Mgbidi Town located in Oru West Local Government Area of Imo State is fast turning into a pilgrimage ground where signs and wonders take place. That was the verdict of millions of attendees who thronged the annual crusade Mgbidi 2020 powered by The Lords Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministry between January 3 and 6. CYRIACUS NNAJI writes.
The 2020 Lords Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministry Crusade at Mgbidi titled “What God Has Determined Shall Be Done” has come and gone but its impact on the lives of members and non-members in Nigeria and globally will remain an indelible mark and will continue to reverberate.
With millions of people in attendance and wondrous miracles performed, the question on the lips of many was ‘what manner of man is the General Overseer of the church, Pastor, Lazarus Muoka? It is not only about miracles, nor about the tumultuous crowd that graced the crusade; congregants were also wowed by the level of organisation, security arrangement and availability of basic necessities like accommodation, water, light, information technology and ordered traffic, among other logistics which enabled individuals, organisations and countries’s representatives to stay at the four-day crusade without worry.
More significant was the capacity of the visitors as governors, bishops from other churches, traditional rulers graced the crusade. These were unique happenings marking out this year’s crusade from previous ones. Indeed Pastor Lazarus Muoka has become an enigma to the devil and has grown in breath and length beyond his contemporaries. He has become an iconic international evangelist, pastor, crusader and oracle of God.
With over79 countries in attendance including Africans, Europeans, Asians, Americas, and middle east, the Lords Chosen Church is indeed a pilgrimage, of course this was echoed by His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Imo State, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, who attended the Day Three of the four-day event.
It was not all about spirituality; food was in abundance to keep body and soul together. There was elaborate arrangement for spaces for the natives of Mgbidi and other communities who came to the crusade ground to hustle for livelihood; spaces were allocated at a give-away rates, while those who could not rent spaces were nevertheless allowed to come and sell, be it food, gospel materials, all these within the very large expanse of land.
On the last day of the crusade traders, food sells, services providers at the crusade shed tears, saying the event should not end.
Miracles were in quantum, as those under the bondage of Satan were delivered; healings, deliverance, prayers, messages were not in want. Christian Onuchukwu from Warri was healed of memory loss, Favour Iroha deaf and dump condition rolled away; Jane Great, CEO of Madam Titi Entertainment, a Nollywood actress with headquarters in Port-Harcourt, also handed her life to Jesus. Samuel Agnes from Edo State and her friend were rescued from Fulani Herdsmen by God of The Chosen.
Once Pastor Muoka mounted the pulpit miracles began to happen just at his spoken words. 15 years madness was cast out, 29 years deaf and dump healed, people who came in wheelchairs were commanded to drop them and walk and instantly they got healing.
Indeed it is obvious that Mgbidi crusade has improved in geometrical dimension, the man of God also hinted of relocation of the crusade ground from the Chosen International School ground to a more befitting location of more than 200 plots, which must be ready for 2021 edition of the crusade.
Governor of Imo State, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha and former governor of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi were among the special guests of honour that graced the four-day crusade.
While speaking to the participants, Ihedioha said Imo State requires the grace of God and prayers of Children of God to continue to lead and direct the leadership so that they can lead the state to become the most prosperous in the country.
While commending the General Overseer of the church the Governor added; “Sir as you have continued this tradition which is historic. This tradition that has become an identity of this area, that has become part of our annual calendar, we want to enjoin you that we will continue to associate with you.
“On behalf of government and people of Imo State, I want to say we are honestly very proud of you and your wife who has been prayerfully supporting you; and to the congregation for making this place a mecca and Jerusalem of sort.
“That is what we pray for and we are happy it is boosting the economy of our State and our people. It also boosts the prosperity of our people and their spiritual lives.”
On his part, Obi urged Nigerians to pray ceaselessly for those in leadership positions saying; “Let God always touch their hearts to use public money for public good.
“I come to the G.O., our daddy, to pray for those of us in office; it is very difficult to be in office. For people to realize that it is the grace of God, we are all looking for prayers so that we can do the right thing for the society.”
Obi, who was the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Vice Presidential candidate in the 2019 election, also urged Nigerians to remain steadfast in their prayers for the country and its leadership, adding, “always listen to what genuine men of God like Muoka are saying.”
Also in attendance was His Royal Highness Eze A. Ogbuehi (Agbatuom Obinyere the 1st of Mgbidi) who stated that the relationship of Mgbidi Community with the Lords Chosen Church is cordial “You can see Mgbidi is a peaceful community, we are not restive and that is why when they came to the community precisely we welcomed them.”
According to His Eminence, Archbishop Julius Ebiwe, the President of the Council of Bishops in Nigeria and Niger Delta Bishops and Ministers Forum. “I want to thank God for you GO that this is council of Bishops, that has more than 10, 000 members, I want to say with what I am seeing here, we will partner with you.”
He requested for prayers “All Chosen pray for us, man of God please we need your prayers so that the miracle of 2020 we will carry overload go back home. Truly God is here, truly you are in the rightful place.”
On what inspired his visit to the Lords Chosen he said, actually, what inspired us is the great work God is using the GO of Lords Chosen to do, although we represented Al Mustapha that called from US that I should come and represent him in this 17 years anniversary that the Chosen is doing today. We have come to celebrate with him and we have told him we want to partner with him, and we use this opportunity to tell people that have been talking nonsense against the ministry, all clergy men to remove their hands.
Every clergy man to work in one, work with Chosen for the great thing God is using him to do.
According to him, Chosen is real. “Pastor Lazarus Muoka is real, he is real. He is preaching a good gospel, and anybody that is talking anything against Chosen is talking against himself. Chosen is given the right message, he is doing the right thing and we have seen with our eyes.
“And I am standing on behalf of all the clergymen in Nigeria, we are going to work with Chosen for the good work he is doing and God will continue to raise him up to do the work.
In response Pastor Lazarus Muoka said “I want to specially appreciate your coming, and I will also want to appreciate the very restitution that is being made on behalf of the churches who spoke against us, because they fought against the grace of God, but then having come here today to speak on behalf of the churches we believe God will heal our nation, God will heal our churches, God will preserve the church, God will reward our ministers, our clergy, and use them mightily to cause revival and at the end receive all the glory in Jesus name.
“We are going to welcome them because they have declared openly that they are part of this ministry and so as they will face you, all of you are going to pray for them, God will bless them more and more.”
According to a taped message sent by Al Mustapha, former Security Adviser to the late General Sani Abacha “In the course of service to humanity, the last 17 years has no doubt witnessed an exemplified leadership that preached peaceful coexistence, knowledge, understanding, and greater interaction with humanity.
“Today, as you mark the 17th anniversary also pray for other country and humanity. I pray God almighty will continue to strengthen the GO, and the officials of the Lords Chosen to do a lot more. We pray and wish you greater wisdom, tenacity, knowledge, and understanding, with which to continue to provide this sterling leadership. I regret my absence which is due to the fact that I lost some members of my family.”
There were wild jubilations and testimony of the highest order on Friday being the first day of the event at the venue of the crusade following the delivery of a young woman, Mrs. Perpetual David of a baby girl, after five years of marriage.
In her testimony she stated that she went to the crusade, titled: ‘What God has determined, Shall Be Done’, to ask God for safe delivery, not knowing she would go home with smiles, as a result of the bouncing baby, which was named immediately, as Miracle Oluebube David.
Mrs. David said the delivery date given to her was January 5th, 2020, but was surprised when she went to the crusade ground on Friday, 3rd being first day of the 4-day crusade and labour started at about 4pm. “When the labour started, my husband rushed me to the Chosen clinic, and I was immediately attended to by the medical team. Shortly, I had my baby without hitch.”
