THE BLACK MAN IS NOT CURSED

In October 2011, the African Pastors Network and Oral Roberts Bible Institute in Tulsa Oklahoma organised an International Leadership Summit held at Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Lagos Nigeria. Present at the summit were many people of global influence including over 300 Nigerian preachers. In this interview, Apostle Dr Ezra Aniebue founder and Chairman of African Pastors Network, (APN) speaks on the vision behind the network, the programmes, and his understanding of the challenges facing preachers and churches in Africa and matters concerning development in his native country Nigeria. Concerning the challenges of the black man, he says the black man is not cursed.

* Apostle Ezra Aniebue

You are the founder of the African Pastors Network. What is the vision behind the network? What is the network all about?
The vision of APN, African Pastors Network is a direct instruction from God to do two things:

Get the top in leadership in the world, bring them to Africa to strengthen the top in leadership in Africa and secondly establish video Bible schools in the language of the people in order to strengthen the roots of Christianity in Africa.

You are a Nigerian. Why do you call it African, is it about all pastors in Africa?
APN is a Super Network. It is not an ordinary pastors’ network. It exists with a very specific mandate; strengthening and equipping the top in leadership in Africa in order to positively influence their various constituencies and nations.

As a man who has lived in the US for quite some time now, what is your understanding of the challenges and success of pastoral work in Africa?
The main thing in pastoral work is holiness and obedience to God. Any man or woman of God who purposefully invests in these two areas will enjoy their personal relationship with God and their call in ministry.

The devil does not respect anyone or anywhere, but he is terrified at the sight of a Christian who consistently practices holiness and absolute obedience to God.

What is your understanding of the church in your country Nigeria?
Well, Nigeria has a lot of good preachers who are doing their best. Thank God for people like Papa Ayo Oristejafor, Rev. Adegboye, Wale Adefarasin, Apostle Bamgbola, Apostle Madubuko and many others who are being used by God.

I believe that the Nigerian church needs to transition from the era of looking for miracles into becoming miracle workers through undiluted teaching and accurate interpretation of the Bible, the Word of God. There needs to be both orthodoxy and orthopraxy.

Tell us about your ministry and ministerial work in the United States. Where you are based, your church, your contributions, successes and challenges as a minister of God.

If I may borrow a word from Mother Theresa of India, I am called by GOD to obey HIM not to be successful. I undergird everything we do in ministry with this principle from Ezra chapter 7:10 which in my paraphrase says the following three things Spend time and read the Bible, do what you have read and then teach what you have read in the Bible that you live to others in love, not in condemnation or pride.

If I am operating with a carnal mind, I can list all the things that I believe that we have achieved; but the Bible says for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”

Whatever good that we have done anywhere in the world, is done by JESUS CHRIST of Nazareth throw us. If anyone should brag or boast, let him or her boast in JESUS CHRIST. It is HIS POWER, HIS MINISTRY, HIS CHURCH, and HIS GLORY. Alleluia!

The last conference you had in Nigeria, tell us about it. What did it address, who were the participants and what do you think they gained? Who were the resource people and how happy are you about how it turned out.
The APN Leadership Summit featuring the number one pentecostal university in the world, Oral Roberts University; Dr Soul Aniebue, my beloved wife of 24 years, Rev. Wale Adefarasin; Dr Woodrow Walker; Dr. Paul King; Dr. Charles Muyu; Papa Ayo Oritsejafor was very successful. The conference was attended by many people with global influence and many top Nigerian pastors. We give God all of the glory.

APN is a mandate from God. When God told us to do the conference, we prayed and he directed us to use Bola Adewara as the conference coordinator. Honestly, when people say that Nigerians are bad, I disagree with them.

Definitely, not all Nigerians are bad, because we found in Bola Adewara a man who loves and fears GOD. He, his wife, and the team did exactly everything with excellence. It was like working with a solid US company. Thank God and we give God all of HIS GLORY!

Are you encouraged by the experience of the first Super conference to have another Super conference in the near future?
Absolutely! We understand that many of the attendees wanted a second Super conference for at least two to three days. We were to host a Superconference this year in Nairobi, but through prayers, the LORD has directed us to do a second conference in Lagos, after that we will do a conference in January 2013 in Kenya.

The conference in Kenya will involve most of the 2nd and the 3rd level bishops. Apparently, in Kenya, they have 3 levels of bishops. The first level is the upcoming pastors; the second level is the accomplished bishops, and the third level is the senior and accomplished bishops.

The APN Chairman for Africa, Bishop Dr Chares Muyu is actively working with us to put this in place. At the conference, we will be giving an award to Vice President Musyoka and many others.

Are you focusing only on Nigeria or is the conference going around African countries?
By His grace, it is definitely scheduled to go around Africa.

GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS BUT EVERY PROBLEM IS NOT SOLVED BY PRAYER – Dr. Ezra Aniebue

Politics, leadership in Nigeria, what is your comment?
As you know, I am not a politician. I believe that as pastors or the church preach and practices sound doctrine, individuals, communities and the society at large will begin to change and conform to the Image of JESUS CHRIST. Sound doctrine will lead to the manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit in all levels of life in Nigeria and anywhere else

The blame for the under-development in Nigeria and other African countries has been thrown to the corridors of our colours. Some said the black man is cursed right from Noah’s days. How true is this?
Well, when we study the history of the original 70 nations and trace it down to Noah. We will see that Noah, had three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

The black race or the Ethios, which means burnt face, are the descendants of one of Ham’s sons Cush. The Bible does not say that Cush was cursed by Noah.

The Bible clearly states that Canaan was cursed. Every Bible historian knows who the Canaanites are and they are not black people.

The blacks are not cursed by GOD; even if they were, as they accept JESUS CHRIST, they will be redeemed from the curse. The problem with underdevelopment is that many people do not think globally. Most people think of being famous in the village, and in their immediate communities.

They don’t think about the whole nation and they seem not interested in doing something that can earn them a global standing.

Infrastructure in Nigeria, especially power supply, where do you think the nation got it wrong?
We can only pray that God will open the eyes of people to realize that they can prosper with constant electricity and improve the lives of others than they are doing now.

What is your comment on prevalent same-sex marriage going on in some parts of the world? Many preachers in the US have been found to be silent on the issue. How do you react to this?
It is not about my reaction, but about what does the Bible say about it? The Bible calls it an abomination. I stand with the Bible since I am called by God through the Bible to preach the Bible.

If you are to be the President of Nigeria, what would you do differently?
Well, it is always easy to give advice and have numerous opinions looking from the outside without accurate and solid knowledge of situations on the ground. My answer is this, if God leads me there, He will show me exactly what He wants me to do at the right time.