The viral video of a suspected member of The Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministry in Lagos has sparked outrage after the woman celebrated receiving divine assistance during a Federal Government examination and how she shared her answers with another candidate.

During the testimony, the unnamed member claimed an old man appeared to her in the examination hall and gave her answers to some questions.

The woman said the exercise was one of the promotional examinations of the military (Army, Navy, and Air Force) and that there were about 50 questions, of which 40 bordered on career and 10 related to current affairs.

“We all had written our career questions. It then came to these very 10 questions, which asked, ‘Mention 10 Francophone countries and their capitals.’

“Brethren, nobody knew this question. So, all I did was to raise the question paper and declare to it: ‘I am a Chosen! I am a chosen!! I am a chosen!!! This question, who are you? Where is the God of my pastor power?’

“Then, suddenly, an old man appeared by my right-hand side in white apparel. He told me, ‘My daughter, begin to write.’ And I began to write,” she recounted.

She claimed that some of the invigilators, who suspected something was amiss, pulled off her apron, which made “the angel” disappear.

The action, she added, made her angry.

“But when they returned the apron and I wore it back, the old man appeared again and began to tell the rest of the answers. I completed 10 good questions. I wrote them correctly and accurately. To me, it was like a dream.

“Brethren, when I finished writing my questions, a sister who sat by my side was a Mountain of Fire member because of the logo on her clothing. As I took up the answer sheet and was cross-checking my write-up, I signaled to the woman, saying, ‘Sister, do anything you can do humanly possible.

“Any moment from now, I am going to submit my questions.’ While I was cross-checking, the sister quietly copied. And immediately she finished, brethren, I stood up and submitted my questions. Everybody in the hall was looking at me. That was how only two of us out of 102 were able to do this,” she added.

The church then erupted in celebration as she ended her testimony.

The Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Lagos chapter, Bishop Stephen Adegbite, expressed shock that the church allowed the testimony, which he described as a fabrication.

He said God would not work supernatural miracles that way, adding that there were no shortcuts to academic success other than hard work and belief in God.

He noted that the Christian body would be meeting next Friday to address the controversies raised by the woman’s testimony and several other “unacceptable comments made by Pentecostal pastors on social media.”

“She is entitled to her opinion as she is the owner of her mouth. But for anyone to say such, we must verify that. We must see the people in the hall, and they must testify against her that that was never the situation.

“But looking at it ordinarily, that is a foolish talk, and nobody should accept that. There are testimonies you don’t allow to be given in the church. And that is why before people give their testimonies, you should invite them and know what they want to talk about.

“If it is something that is good for public consumption, you should allow it to go. But if you know that the story they are telling can only be told to monkeys, you should ask the person to go and face the monkeys and say that, not in the church. So, that type of testimony should be served to the monkeys and not to human beings,” the Lagos State CAN chairman declared.

When asked his thought on such miracles, he said, “God doesn’t act that way. I have a Ph.D. Which God of Chosen will appear to you and give you answers to your examination questions?

“The God of Chosen will give you strength to read your books and go for the exams. There is no shortcut to success in life other than hard work and belief in God.”

There have been other trending videos of members of the church sharing testimonies that social media users considered wild.

In one, a member of the church narrated how a lion miraculously saved him from kidnappers. In another video, another testifier recounted how bullets did not penetrate his head.

The CAN chairman insisted that the testimonies were all fallacies.

“Anybody that wants to prove such a thing should bring a gun to the church. Let the person stand and let us release the bullets. We will see whether the bullets will enter or not. They are all blatant lies from the pit of hell,” he declared.

“We will be meeting probably next Friday. It is going to be a CAN general meeting in Lagos, and we are going to address it. We will speak about the madness going on among Pentecostal pastors,” he added.

Reacting in an interview with Saturday PUNCH, the Head of Public Relations and Media for the church, Pastor Chidi Louis, said the testimony videos were doctored to tarnish the image of the church because some of the incidents happened in the testifiers’ dreams.

He said the church allowed members to share their testimonies the way they wanted without gagging them because it believed that such narrations should not be censored.

“There is no need for us to begin to doubt someone’s testimony. If anybody comes and says he wants to give a testimony, we give that person the opportunity; we don’t guide people on what to say or how to say it. They are free to say it as they like,” Louis stated, adding that the church was unperturbed by social media trolls.

As scepticism continues to spread like wildfire and the Lord’s Chosen Charistmatic Revival Ministry faces accusations of fabricating divine encounters, the Head of Public Relations and Media of the church, Pastor Chidi Louis tells OLUFEMI ADEDIRAN about the church’s unwavering faith in God’s power, and why some Nigerians remain unconvinced about miracles

Nigerians have accused your church of fabricating some of the testimonies shared by members. How do you respond to these accusations?

Everyone in the country today is seeing what is happening on social media regarding the videos being posted. The fact remains that someone doctored the videos to tarnish the image of the church. There are unabridged versions of the videos, but what these people did was circulate shortened clips on social media with the intent of damaging the church’s reputation.

This should not be the case, but since it has been done, we don’t need to engage in arguments with anyone. We have left them to act as they wish and allow God to be the judge.

There are unabridged versions of testimonies, such as one from a woman who dreamt of how she disarmed three robbers of their AK-47s, and another from a brother who testified that, in his dream, he was riding on the back of a lion, which directed him where to go.

We don’t have any issue with anyone, but it’s clear they are attempting to tarnish the church’s image. However, we thank God that they are inadvertently advertising the church.

The Lord’s Chosen is a holy church; we don’t engage in what others are trying to portray us as. What our pastor preaches is clear to the world—practical holiness and righteousness. We don’t fake anything. We stand firm, as holy brethren, with heaven consciousness. We are not like other churches.

Are members screened before sharing their testimonies?

We don’t conduct screening or interviews for people who come to share their testimonies because what we preach is holiness and righteousness. We believe that anybody who comes to hear the message of God and is touched, and says they are born again, should live right and maintain holiness and righteousness. So, there is no need for us to begin to doubt someone’s testimony.

If anybody comes and decides to give a testimony, we will give such a person the opportunity. We don’t teleguide or tell people what to say or how to say it. You are free to say it as you like

Your members have been associated with funny methods of evangelising on the streets. What is the reason for this?

What prompted us to do everything you’ve been seeing us do on the streets is our vision and mandate. Let me briefly explain the vision, as it will help people understand our actions through that lens.

The first vision is grassroots revival across the world, which involves going to the nooks and crannies of the globe to preach the gospel of repentance to all, regardless of status, geographical location, or gender. The Holy Bible has already commissioned us for this mission, as stated in Mark 16:15.

Our mandate is to spread the gospel of repentance to every corner of the world, telling people that Jesus Christ came, was crucified for humanity’s sins, died, was buried, and on the third day, rose again for our justification. To fully appreciate the redemptive work He did for us on the cross at Calvary, we must repent of our sins, give our lives to Christ, and sin no more.

We are tasked with telling the world that sin is an aberration and the root cause of the world’s problems. The challenges we face today are due to the wickedness of men, which is why the world is in crisis. So, we tell people that the key to success is holiness, for righteousness is what exalts a nation. We must carry this vision to the farthest reaches of the world.

The second vision is the revival of apostolic Christian experiences within the body of Christ. By apostolic experiences, I mean those of holiness, righteousness, total dedication to God’s service, love, unity, and peace. The apostles embodied these experiences, and that was what sustained their joy in the Lord and enabled them to spread the gospel worldwide. The Lord’s Chosen was established to reintroduce these experiences to the body of Christ.

In this dispensation, God’s spirit is moving among men, and the Lord’s Chosen has been emboldened and inspired to revive these experiences, especially in a world so desperately in need of unity and love. That is why you see us passionately ensuring these values are shared with the world. If there is peace and unity globally, there will be no need for the police, no crime, and all these crises will come to an end.

Our third vision is the revival of heaven’s consciousness in the heart of every believer. Before the Lord’s Chosen Revival Charismatic Ministry, many pastors focused on deliverance, believing Christianity was only about prayer and invoking God’s presence. But that is not the core of Christianity. We made people understand that the essence of Christianity is to prepare souls for heaven.

We attend church not for any other reason but to ensure that, at the end of this life, we gain a place in heaven. These visions are our driving force. That’s why you see our members preaching the gospel daily, evangelising the word, and sharing this vision with others. We have a mandate to bring 10 billion souls into the kingdom of God.

Some wonder how we will reach 10 billion souls. We want them to know that generations come and go, and if Jesus tarries, we will actualise this vision.

How has the church been coping with the trolling on social media?

Our pastor has travelled around the world, and the church has been experiencing a tremendous impact. We now have a presence in almost 120 nations. Beyond that, people have been receiving their healing; thousands of armed robbers and prostitutes have surrendered their lives to God. Let’s set aside other supernatural encounters and focus on what is most meaningful to us—when someone gives their life to Christ. Armed robbers surrendering their lives to Jesus and kidnappers turning to Christ—that, for us, is enough. We are happy these things are happening, regardless of what others may be saying.

How has this affected the church?

I don’t think what is happening has any impact on the church. Our general overseer is not bothered by it. It’s normal—once you’re doing the right thing, people will criticise you. I actually pity those involved because the Bible says, “Every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit is not forgivable. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.” I hope those doing this know the Bible. The issue is that some Christians involved are ignorant of God and of what Scripture says. We’re not troubled by this; we pity them. We let them say whatever they want—it’s between them and God. The church is not disturbed at all. The Bible clearly states that if you do wrong, you will face the consequences.

What is the church’s message to the trolls on social media?

Social media came with a big bang but later, some started using it against others. If I were to be among those mocking the church, I would have gone there to conduct an investigation.

The church gate, the church service and everything happening there is open to everyone. People can come and investigate; they can even meet with the people who gave those testimonies and interview them.

They can’t just go to social media because they have data and phones, and can post anything, whether good or bad.

People can’t just go to X and begin to post whatever they like. The things of God are very mysterious. At times, human knowledge cannot comprehend what God is doing. A lot of things are being done here and I wish that people could just come to the church and investigate one or two things.

A lot of people have doubts, but we will continue to pray that one day, they will come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved.

The Nigeria Police Force said its personnel have arrested two political thugs during an overnight raid at some locations across Edo State.

The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, disclosed this in a press statement on Saturday.

Adejobi stated that three cut-to-size locally fabricated pistols and one locally made gun were recovered from the suspects.

He said, “The Nigeria Police Force has made a significant breakthrough in its efforts to curb electoral violence in Edo State with the arrest of two political thugs, namely: Edwin Obanor, 43-year-old and Audu Tajudeen, a 41-year-old Peoples Democratic Party member from Ugbogbo quarters, Igara Akoko, Edo.

“Acting on a tip-off that some individuals had been armed to cause mayhem and instability during the election on Saturday, the police operatives swooped into action and apprehended Obanor, a leader of an armed group, at Oredo Ward 4 at about 9pm and Audu Tajudeen at Igara Akoko, Edo, on the eve of the election.

“Upon searching the bags in their possession, three cut-to-size locally fabricated pistols were discovered on Obanor while one locally made gun was recovered from Tajudeen.”

He said the arrests are a testament to the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to maintaining law and order and ensuring a peaceful electoral process during Saturday’s governorship election across the state.

“These arrests are a testament to the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to maintaining law and order and ensuring a peaceful electoral process.

“The police and other supporting security agencies will not tolerate any form of violence or disorderliness during the election in Edo State,” he added.

He said that the suspects are currently in custody and will face the full weight of the law.

“The police reassure the public of its dedication to protecting lives and property and, therefore, urges citizens to report any suspicious activities to the nearest police station or via our published helplines,” the statement added.

Hours before the commencement of the off-cycle governorship election in Edo, the state government said soldiers had repelled some suspected thugs that attempted to invade the Oredo Local Government Secretariat of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

DAILY POST reports that the Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, disclosed this at a press conference in Benin City.

Nehikhare, who commended the soldiers for their efforts, encouraged them to go across the 18 local government offices of INEC to take possession of collation centres.

He alleged that the thugs planned to attack collation centres, especially those of Oredo, Egor and Ikpoba Okha local government areas.

According to him: “We have just been told that thugs have taken over some of the INEC offices across some of the local government areas, especially Oredo, Etsako West, Esan West and some of the very serious local government areas. We don’t know which party they belong to.

“We just want you to know that this kind of activity is not acceptable. But, just before I stepped into this place, we were told that soldiers had repelled these thugs from Oredo secretariat and made them go across the road and now there is a border around the collation centre.

“We are also hearing that they planned to attack these collation centres, especially the strongholds, like Oredo, Egor, and Ikpoba/Okha. But I’m smiling because I’m happy with what the soldiers are doing and they are showing character and discipline and telling people that they should not be intimidated by what is going on.

“We want to encourage the soldiers to please go across the 18 local government headquarters and take possession of these collation centres.

There are ugly trends building up, but we are pleased to announce that the soldiers are on top of it. The soldiers have recovered Oredo secretariat.”