Primate Theophilus Oluwasaanu Olabayo, is the Pastor, Founder, Evangelical Church of Yahweh, located at Arowojobe Estate, Mende Village, Maryland, Lagos. In this no-holds-barred interview with Tribune's Adelowo Oladipo, he reveals his predictions for the New Year.
He predicts, among other things, that the 2015 presidential election may not hold and if the election holds at all, it may be stalemated. He also predicts that if elections hold, the PDP will win the governorship election in Lagos State while the APC will retain Rivers, Ogun and Oyo states. Primate Olabayo also called for prayers against political assassinations in the New Year. Excerpts:
As the New Year approaches, can you reveal what have been revealed to you particularly as the nation prepares for another general elections?
As the New Year approaches, can you reveal what have been revealed to you particularly as the nation prepares for another general elections?
You see, in this country, many people do not want to hear the truth. To start with, God has revealed to me that there may not be elections next year because in 2015, we are going to witness one of the worst political assassinations in Nigeria. God further informed me that the South West geo-political zone should be very careful so that the region would not be thrown into another era of wild, wild west because I saw political assassinations everywhere. I also saw some people in masks who were killing people everywhere. Specifically, between now and January, the country will witness one of the worst eras of bloodshed in its history. And if at all there will be elections next year in Nigeria, the seat of the president is not vacant.
Can you tell us what you mean by saying that the seat of the president is not vacant?
God has revealed to me that if at all there is going to be presidential election, it will be inconclusive just like (the June 12,) that we had during the time of the late Chief MKO Abiola who flew the flag of the Social Democratic Party under the military administration of General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida.Can you tell us what you mean by saying that the seat of the president is not vacant?
Primate Olabayo |
What should we expect with regard to the issues of insecurity and explosions in the northern parts of the country?In the New Year, we will never see Boko Haram again but insurgency will come in another form. We should pray against religious and ethnic wars in this country. President Jonathan has surrounded himself with some sycophants who are just telling him lies. The sycophants have made former President Olusegun Obasanjo the president’s enemy, forgetting the fact that the president would not have been where he is today without the assistance and support of Obasanjo. President Jonathan should bear it in mind that these people that are destroying Obasanjo would destroy him one day. I think what should be done if he plans for peace in the remaining days left for him in office as the number one citizen is to work assiduously in the overall interest of all Nigerians so that the poverty level in the country can be reduced drastically.
I do not know the type of economic policy he is implementing that things are getting worse on a daily basis among the general populace, yet they keep saying that the economy is improving. I have never seen a situation where the economy is improving, yet the standard of living of the citizens is deteriorating everyday. Everywhere you go in this country, cases of armed robbery, kidnapping and other criminal activities are on the increase. What I am seeing is not a military incursion into the body polity, but the poor will take on the rich, it is a revolution that I am seeing in no distance future.
Are these to suggest that the statement attributed to the United States of America that the country may disintegrate by 2015 may come to pass?No, the country will not disintegrate because specifically, the United States had earlier said that in 2015, there would be no Nigeria and ironically, some Nigerian politicians have been working towards it. By the special grace of God, Nigeria will not disintegrate but by the special grace of God, a man of destiny will take over the reins of governance and most corrupt people who have been parading themselves and masquerading as Nigerian leaders, if they are not dead, will be jailed. And those who have been celebrating that they have money and are wealthy at the expense of the poor masses will have to be very careful because God will soon intervene in the affairs of Nigeria.
Do you foresee APC defeating PDP in the forthcoming general election and forming the government at the centre, especially with the emergence of Muhammadu Buhari, as APC’s candidate?
Whether they call themselves APC or Codeine, they are all the same. I have told you that there may not be election next year and if there is going to be an election, God told me that they are going to rig the election and this will cause an upheaval and the results of the election will not be declared and if the result is declared, the winners of the election will not govern. But my advice to our politicians is that they should let the president go peacefully and retire to his village. Nigerians need to avoid these people who are leaving one party to the other and claiming to form a coalition with candidates who have no base in their towns and villages.
Are these to suggest that the statement attributed to the United States of America that the country may disintegrate by 2015 may come to pass?No, the country will not disintegrate because specifically, the United States had earlier said that in 2015, there would be no Nigeria and ironically, some Nigerian politicians have been working towards it. By the special grace of God, Nigeria will not disintegrate but by the special grace of God, a man of destiny will take over the reins of governance and most corrupt people who have been parading themselves and masquerading as Nigerian leaders, if they are not dead, will be jailed. And those who have been celebrating that they have money and are wealthy at the expense of the poor masses will have to be very careful because God will soon intervene in the affairs of Nigeria.
Do you foresee APC defeating PDP in the forthcoming general election and forming the government at the centre, especially with the emergence of Muhammadu Buhari, as APC’s candidate?
Whether they call themselves APC or Codeine, they are all the same. I have told you that there may not be election next year and if there is going to be an election, God told me that they are going to rig the election and this will cause an upheaval and the results of the election will not be declared and if the result is declared, the winners of the election will not govern. But my advice to our politicians is that they should let the president go peacefully and retire to his village. Nigerians need to avoid these people who are leaving one party to the other and claiming to form a coalition with candidates who have no base in their towns and villages.
These opportunists are the worst enemies of this country. We have to avoid them so that they do not plunge this country into chaos. Recently, the Borno State governor raised an alarm that about three quarter of the state has been taken over by Boko Haram, yet the military authorities say they are having the upper hand over the insurgents. Then it is either the governor or the military hierarchy is lying. We now have a situation, where if anybody wants to make money off Nigeria, just tell the president you can crush Boko Haram or you tell him Boko Haram will soon become history.
As a prophet, do you foresee an end to Boko Haram insugency in 2015?
In future, a man of destiny will take over power at the centre in this country and Boko Haram will be over. God will raise a leader for this country who will clear the mess. He will come in a way that nobody can explain. The souls of the innocent people who have been killed by evil people who we see as leaders in this country are standing together to form an army. When they will strike and take over Nigeria, only God can tell. They killed the bodies of the innocent and not their spirits. God is preparing some leaders who will rule this country, they will emerge in three to five years’ time and turn the country into a paradise on earth.
The international scene will be of interest to Nigerians as well. Anything of interest or surprise in 2015?Well, terrorism will take over the world and the economy of superpowers including the United States of America will suffer in the New Year. Crises in that country will render President Barack Obama unpopular. Economically, things will be bad in the entire world. I see disaster, blood everywhere. What has never happened before will start coming up as people will be killing their children and eating one another as a result of starvation.
Nigerians enter successive New Years with hope. What is the fate of the common man with the economic crisis in the country especially with the fall in prices of crude oil? The drop in the price of crude oil at the international market is because God just wants to teach us a lesson that Nigeria should not rely on crude oil again as a source of revenue. God will produce other things that are very strong even as crude oil to an extent that this economic crisis created by the drastic drop in the prices of crude oil will turn out to be a blessing and it will be well with Nigerians. Also, God will start raising good leaders and something good will start happening to us as a nation. Nigeria is presently facing economic hardship as a result of the fact that God wanted to tell our leaders and the citizens that we should not depend on crude oil exportation alone for the development of this country and we have made oil our god, that was why we could not use the oil revenue very well to our own advantage. That is why God is not happy with us as a people.
What is the situation likely to be in other African countries?
There is going to be some change of governments in some African countries in the New Year and Ghana is going to witness a lot of problems because the opposition will rise against the current government in that country. The sitting government will have a lot of problems economically and as a result, they will not find it easy. And between January and March 2015, there will be a lot of plane crashes everywhere. Hijacking of planes is going to be on the increase and after those crises, things will start getting better. There will be a lot of terror activities everywhere and mysterious things that had never happened before will start happening all over the world. People will just be missing anyhow, that is why people will turn to God.
And I see Jihad in Nigeria, I see people leaving the northern part of the country in droves for their homelands . As a result of this, ethnic problems should be avoided in Nigeria. It is either the Igbo facing the Hausa or the Yoruba. I just see them leaving the northern part of the country for their different places of origins and destinations. I saw anarchy in the land. But Nigeria will remain as one, there would have been seven years of war but God has decreed there would be no war in Nigeria again. God will intervene in the affairs of Nigeria and the military will be reorganised .
What can we do to avert the impending problems that you talked about?
That is why President Goodluck Jonathan must warn his kitchen cabinet, especially those in the inner circles in his government who are always spoiling for war against perceived enemies of the government and against past leaders of the country, to stop it so that there can be peace in the land.
The president should be seen to be fighting corruption headlong, otherwise corruption and insecurity will bring down his government. I foresee that as we are moving towards another election in the country, there is going to be upheaval. In order to avert the impending problems in the country, Muslims should observe fasting and prayers on the first Friday of the year while Christians should also fast and pray for peace to reign in the country on the first Sunday of the year so that peace can be restored in Nigeria. And if Nigerians still want the forthcoming general elections to hold, they have to pray very well so that there may not be trouble as a result of stalemated election. The chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission should be warned not to spoil his name and those of his officials in sensitive positions because if they do a thorough job, there may not be crisis. But if they are not careful, the election may be rigged just like what happened in Zimbabwe.
Also, the APC will still reclaim Ekiti State because many secrets would be unfolded about the government of the day in that state. Then in Lagos, Nigerians, especially the Yoruba, must be prayerful because that is where trouble may start in the New Year. APC is going to have problems concerning the party’s governorship candidate. PDP candidate, Jimi Agbaje, will have more support of the people and this is what will cause uproar in some circles if at all there is going to be elections. I say it again that if there is going to be election, Jimi Agbaje will have the upper hand because the candidate that should have won the election for APC was not given the chance to be presented as the party’s governorship candidate in Lagos state. APC should have presented Ganiyu Solomon, he was God’s anointed candidate for the party. This is the man God has chosen but the powers-that-be in the party did not allow him. That is why I said people do not listen to the voice of God again in this country. Rather, they are looking for those who would cover them and their mistakes up.
In politics, Nigerians should not dwell on religious considerations before they choose their leaders. Rather, they should vote for those who can serve them well. The people who were said to be clamouring for Christian governor in Lagos State may not even be Christians at all but church goers. They may not even be known in Christian circles because some of them are pagans.
If they were talking about Christian governor in a very important state like Lagos, what is the population of regular Christian voters in that state that vote during election periods? We should stop the habit of imposition of candidates for elections because of personal interests if we want democracy to thrive. A party leader, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, should stop this idea of imposition of candidates in APC, that is what is killing the party and he has to watch his health in the New Year.
What role is reserved for the traditional institution and other leaders in Yoruba land in next year’s election so that the zone would not be turned into a battle ground?I think it would be better if paramount rulers like the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade; the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona and the Osile of Oke–Ona Egba, Oba Adedapo Tejuosho, among other numerous important traditional rulers in Yorubaland, should call for a meeting of traditional rulers to seek peace in their domains so that there would be no wild, wild West again. In fact, all well-meaning Yoruba sons and daughters should come together to seek the peace of the land. Most of our leaders need prayers to survive 2015. Nigeria’s First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, needs prayers so that she would not be rushed to the hospital again in the New Year. I see some traditional rulers passing away...
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo is an elder statesman, he should mellow down because Jonathan is his son. The two leaders should be reconciled by their mutual friends and they should not listen to those who want to cause disaffection between the two leaders so that this country can move forward.
Also, the seat of the Senate President is very hot, therefore, Senator David Mark has to be very careful so that he would not lose his relevance because I see him sitting on a keg of gum powder. Again, President Jonathan should be very careful about how he handles the outcome of the 2015 presidential election.
As a prophet, do you foresee an end to Boko Haram insugency in 2015?
In future, a man of destiny will take over power at the centre in this country and Boko Haram will be over. God will raise a leader for this country who will clear the mess. He will come in a way that nobody can explain. The souls of the innocent people who have been killed by evil people who we see as leaders in this country are standing together to form an army. When they will strike and take over Nigeria, only God can tell. They killed the bodies of the innocent and not their spirits. God is preparing some leaders who will rule this country, they will emerge in three to five years’ time and turn the country into a paradise on earth.
The international scene will be of interest to Nigerians as well. Anything of interest or surprise in 2015?Well, terrorism will take over the world and the economy of superpowers including the United States of America will suffer in the New Year. Crises in that country will render President Barack Obama unpopular. Economically, things will be bad in the entire world. I see disaster, blood everywhere. What has never happened before will start coming up as people will be killing their children and eating one another as a result of starvation.
Nigerians enter successive New Years with hope. What is the fate of the common man with the economic crisis in the country especially with the fall in prices of crude oil? The drop in the price of crude oil at the international market is because God just wants to teach us a lesson that Nigeria should not rely on crude oil again as a source of revenue. God will produce other things that are very strong even as crude oil to an extent that this economic crisis created by the drastic drop in the prices of crude oil will turn out to be a blessing and it will be well with Nigerians. Also, God will start raising good leaders and something good will start happening to us as a nation. Nigeria is presently facing economic hardship as a result of the fact that God wanted to tell our leaders and the citizens that we should not depend on crude oil exportation alone for the development of this country and we have made oil our god, that was why we could not use the oil revenue very well to our own advantage. That is why God is not happy with us as a people.
What is the situation likely to be in other African countries?
There is going to be some change of governments in some African countries in the New Year and Ghana is going to witness a lot of problems because the opposition will rise against the current government in that country. The sitting government will have a lot of problems economically and as a result, they will not find it easy. And between January and March 2015, there will be a lot of plane crashes everywhere. Hijacking of planes is going to be on the increase and after those crises, things will start getting better. There will be a lot of terror activities everywhere and mysterious things that had never happened before will start happening all over the world. People will just be missing anyhow, that is why people will turn to God.
And I see Jihad in Nigeria, I see people leaving the northern part of the country in droves for their homelands . As a result of this, ethnic problems should be avoided in Nigeria. It is either the Igbo facing the Hausa or the Yoruba. I just see them leaving the northern part of the country for their different places of origins and destinations. I saw anarchy in the land. But Nigeria will remain as one, there would have been seven years of war but God has decreed there would be no war in Nigeria again. God will intervene in the affairs of Nigeria and the military will be reorganised .
What can we do to avert the impending problems that you talked about?
That is why President Goodluck Jonathan must warn his kitchen cabinet, especially those in the inner circles in his government who are always spoiling for war against perceived enemies of the government and against past leaders of the country, to stop it so that there can be peace in the land.
The president should be seen to be fighting corruption headlong, otherwise corruption and insecurity will bring down his government. I foresee that as we are moving towards another election in the country, there is going to be upheaval. In order to avert the impending problems in the country, Muslims should observe fasting and prayers on the first Friday of the year while Christians should also fast and pray for peace to reign in the country on the first Sunday of the year so that peace can be restored in Nigeria. And if Nigerians still want the forthcoming general elections to hold, they have to pray very well so that there may not be trouble as a result of stalemated election. The chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission should be warned not to spoil his name and those of his officials in sensitive positions because if they do a thorough job, there may not be crisis. But if they are not careful, the election may be rigged just like what happened in Zimbabwe.
Also, the APC will still reclaim Ekiti State because many secrets would be unfolded about the government of the day in that state. Then in Lagos, Nigerians, especially the Yoruba, must be prayerful because that is where trouble may start in the New Year. APC is going to have problems concerning the party’s governorship candidate. PDP candidate, Jimi Agbaje, will have more support of the people and this is what will cause uproar in some circles if at all there is going to be elections. I say it again that if there is going to be election, Jimi Agbaje will have the upper hand because the candidate that should have won the election for APC was not given the chance to be presented as the party’s governorship candidate in Lagos state. APC should have presented Ganiyu Solomon, he was God’s anointed candidate for the party. This is the man God has chosen but the powers-that-be in the party did not allow him. That is why I said people do not listen to the voice of God again in this country. Rather, they are looking for those who would cover them and their mistakes up.
In politics, Nigerians should not dwell on religious considerations before they choose their leaders. Rather, they should vote for those who can serve them well. The people who were said to be clamouring for Christian governor in Lagos State may not even be Christians at all but church goers. They may not even be known in Christian circles because some of them are pagans.
If they were talking about Christian governor in a very important state like Lagos, what is the population of regular Christian voters in that state that vote during election periods? We should stop the habit of imposition of candidates for elections because of personal interests if we want democracy to thrive. A party leader, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, should stop this idea of imposition of candidates in APC, that is what is killing the party and he has to watch his health in the New Year.
What role is reserved for the traditional institution and other leaders in Yoruba land in next year’s election so that the zone would not be turned into a battle ground?I think it would be better if paramount rulers like the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade; the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona and the Osile of Oke–Ona Egba, Oba Adedapo Tejuosho, among other numerous important traditional rulers in Yorubaland, should call for a meeting of traditional rulers to seek peace in their domains so that there would be no wild, wild West again. In fact, all well-meaning Yoruba sons and daughters should come together to seek the peace of the land. Most of our leaders need prayers to survive 2015. Nigeria’s First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, needs prayers so that she would not be rushed to the hospital again in the New Year. I see some traditional rulers passing away...
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo is an elder statesman, he should mellow down because Jonathan is his son. The two leaders should be reconciled by their mutual friends and they should not listen to those who want to cause disaffection between the two leaders so that this country can move forward.
Also, the seat of the Senate President is very hot, therefore, Senator David Mark has to be very careful so that he would not lose his relevance because I see him sitting on a keg of gum powder. Again, President Jonathan should be very careful about how he handles the outcome of the 2015 presidential election.