Testimony
HOW LEADER OLUMBA OLUMBA OBU BOARDED A TAXI AND CONVERTED SOULS
Eyo Charles
In the mid 1970s or so, Leader Olumba Olumba Obu boarded a taxi in Benin City, Nigeria. He was one of the passengers. Inside the taxi, he chose to chat with one Daniel Wariso. They had discussed the Holy Bible and importance of man practising love for one another and forgiveness. This was even as the taxi was heading to a particular destination. It was a long hearty chat. They became friends.
Soon, Wariso got to his destination. But before he alighted he introduced himself as Pastor Daniel Wariso. He told the Father that he was the founder of a church called Brotherhood of St Vincent at No. 148 Upper Igun Street Benin.
The Father also thanked him for the friendly discourse and introduced Himself as Mr O. O. Obu who lives at No. 26 Mbukpa Road Calabar, saying He would love for Wariso to pay Him a visit some day soon so that they could continue the discourse. Happily, Wariso alighted from the taxi and accepted the invitation.
About a month or so later, Wariso kept having the strong urge to see Mr Obu. The urge became impelling. He made up his mind and travelled to 26 Mbukpa. At the gate of 26 Mbukpa, he told the gate man that he came to see one Mr Obu who was with him in Benin City few weeks back.
The gate man argued that the Man Wariso described to see had never travelled out of Calabar let alone Him being seen in a distant place like Benin City. Little did the gateman know that the Being he was working for as a gate man was Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscient.
As the gate man argued, the Father Himself peeped from inside the Hall of 26 Mbukpa where He was conducting a spiritual service. The Father waved at Wariso, inviting him to come in. Wariso quickly recognised Him. Wariso told the gate man that the Man who just waved at Him was the Man he came to see; that He was the Man who was with him in Benin City few weeks earlier.
Wariso walked in and was asked to sit close by until the Father completed His prayer session.
When both the Father and Wariso met, the Father told him that both of them had worked together in the previous generation, and that he would love for him to join Him again and continue the work in this generation. The Father told Wariso several things that touched his soul deeply.
Overwhelmed, filled with contentment; his spirit feeling quite at home, saying truly this is where you actually belong, Wariso welcomed Father's proposition with complete enthusiasm. He was baptised.
When Wariso returned to Benin City, some nine hours drive from Calabar, he called his congregation together and said from that day the name of the church has changed from Brotherhood of St Vincent to Brotherhood of the Cross and Star. He suggested the idea of re-baptism. Surprisingly, they accepted. That was the genesis of the BCS Bethel at Upper Igun.
The Father then made used of Wariso tremendously, so that he converted and baptised greater number of people both in Benin and in his native Rivers State.
As the Upper Igun bethel grew and became stabilised, Wariso moved on to establish the Etiosa Healing Home in another part of town. This, too, grew and made wave. Father in him was a powerful visioner, preacher and healer.
As time wore on, Wariso also grew in age so that he could not actively go on with Father's work as he used to do. Instead of adhering to unpopular advice by friends and family members to sell the Etiosa property as he was returning to his native Rivers State, he refused saying if he did not sell that of Upper Igun why should he sell Etiosa! He warned that the place should be used for God's service.
Wariso returned home because of age. He is now in his 90s and still very strong. The Father recently promoted him a Bishop, and ordered that, unlike others, he should adorn his purple girdle straightaway without going on mandatory Episcopal tour of 7 nations or 21 states in Nigeria.
End
February 8 at 1:24pm ·