‘I don’t see Buhari fit for Aso Rock in 2019’

He is 44 years in the ministry and at the age of 72, the founder and primate of Evangelical Church of Yahweh, Worldwide, Theophilus Oluwasanu Olabayo, is still waxing strong in the things of God, especially in the area of prophesies. In this interview with CHRIS IREKAMBA, the respected man of God spoke on a number of issues, including next month’s election in Anambra State.

On November 18, 2017, Anambrians will go to the polls to elect who governs the state in the next four years. What is God telling you about that election?
Enemies will gather together to cause confusion in attempt to rig the election and prevent incumbent governor, Willie Obiano, from wining the election. However, Obiano will retain his seat as governor, because God is going to use the churches in Anambra to make him retain his seat. Any attempt to rig or cause confusion will lead to such war as political assassination and so on. And INEC officials should do the right thing to avoid political upheaval in the state. Some people will do everything possible to create trouble resulting in skirmishes.

Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) says there is subtle plan by Federal Government to islamise the country. Are you on same page with the body or do you have a different view entirely?
All I know is that there is vulture in the land. They may have an agenda like that, but anybody that has such a plan will live to regret it. Nobody can islamise Nigeria, they can only try it, but they will fail. The way they are retiring Southerners in the military is worrisome. If we say we are one Nigeria, then they should think twice. Why are powerful positions not given to Southerners? Unfortunately, if you put some Southerners in powerful positions, they will not favour their brothers and sisters from the South.

If we have pastors among them in government, why should they fold their hands and allow the country to be islamised? The issue is: if CAN has said so, they may have documents to buttress their point. But again, there are Christians in this government, why should they allow such a thing to happen? Are they not part of the system?

What is your view concerning military invasion in the Southeast?
I strongly condemn what the military did. Whatever the case, the blunder of the Defence Headquarters is what happens, when things are done in a hurry. When actions are not well thought out, when people suddenly wake up from slumber and begin to take actions, people whose rationale is suspect. When they said Operation Python Dance is a yearly event, it is very wrong. They should stop involving military. This can lead to civil war, if not properly checked.

I am also not happy that in a democratic society like ours, the military was ordered to kill people anyhow. It’s never done anywhere. Dialogue is the best option, and where it fails, then they should have used police instead of military. They’ve also threatened to come to the Southwest and they didn’t see the menace of Boko Haram and herdsmen in the northern part of the country. We are in the same Nigeria and nobody can divide the country.

For the young man, Nnamdi Kanu, his mentor and boss, the late Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu tried it and failed. So, why should he try it when he has no support? How can you pull out of Nigeria? We have been together. There should be dialogue.

You said you are not happy with this government…
What pains me is that this government is paying attention to false prophets, who claim to have heard from God; meanwhile, God never instructed them to speak. They tell lies concerning the nation, just because they were paid to say things in favour of government.

For instance, during my 70th birthday, one prophet visited me. He said he came to greet me. On that very day, he came with policemen and different kinds of people. When he left, what I saw next in the newspapers was that he had engaged 20, 000 prophets to pray for this government. Those of us saying the truth are labelled ‘prophet of doom.’

We have to pray against flood and mystery fires, and the time is coming when the poor will face the rich. Again, this government will face security challenges, and these are some of the things that would make way for the man of destiny to come in and cleanse the system. This man of destiny is the only tough guy that can arrest all the evildoers in this nation. Buhari is not the messiah we are expecting to cleanse the system and make life meaningful. He should also be very careful, because some people are going to advise him to increase fuel price. He should not to listen to them. Rather, he should make life meaningful for people.

Some years ago, you spoke about a messiah that would cleanse the mess of previous governments in Nigeria. Are you saying President
Muhammadu Buhari is not the awaited one?
When former president Goodluck Jonathan was in power, corruption was at the peak. And everywhere you turned, there was corruption. People were stealing anyhow and I told you then that Jonathan was not the messiah and neither is Buhari. For instance, the people that served in Jonathan’s administration have joined the current government and, therefore, things are going to be worse. People are going to be missing mysteriously and on the issue of restructuring, this government is not going to do it, because of security challenges. God is going to raise somebody else. For those praying that Buhari should die; he is not going to die.

How would you assess this current government, which is already two years in office?
You cannot compare Jonathan’s administration with Buhari’s government. They are two parallel lines that can never meet. In fact, I am not the one to assess it; you journalists and Nigerians out there are in a better position to assess the government. Do they earn any pass mark? Since Buhari is not the messiah, the man is old and he has tried. He was busy arresting corrupt people and looters are fighting back. We only hear that people have been arrested, but we don’t know whether they collected money from them or not. But if they don’t collect it and they are just shouting, a man of destiny will collect it and deal with them. The money they have stolen is too much they should collect it back. I wish Nigeria well. Government should take care of the less privileged ones. People are dying on a daily basis. People are suffering and if the leaders fail to take care of them, God will judge them. It’s high time they stopped all these killings.

Look at how Nigerians are being killed on daily basis, especially reverend fathers. There is anarchy in the land. It is just the same as obtained in Jonathan’s government, but the only difference is that corruption is not as bad as we experienced in the previous government. But same set of people that destroyed Jonathan’s administration is still in power.

Those clamouring for restructuring should be patient because that is not going to happen now. God is going to raise up a leader, who will do it. It is not Buhari’s government. It is not the day you plant maize it will germinate; it will go through a process. Nigeria is going through a process. So many things are wrong in this country. For instance, former National Security Adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Colonel Sambo Dasuki is still being detained. Why didn’t they detain his boss, who gave him the money to disturb everywhere? Two, the judiciary would give judgment, but nobody would obey it. What Nigeria lacks is a good leader and that is why we should pray seriously for this country. If we have a good leader, nobody would agitate for restructuring and things like that.

If the country were to be restructured today, we would still have problems. We need to pray and fear God because things cannot continue like this. The killings are too much. Human lives are being wasted anyhow, and do we need to tell government that people are hungry? Anger, hunger, terrorism and corruption, these four elements will make the current administration unpopular. We are heading towards anarchy. A situation where school leavers have no jobs and they are just roaming the streets, which is why Nigeria is producing more armed robbers and kidnappers everywhere. People who left school 10 years ago are still without jobs. Our leaders have to be very careful to avoid a religious war that may start from Kaduna and Kano. Nigerian youths are angry with leaders in authority.

Are you referring to Arewa youths’ ultimatum to Ndigbo in the north?
Before now, I have said it. It’s just that no government paid attention to my prophecies and when they don’t listen, this is usually what they get. You know they have their own prophets and they’ve bought them over and whatever they are saying is in their favour.

In a country where there is no fear of God, what do you expect? Of course, you should expect anarchy. God told me that even if we restructure now, there will be no difference because the same set of people clamouring for change are the same people that will destroy it. So, it’s not going to happen, until God raises a leader that will clear the mess and do things with His fear.

Politicians are preparing for 2019. Is there something God is telling you concerning the year in question?
Tell these politicians to go and sleep. God is going to raise a new leader that will take over power.

When you spoke to The Guardian then, one thought Jonathan was Nigeria’s major problem. But two years after his leaving office, the country is still having problem…

The problem is not Buhari per se, and that is why I’m telling those who are praying for his death to stop. By the grace of God, he will not die.

Why didn’t you tell Nigerians before now that Buhari will not die? You waited until he is out of hospital…
I have been saying it, only that your newspaper did not report it. I am not talking about 2019; whether he should contest or not. It is not within my power to determine who should contest or not, because I am not a politician.

Nigerians would like to hear from you how the pendulum would swing in 2019?
How is today looking like? How did Jonathan’s era look like? If we allow this crop of politicians to be there, it will still be same thing. God must intervene before then, so that we will not find ourselves in same rubbish. People clamouring for position of authority in 2019, what do they have in store for the common man? I don’t see Buhari or any other politician that is fit to occupy Aso Rock in 2019. God is going to raise a leader from nowhere.

How about Atiku?
God bless them. They are my friends, but God has not chosen any of them.

Will the election be peaceful? What should Nigerians expect?
The issue is: will there be election or not? Aso Rock seat is vacant, waiting for the right person to occupy. But that right person is not among those clamouring to be there.