The president-general of Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) for Canada and the Americas (the United States and South America), Olorogun Dr Mrs Onome Dema, visited Petra Christian Academy sometime in July. She is an optometrist based in the United States of America. She came to officially extend an invitation to me as the keynote speaker during their annual virtual convention on September 4th, 2021.
The UPU is one of the oldest sociopolitical organisations in Africa alongside the ANC in South Africa. The Urhobo nation is more populous than some 75 independent nations in the world on a one-to-one comparison. I was their 75th annual guest lecturer in 2015. It’s an honour reserved for prominent Urhobo citizens and eminent Nigerians.
The spot where we did this video used to be very swampy with a big pond at the end. When Bishop Mensah Abrampah came vising in 2001, he said that he knows that when he would come back that he would not recognise the place. Then there was ash, charcoal, and charred remains from the shrubs we cut and burnt. Today, it has come to pass.
I would come in the evening and borrow a machete from Mr Solomon and cut some trees to create a road. Then I was just letting the land know I had a dream for it.
The dream is still unfolding.
At the peak of the rainy season, I would stand in the swamp above my knees and call these buildings into existence stage by stage. It has come to pass.
After building the nursery section to the lintel level, it was surrounded by water with fishes swimming around it. Some of those boys that used the place as a joint for smoking cannabis, meticulously carved on a portion of the wall with the inscription “Noah’s Ark”. Instead of discouragement, it gave me hope. I declared then that the building will float me while the writer would sink.
As of the time of writing this, it’s 5:15 a.m. on the 27th of July, 2021, and I remember those boys vividly. Very few of them are alive today. I can only remember one or two alive today and they are very wretched.
The earth has ears; make that declaration. That’s how God created the world from chaos.
You are created in the image and likeness of God. Speak to your chaos; it has ears.
When we were building the school, I would insist on things being done to international stands because I would say then that I was expecting visitors from the whole world. It has come to pass.
I would walk in the bushes then and call people from all nations of the world to come to visit Petra Christian Academy. It has come to pass.
In January 2020, I declared that I was going global and that I would be speaking more to corporate organisations instead of churches.
A mentee of mine called after listening to the radio broadcast that some people would find that to be pride. I told him I did not give a damn. He did not realise that in 1998, at the Anglican Church, Umungasi, Aba, I had declared that I would be in my office in Ughelli and be communicating with the world. When I got here 21 years back, there was no telephone or emails. I used to go to Warri to make calls and check emails. It has come to pass.
It was my conviction, my dream, my life, and I heard from God. When I hear from God, I declare it and I don’t owe anyone any apologies. It’s my life. When you keep apologising out of fear of what men would say, your reward will eventually be sympathy. Cowards will not inherit the kingdom of God.
I live in an eight-bedroom duplex with 10 restrooms in situ. I used to tell those who were close to me that I was building it like a guest house because I will have a global family with grandchildren all over the world. It is coming to pass already.
The earth and your life have ears. Intentionally dream big dreams. Sometimes acknowledge the present reality, but declare the future.
I’m not normal, I’m ab-normal.
Then, I had nothing to lose, no reputation, so I was not afraid of failure. I had faith in my future.
Work on the present situation as if you are already touching the future. Declare the future. Diligently and deliberately drive yourself like a slave master driving a slave in the beginning so that you can become a good and godly master later in life.
Sometimes then I felt like a masochist. However, the current pleasure far outweighs the pains then.
Ambassador Raymond Ugbeh said he could not continue reading my book “Refined by hardship” because the suffering I went through in my early life was too much.
I bring you hope.
Open your mouth and declare great things concerning your life.
Dare to take great strides in the journey of your life.
It’s your turn to shine.
God Bless You.
