"I hated going to church before God formally arrested me"

Pastor George Adewale Okuwaseyi is the Senior Pastor of Trinity Love Christian Centre International, Lokoja, Kogi State. His church was founded just over a year ago and on Saturday, 5th of December, the Ministry would mark 2020 Festival of Gratitude. How did this former ‘bad boy’ become such giant in the Lord’s vineyard, performing signs and wonders? He revealed all to InsideStory reporter Mohammed Yabagi in this interesting interview. Excerpts:

Introduction:
My name is Pastor George Adewale Okuwaseyi, I am the Senior Pastor of Trinity Love Christian Centre International, Lokoja, Kogi State.

What made you opt for God’s work despite your high level of education?

Thank you so much. Well, the work of God that I do, is for me, despite the seeming cliche, is a calling that I initially wanted to discountenance. We thank God for everything for He has been very faithful. The truth is, I detest it initially to a point I totally avoided church going for a long time with my parents not asking me why I did that. And this was a deliberate decision. It was burden that had been in my heart. I knew God had called me and that whenever I mistakenly go to church, that would be an opportunity for Him (God) to arrest me (general laughter) and not let me go again, so I avoided church altogether because, coming from the background that I originated from, what I wanted to do was become a businessman to be able to get the necessary resources to be able to take adequate care of my aged parents. But each time I look back, I knew, in all honesty, that the call started in primary school. So I avoided church and anything that had to do with reading or sharing the word of God. I knew how I had to struggle to go to school and other struggles I had to go through in life. It was only during youth service in Jos, Plateau State in 1998 that I attended a church service once and since then, I have not stopped. I have been going to church, working in the church and now becoming a Senior Pastor of my current ministry. On that fateful day that I had to attend the church service, I can’t still explain how it happened that I made up my mind that day to go. The long and short of it is I have not stopped going to church, I have attended the Bible School and grown myself in the propagation of word of God.

Tell us about some of the remarkable things you did as a youth…
(Cuts in)…Ahh!, You wouldn’t want to know (Extended laughter follows). If I tell you, you would marvel at how I grew up to become a Pastor today. Apart from not going to church at the time, I was into some very ‘interesting things’ that made me a ‘very very good boy’ (laughs again). What I did during my days in Kwara Polytechnic between 1986 and 1987 were things that earned me a nickname that whoever hears it till today would be surprised that I am now a preacher of the word. In fact, the things I did were partly responsible for me going to the university several years behind my mates. It was really ‘interesting’ to be sincere…

…(our reporter interjects with a mischievous smile) Did you ever smoke Indian Hemp?
Yes I did.

(Our reporter again) Drink Alcohol?
Yes

Were you a member of a cult group?

Yes I was.

Did you womanise?

No. I didn’t have time for women even though I did all of those other juvenile things. You are forcing me to admit to these things even though I didn’t want to really talk about them. But, yes I did those things (reclines momentarily in his chair and let out a short laughter).
(Our reporter) Did you engage in stealing?
No. This was one thing I am grateful to God I didn’t do. In fact, I didn’t need to do them. Thank God.

Tell us about your current ministry
Thank you. Well, the Trinity Love Christian Centre International, Lokoja, Kogi State started just a little over a year ago. Before that, I was a Pastor under a man of God with whom I had shared the dream of the Ministry. I worked under for four years and within that time, I concentrated on helping to propagate God’s word, do signs and wonders and win souls for God. So, having been too immersed in that regard, I forgot about this dream or that I discussed it with my senior pastor in the former church. It was on fateful day that he called to tell me he had prayed and sought the face of God regarding what I told him and that he had heard from the Lord and that he was giving me permission to go ahead. He even sent someone to follow me to this ground to pray. That is an uncommon thing to find in this time and age. That was how we started from nothing until the current status God has helped us to reach. I came here along with one of my former coursemates in Kwara Polytechnic who is now a born again and a Pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God. We were into some of those things of the past together, but things have changed. Everything you see here are from the benevolence of people touched by the Almighty himself to contribute in building His works. So, we thank God.

Any regrets from what you have done in the past?
Personally I regret all of the things I have done in my youth days but when I look at it from how it has helped me, I reason that God made me go through those things for it to be easier for me to be able to preach His word. Many youths in the same situation find it easier to speak openly with me about their situation and because they know I have been in their shoes, it makes it easier for me to counsel them. They are usually open and free with me and that way, God has helped me win them over to Him.

This year’s Annual Thanksgiving of your church; why it was necessary to give thanks and the focus of this year’s Festival of Gratitude by your church
Thank you. It very necessary to give thanks because they Bible says; “Bless ye the Lord o my soul and forget not His benefits.” If we forget the things that God has done for us then we are ingrates. There are many things God has done for us. For even sparing our lives, we need to give God gratitude. We are just a year old but if you come here, you’d think we are several years already. So, these are very important to us. We must appreciate God. For other people’s benevolence, for the favours we have gotten, for good health, for the miracles our members have received including jobs, fruit of the womb and numerous others. The theme for this year’s Festival of Gratitude is; “The King of Kings.” The occasion took place on Saturday 5th of December, 2020. It was marvelous as those who were here, including you my able journalist friend can testify. I can’t wait for next year’s edition. (Smiles)

Advice to the youth and the general public

For me, the youths need to be focused and visionary so as to attain their full potentials. Focus and vision is what leads any youth that knows what he wants in life. If you are focused, you must pray; if you have a desire or something you want to achieve in life, you must pray. So prayer is key. And to the entire citizens, this country needs prayers. The nation, we have learnt in the news, is in recession. Many things are happening that require seizeless prayers and we must all commit to praying for ourselves, our leaders and the country at large. It is necessary.