the highest levels of governance.

We must continue to make this position known. Because if the situation were reversed—if we had a Christian-Christian ticket—we must ask ourselves honestly: would our Muslim brethren be comfortable with that? Equity demands that we treat others as we would want to be treated.

Any leader of good conscience who seeks to govern a diverse nation like Nigeria must recognize that this country does not belong exclusively to any one religion. Nigeria is a multi-faith nation. And for the sake of national unity, balance, and justice, both Christianity and Islam, being the two dominant religions, should be represented at the topmost levels of leadership.

That has been and remains our stance. We are not rebels; we are not confrontational. But we will continue to speak the truth and advocate for what is just, fair, and equitable. I fully align with the position of my leaders in CAN and PFN: for there to be justice, there must be equity. And for equity to exist, no single religion should dominate the highest offices of the land.

How can Nigeria maximize the diversity in terms of religion so that there would be unity and development in the country?

I think that diversity in any area is an asset if it’s handled with sincerity. So, for me, the question of maximizing our diversity as Nigerians, especially our religious diversity, or any other form, is a matter of sincerity of heart. Because if you have a situation where, in a certain region or state… let’s even take the issue of tribe now, then to ensure equity, you must handle that diversity in such a way that everybody gets some share of power.

It may not be at the top level of leadership, but they must occupy positions that also have a lot of gravity and influence within the leadership structure.

So, whether it’s a matter of diversity, an issue of tribes, or handling diversity in matters of religion, to me, the bottom line is sincerity of heart.

If we have sincerity of heart and we’re really after equity, then that is when we can benefit from our diversity.

However, if there’s no sincerity of heart and people have hidden agendas and want to usurp authority over others, that’s where the trouble will always be.

So, we can only reap the dividends of diversity if the people who are involved are sincere in their hearts and are sincere in the pursuit of equity.

Currently, life is not easy for Nigerians as things are difficult. What do you have to say about the situation? What’s your advice to Nigerians?

First and foremost, let me start from the spiritual aspect because I believe that when all is said and done, having personal faith in God is the biggest solution to the difficulties in life.

We live in a world that is not perfect, and no matter how good any government is, there are imperfections. Good governance alone does not remove the challenges and difficulties of life. So, for me, I would advise people to come into a closer relationship with God and have that personal faith in Him.

There’s something about having faith in God that calms you down and gives you hope for the future. If we believe that God is Almighty, then we understand that if we put our faith in Him, He will take care of us.

That’s from a spiritual aspect. So, as a Christian, I believe that developing and having faith in God and being committed to Him is key to our survival in this end time. Faith in God is something that affects a human being in a way that nothing else can.

Now, from the other aspect of it, I feel that as citizens, we should hold our leaders accountable. That’s what it is in a democracy. I’m not saying we should dishonour leaders because God does not support dishonouring leaders. But there’s nobody under heaven who is exempted from being held accountable, especially if you’re a leader who is elected.

I feel that as Nigerians, we need to build up our force in that. We need to learn to speak out a bit more. We need to learn to hold our leaders accountable, especially our elected representatives—from the grassroots level up. From the Local Government to the State House of Assembly, our governors, and our federal representatives—whatever it is, we need to hold them accountable.

We need to start taking more interest in grassroots politics and understand our power as a people. If our representatives know that we have come to a point where we can no longer be bought over… I don’t understand how a politician contests for an election, buys rice and puts their picture on it, buys salt and puts their picture on it… is rice and salt going to solve the problems of four years or eight years?

So, our people must grow to the point where we understand that we have power. Once our elected representatives see that we are coming together as a critical mass and that we can determine whether they stay in the offices we elected them into, they will start listening to us more and more.

We have regulatory bodies established by the government, yet we are experiencing increases in the cost of almost every utility—especially the basic necessities of life. What advice do you have for the government and the governed?

You know, I’m not an economist, but I am a human being. I also understand that, many times, it’s easy to criticize the government from the outside. But when you get inside and see what’s on the ground, your perspective may change a little. So, I don’t claim to be an economist, and I don’t claim to know everything going on in government. But I believe some things are obvious. No Nigerian today can say that the cost of living is easy or fair.

One thing I don’t understand is this: if you’re taxing people… I ask myself, can you tax people who are dead? I think we need to govern with a human face, even when designing and implementing policies. We have to be sensitive to the plight of the people—I mean the living. How are people faring?

For example, look at the price of fuel today. Nigerians are truly a blessed and tolerant people; they can absorb a lot. Look at the price of fuel, the cost of power, the general cost of living—it’s a wonder, even a miracle that Nigeria is still functioning. God has blessed Nigeria with citizens who are extraordinarily patient and resilient.

I feel that the government, as much as it desires to implement policies in its wisdom to move the country forward, must understand that you cannot move a country forward if you don’t have a country in the first place. So, policies must be executed with a human face.

Secondly, I don’t believe there’s enough engagement or effort to help people understand the mindset behind some of these policies. You can sit and speak all the grammar you want, but the people in the villages—those who are directly affected—don’t understand all that. These policies have real consequences on their lives.

I believe things should be done in stages. I often give this example: when a mighty ship on the sea discovers it has missed its course and wants to change direction, it turns in small, incremental degrees. If you try to turn it too sharply, the ship will capsize. That’s my counsel to our leaders.

No matter how much you’ve thought things through at the economic level, you must understand that you’re dealing with real human beings. And if you want to turn around a nation that has been in decline for decades, you must do it in small, steady steps. Because you can only govern a country if you still have a country.

So, that’s all I’ll say on that.

Today, we are waking up to many transformations and innovations, and people—and even churches—are becoming more technologically inclined. Will this help the church, or do you see potential negative impacts?

Well, when it comes to technology, I believe that every innovation that comes into the world is ultimately allowed by God, especially in terms of technology, for the sake of the gospel. But the truth is, it’s just like money. Money is amoral. It takes on the character of the heart of the person who handles it. That’s exactly how I see technology. It depends on the person using it.

If the heart is influenced by the devil, then technology could become one of the church’s greatest challenges. But if the heart is influenced by God, then technology becomes a powerful tool for advancing the Kingdom of God.

Now, having said that, I’d also say this: I believe technology should, first and foremost, be used to reach the lost. There are many people who may never enter a church building or participate in a religious gathering, but they have access to technology. Technology can be used to reach the unsaved.

I also believe it can be a means of support for believers—Christians who may not have regular fellowship opportunities. It can help them stay connected to the word of God and the church.

However, I must emphasize that technology should ultimately motivate people to come into physical fellowship. Christianity cannot thrive without physical gathering. Technology should not be a replacement for physical fellowship, because you can never truly fulfill God’s eternal purpose for the church unless believers come together physically.

Recently, there have been two incidents I’d like us to talk about. One is the Los Angeles fire outbreak, and the second is the recent signing of an accord between Israel and Hamas to end the war that has lasted over a year. How do you view these events in the light of biblical prophecies?

You know, I stand to be corrected, but to my mind, the last time fire gutted a city on such a scale was in London, and I think that was in the 17th or 18th century. To me, what’s happening in Los Angeles is very, very prophetic. It’s a sign of the times we are living in—the last days.

But looking at it from another perspective: California… I don’t believe that God sent the fire. However, it reminds me of something. Someone once asked the late Billy Graham’s daughter during a live interview on a secular news network—a non-Christian anchor asked her, “If your God is so kind and loving, why is He allowing all these disasters? Where was your God when earthquakes happened? Where is He when there are mass shootings in schools and innocent people are killed? If God is so loving, why is He allowing all these things?”

She responded simply and said, “Well, God is exactly where you put Him—outside. When you said you didn’t want Bibles in your schools anymore, when you said you didn’t want God involved in your society, He stepped back. And now, look at the consequences.”

Unfortunately, that’s also the case with California. It’s one of the most liberal states in America, and one of those that have openly opposed God for decades. I’m not saying God sent the fire, but I am saying you can’t keep mocking God without reaping the consequences. And if you look at where the fires are concentrated, they’re mostly in areas that have, over time, resisted or mocked God the most.

My prayer is that people’s hearts will be humbled—that they will turn to God and begin to listen to Him again. Even if you say you don’t believe in God, at least respect Him a little. When things like this happen, wise people reflect, but foolish people mock and harden their hearts.

Again, if you look at what the Bible says about the end times, these are some of the signs we are meant to expect. And to me, in His great mercy, God wants the whole world to be saved. Sometimes, great tragedies become opportunities for serious-minded individuals to turn back to God. God is a restorer. I sympathize deeply with the families who have lost loved ones, their homes, and their properties. But I pray that, ultimately, this tragedy will turn hearts back to God.

As for the Israel and Hamas ceasefire—honestly, that situation is also purely prophetic. It’s an end-time issue. I believe that behind the scenes, the President-elect, who is due to be sworn in soon—on Saturday or Monday, I believe—has had some influence on this development. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu respects him a great deal and sees him as a true friend of Israel. I think it’s the voice of reason from President Trump behind the scenes that has contributed to Israel stepping back.

Israel is stepping back, I believe, because they trust Trump. They trust that they won’t be shortchanged in the future. But on a deeper level, from a spiritual standpoint, everything happening now aligns with biblical prophecy. We Christians know that Israel is at the center of prophecy.

So, we’ll watch and see how long the ceasefire lasts. I think Donald Trump is a strong leader, and both sides respect him. I hope this brings some reprieve to the Middle East and restores some level of sanity. Most importantly, I pray the attacks on Israel will come to an end.

Finally, as a church leader and the Chairman of the PFN in Plateau State, I’m sure you have a word for the church in the year 2025. What is your message?

My final word to the church—to believers and Christians everywhere—is that it’s time for us to seek God like never before. Our priority right now should be to know our God, to walk with Him, to know Him intimately, and to work for Him.

Why? Because everything happening in the world today points clearly to the last days, the very last of the last days. As believers, we understand that one of the things that will happen in the last days is the return of Jesus to take His church out of this earth.

So, while we continue to work, make a living, and go about the business of life, which we must, since we’re still here on earth, we must not lose sight of the bigger picture. Christians everywhere need to understand that the most important thing right now is an intimate walk with God: to know His heart, to understand His will, and to actively participate in building His Kingdom.

The Bible says in Matthew 6:33, “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these other things shall be added unto you”*—those very things people who don’t know God are spending all their energy pursuing. But if we put God first—someone once said, “Anyone who puts God first will never come last”—then He will take care of us. He’ll take care of our families, our future, and whatever time we have left before He returns.

The blessings of putting God first not only secure us spiritually but also have a real, practical impact on our lives here on earth. So, my advice to Christians everywhere is this: prioritize getting to know God more. Prioritize walking with Him more. Prioritize serving Him more. And let us all look forward to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.