Dr. James Akanbi, general overseer, God’s Mercy Revival Ministries (GOMERM); one of Nigeria’s biggest churches with many vibrant branches across continents, says Nigeria’s 2027 elections will not be as it used to be in the past with blood shedding. He says blood flow in the 2027 election will be minimal because of the political sensitivity of the Nigerian people. Akanbi says more on Nigeria’s economy and politics in the below interview with The Nation on the 2025 Zion Power Conference of God’s Mercy Revival Ministries (GOMERM). Excerpts.
There’s a saying that no knowledge acquired is a waste. Tell us how your accounting management background is imparting on God’s Mercy Revivals Ministries (GOMERM).
That’s perfectly correct! The Bible says known unto God are all His works from beginning to the end. That I will be on this table today God already knew about it from the beginning. I attended a college of education and did some business-related courses like short hands and typing. Today, my typing speed in the ministry work is awesome, which I acquired from my training in college of education. I write and type all my books by myself. I typed with my fingers all the books that I have written and published. God already knew that someday I will be an author. I was in Jos in 199I when I went for an accounting job, stock trading, auditing and other professional vocations. I was in a hotel on one particular night when I saw someone showing me some packs of about 25books with my names, James Akanbi written on them. I told the person that I had never written any book as at then all my life. He told me that these are some of the books I would write someday. Now, I have written and published about 56 books. God already knew about it that I would write books in the future. I also discovered that my accounting management background was also to prepare me for a time like this in ministry management. This is a ministry (GOMERM) where budget can run into hundreds of millions in a year. If you do not have such accounting background, how do you relate with figures? I set up a system in the church account department. I’m not a signatory to the church account. I use the system set up in my previous workplace. When you set up a system you have the control. I set up a very good number of effective systems in the management and administration of GOMERM. Those systems are running on their own. So, I don’t have management problems. My accounting management background helps in the work of the ministry. My disciplines in accounting management, business administration and leadership which I acquired from further studies and training both home and overseas up to two Phd degrees help in the setting up the church’s various systems. There is a business aspect to running and managing a ministry. I have been able to bring the entire knowledge and experiences that I had acquired in accounting, business management and leadership to bear positively on the ministry
How did you feel at the time you quit your accounting career for full-time ministry?
It was tough quitting being the first African on the board, and a general manager designate at the time God instructed me to quit. The package for my new position was alluring, yet God told me to quit. One of the senior managers wrote an official letter to me almost calling me insane to resign my lofty job at a relatively young age for full time ministry. The company proposed that I can work three times a week and two times in church a week instead of quitting my job in the company. I jumped at it but later presented the proposal before God and He warned me I’m on my own if I accept it. I advise my protégés in ministry who are still working in secular jobs that don’t resign your job to go into full time ministry until you clarify with God. And here is God telling me to quit my job for full time ministry.
Like Jonah, did you attempt running away from God’s instruction to quit your job for full time ministry?
Somehow; instead of quitting the job as God intructed I attempted setting up a haulage business for the company. I wanted to buy two haullage trucks for the company; one for Jos and one for Ibadan. But I got yet another shocker. God told me the two trucks would have accidental in one day. I had already priced the trucks but here is God telling me to back out. At that point I had to obey God’s instruction. So, I eventually resigned my appointment and came into ministry full time.
Looking backnow ; have you any regret resigning your job for full time ministry?
No regret at all other than it has entered into my record with God that I didn’t have enough faith back then to jump at His word immediately. I do blame myself for arguing with God initially. I should have obeyed Him instantly without any reservation.
While serving as President of a Christian fellowship on the campus, did you envisage leading a massive church like GOMERM in the future?
Point of correction; this work (GORMERM) isn’t massive yet. I can’t see anything massive where we are now. I’m still telling God ‘please, forgive me. I haven’t gone as far as I ought to have gone. God showed me lot of things at the beginning of this commission most of which I haven’t accomplished yet. Maybe I haven’t paid enough prices to achieve all of them massively. Maybe I haven’t fasted or prayed enough. Maybe I have to give up, to go up. Probably, I haven’t given up enough. That’s why I haven’t seen the massive work yet. I know what he shown me and this work is yet to near it. When I was the leader of a Christian fellowship on the campus I didn’t come close to thinking of leading either a big, medium or small church someday. I gave my life to Christ in February1979. By September1979 I was on school campus. I had not fraternized or interacted with any ministry to know the work of God or how to lead a church at that time. All I was doing then was serving in whatever capacity that were given to me. The only thing that was close to whether I will lead a church either small, medium or big someday was in 1982 when I was rounding up, and on a particular night the Lord said to me, ‘Well done, son! You have done a good job over this small work.’ The time is coming that I will set you over a bigger work. That’s what probably could look like an inclination; an idea that looked like something that would happen in the future.
GOMERN’s is annual ZION Power Conference every August is a flagship of the ministry. Tell us what inspired this yearly meeting, and how it all started?
In GOMERM we work by vision. We follow vision in everything we do. All you see at work in this commission are products of visions. Our coming to this location was by vision. So, our yearly Zion Power Conference was by vision. Our Campground was by vision. There is nothing we do here by ambition or by copying others. Sometimes in March 2000, I saw in a vision a flyer face down. I picked it up and saw written on it; God’s Mercy Revival Ministry Power Conference Year 2000. An old man came closer and asked me, what is that in your hand? I showed him the flyer. And he said to me that will be the yearly name of the coming together of all of the sons and daughters in the ministry. That was how the yearly Zion power Conference started from that vision.
How will you describe the conference impact over the years with testimonies?
Testimonies are natural and common occurrences at our yearly ZION Power Conference. I can’t describe or limit the work of the Holy Ghost. However, in one of the past conferences there was a testimony of a participant from whom a plate of steel insert in his knee in an accident was removed. There was also another testimony of an 80-year-old herbalist who attended one of the past conferences with eyes problem. During the word ministration a light flashed on his eyes and he started screaming I can see! I can see! We have a testimony of a participant healed of brain problems of 18 years. He is now a pastor in this ministry. There are several other and diverse testimonies.
What should the participants expect at this year’s meeting, particularly at the Building the Builders Ministers Summit featuring some great men of God as speakers?
The topic for this year is Divine Supernatural. That’s exactly what God will demonstrate in the lives of the participants at this year’s power conference. God will work strange miracles of salvation, healing, restoration, deliverance in the lives of people and also meet their long expectations. The power of God is coming to do great and mighty things in the lives of people like in the days of old. Divine Supernatural is God’s authority over the natural. God will cancel the law of nature, the law of Satan and all manners of human laws; including economy law. The supernatural is coming down to swallow different kinds of problems in the lives of the participants at the conference. We are expecting the divine supernatural to override the satanic supernatural. The conference will feature three sessions daily. Morning session from 8am: Enough is Enough powerful prayer programme to deal with stubborn problems in the lives of people; followed by Building the Builders Ministers Summit and revival service later in the evening all at our Mery Revival Centre (MRC), Alake Lakonko, Ikotun, Lagos
Briefly, share with the profiles of some of the guest ministers at this year power conference
The guest ministers are not the regulars but consultants and specialists in their various fields of ministry and calling. They include Pastor Odeshola of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) with over 4,000 churches under his watch covering Nigeria and Middle East, and a veteran in the ministry Pastor Isaac Omoleyin who started his experience with the supernatural when all the birds he wanted to use for his final year project in the university died. He had attended the university an old man. While kneeling down in tears, his tears dropped on the dead birds and they all supernaturally resurrected. He is coming to talk to us about Divine Supernatural. Pastor Samson Ajetumobi is coming from Ibadan to teach us Leadership in Pastoral ministry at the Building the Builders Ministers Summit. Rev. Dan Akingbelure a seasoned preacher of total gospel will also be of immense blessings to participants that seek to experience the supernatural in the lives.
What is your view on Nigeria’s state of economy, and how can the government boost the economy?
For any economy to grow its GDP must increase. To increase the GDP the small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) must be assisted to thrive. The SMEs are the engine room of any economy. But how wilyyl the small and medium scale enterprises thrive in Nigeria where there is no regular electricit supply? All small organizations need regular electricty supply to thrive. They need diesel to do survice. How will you buy diesel at the current rate and be able decent progress to profit? Isn’t that breaking down businesses? All the talks by the goverment about boosting the economy are mere talks because any policy that cannot impact the small scales cannot boost the GDP of any nation. And if electricity and energy are having problems, then forget about it. It doesn’t really look well economically for Nigeria. It’s not smiling at all. To revamp Nigeria’s dwindling economy situation the Nigerian government should assist the small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) to boost the nation’s economy.
How can the political tension ahead the 2027 elections be reduced or managed from exploding into political crisis?
We can’t reduce the tension. In fact the political tension will be higher with what is presently happening. The ADC is gaining momentum and you expect the APC to watch akimbo without planting moles in the ADC. This is already happening with factions here and there creating and heightening the tension. But I believe it won’t be as it used to be in the past with blood shedding. Blood will not flow like in the past. Yes, there will be lots of betrayal and treachery within the political space, but blood flow will be minimal because of the upgrade in the sensitivity of the Nigerian people.
