By Promise Adiele
His name is Daniel Kolawole Olukoya, the General Overseer of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries Worldwide. He could be described as a lonely voice in the wilderness, crying and insisting that the ways of the Lord be made straight at a time when the devil and all the demons from Hades seem to have relocated their habitation to Nigeria’s political and economic corridors. In Nigeria’s Christendom, D.K Olukoya stands out at a time when the country faces a consistent, onslaught from degenerate power-hungry politicians. He has elected to be different when many so-called men of God are insidiously majestic, without honour or any iota of shame, aligning with diverse political platforms for pecuniary advantage, scrabbling for crumbs from the table of the devil, sniffing for putrid, stale leftovers with disingenuous determination. In what could compete as Nigeria’s most putrescent political process since independence, many men of God are betraying their calling, misleading their flock, and making God a liar. When these so-called men of God are not endorsing a criminal political office seeker, they offer devil-induced, Lucifer-inspired prophecy which offer a deceptive prognosis for the country’s future. As these political pastors mount the podium and utter blasphemy, subliminally enthroning apostasy, the work of God, which is their primary responsibility, suffers abandonment.
In all the confusion that define Nigeria’s current political journey, D.K Olukoya stands out, committing to doing the work of God and dedicating himself to accomplishing set primary assignments, which is – setting the captives free from the constricting grip of the devil, providing hope to the hopeless through preaching the word of God, and devoting to social responsibility through acts of charity and benevolence. Indeed, D.K Olukoya is a man on a different level. Nigeria’s prevailing political situation has exposed many so-called men of God for what they are – desperate opportunists ready to dine with the devil as long as the sovereign ruler of the kingdom of perdition will pay their prices and pick their bills. Before the elections, it was one prediction after another from the pulpit where they preach the word of God. Prophesy became a pastime for the delusionary victims of psychosis. They spoke when God did not speak. Instead of prophesying, they prophelied. Even now, they still speak when God has not spoken simply to ingratiate themselves to the slippery slopes of power environment. God said Lagbaja would win. God said Lagbaja is the saviour of Nigeria. God said Lagbaja’s government would bring economic recovery. God said that the dollar would equal the naira under Lagbaja’s government. God said this and that, all calculated effusions from the warped mental delirium of spiritually disoriented persons.
The question to ask is – to what purpose are these so-called men of God swimming in the polluted waters of Nigerian politics as active participants? What are they seeking? Beyond the billions they are making from their worshippers, beyond the superstar, mega identity they enjoy through their self-serving, inordinate interpretations of the scriptures, what else do these men stand to gain by smearing the name of the living God with false affirmations? In truth, the Church has a role to play in shaping the destiny of any country, but it does not include endorsing various acts of criminality glaring to the whole world. God is not an author of confusion. God does not validate forgery, lies, deception, and various iniquitous indulgences. God is not the author of ‘the end justifies the means’. When our egocentric preachers mount the pulpit, they isolate and cite various portions of the Holy Book out of context to satisfy their lucre-motivated objectives. By encouraging and endorsing criminal elements in power, these preachers invariably become accomplices in impoverishing the people and granting legitimacy to an otherwise illegitimate political situation.
D.K Olukoya has emerged as one of the preachers in Nigeria not moved or influenced by power desperados who desperately want to superintend over the affairs of the people against their wish. Through various outlets, Olukoya preaches the undiluted word of God which encourages righteousness, holy living, sinless life and a commitment to the kingdom of God. His passion for humanity is unrivalled. His empathy for the poor and indigent among Nigerians is commendable. As the chancellor of one of the best private universities in Nigeria, he has subsidized the school fees to make it affordable for many economically underprivileged in the country. Through his D.K Olukoya’s Foundation, he grants scholarships to a good number of students in the university irrespective of their ethnicity or state of origin. Yet, many men of God in his category, built universities with the sweat of the congregation and put the school fees above the reach of the poor.
Towards the last general elections, D.K Olukoya turned down requests from many top politicians to endorse them or openly identify with them. He refused to bring politicians to his pulpit. According to him, ‘church pulpit is not for politics'”
Although Olukoya has been criticized many times for the mode of prayers in his church focused against the kingdom of Satan, many celebrities, politicians, and billionaire businessmen troop to his church under the cover of the night, like the Biblical Nicodemus, seeking prayers and deliverance from one spiritual affliction or another. Today, many churches have adopted the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries’ prayer pattern. They adopt the prayer pattern of the church without adopting the honest principles of the church. Now, even when developments in Nigeria have attracted plurivocal angst across the world, these men of God embrace the lore of mammonic culture in total departure to the gospel of Christ.
Towards the last general elections, D.K Olukoya turned down requests from many top politicians to endorse them or openly identify with them. He refused to bring politicians to his pulpit. According to him, “church pulpit is not for politics”. Of course, a politician that has lied all through his life, with a baggage that oozes moral deficiency, can only establish devilish characteristics in our hearts and defile any pulpit on earth. D.K Olukoya must be commended for remaining faithful to his calling and refusing to get involved with politicians or making political statements that would patronize politicians and office seekers. One may ask if staying away from political involvement and politicians will not alienate the church from having a say in the governance process in the country because when the wicked rule, the people mourn. D.K Olukoya encourages his congregation to make informed judgements in their political decisions and vote for whoever they like so that the will of God can be established through the people. But we remember that God is not involved in all success stories because the devil can also grant success. That something has succeeded does not mean that God is involved.
The ship of the Nigerian state in the current era is surreally berthing in the most despicable, troubled, violated waters. In these times, the Nigerian journey is defined by state capture, official endorsement of criminality by many men of God and wanton compromise of various apparatus of government. Ordinary, vices like forgery, lying, manipulation, subversion and perversion of justice have become envied virtues in the country and a nonplussed section of the populace celebrates the perpetrators as heroes of the land. Various underhand behaviour currently competes for honours in Nigeria. At times like this, one expects those with acclaimed spiritual ethos to identify with the people, speak the truth and expose all forms of dubiety and double standards in the body politic. Unfortunately, many men of God, one after another, regrettably, openly align with sin, where sin is promoted as statecraft in the country. In all the confusion, D.K Olukoya stands out as a moral compass supremely dedicated to the kingdom of God and humanity. Although he has not openly criticized various forms of criminality in the bossom of political gladiators in the country, it is commendable that he has chosen not to endorse them or drink from the same sin-infested trough with demon incarnates in our political space. D.K Olukoya is the quintessential servant of God.
Promise Adiele PhD
Mountain Top University
Promee01@yahoo.com