Pastor Isaiah Olaoluwatoyin Alade is the District Superintendent of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Prayer Mountain of Mercy, (Ori-Oke Aanu), Igbo-Oloyin, Ojoo Ibadan. In this interview with SEYI JOHN SALAU, the Ibadan-based cleric advises Nigerians on the need to give love a chance, as he calls for prayers for the forthcoming elections in Ekiti and Osun states. Excerpts:
Prayer Mountain of Mercy has been established for over three decades. How has the journey been so far?
I must let you know that I was not the one that started this prayer mountain but my dad. I can remember he left us at home around 1980s to come and be living on this prayer mountain. It wasn’t so easy. I remember when we were growing up, so many people that were mentally disturbed came here. Dad believed so much in praying for the sick but when we had a challenge, precisely in 2006, since that time, some people instructed us that if anybody wants to do that, such person should go and collect the license. I personally don’t have interest in that. I have interest in breakthrough, I have interest in giving hope to the people; I have interest in teaching them the principles of God. There are uncountable miracles that have taken place on this mountain that I cannot remember again. Is it those that have leprosy that have been healed? Or is it those that have stroke that have been healed? A lot. It is the mercy of God that has been working here. A lot of politicians have visited this place and God has given them the office that they desire to the glory of God.
Why is it that our religiosity as a nation has not produced the needed fruits of nation building?
My people perish because they lack knowledge. These days, nobody really wants to serve anyone but everybody wants to get there in one day. So many people that we call leaders, especially the spiritual leaders are causing confusion. I read a story in one of the dailies early this year that a particular man of God took some of his church members; mostly ladies to the waterside in Lagos that he wants to go and anoint them naked, so that they can have their own husbands. People don’t really have the understanding of God. We can have churches, mosques, spiritual places but majority of them don’t know God. What you don’t have you can’t give. So, until the leaders have the knowledge of God, until the leaders teach the people the knowledge of God not the knowledge of themselves. He said by his stripes they are healed. So, why we have problems in this generation is because people prefer deceit. They want quick method. God is not a magician. God is a miracle worker and before you can receive from him, you have to follow his principles. The Bible says “the Father loved the son and he gave everything to his son”. Jesus is the son. I don’t practise religion. I practise the life of Christ. I don’t discriminate on the mountain I pastor. Though, am under CAC, I am ordained in CAC and I work according to the principles of CAC but at the same time, I work according to the leading of the Holy Spirit. So, Jesus is the first one in my life, he showed the Holy Spirit to me and I accepted the Holy Spirit and I operate in the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will tell me this person has problems, this is how he is going to do to come out of it. The reason we are often having problems in this nation is that majority are not showing them God. They show them gold, they show them themselves. They tell them I cursed so so person and he ran mad. They threaten them and that is why people are not getting their solutions from God. They are getting their solutions from fallen angels and that is why there will be persistent confusion unless we all go back to the genuine God through Jesus Christ and the leading of the Holy Spirit.
What other approach can be adopted to tackle the insecurity in some parts of the country?
To the best of my knowledge, my advice to the Federal Government and to other Nigerians is that they should start declaring love to others. On the issue of amnesty to the Boko Haram, the Fulani herdsmen – is a sign of love. Let us show love to those people that do not love themselves. Some people don’t mind killing themselves but when you show them love, and making them know about Christ, it is only Christ that can remove crises. Don’t let us preach religion. Let us preach the one that displays love. The Federal Government should show love to Nigerians by sacrificing what they have been endowed with by giving to the people that are poor. They should not concentrate only on the urban areas but the rural areas. They should go to the deep North. There are some places in the Eastern part of Nigeria that do have water, light and other social amenities. They should stop talking corruption. Let them do things that will make this nation come out of all these problems. Let the government start by investing in the life of the hopeless.
What is your stand on this administration’s anti-corruption crusade?
Sincerely, to my own level of understanding, I will not say anything about it. But, if all the looted money seized from the former Head of State, General Sanni Abacha is well invested in this nation, the whole thing would have turned around for the better. One person has the money that can finance the whole nation, what are we talking about? I am not really keen about that because things are not getting better. So, as a result, corruption will continue to increase at a higher rate but if we make it available for everyone, nobody will get corrupt. What I want to say is that they should work on the people by making their life better.
Finally, as we approach the 2019 general election; what is your advice to politicians and the voting public?
I want to advise Nigerians to get set; they should go and collect their PVCs. They should avoid voting for any sugar coated mouth politicians. They should vote for people based on what you have seen them do. Vote for people by what God is telling you and what you have known about them. The only person I want in the position is the person God wants there. I want to specifically advise the people of southwest geopolitical zone, the Yoruba people of the zone to go and get their PVCs and get ready for next year’s election. They should seek the face of God in choosing their political leaders in 2019. I also want to implore the people of Ekiti and Osun States to pray fervently for the peaceful conduct of the governorship elections in those states. They should pray to avert bloodbath and violence during the polls.
