Society

An encounter with Prophet TB Joshua

September 23, 2014

Prophet TB Joshua welcomes Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu to the Synagogue church of all nations (SCOAN)

Saturday
September 13th was an interesting day for me and you will all agree
with me after reading my experience of the day as noted here. The day actually
started like any other day except for the fact that my role model and mentor Bashorun
Dele Momodu had summoned me into his diplomatic suite at the
prestigious Eko Hotel and suites,
Lagos for an emergency task.
My brief that morning was to come and lead the Ovation International Magazine
publisher to the Okota, Lagos home of the late Clergy-Journalist and book
author extra-ordinary, Dimgba Igwe who died a week earlier
while carrying out his early morning jogging exercise at his Okota, Lagos
neighborhood. The 58 years old Deputy
Godfather of Nigerian Tabloid Journalism Industry (With Mike Awoyinfa) was
knocked down by an unknown hit and run driver and he died four hours later due
to general complacency in the Nigerian health sector.

A troop of reporters ambushed Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu on his way out of Dimgba Igwe’s house

“The VIPs had to drive in their bus while we (Dele Momodu and Orji Kalu boys) trekked along. Our movement was fast, snappy and very military in action as a lady led us by and if you are not lucky to take a step along with her, the overzealous security men at each point of entry might just pronounce you a persona-non-grata. In fact, seeing and meeting Pastor TB Joshua is a very big deal as you are ushered in from one point of entry-to-another and from one inner-temple to another”.

Dimgba
Igwe was Dele Momodu’s boss at Weekend Concord and the publisher
had given me 13 pages inside Ovation magazine sometimes in 2010
when Mike
Awoyinfa and Dimgba Igwe granted me exclusive
interview after their unceremonious sack from The Sun Newspaper as
Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief and Deputy Managing Director/Deputy
Editor-in-Chief respectively.

The G D A & other reporters interviews Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu while leaving late Dimgba Igwe’s house

Chief Dele Momodu in a photo-pose with the G D A

I
got to Eko Hotel at 8:45 am some fifteen minutes before the 9am appointment
time. I quickly put a call to Chief Momodu at the Hotel lobby and
the famous publisher asked me to give him few minutes. He later came down to
usher me up, into his room 812 diplomatic suite. We hardly settled down inside
his suite when Chief Momodu beckoned on me to follow him to the high class
swimming pool side Eko Hotel restaurant downstairs where we had some sumptuous
meal of Omelets, fried dodo, coffee, French bread and lots of fruits to wash it
down. We had just taken our sit after our rigmarole around the assorted
cock-tail arena to do justice to our meal when a call came on one of Chief
Momodu’s phones and pleasantries ensured between the receiver and the
caller “Ah, ah, Orisa, mo wa ninu
restaurant ni sale” (Orisa, I am at the restaurant downstairs) the Ovation publisher hollered at the
caller at the other end. The unknown “Orisa” (Deity) later turned out to be the
very humble Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi. His friendship with Chief
Momodu has lasted over a silver year’s right from the humble days of
their June 12 struggle. And the two,
when I was a young writer at FAME publication couple of years back were very
instrumental to my several visits to Accra, the capital city of the Republic of
Ghana.

The G D A meets Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi

Dr Orji Uzor Kalu being welcomed into Dimgba Igwe’s home by Mike Awoyinfa and wife, Mrs. Bukola Awoyinfa while Eric Osagie of Daily Telegraph looks on

On
two popular occasions we went to Ghana; one in 2003 when the Ovation
West Africa brand was launched with eminent Nigerians like the then
senate president, Adolphus Wabara and then Lagos state Governor, Bola
Ahmed Tinubu present; and another time in early 2004 when Chief
Momodu opened his famous restaurant-House of Ovation in Accra
where former Abia state Governor Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu was Special Guest
of Honor. Asides that, our threesome Saturday September 13th Eko
Hotel Restaurant encounter was reminiscent of those beautiful years of my early
journalism career at FAME magazine when Dele Momodu will invite all of us to
breakfast, lunch or dinner at the Excellence Hotel restaurant at Ogba, Lagos
with best of buffet or cock-tail tradition. Our clique then had names like Olusegun
Fatoye, son of the Co-Founder of Multi-links, Chief Ezekiel Olasunmoye Fatoye
who is an uncle to the Ovation publisher; Gbenga Olunloyo aka Kapoor, son of
former Oyo state governor, Victor Omololu Olunloyo; Prince
Damola Aderemi, son of former Ooni of Ife, Oba Adesoji Aderemi,
Security expert, Foluso Adeagbo, Brand expert, Tosin Ogunderu, late Deji Falae, son of Chief Olu Falae who
died last year in an unfortunate plane crash and a host of other big boys who
are doing great in their various endeavors at the moment. That was the kind of
mentorship we got from Chief Dele Momodu, he allows you
free access to his big friends and equally gives you the necessary moral,
financial and intelligence support to succeed as an up and coming celebrity
journalist.

The Ovation Magazine publisher gives out a copy of Ovation Magazine to the Prophet

The Prophet in a group picture with Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, Chief Dele Momodu, Mr. Bolaji Tunji and a guest

As
we enjoyed our meal (Senator Afikuyomi also settled for our brand of meal), we talked
and laughed about several issues from the mellow-drama of the Nigerian
political scene to the giddiness of the local media industry down to religion and the “greener
pasture greed” that is fast destroying the lives of young ambitious Nigerians
across Europe and other parts of the world (Dele Momodu is a professor in such
experience as he often gets deluge of ‘take me abroad’ proposals from people)
the Senator brought up the issue of the Pastor TB Joshua’s building collapse in
Lagos. The sad event happened twenty four hours ago and the Senator already had
the “mysterious helicopter” video on his phone. He played it for me and Chief
Momodu. While we were having our meal, one of the Bruce brothers, Guy
Murray Bruce (I think) strolled in to have his breakfast. And as usual
he walked up to our table and threw banters with Chief Momodu and Senator
Afikuyomi. He left almost immediately after his meal. But the
economist, Bismarck Rewane was our longest co-visitor to the restaurant.
His table was just next to ours and he talked to us at length from the fall of
the naira, political economy down to other strange topics that is threatening
Africa’s economy, Bismarck who was wearing a jerry curled hair spoke on as
Chief Momodu, I and Senator Afikuyomi listened with rapt attention. But the Synagogue and TB Joshua discuss, which
was originally introduced by Senator Afikuyomi halted other topics
at hand as all of us ponder one reason or the other why some faceless people
would want to break down the Synagogue structure. But not wanting to follow
hearsay, Chief Momodu immediately put a call to Pastor TB Joshua before
us and by the time the Pastor’s voice came on at the other end, it was a voice
of a troubled and distraught man. Chief Momodu consoled the man of God
for his tribulation but the man of God would not take that alone as he humbly
request the presence of the Ovation
publisher in his church before stepping out of the country.

Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu consoling Mrs. Obioma Igwe

Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu giving his fatherly words to Mrs. Obioma Igwe and her children

We
finished our meal and returned to Chief Momodu’s room to meet his
driver, Personal assistants and other domestic staffs who had come to join us
on our trip to Okota. Senator Afikuyomi was on his way to Accra
and he left almost immediately after 15 minutes stay at Chief Momodu’s
diplomatic suite which overlooked the beautiful scenery of the Eko lagoon. We
left Eko Hotel around 11:15 am for the Okota home of the Igwes and we got there
around 12:15 pm. On getting there we met the heavy presence of mobile police
men and other security officials who had escorted the Chairman of The
Sun Publishing Ltd and former Governor of Abia state, Dr.
Orji Uzor Kalu from Abuja to Lagos on his first condolence visit to the
families of his now late Vice Chairman at The
Sun Publishing, Pastor Dimgba Igwe. The entourage also include Mr.
Bolaji Tunji, the Executive Director, Special Duties; The Sun Newspaper, Mr. Eric Osagie, MD/CEO Daily Telegraph Newspaper, Prince
Kunle Oyewunmi, Business Development Manager Slok phone (Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu’s new invention courtesy Toro
Technology of China) and several other big friends of the former governor.

Prophet TB Joshua welcomes Chief Dele Momodu to his guest room at The Synagogue Church of all nations (SCOAN)

The
apartment was jam-packed with the presence of journalists from various media
houses. On hand to receive Dr. Kalu and Chief Dele Momodu was Mr.
Mike Awoyinfa, late Dimgba Igwe’s twin brother and partner who arrived
from London a day earlier. His wife, Mrs. Bukola Awoyinfa, Dimgba’s widow
Mrs. Obioma Igwe, his elder brother Mr.
Hansen Madukwe Igwe, children and acquaintances. The visit saw Dr.
Orji Uzor Kalu promising to sponsor the education of the children of
the late journalist to any level they desire in life. Hear him “Except they
don’t want to read but if they want to read, I am going to be there for them at
all times and not at some times” Dr. Kalu promised. He also gave the widow, Obioma
his assurance of staying by her and her family at all times. The
international business man cum politician later asked one of his aides to give
all his four telephone contacts in all the continents he has businesses to Mrs.
Obioma Igwe “I know a lot of people here just have my Nigerian phone
contact, but with this (4 telephone contacts) you and your children cannot say
you cannot reach me at any time”. The combined entourage of Dr.
Orji Uzor Kalu and Chief Dele Momdu later moved to Mike
Awoyinfa’s house which is just beside Dimgba Igwe’s own and there the
condolence continued with Dr. Kalu, Chief Momodu and others spending some
quality time with the Awoyinfas who were equally hit by the disaster of Mr.
Igwe’s death.

Mr. Bolaji Tunji of The Sun, The GDA with an aide of Prophet TB Joshua (standing) as Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, Chief Dele Momodu and a guest sat and watch

Right
inside Mr. Awoyinfa’s house, Chief Momodu had signified his
intention to leave as his schedule for the day was very tight, with his last
brief in Nigeria to attend Mo’Abudu’s 50th birthday bash in the
later part of the day. On making enquiry of why Chief Momodu was in a haste to
leave him alone, the Ovation publisher told his Sun Newspaper
counterpart that he was on his way to pay a condolence visit to Prophet
TB Joshua at the Synagogue. To the surprise of all, Dr.
Kalu decided to abandon a lecture he had at Suru-lere, Lagos and join Chief
Dele Momodu and his team to visit the embattled man of God. Pronto, we all left the Okota homes of the
Awoyinfa and Igwes, straight to Ikotun. Thanks to Chief Orji Uzor Kalu’s
advance security vehicles and combined team of mobile police men who cleared
the traffic jam and snaked through the terrible Ejigbo-Ikotun traffic snarl till
we got the The Synagogue Church of all Nations (SCOAN). On getting there,
our convoy went through some traffic hurdles as Dr. Kalu’s white bus which
equally had Chief Momodu and other VIPs inside was allowed into the inner
building. The overzealous security men and some funny workers of the church
initially made it difficult for us to gain entry after our bosses had been
allowed in. It took a call to Chief Dele Momodu by Mr.
Bamisebi Richards, the astute and amiable head of Administration of
Ovation Magazine, Lagos office before words were sent to the gate that a couple
of us should be allowed in.

Mr. Bolaji Tunji of Sun Newspaper, Lagos Police PRO, Ngozi Braide with the GDA (standing) while the PRO was greeting Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu and Chief Dele Momodu

Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu signing the condolence register

We
were led by a senior police officer into a restaurant inside the administrative
block of the church building where we met some other visitors among which is
the Lagos Police PRO, Ms. Ngozi Braide and a couple of
other top officers who were probably there to meet Prophet Joshua. We learnt
the Prophet was busy inside and couldn’t see us immediately. It took Dr.
Orji Uzor Kalu’s subtle protest of his travelling to China and that he
wouldn’t entertain waiting for ever to see ‘the prophet’ as he needed to plan
ahead, before another message was sent in and with it came an instant
re-movement of our team from the initial wing of the building into another wing
of the giant church. The VIPs had to drive in their bus while we (Dele Momodu
and Orji Kalu boys) trekked along. Our movement was fast, snappy and very
military in action as a lady led us by and if you are not lucky to take a step
along with her, the overzealous security men at each point of entry might just
pronounce you a persona-non-grata. In fact, seeing and meeting Pastor TB Joshua
is a very big deal as you are ushered in from one point of entry-to-another and
from one inner-temple to another. A team of white ushers later ushered us into
a well furnished guest room where over thirty pictures of the prophet with
various personalities across the world and those taken at some great locations
of the world dotted the wall.

Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, Chief Dele Momodu & Prophet TB Joshua when Chief Momodu & Dr. Kalu were taking their leave

….And the prophet emerged.

We
spent quite some good minutes in the Prophet’s living room before he finally
emerged. His appearance was full of camaraderie as Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu and Chief
Dele Momodu stood to welcome him. Adorning a red t-shirt with the inscription
“Make JESUS the CEO of your life” the prophet looked really troubled and
embattled as he received his guests. Although a little smile played around his
chin but it was only a façade to keep off the gloom of the moment. He later narrated how the whole episode
started. The prophet told his gathering
of guests (Which include this blog) how his attention was called to the
presence of a “hovering jet” while praying on the mountain. But because of his
commitment to the prayers, Prophet Joshua said he could only
pay little attention to the information as he went back praying. However, the
unbelievable happened as the building crashed down after the fourth hover of
the strange helicopter. And the
unbelievable manifested.

‘I will be with you and your children at all times, not at some times’ Dr. Kalu promises Mrs. Obioma Igwe

Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu meets Dimgba Igwe’s widow, Mrs. Obioma igwe

The
prophet also recalled the last attempt by some Boko Haram spies few months ago,
who tried to detonate bomb on the church during service but were caught and
handed over to the police. The prophet claimed that ‘although the former Lagos
police boss, Umar Manko declined his claims that it was a Boko Haram attempt
and that it took him a call to the President and Commander-in-Chief before the
case was transferred to Abuja where it was later discovered that it was indeed
a Boko Haram attempt. The Prophet also noted that the September 12 attackers
were not after anybody but himself “Nigerians would have woken up this morning
to hear that I am gone” Prophet Joshua narrated with his two hands in the sky.
He said after carefully monitoring their target, they ended up hitting the
wrong target which happens to be the church’s guest house. While speaking to us,
the prophet couldn’t look up as you could see all over his face a gloom of
confusion and psychological embattlement. He was indeed very disturbed. Some of
his black and white aides were later called in to confirm one or two issues.

Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu welcoming Chief Dele Momodu

Dr. Orji
Kalu
and Bashorun
Dele Momodu later consoled Prophet TB Joshua. While Chief
Momodu intermittently gave words of wisdom with the word “E pele”
(Sorry sir) dotting all sentences, Dr. Kalu encouraged the famous
prophet to put his faith in God and never to let the challenge weigh him down
“You have always help other people to face their own challenges and solve their
own problems; this is your own challenge, I want you to look at it as a means
by God to enrich your faith in Him the more” Dr. Orji Kalu urged the Prophet.
Our team later left the man of God after an hour and fifteen minutes with him.
While Chief Dele Momodu gave him copies of the newly unpublished Ovation
magazine with the wedding of President Goodluck Jonathan’s daughter in it; Dr.
Orji Kalu presented the trial product of his new brand, Slok Phone to the man of God. The man of God also gave each one 3
copies of his books titled “What the Future Holds (1) What the Future Holds
(ii) and “The Mirror”. And we left the Synagogue and the man in it.