As Nigeria battles to stem activities of the dreaded Islamic sect, Boko Haram, Warri based Reverend (Dr) Simeon Okah, Bishop of the Flock of Christ Mission, says the sect’s activities are inadvertently helping to convert more people to Christianity as Nigerians and elsewhere do not like to be associated with violence. He also speaks on insecurity and other issues of national interest. Excerpts:

It is reported that you believe that Boko Haram is working in favour of the expansion of the gospel. Can you throw more light on this?

I know, for the interest of those who understand the power of the gospel and how the gospel itself moves. I know that the gospel itself is a gospel of peace. When there is peace, then we can have more effect in terms of Boko Haram, knowing well it is extremism on the part of Islam. Right now, the youths in Europe are scared of Islam, because you know they are more civilized.

They are also more economically opportune. A religious body where the extremists are always killing human beings without thinking twice; it is difficult to get a younger person into Islam in Europe and I believe that the same thing is already happening here in the Northern part of Nigeria.

A lot of youths who are Muslims are turning to Christ; turning en mass to Christ. A young person will be looking for a place where you can give him hope; where you can give him job and so on and so forth. That is why I feel that this violence will make Muslims lose. In the time past, they were losing members, not to talk of now when there is all kind of violence and wickedness.

Look at this whole thing about Boko Haram; it is an offshoot of wickedness. How do you kill a fellow human being? Every Nigerian that loves this country should be able to know that Boko Haram does not mean well for this country. Look at the bombing of the United Nation’s building in Abuja.

If not for the way the government handled it, that would have given us a very bad image in the international world. So that is one of the reasons I said if the church continues to preach the word and be kind to fellow human beings, there is no way the Boko Haram issue is not going to give the church more members and increase the number of Christians in the country.

What do you recommend Government should do for churches that were burnt in the North and Christians who were killed since Boko Haram started?

The government should think of how to compensate those who Boko Haram have killed their people. Do you know there was a week I was unable to sleep because of those Boko Haram killed. All Boko Haram killed, government should compensate.
. . .
Let them rise to solve this problem, if not, watch the Northern states, the unemployment is going to rise because nobody want to go where there is no peace. Who will invest money in a place where there is no peace?
. . .
Is the church is doing enough to address the issue of Boko Haram, given the loss of lives and property of Christians particularly in the Northern part of the country?

I think the church has been trying but we Nigerians have never taken nationhood as a priority. Europeans built Europe, Chinese built China and Americans built America. Nigerians should try and build Nigeria. When you talk of the church, you are talking of a very large body, because the information we are getting now is that Christianity has out numbered in Islam in terms of population.

We are doing all that we can. You know how painful it is to hear that a pastor who is in the church is killed. They killed one, killed two, some cases 15 were killed. We have been doing the little we can; we contribute money, we also send food. Sometimes ago, we loaded trailers through PFN and through CAN to our affected members in the North.

We have tried, but if the church can wake up to the reality of number one, brotherhood; number two, building of the nation only then I think we can do much better.

How will you rate the population of Christians to Muslims in the country today? Is it in anyway affected by the violence in the North?

Before the violence, the Christian percentage has been higher. Even before the emergence of Boko Haram, the percentage of Christians were over 50 against about 40 percent of Muslims. There is a valid document that stated so, even before the existing of Boko Haram sect. With this Boko Haram, it is obvious that the percentage of Christianity is going to rise to between 60 to 65 percent. I think, right now, it is close to 60 percent.

Then another thing that is going to give the growth of the church in the world is the death of Gadhafi. Because Gadhafi, you know when he came into this country, he came like a god. He disregarded all our security arrangements; came with his own security, came with his own vehicles and all that. And not only that, the man boasted that he would spread Islam across Africa. You know, when you are talking of Africa, Nigeria is more than 50 percent. So now that he has fallen, it is also going to affect the population of Islam negatively.
. . .
Do you foresee an end to the Boko Haram crisis? How and when? And what is your view on Islamic banking?
The issue of Boko Haram should be addressed once and for all if not it is going to destroy the Islamic religion because no youth want to die. No youth who has food to eat will want to die. Boko Haram activity will affect the religion, it will affect the economy of the North and if care is not taken it can affect this whole country.

Festus Ahon, Vanguard, December 17, 2011

tidytim:
As Nigeria battles to stem activities of the dreaded Islamic sect, Boko Haram, Warri based Reverend (Dr) Simeon Okah, Bishop of the Flock of Christ Mission, says the sect’s activities are inadvertently helping to convert more people to Christianity as Nigerians and elsewhere do not like to be associated with violence. He also speaks on insecurity and other issues of national interest. Excerpts:

It is reported that you believe that Boko Haram is working in favour of the expansion of the gospel. Can you throw more light on this?

I know, for the interest of those who understand the power of the gospel and how the gospel itself moves. I know that the gospel itself is a gospel of peace. When there is peace, then we can have more effect in terms of Boko Haram, knowing well it is extremism on the part of Islam. Right now, the youths in Europe are scared of Islam, because you know they are more civilized.

They are also more economically opportune. A religious body where the extremists are always killing human beings without thinking twice; it is difficult to get a younger person into Islam in Europe and I believe that the same thing is already happening here in the Northern part of Nigeria.

A lot of youths who are Muslims are turning to Christ; turning en mass to Christ. A young person will be looking for a place where you can give him hope; where you can give him job and so on and so forth. That is why I feel that this violence will make Muslims lose. In the time past, they were losing members, not to talk of now when there is all kind of violence and wickedness.

Look at this whole thing about Boko Haram; it is an offshoot of wickedness. How do you kill a fellow human being? Every Nigerian that loves this country should be able to know that Boko Haram does not mean well for this country. Look at the bombing of the United Nation’s building in Abuja.

If not for the way the government handled it, that would have given us a very bad image in the international world. So that is one of the reasons I said if the church continues to preach the word and be kind to fellow human beings, there is no way the Boko Haram issue is not going to give the church more members and increase the number of Christians in the country.

What do you recommend Government should do for churches that were burnt in the North and Christians who were killed since Boko Haram started?

The government should think of how to compensate those who Boko Haram have killed their people. Do you know there was a week I was unable to sleep because of those Boko Haram killed. All Boko Haram killed, government should compensate.
. . .
Let them rise to solve this problem, if not, watch the Northern states, the unemployment is going to rise because nobody want to go where there is no peace. Who will invest money in a place where there is no peace?
. . .
Is the church is doing enough to address the issue of Boko Haram, given the loss of lives and property of Christians particularly in the Northern part of the country?

I think the church has been trying but we Nigerians have never taken nationhood as a priority. Europeans built Europe, Chinese built China and Americans built America. Nigerians should try and build Nigeria. When you talk of the church, you are talking of a very large body, because the information we are getting now is that Christianity has out numbered in Islam in terms of population.

We are doing all that we can. You know how painful it is to hear that a pastor who is in the church is killed. They killed one, killed two, some cases 15 were killed. We have been doing the little we can; we contribute money, we also send food. Sometimes ago, we loaded trailers through PFN and through CAN to our affected members in the North.

We have tried, but if the church can wake up to the reality of number one, brotherhood; number two, building of the nation only then I think we can do much better.

How will you rate the population of Christians to Muslims in the country today? Is it in anyway affected by the violence in the North?

Before the violence, the Christian percentage has been higher. Even before the emergence of Boko Haram, the percentage of Christians were over 50 against about 40 percent of Muslims. There is a valid document that stated so, even before the existing of Boko Haram sect. With this Boko Haram, it is obvious that the percentage of Christianity is going to rise to between 60 to 65 percent. I think, right now, it is close to 60 percent.

Then another thing that is going to give the growth of the church in the world is the death of Gadhafi. Because Gadhafi, you know when he came into this country, he came like a god. He disregarded all our security arrangements; came with his own security, came with his own vehicles and all that. And not only that, the man boasted that he would spread Islam across Africa. You know, when you are talking of Africa, Nigeria is more than 50 percent. So now that he has fallen, it is also going to affect the population of Islam negatively.
. . .
Do you foresee an end to the Boko Haram crisis? How and when? And what is your view on Islamic banking?
The issue of Boko Haram should be addressed once and for all if not it is going to destroy the Islamic religion because no youth want to die. No youth who has food to eat will want to die. Boko Haram activity will affect the religion, it will affect the economy of the North and if care is not taken it can affect this whole country.

Festus Ahon, Vanguard, December 17, 2011

Only fools like that Bishop believes that terrorism is part of Islam

If you have common sense and it's working, you will know that no religion in this world preaches violence or war..

shahydbinaliyu:





Only fools like that Bishop believes that terrorism is part of Islam

If you have common sense and it's working, you will know that no religion in this world preaches violence or war..

Yeah just as the queen of england is from jamaica!
Get sense!!!

Irrelevant post. Allah will guide whosoever He wishes and leave to go astray whosoever He wishes.

It is not about numbers.

Ignorant Muslims in poorer countries will always be attracted by shallow things of the world found in xtianity; staged miracles, media lies and what-not. Intellectual xtians in more developed countries are attracted by the deeper logic behind the message of Islam.

Ultimately, it's every man/woman for him/herself. In the hereafter, no one will carry the burdens of another.

kay1one:


Yeah just as the queen of england is from jamaica!
Get sense!!!

Clearly. Your hatred for Islam has blinded your sense... Grow up.. Instead of you hating. Understand Islam. Study it.. .. Only unmatured mind hates anything

shahydbinaliyu:




Clearly. Your hatred for Islam has blinded your sense... Grow up.. Instead of you hating. Understand Islam. Study it.. .. Only unmatured mind hates anything

when ever I see my brother in other faith,islam try to cover up their naked ass with a fishing nets it baffle me well okay ask yourself why all these terrorist are muslims, boko haram,alshabab,alqaida,al mujahedeen,taliban,isis and many more why are they muslim ? All these group have one slogan "allah akbr" in one language " kill the infidel".condem the act don't cover it up.

jcross19:
when ever I see my brother in other faith,islam try to cover up their naked ass with a fishing nets it baffle me well okay ask yourself why all these terrorist are muslims, boko haram,alshabab,alqaida,al mujahedeen,taliban,isis and many more why are they muslim ? All these group have one slogan "allah akbr" in one language " kill the infidel".condem the act don't cover it up.

It's whatever you do that defines who you are... Did Quran support the killing? Does Prophet Muhammad support it? Does Islam leaders support it?
Guy get sense.. Religion battles are over.. Everything is now political. You claiming muslims are terrorist and muslims are 70% that are killed by these attacks

shahydbinaliyu:




Clearly. Your hatred for Islam has blinded your sense... Grow up.. Instead of you hating. Understand Islam. Study it.. .. Only unmatured mind hates anything

You didn't explain anything worth understanding!

if leaving goodness islam] is undertook because the desire to disassociate from khawarijites [boko haraam and its like], one will find pockets of evil doers in the group he enters. while Islam does have a place for these khawarijites as it does not have place for nation of islam, the 5%ers, etc. oh i forget, the chrislam, too.

but what is important in this life is what benefits us after we are dead. those who leave goodness because they focus on the fringe groups that are not good as the 'way' commands, have lost the goodness just like the group they focus upon. if he dies outside 'goodness', he will enter what evil doers enter.

so the glamor of this world is temporary glamor ending without any doubt at death. there is need for people to use common sense before doing anything that will jeopardize the eternal happiness that God prepares for believers. God says in the Quran that believers should hurry to the prophet [SA] because he is the one God says our invitation cards are in his possession. it is smart to let him hand it over to you while you ignore and boycott boko haraam etc as you have to walk their gauntlet to get the best. No one says the road will be gold paved or there will not be distractions.


Alhamdulillah. just 2 thursdays ago, i got to calm somebody down from leaving Islam. reason is that before islam, there was luxury. upon entering Islam the hardship begins. my question was do you think everyone in christianity is a billionaire and no one is suffering, needing something to make life easy? this person, members of family accepted Islam through and 3 of them already died. now thinking that after all of these, leaving Islam, when practically it is clear that the paradise of Muslims is not a place for others?

Alhamdulillah that Allah strengthened the weak heart, making the soul firm on guidance.


the priest will not be secure because he is a priest. security is guidance in Islam. and i am grateful that the glamor is not attractive to me because bill gates made his wealth without being a believer in God. so God gives to that man in spite of his not having understanding of his existence on earth. the time alive on the earth will end for every person. let us think about ourselves, individually regarding to our afterlife.

kay1one:


You didn't explain anything worth understanding!

That's because you ain't got brains... Working brains... If you wanna know about islam.. Study it.. End of story.. I studied Christianity and I knew its all Paul idea

shahydbinaliyu:



That's because you ain't got brains... Working brains... If you wanna know about islam.. Study it.. End of story.. I studied Christianity and I knew its all Paul idea

You have pus cells in your skull! Study that!

kay1one:


You have pus cells in your skull! Study that!

Laughing.... Better do research, read Bible and read original Bible.. This will enlighten you just like i am..