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- Says clergymen should propagate salvation over prosperity
By Bianca Iboma-Emefu
The Church Evangelist for New Covenant Church Edmonton, Pastor Lawrence Solution Oji, has enjoined clerics, community leaders, and other influential individuals and groups in Nigeria to propagate salvation and step up the campaign against illicit drug use.
Oji made this call during a press briefing held recently, in Lagos stressing the need to be compassionate with soul-winning.
He observed that drug abuse and illicit drug use, especially among the youth population in Nigeria, was alarming and called for a concerted effort to stop the menace.
Oji urges clerics to focus more on salvation during sermons rather than prosperity, stating that the majority of the clerics preach prosperity, neglecting the challenges people are confronted with.
The cleric who is now a minister with the New Covenant Church, London and Coordinator of Saving Hands for Alcoholic and Drug End-Users (SHADE), shared his experience before his encounter with God.
He pointed out that the increased cases of depression, drug abuse, urge to rape and all forms of societal vices among Nigerians, could result from limited access to messages of salvation.
Oji said that most clerics preach prosperity, neglecting the soul-searching messages of salvation and challenges people are confronted with.
He urged clerics to deliberately preach salvation to address the moral decadence in society.
“Clerics must begin to prioritise preaching on the theme of salvation and minimise that of prosperity because many people have not received salvation and are confronted with serious challenges that cannot be compared to material possession.
“The ministry of every Christian is to look out for those in bondage and ensure they are free
“Many are in the ministry for self-interest. Pastors should begin to teach people the word of God in line with salvation so that they can have personal encounters with God,” he said.
Narrating his “prison to palace journey, Oji said he wasted over 30 years of his life engaging in hard drugs and later got depressed as a result of his quest to leave the habit.
“I was born with the proverbial silver spoon in my mouth and would have risen to the top echelons of life in Nigeria, through any occupation but squandered the opportunities, destiny handed over to
me. However, I had yet another chance for a fresh start with a university education in New Delhi, India. I was a star student, nevertheless I managed to plunge into the dark depths of drugs.
“I became an early success in drug dealing and I quickly cemented my own addiction that fueled a jet-set lifestyle. Basically, that crisscrossed a nexus of leading cities in Africa, India, and Europe. The law caught up with me in Italy, I became completely exasperated by my enslavement to drugs and aborted suicide attempts, I returned to prison to find that God was waiting for me with arms open wide. That was my only hope and last option. The star student didn’t fail this time.
“God’s unending love and desire to rescue the most destitute and hopeless, regardless of how far they have fallen.
“I was always giving out drugs to people who desired to have them but were not financially buoyant to get. That made me acquire the nickname ‘Mr Solution’, then,” he recalled.
However, being involved with drugs abroad, he was imprisoned countless times. He said his horrible sojourn in drugs necessitated his taking up evangelism, “to put those suffering from drug abuse and depression on the right path of God”.
Also, he asked if peer group influence led me into hard drugs. I also led many people to drugs in Nigeria. My addiction was so bad that I tried going to the hospital to be rescued but to no avail.
“My mother went to different places to take me out of drugs and she was told my destiny was spiritually tied to drugs.
“I am sharing my story so that people in similar situations can be hopeful. Through this, I got depressed and, at a point, stabbed myself so as to die. Within a year I destroyed five cars because I just wanted to end it all. I deliberately bashed those cars.
“But, on March 21, 2001, the desire to smoke left me after being prayed for by one of the prison ministers at the highest prison in Italy. At this point, the authorities were already tired of me, my name was among those to be deported after serving my sentence.
“But, somehow, God intervened and I was not deported as planned. People should not give up on their loved ones. They should rather pray for them and preach to them to be free from every bondage.
“Now, I go to prisons across the world to preach salvation. I also go to places that are abodes of drug addicts. I make sure they are delivered. So, clerics should do more,” he said.
Oji said he was from an affluent family and joined the Nigerian Police at a point in time.
“I later moved to the banking industry and was a pioneer member of the Institute of Bankers.”
Oji said he was disposed to golden opportunities but never took advantage of them due to drug addiction.
“My utmost desire now is to establish a rehabilitation centre that will cater for victims of drug abuse and depression without financial commitment from beneficiaries,” he said.
The cleric also spoke of his love for the late Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.
“While in the Nigerian Police Force, I was assigned to guard Fela after his house was burnt and he was hospitalised at the then Creek Hospital in Lagos,” he said.
The Cleric is from Abia State and holds a first degree in Economics and a Masters degree in Theology and Religious Studies.
He has published several books in his bid to relay his life experiences to encourage and inspire others. The books are – From Prison to Pulpit; Soul Winning Made Simple; Not Without a Scar; Depression: The Silent Killer, causes, consequences and cure; Positioned by Grace; Stubborn Faith and Power of Hope.
Mr Oji said he was from an affluent family and joined the Nigerian police at a point in his life, where he had a stint later moved to the banking industry and was a pioneer member of the Institute of Bankers.”
Mr Oji said he was disposed to golden opportunities but never took advantage of them due to drug addiction.
The cleric also spoke of his love for the late Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.
“While in the Nigerian Police Force, I was assigned to guard Fela after his house was burnt and he was hospitalised at the then Creek Hospital in Lagos,” he said.
