65-year-old Prophet Solomon Oladimeji, the founder of Cherubim and Seraphim Church, Orisun-Ayo has shocked many after proudly revealing in an interview that he is a top member of the Ogboni fraternity.
Prophet Solomon who has been in the ministry for over four decades has church branches at Alapere, Ketu, and Odogunyan in Ikorodu area of Lagos said Ogboni members derive power from God.
He said they don’t hold meetings in secret again rather everything about them is open as they hold their general meetings on the 1st Sunday of every month in broad daylight.
The pastor who said he belongs to Saala Ogboni Fellowship of Nigeria (SOFN) – within the fraternity – where he occupies the position of Oluwo and the third in command to the overall head of the fraternity opens up to The Sun about his member of the ‘Ogboni’ fraternity, how pastors come to their meetings for powers, amongst other things.
He said: “I am not ashamed to confess my membership of the fraternity. I’m proud to be Ogboni member. In actual fact, being an Ogboni leader has made me not only a good disciple of Jesus Christ, but it has also gone a long way to make me a better citizen,”
“As a member of Ogboni fraternity, my life is having a meaning. I have prospered. My coast has been enlarged. Members of my congregation are increasing everyday. I also thank God that due to my diligence as a committed member, I have been able to rise to the enviable position of Oluwo within the Ogboni fraternity,” he proudly told Saturday Sun.
On when he became a member of the Ogboni he said: Although, my journey as shepherd for Jesus Christ’s flock is over 40 years, I became a member of the Ogboni society over 20 years ago. Initially, I was initiated into the Aborigine Ogboni fraternity, that is the one they call Ogboni Ibile, but later I joined Saala Ogboni fraternity, and since I made that decision, I have no regret.
On if his church members are aware of his association with the Ogboni fraternity: What is there to be hidden? I am not ashamed of my association with Ogboni Society, and I don’t hide it from members of my church. They all know that I’m a leader in the Ogboni group. When you even come to my house, I openly display my regalia as Ogboni chief. Let me quickly tell you this, by making my members know that I’m Ogboni member, it makes me popular among them. They describe me as an open and honest person. For that, many of them have been voluntarily coming to me pleading to be initiated as a member of Ogboni fraternity.
Pastor Oladimeji who denied using charm as insinuated by some, but, however said: “I used herbs and leaves combined with other items to prepare soap, anointing oil for members and other people that are having spiritual problems”.
On pastors coming to him for powers he said: Some of these pastors and prophets come to people like me to acquire power to perform miracle and wonders. Some of them are even Ogboni members like me. But they are hypocrites.
It is a big shame that many of these so-called men of God that claim that they rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to do miracles are liars. They are big liars.
Many of these pastors both within the orthodox and the Pentecostal fold are members of Ogboni fraternity. They come to the Ogboni meetings seeking powers which are given to them. We also have many professionals including lawyers, doctors, engineers, university lecturers, imams, Islamic and Christian leaders, and traditional rulers as our members. We don’t discriminate. Our mission here on earth is to save mankind.
On the believe that Ogboni is an evil association condemned by the Bible he said: Those who say so are ignorant. They have been brainwashed by our colonial masters. But thank God, we are now in a different era, and we can all be reading the Bible without relying or depending on what the imperialist swould want us to believe in order to suit their own purpose. Some will tell you that Ogboni is evil because they use juju, they still carry out sacrifices of various forms by shedding blood of animals, and birds. Some even out of ignorance say we eat human flesh. Rubbish. May Almighty God forgive our traducers.
On performing sacrifices he said: I sacrificed animals and birds to offer prayers to cure and heal people of their ailments.
When I pray for you and it is revealed to me that I should kill duck, cow or even goat to offer prayers for you, I will tell you to make available such animals for sacrifice, and the moment we do that, you receive your healing.
When I kill fowl, goat, duck or even cow for sacrifice to heal somebody, I have not in any way transgressed. I’m only doing the will of Jesus Christ, who is my personal Lord and Saviour. Whatever is outside the Bible, you will never see me doing it.
All those pastors saying rubbish about Ogboni are doing so to attract membership.
On if the leadership of Cherubim and Seraphim church is aware of his membership as an Ogboni he said: I have never hidden my membership of the Ogboni group. The church leaders are aware, and nobody has raised any eyebrow. I’ve even used my membership of Ogboni to win more souls for Christ. As for CAN leaders both at Alapere, and in Odogunyan, I play prominent roles in the affairs of the association. I pay my dues as and when due. I also sacrifice my time and energy for evangelism. They respect me a lot.
There are also other pastors there who are fellow Ogboni members. But I won’t mention names here unless the situation warrants it. Just as I’m not ashamed of the gospel so also I’m not ashamed of being an Ogboni pastor.
Some pastors do come to us at Ogboni meetings seeking spiritual assistance for their church grow in terms of membership. At other times, they seek our help that their members will obey them or do whatever they ask them to do without questioning their authority. But it is a big shame that these pastors when they mount pulpits would be deceiving their members by behaving and talking as if they are truly holy spirit-inspired. They should learn to give credit to whom it is due.
Let me be bold in saying this that it is unfortunate that the church is full of deceit today.
On the spiritual advantage he as Ogboni pastor he said:
The advantages I have are enormous. You know when you are doing something with purity of mind and purpose, God will answer your prayers. Being an Ogboni pastor, I have 100 percent direct access to Olodumare and when I call upon Him, He never disappoints, and that is why you see some people that call themselves pastors, they can’t see any vision, they can’t cure anybody, and that is why they come to our members in the Ogboni fellowship to acquire powers to enable them perform miracles.
You don’t need to kneel down before me before I know who you are or your problems. The moment I pray for you or you send a prayer request from any part of the globe, I will know what your problems are and the way out. But how many of these pastors can lay claim to such? The moment you become a member you will be automatically qualified to have or enjoy these powers.
Pastor Oladimeji also said Pastors that are not Ogboni members will have problem of church growth as he revealed “Several pastors come to us and we do what we call Aworo in Yoruba for them”.
Aworo is a kind of charm that draws crowd to a place. We do it for pastors, and that is why you see many of them driving state of the art cars. For those pastors that don’t know their ways, you see them in penury, drinking garri and coconut most of the time.
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