‘MESSENGER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT’

 Dan Aibangbe celebrates a foremost evangelist,

Chukwuebuka Anozie Obi

Coinciding with the occasion of his birthday, Prophet Chukwuebuka Anozie Obi, this article is intended to draw attention to the phenomenon of a peculiar Christian movement, its leadership, essence and contribution to nationhood.

It is a popular cliché that we should always give honour to whom it is deserved. I write to showcase the works, industry, influence and relevance of a young man operating under the mandate of the creator to shine light unto the darkness of this world as the Spiritual Director of the trail-blazing, rapidly growing prayer ministry named Zion Prayer Movement Outreach.

Located off Ibro-Way, Okota Lagos, this movement is led by none other than Evangelist Chukwuebuka Anozie Obi and his select team of youths, mostly of the charismatic catholic mold.

In today’s world of woes and calamities, frauds, yahoo-yahoo, drugs and innumerable variants of crime, this humble but hardworking gentlemen is changing lives positively and purposefully, preparing a large congregation of God-fearing, devout followers, whose critical mass is capable and already making positive impacts in the society.

Born a twin on October 16, under a Samuel-styled covenant, into the seven-membered royal family of Mr & Mrs Vincent Obi of Ubulu-Ihejifor in Orlu-West L.G.A of Imo State, Evang. Chukwuebuka Obi was raised right from his childhood on the raw word of God in the staunch Catholic tradition.

The fact of his anointing and calling became evident right from the early age of eight, through the uncanny visions and the precision of his utterances. Many people thronged his father’s compound to witness and benefit from the small boy who speaks by word of knowledge and prophecy. Even the late Reverend Father Luke Odinkemere from Awo Idemili came by to confirm his gifts by the time he was 12. He gave a three-pronged warning to him through his parents – he should never get involved in pre-marital sex; he should never establish a separate church and must desist from money-consciousness in his work with God.

Evang Ebuka Obi, despite his apparent anointing, grew to be a man of great industry, just as his twin brother Engr Chinweike Chiemeziem Obi. From his modest onset, he became very successful in the cable business, before he was eventually convinced by the Holy Spirit to go full-time into the evangelical ministry, now popularly known as Zion Prayer Movement Outreach. It is therefore not surprising that he prefers to call himself ‘Messenger of the Holy Spirit.” This assertion goes beyond mere rhetoric in his apparent humility, boldness and radical approach in tackling knotty cases.

Zion Prayer Movement Outreach, founded about a decade ago with the vision to draw all men closer to God, has grown in leaps and bounds to become a mighty oak, with many branches locally and internationally. The core value has been obedience to the voice of the Holy Spirit!

Outstanding and unbelievable works of healing, deliverance, financial breakthroughs and every good thing that God Almighty has ordained for his people has become the norm in most meetings. Believers have come to experience the Truth of the Gospel and reality of God’s sovereignty, even in the physical! The ministry has also taken extra care to cater to the needs of the needy, through the Zion Foundation! Another special arm dedicated to caring for the mentally challenged and homeless is the Seraphic Homes Foundation.

With a deep passion for Youths Empowerment, he devotes huge resources into rehabilitation and empowerment of the delinquent and also provides spiritual guidance to enable them appreciate God as the viable alternative to delinquent way of life, which the Evangelist found to result mostly from hopelessness!

Evang. Chukwuebuka Obi’s ministry bears the trademark of direct ‘Word of Knowledge’ with confirmation, healings and deliverance. He trains his adherents in discipline of the flesh through extended periods of annual fasting and prayers. He is seriously dedicated to teaching and defending the Christian faith. In spite of all this, the Man of God has effortlessly remained humble and adheres strictly to the three-pronged principles of success with good morals, dictated to him far back in his youth.

As a consequence of his fearless ministration of the Gospel truth, attempts have been made on his life by envious and aggrieved opponents to terminate his ministry. But then, the Holy Spirit has used these events to confirm his backing by foiling the attempts in miraculous ways!

 Chukwuebuka Obi is an apostle of peace, love and unity, a staunch believer in the nation. This principled philanthropist detests indiscipline, hypocrisy and nepotism. That’s why his ministry is reputed for uniting people of different backgrounds and shaping characters of people from diverse cultures.

Today Prophet Obi has become an epitome of the Spirit of prophecy, philanthropy, benevolence, discipline, open truth, resilience, competence, excellence, dexterity, spontaneity and all flavours of the fruits of the Spirit. He is a fearless man who only fears God in all his ministrations. In fact, he is an open book of God.

In celebrating this man of God, I want to remind all that God Himself delights in the prosperity of His people. The Bible encourages us in the Book of Proverbs Chapter 4 verse 7, to number our days as a recipe for wisdom. Wisdom here, is a principal thing that we must embrace with all our resources. Numbering our days helps us to calibrate our time and achievements, with the full awareness that life is in stages and that a day of reckoning awaits each and every one of us.

Today, a birthday remains highly relevant as a means of appreciating our maker for preserving our lives and blessing us with privileges that come with longevity. A birthday is also an occasion to appreciate the people that constitute our circle of influence, our support base, our friends, partners and co-travelers in this journey to eternity.

On this occasion, the journey is not ending, rather it’s a new beginning. So, I hope one or other reader finds some inspiration from the journey of this great man of God and take appropriate steps to redirect or rededicate themselves to noble causes. What may seem a big price to pay today pans out to insignificance when the harvest becomes ready. Yesterday, Evangelist Ebuka Obi paid the sacrifice of self-discipline, shunning pre-marital sex and dumping a flourishing business and source of livelihood. But today, he has become a household name and a blessing to countless people, home and abroad. He is someone that God is counting upon for the much-desired changes in our people, for the uplift of our nation. According to that solemn promise, he that goes out in tears, bearing precious seeds, shall doubtless return, bearing his sheaves of harvest with him. To God be the glory!

 Aibangbe, a Media and Public Relations Consultant, writes from Lagos