We’ll Prevail over Boko Haram and Killer herdsmen – Dr. Nosa Aizotoigbe

The General Overseer of City of Zion Ministry, Dr. Nosa Aizotoigbe

The General Overseer of City of Zion Ministry, Dr. Nosa Aizotoigbe has declared total war against Boko Haram insurgents and killer Fulani herdsmen in the country. He shares the strategy of his spiritual warfare against these two terrorist groups in this interview. Excerpts:

PLEASE CAN WE MEET YOU SIR?

I’m Dr. Nosa David Aizotoigbe, the General Overseer of City of Zion Ministry.

CAN WE HAVE A LOOK AT YOUR BACKGROUND?

I was born into a Christian Baptist family from Okwa, Edo State. My father was a Baptist pastor while my mother was also a committed member of the church.  I had both my primary and secondary education at Okwa before I furthered my education at Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State where I graduated in Business Administration. Thereafter I proceeded for my master’s degree in a Malaysian University. I earned my doctorate degree (honorary) from West African College For Christian Missions, Sango, Ogun State, Nigeria. I worked briefly in the secular before I answered the call of God and started my ministry in Edo State about two decades ago. I later planted the Lagos branch  about 7 years ago. I’m a prophetic evangelist by calling and a deliverance/healing minister.

HOW WILL YOU DESCRIBE THE IMPACT OF THE NIGERIAN CHURCH GENERALLY IN THE COUNTRY?

The impact of the Church in Nigeria has been very massive. It is the prayers of the churches in Nigeria that have been sustaining this nation. Although  the churches in Nigeria may have their shortcomings, they provide, hope, encouragement and patience to the Nigerian masses in the face of the harsh socio-economic challenges, insecurity problems and political upheavals in the nation. The masses receive succour and hope from the churches in the midst of all these problems.

AS A PASTOR, WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS FROM THE FORTHCOMING 2019 GENERAL ELECTIONS IN THE COUNTRY?

As a pastor  I pray for  free, fair and peaceful elections in the country. Although there may be some pockets of violence, particularly from the presidential election, I expect Nigerians to manage the situation and avoid losses of lives and properties. But I must be frank that no matter how peaceful the elections turn out, it won’t be Uhuru yet for Nigeria. The problems confronting the nation are beyond free, fair and peaceful elections. Free, fair and peaceful 2019 elections in Nigeria won’t guarantee us a peaceful coexistence among the citizenry of this nation.

HOW DO YOU MEAN IT WILL NOT BE UHURU YET FOR THE NATION?

What is the usefulness of free, fair and peaceful elections with insecurity, senseless killings of innocent people and destruction of properties still pervading the nation. Nigerian politicians are only concerned about winning elections. But after winning elections, they watch fundamental problems, particularly the issues of insecurity and socio-economic woes festering in the country without the political will from the leaders to resolve the problems. Didn’t Nigeria have  free, fair and peaceful elections in 2015? How has that achievement translated to stopping Boko Haram insurgency and killer Fulani herdsmen menace across the country for about 4 years of this present administration in power? It is not about winning elections. It is not about the elections been free, fair and peaceful. It is all about what happens to the people and the nation after the elections have been won and adjudged free, fair and peaceful. The Boko Haram insurgency and killer Fulani herdsmen menace have been succeeding every election and government in the country. So, what is the usefulness of free, fair and peaceful elections when lives and properties are not secured after elections? That is why I said it won’t be Uhuru yet for Nigeria until the senseless killings and destruction of properties by Boko Haram and killer herdsmen in the country are totally defeated, not technically defeated as the government claimed over Boko Haram

BUT THE SUCCEEDING GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN MAKING EFFORTS TO COMBAT THE BOKO HARAM INSURGENCY PARTICULARLY WITH DEPLOYMENT OF MILITARY FORCES AGAINST THE TERRORIST GROUP. WHEN THEN IS AMISS IN THE GOVERNMENT EFFORTS TO STOP BOKO HARAM ACTIVITIES IN THE COUNTRY?

Of course, the government should be commended for their efforts at combating Boko Haram militarily. But it is unfortunate that Boko Haram insurgency in the nation has defied military solution. When human efforts of men has failed in solving any problem, the only option left is spiritual solution. It is sad that despite the huge investments of the government in military forces to stop Boko Haram, the terrorist group continues killing people and destroying properties, particularly in North East region of the nation. This indicates that something is amiss. And what is amiss is spiritual solution. Boko Haram can not defy spiritual solution. Killer herdsmen can not defy spiritual solution. Therefore, the government should look beyond military solution to stopping the activities of Boko Haram and killer herdsmen in the country. The government should seek spiritual solution to these problems if the country truly wants to enjoy to the fullest the benefits and gains of free, fair and peaceful elections.

SO, HOW CAN THE GOVERNMENT GET THE SPIRITUAL SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEMS OF BOKO HARAM AND KILLER HERDSMEN IN THE COUNTRY?

That is why there are priests in every nation. In the Bible whenever the Israelites got into knotty problems beyond their powers they sought a prophet for divine direction, instruction and solution to the problems. Priests stand in the gap for every nation for a divine direction. That is their primary role as spiritual leaders of the nation. Unfortunately democracy only recognises just three arms of government; the executive, the legislative and the judiciary. The arm of the priests is left out. Any nation that does not recognise the place of the priests in her governance will always be confronted by problems such like Boko Haram and killer herdsmen, that will defy the efforts of the three arms of government recognised by democracy. Therefore, the political leadership of this nation must consult the priests God set over this nation for spiritual solution to Boko Haram and killer herdsmen across the nation.

BUT SOME NIGERIAN PRIESTS HAVE THE EARS OF THE GOVERNMENT TO GIVE DIVINE DIRECTION TO THE LEADERS. ARE SUCH PRIESTS NOT DOING ENOUGH TO ASSIST THE GOVERNMENT SPIRITUALLY?

This is a knotty question. But all the same I will respond to it. We are not talking about political priests here who massage the ego of those in power for pecuniary gains. We are talking about priests who have not dined with the Baals. We are talking about priests who keep their distance from political leaders. We are talking about priests who will sternly look the President in the face and declare, “Thus saith the Lord…’ We are not talking about diplomacy priests or Aso Rock priests but priests who are standing at the altar of God day and night consistently as watchmen over the nation. Such priests are unknown and unpopular. But they consistently hear from God because they stay at their duty posts. They don’t run to Abuja for contracts or take paparazzi with government officials. We still have honest and apolitical priests who can help the government seek the face of God for spiritual solution to the myriad of problems confronting the nation, including those of Boko Haram and killer herdsmen in the nation.

AS ONE OF THE PRIESTS GOD SET OVER NIGERIA, WHAT EFORTS HAVE YOU BEEN MAKING IN ASSISTING THE GOVERNMENT SPIRITUALLY?

By the grace of God, beside giving hope, healing and deliverance to the people, we have also been interceding in prayers for the nation and its leadership. For instance we are coming up with an intercessory prayer conference to declare spiritual warfare against the activities of Boko Haram and Killer herdsmen in the nation. We are going to raise the altar of God against them. We are going to cry to God on behalf of the Nigerian government and the people to chase Boko Haram and killer herdsmen out of Nigeria. It’s going to be a total warfare against Boko Haram and Killer herdsmen across the country. And by the power of God we will prevail over these two terrorist groups

APART FROM PRAYERS, WHAT ARE YOUR OTHER WARFARE WEAPONS AGAINST THESE TERRORIST GROUPS?

The Bible says the weapons of our warfare are not canal but mighty through God to pulling down stronghold. The children of Israel did not have to carry guns, machetes and bombs before they pulled down the walls of Jericho. Our weapons of warfare are spiritual. They are not arrows, spears, guns, bombs and other physical weapons of warfare. We will continue to host this intercessory warfare prayer conference  against these terrorist groups until God chase them out from Nigeria At City of Zion Ministry, we will devote one hour every Sunday morning to pray against Boko Haram and killer herdsmen. If all the churches in Nigeria will agree to hold prayers against these terrorists every Sunday just for one hour and at the same time, Boko Haram and killer herdsmen will soon become history. I want to appeal to all the priests and churches in Nigeria that we should agree on a specific  time for just one hour every Sunday to engage these terrorists in prayer warfare. For a moment, we should change our prosperity prayer hour every Sunday to prayer hour against Boko Haram and Killer herdsmen in the country. What is the relevance or usefulness of prosperity amidst insecurity. We need to change our prosperity prayers  to prayers against Boko Haram and Killers herdsmen until Nigeria prevail over then. And it shall be well with Nigeria in Jesus name, amen.