…Says “I went to school of hunger, I have stayed two days without food”
•Suggests ways to end corruption in Nigeria
From Tony John, Port Harcourt
Apostle Chibuzor Gift Chinyere is the general overseer of the Omega Power Ministry (OPM) Worldwide.
In this interview with Sunday Sun in Port Harcourt, he spoke on variety of issues, including his philanthropic works, critics, 50th birthday, and corruption.
There have been many reports about your humanitarian works. Why are you into it?
I did not go to conventional school and the normal university and all that. But, God passed me through the university of affliction. I went to university, but I did not go to university. I did not go to normal university that has the four walls. I went to the university of affliction, which prepared me for today. I didn’t go to school, so that I can know how it feels for somebody to go to school. Since I couldn’t go to school, I had to go and do security guard, in Lagos. So, that is why I invested so heavily in education. By the grace of God, OPM has 29 free schools, more than 17,000 has passed through OPM scholarship both local and international. Then, I didn’t have a house; I was homeless. I slept under the bridge. So, I went to the university of homelessness; where I was sleeping under the bridge with carton as my blanket. But, today, I have 18 free estates. Homeless people are living in them free-of-charge. I have built more than 17 houses for widows. I have donated estates to so many people; if it is land, they are numerous. I cannot mention. I didn’t have money to go to hospital. I went to the university of sickness, that’s why God used me to establish the first free hospital. I got a job as a cleaner in the airport. So, I desired to travel abroad because I was seeing people travelling every day. It was my greatest dream. But I did not achieve it. So, I also went to the school of not being able to travel, seeing but not travelling. That is why I am sending people overseas. I went to the school of hunger, I have stayed two days without food. Everything you see OPM doing is life experience. I do whatever I am doing with great joy because God is rewarding the church through these gestures. I have a scholarship scheme.
How can other ministers of God emulate your kind of philanthropic spirit in different parts of Nigeria and the world where they find themselves?
Well, people come to church, they drop offering in the box. The offering does not belong to the pastor. The tithe does not belong to the pastor. There is a difference between someone coming to give you a gift and when the person is dropping tithe in the box. The gift given directly to you belongs to you. But, the one dropped in the offering or tithe box does not belong to you. It belongs to God. And the best way to make God happy is by using that money for God’s people. God’s money is for God’s work.
People say that God blesses those who help the poor. How true is this belief or assertion with regard to your ministry?
Whatever work you are doing in the name of God to help the poor and needy in the society, it doesn’t go without a reward from God. And that is what we are doing and God is rewarding the church.
Critics say that people hear much about your philanthropic deeds, than other aspects of the gospel when it comes to your ministry. What answer do you have for those who feel that way?
What us church? Church is not the building. Church is the people inside the building. If you go through the Bible, you find how many times you see Jesus go to preach in the synagogue. Most of his preachings were on the streets, reaching the people directly, reaching the people on their needs. That is gospel. Let me tell you, if rapture happens today, the building will not be raptured. It is the people in the building. Why not concentrate on the people than on the building? For you to be able to convince a kidnapper to surrender his gun, what other gospel do you have to give? I have collected guns from kidnappers and armed robbers. These are people who were deadly criminals. You can investigate what I am telling you. These are people who were dreaded in their communities. Gospel is about converting perishing souls to God.
You have taken many criminals and sex workers out of social vices. How did you tame them?
What is ministry? What is Christianity? Christianity is Christ-like. When our Master, Doctor Jesus Christ came to earth, if he preached only at the synagogue, only the Christians would be saved. But he went in to the sinners house, the tax collector (Zaccheaus). You will reach out to the people; that is Christianity. But, what we do now every Sunday, we preach in the church which is the Lord’s supper. So, I have to take the gospel to them. How did it start; everyday before OPM started, I usually went to Rumuola to go and preach to the sex workers there every day. But, when I preached, out of 100 per cent, I got 20 per cent. In fact, 80 per cent of them came back the next day. I ask God to bless me, because I really needed to win these souls and God made provision. When the church started and I now bought an estate, furnished it and went back on part two. I went back to Cool Breeze Hotel. All those hotels I visited, I preached to them (sex workers ). On that single day, I removed 35 sex workers from the hotel (Cool Breeze). I then braced up. I bought another estate, furnished it and went for the criminals, the arm robbers; I went to their bunk, where they normally smoked, where they took drugs. I started converting them; they started surrendering their guns. You can investigate how many number of guns OPM have recovered in the past 12 years. It will shock you.
Some pastors have been associated with flamboyancy, while their members are living in abject poverty. What is your view?
What is Church? Church is not the building, but the people inside the building. When rapture takes place, it will not be the building that will be raptured, it is the people in the building that will be raptured. All these buildings and material things you see will become raw material for hell fire. God is interested in the souls inside the church not the structure. So, that is why I invest in the people not the structure.
Why is it that some pastors make themselves inaccessible to their members, except the rich. Why?
I want to live like Jesus Christ. I want to emulate my Master, Doctor Jesus. He was accessible; He reached out to people. That is why I prefer to reach out to people.
What can you say about your critics?
The devil’s plan is to discourage me. But, God’s plan is to encourage me. I cannot succumb to the plan of devil. Most of the people the devil is using to fight me are the people I helped. I don’t know what is their problem. I won’t stop doing good. Nobody can stop or discourage me from doing what is good.
You just celebrated your 50th birthday. What is this age and year to you?
This age is a motivating factor, a new beginning. It is a time to double what I am doing for God. So, everything you see will be doubled, because I am going to multiply them. God is providing, God is my source.
Nigerians are adjudged to be religious. Yet, corruption and social vices are on the increase. What solution can you proffer?
Make politics unattractive; let the law makers earn minimum wage. If this is done, you will be amazed how the society would be. Let politics be unattractive; let them (politicians ) work with their whole heart, not working for money, but working to improve humanity. Once you make it unattractive, you will meet the right people. The question is, why do you need 20 cars to be escorted? These vehicles are using fuel. Most of these politicians are operating what I call divide-and-rule. When these politicians see that you are too focused, they introduce tribalism and religion to cause confusion and division. That is why OPM, in all free schools, is opened for both Muslims and Christians.
What fulfillment do you have in life ?
Under my 50 years of existence, 22 free schools, two specialist hospitals, more than 70 houses for widows, too numerous to mention. I have every reason to glorify God.
What would you want to be remembered for?
What I want many people to remember me for is that I am able to bring out many families from poverty, give people that do not have opportunity for education to have free education. My driving force in what I am doing is the love of Christ.