The presiding pastor, Christ Foundation Miracle International Chapel, Lagos, Prophet Josiah Chukwuma has revealed what the Igbo must do if they are serious about the 2023 presidency.
In this interview, he stated that the high level of disunity, distrust, cold war, betrayal and bad blood among the Igbo, have been their Achilles’ hill, stressing that unless they urgently work on them, their dream of producing president in 2023 would not come to reality.
Why did you ask those who attacked you for urging the former vice president, Atiku Abubakar to withdraw the suit challenging Buhari’s election to apologise to God?
They must apologise, not for attacking me but for attacking God’s message. They must seek divine forgiveness. They called me names and rained all manner of curses on me for advising Atiku and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to withdraw the suit challenging President Muhammadu Buhari’s victory in the interest of peace. After Atiku lost at the tribunal and went ahead to appeal the tribunal’s decision, I repeated my call and advised him to withdraw the case. The message was published in some national dailies, and what followed were threats and condemnations from individuals within and outside the country. I had advised the former VP not to waste his money by seeking justice at the election tribunal or any court, but that he should rather give the funds he had earmarked for litigation or part of it to charity.
But Atiku received a lot of sympathy as well as accolades from several Nigerians for pursuing justice up to the Supreme Court; do you have a problem with that?
Commendations and consolations are okay. But, I am saying that spiritually, Atiku led a fight without the light. When you are confronted with a fight without a light, you should let the fight go; that is what makes a great man. If Atiku had listened to divine advice, he would have, rather than litigation, set aside even half of all the money that he wasted in the legal battle for charity. It would have been more honourable and worthwhile for him. You can imagine how many indigent Nigerians that such move would have lifted out of poverty and given a new lease of life. All he needed to do was to announce such a decision to Nigerians and set up a committee to start implementing it immediately. That would have earned him optimum image boost because it is said that tomorrow never ends.
Having said that, I would add that God has a reason for allowing anything to happen, including allowing Buhari to continue in office; how his victory came about does not matter. It is like the biblical story of Esau and Jacob. Esau was meant to serve Jacob until the pottage incident occurred. Who knows whether God had allowed Buhari’s emergence in the first place, so that Nigerians can learn some lessons and appreciate Him? All I am sounding to Nigerian politicians is that they must learn to listen to God. I have been reiterating this call since Obasanjo’s era, and all our prophecies since then have come to pass. They are there on the internet and newspaper archives. And to deceptive prophets and men of God, I say that flamboyance and earthly wealth are only ephemeral. Speak the truth; speaking God’s mind to those in authority does not amount to hatred. Good leaders require truth to be on the right pedestal. Those who had called for my head for urging Atiku to withdraw legal suit against Buhari’s victory were quick to forget that I had advised against Buhari’s candidacy for second term, before 2019 general election. They also forgot that I had suggested that Atiku be given a chance to try his luck in the presidency. Buhari’s proponents and those who knew that I had served Buhari, as a little boy, had rebuked and accused me of being sponsored by the PDP.
Did you say you have served President Buhari before?
Yes, as a little boy, when he was still a young military officer. I knew him through late Mrs. Obeya. I used to wash his car and do laundry for him. So, I knew him very well. I knew him as a very gentle, principled man. But, as a prophet, that cannot stop me from speaking truth to him or his government whenever the need arises. It is in the archives that during the build-up to the 2015 general elections, I had prophesied about all the sufferings and difficulties of Nigerians under the current administration, as directed by God. In that pre-2015 election message, I had also advised Buhari not to run for the election, that God had revealed that those urging him to run were doing so for their selfish reasons; that he lacked the grace to rule Nigeria again according to his original motive; and that cabals would hijack his government and would not allow him to lead the country according to his true conscience and agenda. All these are there in achirves.
What is your view about the clamour for and against a Nigerian president of Igbo extraction in 2023?
I am not a politician and I don’t speak like politicians. But, if you want the truth, I would tell you that the issue of Igbo becoming president or not in 2023 lies in the hands of Ndigbo. They must learn how not to betray themselves only to end up blowing away their chances. You cannot put something inside a leaking bag because whatever you put there will pour away. The level of disunity, cold war and distrust among the Igbo is so annoying, embarrassing, shameful and unfortunate. When everybody schemes and fights to be the one to occupy a lone seat, there is bound to be massive betrayal and counter-betrayal. I had prayed recently about the fate of Ndigbo over the 2023 presidency. But, you know what? I was ashamed of the answer that I got, which I would not share in the media. So, Ndigbo must stop destroying, selling, and lying against themselves as well as committing all manner of evils against themselves. They are the ones preventing the glory of God from shining upon Igboland as He wills. Many of our people pretend to be dining and wining with God, while the devil is their actual best friend. We must love God, love ourselves and look upon Christ and depend on Him for liberation. That is the only way that we could make substantial political inroad in this country.
What is your take on the rebirth of third term tale in the country and alleged plot by some individuals to create a window for the extension of Buhari’s tenure?
Mark my words! If Mr. President fails to firmly kill the third term conspiracy, he would be messed up in the end. Third term is an evil plot that may consume many politicians, if care is not taken. When I prayed over the issue, I was shown two major things that would happen, except the idea is killed. Buhari would be messed up in the end and a hostility that would give birth to two rival groups would ensue, which would force some people to flee the country. I saw the crisis escalating to the extent that politicians would become endangered species. Politicians would be targeted and subjected to brutal attacks without party, religious or tribal consideration.
THE SUN, NIGERIA