I lost N500m when I ignored God’s call to be a pastor — Nigerian pastor

He was once known as Soul E Baba in the Nigerian music industry with instant hits like Soul E “Baba dey here” Esoji Ejasi” and a collaboration with 2Baba titled “No be Small Thing O” before he eventually yielded to the call of God to full-time ministry. Apostle Emmanuel Okose is now the General Overseer of New Evidence Christian Church of God aka The Evidence Place.

In this interview he shares his struggles while he was doing circular music, how his spiritual father, Apostle Johnson Suleman instructed him to go to Lesotho in South Africa to start a church and his journey back to Nigeria to start his own ministry.

He is now happily married to Prophetess Linda Okose.

You were once one of Nigeria’s celebrated musicians; what was your musical journey like?

Music has always been a part of me right from my secondary school days. I had a group called Soul Brothers and we were the hottest group in Amuwo-Odofin Estate at that time, we were going from one church to another even up to Okokomaiko. We were three; Soul E, Soul T and Soul D. So, it has always been a passion for me and I believe that was what made me make the impact at that time in the music industry.

Your collaboration with 2Baba on the evergreen song “No be small thing” can be described as “evergreen”. How do you see songs of today?

Well, it was big for me at that time to be on a song with the boss himself, 2Baba and it’s one experience that lives with me. That song is an evergreen song because it has content and it speaks directly to the people. The songs I hear these days in the industry lack content, no message, they have to try and release songs that will make them relevant.

In the midst of your popularity, suddenly, you relocated to South Africa ministering, take us through the journey, what happened?

I never wanted to preach. I mean it was a difficult situation in my life to accept, but when God wants you, trust me, he will block everything about you just to make sure you obey the call. I had 3 major accidents before I finally said “Lord I am ready”. I have always known that I was meant to go into the ministry of God but making money in music was more important to me at the time. But I guess when God needs you, trust me, you have no choice but to yield to the call.

Before you answered the call of God , you said that you went through difficult and turbulent times. Can you share the details?

I lost N500 million in court cases and a few other things I was facing at the time I refused to listen to God’s call. My music career went down so bad that I couldn’t understand what was going on. My record label that used to love me deeply suddenly turned their backs on me. I started making wrong investments, the list is endless.

All these happened just because I refused to answer the call of God. I remember I was coming from an event in Sheraton Hotel here in Abuja and I had a fatal accident. My Jeep somersaulted 4 times. It was the craziest experience I have ever had. When I finally came out with my driver unhurt, a young boy at the scene of the accident said to me you better listen and stop being stubborn to your Creator. That was the last time I was stubborn to God.

You are one of the recognized Prophets in Lesotho with about 2,000 members, tell us the story behind this glory

I went to Lesotho by divine instruction from my spiritual father, Apostle Johnson Suleman. I went there without knowing anyone at all. How God did it, that I became a voice in that land was amazing. We have seen all kinds of miracles happen, the sick being healed, prophetic accuracy, deliverance and so on. This can only be the hand of God and I am humbled. When God asked me to come back to Nigeria it was hard but I had to obey because he sent me with an assignment to my country.

Now that you’re back in Nigeria, we understand that you have almost completed a one thousand seater capacity auditorium, tell us more about your ministry back home?

The name of the church is called “The Evidence Place”. We are almost done with the building of a 1000 capacity church. I believe that this is just a start to what God has shown me. The ministry is a place of deliverance. I believe so much that every believer needs deliverance constantly. It doesn’t matter what you believe but trust me, this is Africa where witchcraft is visible. God has sent me to my nation with an assignment of bringing believers back to their original place of wealth and destiny.