Sam Eyoboka
14 November 2000
Lagos — World renowned gospel preacher, Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke, who has just concluded a 5-day Great Millennium Crusade, in Lagos, on Sunday reacted to the reported ban placed on him by the Northern Islamic group, Council of Ulamas, saying he was not barred.
Speaking in an impromptu interview when he arrived for the final day of the crusade organized by his Christ For All Nations (CFAN) in concert with five Christian religious groups in Lagos, the German evangelist said: "I am not barred at all. I am free. I am always free.
"I always go by invitations; I don't just decide to go somewhere. I always work with the local churches. So I am not barred from anywhere", he emphasized.
Bonnke, however, maintained that for some extraneous reasons he may not be visiting the northern part of Nigeria. "I am not going to the North. I believe God is going to send some other of His servants there to do what I cannot do," he added.
The Ulamas were reported, weekend, to have vowed after a meeting in Kano to use all available resources to stop the 60-year-old evangelist from stepping foot on any part of the North.
Asked whether he would consider visiting the North if there was an invitation from local churches, Evangelist Bonnke said: "Right now, I am so busy in the South and I am not only preaching in Nigeria. I preach in the whole world. I preach all over the world, all the time, so I am not just focusing on Nigeria alone", he added.
Bonnke, a father of three, expressed profound gratitude to his Nigerian associates and Nigeria as a whole, claiming that the just concluded crusade was his biggest ever.
"I have never seen a great multitude like this anywhere. Nigeria is a blessed country. I must say that today I am so happy to be here, and I am coming back next month to Enugu for another crusade. I love you wonderful people of Nigeria", he said, adding, "I can't stay away from this wonderful nation".
How are Germans reacting to your evangelical ministry? He was asked. "I am a German and my crusades in Germany are fantastically attended. But my focus is Africa and it has been so for the last 33 years", he explained, adding, "I cannot divide myself".
"My full attention is on Africa. I have been in almost all countries in Africa except some in the North of Africa and I am sure I will be there soon because this year, for the first time, I had a mighty, mighty gospel campaign in Sudan. Right in the heart of Khartoum which was attended by hundreds of thousands of people in a single service".
He explained that his reach in Africa is expanding by day "because I have no message of hate. I do not attack any religion. I just preach Jesus".
On why government officials are excluded from his crusades, he said: "Hypothetically, I am not going after the politicians. Whoever wants to come are welcomed, but I do not have a programme specially for politicians.
"I meet politicians all the time, across the world, and presidents and prime ministers. I have addressed Houses of Parliament in many different countries", he said.
Bonnke added that "presidents are wonderful people, but they are oftentimes very lonely and they invite me to their homes. I am not talking politics with them. I speak with them about the gospel. I am not a politician. I am an ambassador of Jesus Christ and the kingdom I fight for, is the Kingdom of God".
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