HOW CHARMS FAILED ME …Top Banker, John Olotu

I was born into a polygamous family. I have a father who knew nothing about Christianity even though he is a Christian by name. He would take us to Church and returned at the close of service to convey us home. My mother gave me the little foundation I had of Christianity.

Probably because of the unhealthy rivalry associated with polygamy, my mother lost two of her children in quick succession. As a result, people came to her suggesting what to do rather than watch helplessly. That was how she got entangled with native doctors, and prophets and prophetesses in the white garment churches. So, I was brought up believing that before one does anything, one must first see all these people for assistance.

After my University education and the National Youth Service Corps programme, I came to Lagos in search of greener pastures. I got a job and within two weeks, I resigned the appointment for no justifiable reason. I got another job and again, resigned. This trend continued until about the fourth job, when I met a lady who said that I didn't have to work, she was going to meet all my financial needs. She was what people would call 'sugar mummy'. The only condition that I had to fulfill was to keep sleeping with her and I assured her that there was no problem.

Soon after, I realized that I was getting tired of the woman. I also realized that each time I took another girl out, my manhood wouldn't respond. So, I went to her, explained my experience and asked what she had done to my life. She said: now you want to know my true identity?" I replied that I always knew her by her name. She then said that she was the queen of the coast and she had been assigned to marry me, monitor my life and if I failed to accede to her request, I would die. I cried to somebody who went about ringing a bell claiming that he could solve all manner of problems and troubles. He said he couldn't handle mine but referred me to their headquarters somewhere in Mushin.

At the Mushin shrine, the priest said he had been waiting for me and narrated my problems. He touched my palm and said he wanted to make me a multi-millionaire. I reminded him that I didn't come for that, I came for treatment. He advised me not to worry. I should consider the problem solved and he would give me wealth as a bonus. He asked me to return by 12.00 midnight when he would arrange a contest between me and the demon of prosperity. He advised that I came since it was a point of no return. That scared me and I told him I was no longer interested but he could suggest another option.

He said that I should bring two black cats which he would use to make me work in the bank. I combed the whole of Mushin Olosa (a suburb of Lagos) that he had recommended and got no black cats. I got white cats which he agreed to work with. He asked me the name of the bank I would like to work in. As an accountant, I knew all the banks and those were the days of merchant banks so I listed eleven banks. The man said that he would invoke some supernatural powers on the Chief Executives of those banks that would make them give me a job. He told me the charms and incantations I would use when going to the bank: One in my pocket, one on my neck, the other on my palm, and I should not greet anybody.

When I got into the bank, they asked me what I wanted and I replied that I wanted to see the Managing Director. While I was sitting, the man came in and I began to say all the incantations. As I was still chanting the incantations, a team of about eight security men just came and bundled me out of the bank. I was disgraced.

I packaged all the charms and everything and returned them to the man. As I told him what happened, he said 'you see, you missed two steps'. He said that I should have included the two steps and that he had never done it and failed. I told him I was no more interested and left the place. I then went to a friend with whom I was preparing for a professional examination. He is a Christian - a real Christian. First to build up my faith, he would play Christian musical and teaching tapes. When he saw that I had been incubated in the Word, he invited me to his church on December 27, 1990.

During the course of the ministration, the preacher spoke vividly everything about my life. I did not hesitate to surrender to Jesus Christ when he gave the invitation. Since then, it has been from one level of breakthrough to another. But the problem now was this woman; how do I disentangle from her?

A brother of mine who came from Northern Nigeria advised that I joined the Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship International which had positively touched his life materially and spiritually. So I started looking for FGBMFI all over Lagos until I found a chapter in Surulere, which was meeting at the National Stadium Restaurant. I told them my problem and they assured me there was no problem. We prayed and fasted and God separated me from this woman.

When I became a Christian, I was regularly attending meetings of FGBMFI. I started reading the Bible and attending programmes of the fellowship. I was spiritually being built up and my confidence was boosted. The leader of my chapter asked for my resume. I didn't even know he was a Personnel Manager in a bank; I think he just saw the zeal in me. The job the medicine man could not give to me, I got on a platter of gold. I didn't need to bring anything; I didn't need to give anything to anybody.

I almost resigned again. I had written the letter but because I was already entrenched in FGBMFI, I told them what was happening. They dissuaded me against it, prayed and I remained in that. bank for 8 years till I left for another. Secondly with a job came the need to get married. God sent me a wife who is an evangelist by calling and she challenged me in many ways, especially in giving and tithing.

At the end of the wedding day when everybody had gone home, it was time to sleep with my wife. We now had set the stage. She was looking at my eyes anxious for me to deliver but I was not excited because of the impotence. I knew there was weakness somewhere and I needed to cross-check with the Holy Ghost. I tried but there was no erection. So, I discovered that the problem was still there.

To divert her attention, we went into some intercessory prayers for the nation, the family church, the FGBMFI. After the prayer sessions, I backed her and faced the wall. Then, a force from heaven came and fell on me and I felt pressure from the head down. Everything in my body that was dead came alive and to the glory of God I met her. Today, we are blessed with three children. I gave to a pastor the only car that God blessed me with. Not long after, a man who hosted me at a National Convention of FGBMFl just handed me the keys to one of his cars - a Mercedes Benz 230.

God has done so many other things for us. While at an FGBMFl outreach, a word of prophecy came to the effect that God was calling a woman to prosperity in the catering business. My wife did not even consider it for herself. Along the line, she got the conviction and started a small catering business. Today, she has expanded beyond our wildest imagination. She is now into bakery and today the bakery is also moving to higher grounds and blessing the work of the ministry. She has a lot of people working under her. She has a lot of assets, machines which ordinarily she wouldn't have gotten by her own strength. God is in it and because the business came by prophecy, no weapon that the enemy has been forming ever prospered against the business. We have been blessed. Only recently God gave me a lift in my place of work, further demonstrating his favour and blessings in my family

We don't joke with God because God has been so kind, faithful, and wonderful to us. Recently, we believed God for a house and to the glory of God he gave it to us in a miraculous way. No man in his own strength can handle things. My wife is doing very well in the ministry, in the Women's wing. She is also advancing beyond her own imagination. The anointing is increasing because she did not allow the business, children and her husband to distract her. She has her own ministry, I have my own ministry and together we constitute a very powerful team. God has done so much for me. As a result of my Christianity and because of the power of Christ in me, my parents-in-law who were not Christians when I married my wife have now become born again. My brother and sisters-in-law and many of my siblings are embracing the faith, to the glory of God. Many more are yet to be saved but, in due course; I know they will also surrender to Christ.

February 26, 2012