There is no hell fire – Pastor who serves beer to church members speaks

Recently, Blessed Oguguamakwa Dikeh of As The Lord Said It Should Be Done Temple came under criticism due to his biblical believes and his purported serving of alcohol in his church. In this interview with REPORTER, Lukmon Akintola, he clears the air on the issues.

Can you give us an insight into how you started your ministry?

I am a citizen of Enugu State, but was raised in Delta State. All my life, I grew up as a house boy until I decided I didn’t want to serve anybody again. On April 14 2001, somewhere around Agidingbi, Ikeja, Lagos State, I had an encounter with almighty God through his beloved son Jehovah, Emmanuel. During the encounter, I was given a bible for my ministration, but I told the one who was sent to me that since I could not read or write what does he want me to do with the bible, but he insisted that I should collect it. Today, the bible is my arc and it only comes out occasionally.

As a seer, how do you communicate with God?

I communicate with God in spirit every day. I was not ordained by a man, I was ordained by God. I had an encounter with Jesus and he said his father is calling me to come and do his work. That father which he was referring to is the one whom I am maintaining his name today. I don’t maintain the name of Jesus; I maintain the name of God. A king can send his servant to call you, but when you come you don’t continue to relate with the servant; it is the King that you have business with.

What is the mandate given to you by God?

He said I should go and bring back all his children that have disappointed him. He also said that it is his word which he has given me that I should preach and that I should not minus or add to it.

Why do you see Jesus in a different light from the general believe?

I don’t pray in the name of Jesus, I pray in the name of God, because my father, Adam, did not pray in Jesus’ name. Jesus is a servant like me. He has finished his assignment and has gone, I am a servant too. When I finish my work, I will go. Jesus has done a good job, but I have problem with people who are giving him the honour that is not due him. If you say Jesus is the saviour of the whole world, who then is God?

Is it true that you said you will live for 500 years?

Enoch, Adam and Eve, Methuselah and Noah are the gentlemen that lived the life of fulfillment before God. If you check their history you will find out that they lived for like 950 years, 960 years. Those are my ancestors who obeyed God and he gave them longer years to live on earth, but because of the sins of men, God has shortened their lives. In my own time, he doesn’t want to shorten it again. He wants to make it like the days of old. He is the one who promised me 500 years to spend on this earth. I will not die till my 500 years is completed. No sickness and no death. All my church members will not die until they are 150 years and above.

If you don’t believe in Jesus as he is portrayed in the bible, why then do you still preach with the holy book?

There are a lot of mistakes by the writers of the bible, the New Testament. When men offended God, he allowed them to do their will and that is the New Testament also known as The Good News. The original bible of God is called the scull.

Tell us about your prophesies?

Before the flood which took away New York City I told my congregation that God was angry with Nigeria and New York. Three months ago, I also told my congregation that there was going to be plane crashes between September and October. It was actually three plane crashes, but God allowed me to stop one. I couldn’t stop the two others. It wasn’t up to two weeks after the prophesies that the plane carrying Agagu’s corpse to the crashed in Lagos State. After the incident people were calling me from different places and I told them not to thank me, but God.

What is your opinion about rapture; is it for real or another misrepresentation?

There is nothing like rapture. If you tell me that rapture means when a person dies his soul goes back to God and his flesh to the dust then I will agree, but anything other than that I don’t agree. Don’t let anybody deceive you.

You are of the opinion that both heaven and hell are on earth, can you explain this?

There is nothing like hell fire after life. Heaven is here on earth already. When you are suffering you are in hell fire. If you are in poverty and cannot pay your house rent then you are already in hell. But when you are in heaven even if you reside in a flat your landlord will come and beg you for money. He would even say don’t worry I will give the other tenant quit notice for you.

Earlier on you said you could not write or read before you had an encounter with God, at what point did you get the gift because you can now read and write?

When God sends you on an errand, he equips you. So, God has sent me and he has equipped me. I have never been to a bible school for once, but the Holy Spirit is my teacher.

White and Red are colours which seem to mean a lot to you both as a fashion statement and in your place of worship, what do they signify?

Red means life and without blood you cannot be alive, while white represents peace from the most high God and that is why these colours are important to me. God said in the bible to the children of Israel that without blood their sins will not be forgiven.

You have a unique fashion sense, what inspires this?

God is the king of Kings. I represent him so I must dress like a king. My father is a king and I am a prince.

There is this rumour that you offer alcohol to people attending your church for the first time, how true is this?

I won’t say that I am not aware of that rumour, but it is not true. There is a story to it. A group of journalist came to interview me and I asked them what they would love to drink, I gave them what they ordered for including those who wanted beer. It was one of them that went back to write a story that they drink beer in my church. It is unfortunate because I only offered them what they asked for. Is it a crime to entertain your guests. That is how the story came to be.