PA Olanrewaju, a devoted Christian and Octogenarian member of the Foursquare Gospel Church, shares with Olawale Perfect his story of how God used Bishop George Amu to change his life.
I lost my parents at age 15. I was in Primary Five when I lost them. I started school at age ten. In our generation, your right hand had to touch your cheek over your head before you could start school, and mine didn’t. I wasn’t even happy to start school, so not touching my cheek was a blessing in disguise. After primary school, I went to what we called modern school because my stepfather, who raised me after my father’s death, couldn’t afford to send me to a secondary school. Modern school was a three-year program, just slightly higher than primary school—maybe equivalent to secondary class three. Thank God, I only spent two years before passing.
I taught for a year, then went to teacher training college for a two-year program, known as Teachers’ Grade Three. Although I didn’t like teaching, I taught for nearly ten years. But I decided not to pursue Teachers’ Grade Two because I hated teaching. Teachers back then rode only motorcycles, so I disliked the profession. I started my GCE exams, sitting for six O-Level subjects, and passed five, including English, which many struggled with. I then did A-Level GCE but instead focused on trying to study abroad in America, which was a major goal in my town at the time.
Unfortunately, I could help others get there, but I couldn’t help myself. I wasted ten years chasing an American Visa, going from pillar to post, but was denied. I wasn’t even studying in the meantime. I could have done the Preliminary program at Ife University, having passed two A-Level subjects, but refused the opportunity. Eventually, I passed three A-Level subjects, but by then, I had no money to process a visa. This left me angry and deeply depressed with God and everyone.
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At that time, I saw an advert in the Concord newspaper for the Celestial Church’s 20th-anniversary celebration. I knew little about the Celestial Church beyond recognizing their members by their white garments and bare feet. I wrote a letter to SB Oshoffa, saying, “Pastor, THERE IS NO GOD!!! If there were, I wouldn’t be in my current state. After years of trying, I finally have the opportunity but no help. My parents are gone, and I have no one left. I have prayed for so long, yet my prayers go unanswered.” I didn’t know that Oshoffa, the person I wrote to, couldn’t read. About two weeks later, they responded. It was this FOOLISH letter that God used to change my life entirely. The response came from George Amu, who replied on Oshoffa’s behalf. He said, “My son, there is God. It’s true that you’re going through tribulations, but we have prayed for you.” They enclosed twenty naira in the envelope, instructing me to buy a sutana and go to any Celestial Church in my town. For two weeks, I didn’t touch the money. My salary as a teacher was only 29 naira per month, so this was a significant amount.
After two weeks of indecision, I bought sutanis for myself, my wife, and my child, with four naira left over. In 1977, George Amu brought me to Lagos and funded my university education. I stayed with him for 29 years, and even after building my own house, I rented it out and continued living in Amu’s house. Only a few close people know that George Amu and I are not biologically related because our bond was so deep. Even after his death, I maintain a close relationship with his wife and children. I still send her messages every day.
I left Celestial Church around 1988. No one believed I would ever leave after 18 years and having all my children in Celestial Church. I had reached a high position, lived in Oshoffa’s house. The turning point came after meeting a Ghanaian evangelist, Pastor EN Ajei, who was preaching at CAC Olorunshogo. I didn’t usually go there, but I wanted to attend church that day. Although the English-language sermon initially put me off, the message captivated me. I returned for three days, and on the third day, I responded to the altar call, surprising myself and others.
Through this evangelist, I grew to love reading the Bible. Later, George Amu confronted me about leaving Celestial Church, reprimanding me harshly, as he was my mentor. I remained silent out of respect. Later, Amu went to the US and returned with surprising news: he had converted his Celestial Church to a Pentecostal Gospel Church. He told me, “Matthew, if I had died a month ago, I would have been in limbo. You cannot enter heaven except through Jesus Christ.” This was such joyous news.
In conclusion, I am convinced beyond doubt that there is a God in heaven who truly rules over the affairs of men. The course of my life, marked by countless blessings and escapes from peril, could not have been orchestrated by human hands alone. It is clear to me that an unseen, divine hand has been guiding and sustaining me through each chapter of my life. Now, at over 80 years of age, as the only surviving member of my family, I look back and recognize that God’s presence has been steadfast, preserving me for a purpose.
This journey, accompanied by faith and the knowledge that a sovereign God is watching over me, affirms that my life is more than a mere series of coincidences. Instead, it stands as a testament to the power, grace, and enduring faithfulness of the Almighty, who rules over all creation.
