She looks so much younger! 'A rare gem flying her
husband's flag even after his death', that's the
description that best suits her. Fifteen years after
the death of Archbishop Benson Idahosa, Margaret
Benson-Idahosa, the Archbishop of the Church of
God International, who She turns 70 on July 29, has
remained a symbol of grace and her strides have
remained a proof of the power of faith.
In this interview, Archbishop Margaret
Idahosa who was in Lagos for her annual
Christian Women Fellowship International- CWFI,
shares memories of her husband and childhood
amongst sundry issues. Excerpts:
How does it feel to be seventy? You look younger
than that to me… I feel the same on the inside of me.
Although I cannot jump, dance and move like I used
to, I know all of that come with age. One thing I know
has been the secret of my peace is the fact that I do not
hold grudges against anyone. When you offend me, I
open up to you and forgive you. You see, forgiveness
is not loss of memory but memory without want of
vengeance, and that's what I have on the inside of me
because I'm preparing myself for heaven. I've been
through a lot in this life and cannot afford to miss
heaven.
Fifteen years ago, your being handed the mantle of
leadership of your husband's church attracted a
lot of criticisms from all sides; how have you
managed since then?
One thing my husband taught me to understand is that
people will always talk about anybody as long that
person has the breath of God in his or her nostrils. But
he always told me: "If you talk back to them, it means
you're on the same level." So, whatever anyone says, I
commit to God because He put me in this position.
When my husband died, I had my own agenda. I have
four biological children and three others whom I
adopted. I understood I was living in a man's world,
so, I began planning how I would manage my life after
my husband's funeral.
My first plan was to go spend three months with my
son in the UK, spend three months with my first
daughter and then with my third child before
returning to Nigeria because my fourth child was still
schooling at home. My plan was to travel round to my
children's places and maybe come to Nigeria once a
year to see my mother and others. The ministry was
not in my agenda. So, when I was put in this position, I
cried to God about how timid I was and how male
dominated the world was, but God did not answer
until I had made up my mind. He said to me:
"Margaret, I'm not moved by tears or your needs, but
by faith. If your faith says yes, I God will not say no".
I therefore began building my faith by reading books,
praying, acting and all. One day, He spoke to me
again, saying, "If I made the appointment, I will
release in you the ability to perform and excel". That
he has actually done all this while. If you look at the
Church of God Mission, you'll find that I'm not the best
preacher. There are some that are fire-brands and
whose sermons could make the heaven kiss the earth.
But God has been gracious to me.
Rev. Idahosa At this point, do you feel fulfilled? I
feel fulfilled in the sense that I'm doing what God
asked me to do. I feel fulfilled because I'm not copying
anybody. I feel fulfilled because my children are all in
the ministry. I have seen some pastors praying for
their child to come to God, but I look at my children
and glorify God because they discovered God on their
own; not because of whom their father was or what I
have done. They discovered God by themselves, and
that's the most precious thing God can do for a
preacher; for the children to discover the God of their
fathers and stand firmly to defend that God. I'm
confident that even when I'm no longer here, they can
stand until Jesus comes.
What went through your mind when your husband
passed-on; didn't you feel like suspecting anyone
because of the suddenness?
We both went to the United States but on our way
back, he told me to go visit the children in the UK and
take care of their fees. Two days after, I was told he
passed-on! It was a big shock! Early in that year
however, sometimes in January, he told me:
"Margaret, I now live for posterity, not prosperity,
because I have all I need. Now, I live for people and
what I can be remembered for." I was dazed and
advised him to go on vacation for a rest.
In February which was his 40th year into the ministry,
he called me and said: "Margaret, I think I have
finished everything God asked me to do". I argued
with him that one does not finish the work of God, but
later in February, he repeated it again, and I became
more worried because I believed God promised old
age. He was supposed to be 60 in September that year
and I didn't want to agree that he was going to leave at
that age. He passed on March 12. It was when I came
to terms with the news of his death that I remembered
he had said it earlier.
What do you miss about him? Everything; his care,
concern, love, messages, standing for people and the
nation. I miss everything about him.
What attracted you to him? I'm an only child and I
was always fighting in the streets and at school. My
mother made new uniforms for me almost every
month because my uniforms always got torn after
every fight. I actually stuttered and because I could
not express myself, I got used to using my hands
(fighting).
My husband was living in the neighbourhood and
would always come to settle my fights and counsel me
against fighting. But as time went on, I took him as a
brother because I had none. I even went as far as
trying to choose a wife for him amongst my friends;
but he told me he didn't want a wife. I actually didn't
see anything in him; he had only a bicycle and was
living in a rented room and parlour apartment.
But I just liked him because he stood by me as a
brother(I actually referred to him as bro), especially
whenever I entered into trouble on the streets. He
came eight years after to say he wanted to marry me,
and when I finally accepted, we settled down. At that
time he was a deacon.
You were relatively young when he passed on .What
effect did it have on you? My husband departed this
world when I was 55 years old. Today I am 70 years.
God has helped me since my husband passed on; I
have never lust after any man. I had my husband and
enjoyed him. It is now time to focus on God's
assignment than re-marrying. There have been men
who wanted my hand in marriage, but I declined.
Some would say, 'Mama, you are looking good'. I
always tell them, 'thank you', and that the way they
see me has been through the backing of the Holy
Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that rejuvenates me. If you
believe in the Holy Spirit, He will rejuvenate you.
You are the Chancellor of Benson Idahosa University.
How have you been able to successfully run the
university and manage church affairs
Running a university is not an easy task. When my
husband died, the university was not fully accredited
then. We had to work on our programme. We were
able to comply with rules, regulations and policy of
the National University Commission.The university
was approved by the Federal Government in 2002. For
a state to even run a university, it is not an easy task,
not to talk of an individual. We thank God that the
foundation of our university is based on God .When
God gives a vision, he will also make the provision.
We want to thank God that the foundation of our
university is based on God.
Is it Biblical for women to lead a church the same way
men do? God is not mad at men and women according
to Gen.1:28-29,men and women were created by
God ,God gave both of them authority; not the man
alone, to go and dominate and multiply. You can
multiply by the Word of God or biologically. It is
religion and tradition that relegated the woman. The
mind of God is that men and women work together
amicably.
Before God ,there is no difference but, traditionally,
we have difference. If a man can fulfill the gift in him
from the foundation, why can't a woman as well? God
has called the man and the woman. So, God is not mad
at the man preaching and the woman also preaching.
The Restoration Center ,which is the Christian Women
Fellowship International, was ordained by God. If God
gives you a vision, He will bring people around to
provide for the vision. God has been very faithful.
When He gave us the name, He did not tell us the ups
and downs on the way. Everyday when we come
together as a body to worship, God opens a little more
about the vision. We have trained many women and
empowered them.
What informed the establishment of Word of Faith
Group of Schools? How do you react to the opinion
on the establishment of schools by churches as an
avenue to make money?
It is true that Word of Faith Group of Schools is owned
by us and it is a fact that money is coming in from it
now. But don't forget that before we established it,
funds were injected into it. We spent money to build
the school, paid teachers and provided incentives to
the management in one way or the other. We
laboured to put the school in shape. It is just now that
money is coming. But the purpose of establishing the
school is not to make money but to train children from
the cradle. Benin was not what it is today. At that time,
it was called the City of Laws. If a native doctor told
you to fulfill an appointment by 2pm, you had to be
there. When the real gospel came, we let men and
women know that God is not a killer.
God wants you to give your heart to Him and He will
protect you and your children. We have seen a lot of
changes. Then, I looked at our children and told
myself that, in 20 years time, our children should be
able to contribute their quota to the development of
the nation. This informed my vision to establish Word
of Faith Group of Schools. I think it is better that we
have the spread of schools than spreading the gospels
of Sango, Ogun, Orunmila. When a child is developed
mentally, he or she can become anything in life. So,
our school is Christian-based. Whatever comes from
the school is invested in the ministry.
One can see you functioning as a full-time minister
of the gospel and a mother at home, two poles
apart. How have you been able to cope especially
as a widow?
I am able to function because I work with a team of
men and women who believe in the vision that God
has given to us. As you said, we have churches,
schools, a university, a Bible school, a hospital and
international leadership institutes. By the grace of
God, any moment from now, the churches will have
different bishops. I have one of the bishops seated
with me here. He is in charge of our finance and
budget. So, I don't have to disturb myself on that. He is
specially trained for that purpose.
The bishop in charge of administration is also here.
He directs the affairs of the church. We have different
bishoprics; so I don't have much to do. It is once every
two, three months that we come together to rub minds
on our strengths and weaknesses and how to improve
and move to the next stage. I believe strongly in team
work. Everything we have today is as a result of team
work.
I have an office in the church. I do my work; when it is
time to go home, I go and do domestic things. For
example, I have a baby who is my seventh grand
child. When I was ready to come to office for this
interview, the mother, my daughter, came and said
she brought the three-month-old grand child to play
with me. I told her I was going to office for an
appointment with journalists. That is why I came a
little bit late. And soon as I am through here, I am
going back home to attend to the grand child. So, you
can now see that when I am home I am a mother and
grandmother. I don't allow the work of the ministry to
bog me down as a mother at home.
What do you cherish most as birthday gift? Last
month, we had a Council of over 300 pastors meeting.
I overheard them making big plans for me but I told
them I would be 70 years. Number one, I don't need a
husband. I had one, I enjoyed him. Two, I don't need
biological children again. God gave me seven
children. I don't need a house because I live in a
palace. To maintain the house per month costs more
than 50,000 naira. One thing I want as birthday gift is
how to move Benson Idahosa University from the
temporary site to the permanent site and I believe
with the support of all of you this will be achieved
There is a saying that women are to be seen and
not to be heard. What is your opinion and what
really equipped you as a successful female
minister?
Women to be seen but not to be heard is an old adage.
We let women know that they must be seen and they
must be heard. However, I am not asking women to
usurp authority of men because God made the man
the head of the home, if the head of the home is acting
in terms of the provision, caring, educating, etc, there
is no need for the woman to usurp his authority.
But that which God has embedded in you is
important. God put you there for your home the and
others around you in the community to enjoy you.
Don't die with the gift which God has given you. Do
your bit at home, do what your husband loves you
doing. But do not die with the gift which God has
given you.
Myler Monroe said there is a place on this planet earth
that is very rich which is the cemetery, retains gift that
were buried and songs that were never sung.
The source of my success is God, the Holy Spirit. The
first thing I do every moning is to sing love songs to
God. He rejuvenates me. It is not that I don't have
challenges but I don't allow the challenges to weigh
me down. So I preach to women, don't let problems
overwhelm you, dominate problems.

Source: m.naij.com/news/37298.html

Thank you OP , i really appreciate your effort, but the topic does not seem to be the same as the body of the message. Could you please change the topic to a better one?

God bless you.

God2man.

I would have said 'probably for prayers' until I enter the thread and saw the powdered face with lipstick, eyebrow, and what-have-you. Some men can run after anything with the right amount of ingredients listed above.