*GOD HAS NO RECORD OF ABANDONED

PROJECT*
This testimony is given to the praise and glory of the Almighty God, without whose
Power, Grace, Mercy and Help I am naught. I was born in Benin City, Edo State and
grew up under the custody of my maternal grand mum following a dysfunctional family
relationship between my dad and mum. The first challenge I ever had here on earth, was
my inability to walk. The first three years or more of my life were spent crawling. I could
talk and make sense to my hearers, but I could not walk. However, when my time came,
through the inscrutable intervention of God, I stood up and began to walk.
My grand parents and of course virtually every member of my maternal extended family
were committed Idol worshippers as at then. At the age of nine, I developed interest in
serving God and started following one of our neighbours to Church of God Mission
Benin City. I dedicated my life to Christ at the age of 14 and that same year, I got
Baptized in immersion and in the Holy Spirit. Through this light that was lit at the age of
14, very many members of my family became born again.
With regards to career pursuit, I attended a primary school that was about 4
kilometers trekking distance from my home. Through out my years at primary school it
was like a recurring decimal for me to fail my exams in both first and second term with
distinction and have weak pass during third term and consequently allowed to accompany
my mates to the next class. I was pathologically a non- performer academically. The
general conclusion was that I should pass time in primary school and thereafter go and
learn any trade of my choice since I did not possess any iota of competence to justify my
going beyond primary school. For instance, in one of the terms in primary five, out of 44
pupils in my class, I took 42nd position. It was really that bad!
Furthermore, as at primary six, I could not read and hardly could make a sentence
in English. Thus proceeding to secondary school was more or less a mirage since there
was no way I could have passed the common entrance examination and oral interview
which were necessary preconditions for admission into secondary school. In the face of
this quagmire, an order came from the ministry of education mandating every student in
primary six to proceed to secondary school and that was how yours truly found himself in
secondary school. The secondary school I eventually attended happened to be one of the
best in the state as at then, and essentially the school for the children of the elites, as there
was virtually no private school as at that time.
During my first year in secondary school, precisely everything worked against
me, to the end that I felt like going back. Firstly, I could not read, I could not speak good
English (a challenge that attracted great punitive implications from HSC boys), more so,
my hand writing was very offensive and worse still, poverty to me, was a person and not
a concept. The combined effect of these limitations was that my inferiority, timidity and
negative self concept stood up like monument. I was promoted to form two to decongest
our class for the benefit of those coming in from primary school. Otherwise, I failed all
my exams in form one. During first term in form two, I was requested to read a verse or
two of the Bible in our youth Sunday School class in my local church and it was difficult
for me. The reproach was so unbearable that I prayed “Lord if you can teach me how to
read, I will also be reading my Bible”. That prayer that I prayed in my childlike
innocence was answered by the Almighty God.
To the glory of God, when I was passing out of secondary school, I had more
distinctions in my WASC result than credit passes. Through the help of God, I was
admitted into the university to pursue a discipline of my choice-Accounting. When I
eventually entered the university, I looked back and reckoned that it has been God and
God only, who had kept me. Consequently, in order to express my appreciation to God,
by His grace, I threw myself wholeheartedly and wholesomely into the work of the
ministry in my campus fellowship. In my 100 level, I joined the campus discipleship
class (the preparatory class for ministry), in 200 levels, I worked with the Hospital
visitation team and in my 3rd and final year, I served with the prison ministry. All through
these years, poverty was still very palpable. For instance the first time I ever put on suit
in my life, was on my matriculation day and the suit was borrowed. Upon returning the
suit to the owner, the next effective time I wore suit, was on my convocation day and that
was equally borrowed.
Having served God in this manner on campus and through inexplicable hardship,
I felt Heaven was going to intervene on the issue of job speedily. But that was not to be.
After sourcing for job for two years to no avail, I went back to school for my second
degree, which by the help of God, was completed on record time. Between the year 2000
and September 2004, I searched vigorously for job in the industry of my choice-
BANKING, but all my efforts ended in utter futility. The barrier was that of
organizational age policy. Virtually all my friends doctored their ages to secure jobs but I
was not ready to do so, because to me, doctoring of ones age for whatever reason negates
the principles of integrity and good conscience. I also reasoned that the God who sent me
to the world on the day I was born, did not make mistake and thus, adjusting my age will
amount to adjusting my destiny. This principled position actually cost me several jobs,
but I was ready to wait, knowing fully well that He who had begun a good work in me,
had the finishing ability-Phil, 1:6. The society should not dictate the direction of our
lives but only God’s word. God’s word should be the final authority in all life’s issues.
I did everything within my power to secure a job but there was no positive
outcome. I even stooped to the point of applying for teaching appointment in secondary
school, but as it was with every other organizations I expressed interest in, I was turned
down. At a point, I stopped responding to vacancy advert in dailies and decided to focus
on God to unearth His purpose for my life. Following this decision, I went down to the
nadir level of working in building site to keep body and soul in harmony. My challenge
was the type that one can aptly refer to as “NOT BY POWER AND NOT BY MIGHT”-
(i.e. a very spiritual one indeed). I responded by seeking God in sincerity and truth. Seven
days fasting and prayers became a regular spiritual exercise in order to put an end to the
molestations of the kingdom of darkness.
1st to 7th of January 2004, I was in fasting and prayers to secure God’s help and
direction for my life since destiny is not a case of desire but an issue of discovery
(Proverb: 19vs21). I made it a point of duty go to church early and return in the evening,
reading my Bible, meditating and praying in the church hall. On the seventh day of the
fast, after prayers, as I was going back home in the evening, God spoke to me in a small
still voice and asked me the following question- are you aware that it will be seven years
this year that you had your first degree? Retrospectively, I discovered that it was true. (I
did my convocation at UNIBEN, 5th of June 1997).Then I answered “Lord, it is seven
years already, have mercy upon me”. He then told me that the year 2004 will not come
to an end if He doesn’t give me a befitting job. He reminded me that on the seventh day
he God rested and so I was to step into my rest that year. Seven, indeed is a number of
perfection. God’s voice brought peace to my soul in the midst of my uncharted waters as
evidenced by Psalms; 85vs8 and Genesis: 41vs16.
I maintained my regular fasting and prayers, threw away the folly of sins and
waited patiently for the fulfillment of prophecy. “…For there is no shame to those who
wait for God”-Isaiah: 49vs23. 6th of June 2004, in a dream, I saw myself discussing job
matters with a Professor at Covenant University, who then was the Dean of College of
Business and Social Sciences. This same Professor lectured me at The University of
Benin some 12 years before at 100level. 21st of July2004, I was in Covenant University to
see the Professor (no doubt God really used him). On the 5th of August 2004, I was
interviewed by four Professors and to the praise and glory of Jehovah, on the 13th of
September 2004, my seven years travail came to a glorious end when my job offer letter
was handed over to me. “The race”, indeed “is not to the swift …”-Ecc:
9vs11.Indubitably, what I am doing now, is the assignment God really cut me out for i.e.
preach the Gospel and contribute my quota to the furtherance of Education. Right now, I
am doing my PhD in Accounting under the sponsorship of Covenant University “He has
indeed made all things beautiful in his time…”-Ecc: 3vs11. God surely is our time
keeper!!
Drawing inspiration from the words of Bishop David Oyedepo, I wish to say that
my experiences in life have taught me that:
** GOD IS NOT TO BLAME;
**GOD IS NEVER LATE;
**GOD IS ALWAYS RIGHT;
**GOD IS THE FINAL ARBITER OF THE FATE, FORTUNE, AND DESTINY OF
ALL MANKIND; and
**IN OUR CHANGING WORLD, WE CAN FOREVER COUNT ON THIS
UNCHANGING GOD.
Finally, being a member of the family of Covenant University to me is a
Covenant Blessing and since every Covenant Blessing, carries with it, an associated
Covenant Responsibilities, my prayer every day is “LORD, LET ME NOT FAIL
YOU” .Today, I hardly make mistake hearing God’s voice, but I often make mistakes
obeying Him. However, my heart desire is to love Him more, tell of His faithfulness to
whoever cares to listen, break away completely from the things that put God off, and
cause others within my domain of influence to do same. From the deepest region of my
being, I love Covenant University, I love the management, staff, and students and of
course the visional-BISHOP DAVID OYEDEPO and God helping me, that will ever be.
If we accept difficulties with a faint heart, we lose our joy and peace and run the risk of
not deriving spiritual profit from the trials. Dear reader, the irrefutable truth is that GOD
HAS NO RECORD OF ABANDONED PROJECT. Thus, let the heart that seeks
Yahweh rejoice for there is no battle that He cannot surmount. I am so glad I came to
UNICOVENANT and to God alone, all the glory be!

------- MR. AKA