MY HUSBAND DUMPED BOXES OF CHARMS INTO A RIVER AFTER HE ACCEPTED JESUS

Ex-Ondo First Lady, Mrs Adetutu Adefarati and Vicar of Holy Trinity Church Akungba, Ondo State Nigeria, Venerable Timothy Akerele at the 2014 synod of the diocese

Adetutu Adefarati was the wife of Chief Adebayo Adefarati the former governor of Ondo State in Nigeria, who died seven years ago at the age of 76. In this interview with Church Times, Mrs. Adefarati shares her salvation experience and her experience in government as the first lady of Ondo State.

You sounded quite spiritual and knowledgeable in the things of God while addressing delegates at the 3rd session of the 10th synod of the Akoko Diocese of the Anglican Church. What is your experience of God?

I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour precisely in 1988. It happened in Akure. There was an outreach by the Full Gospel Business Men Fellowship. I was at the programme and it was that day I gave my life to Christ. But just some days after, something happened which I did not expect. Somebody who God used me to nurture had turned against me. I was annoyed with the person. I began to nurse grudges against this person. As I was thinking about it, I heard some songs ministered to me and I wondered where the songs were coming from. I followed the source of the song and found out that it was from a fellowship gathering around where we were living. I joined the fellowship that day. Incidentally, my children urged me to follow them to the same church the following day which was a Saturday.

It was at the programme the minister of God mentioned my case. He said, “You are still thinking of what that person did to you. You better open up and forget about it. Let Christ deal with every situation. There and then I let go and forgave that person that had made me annoyed. While we were praying I felt something come upon me. It was the Holy Spirit. That was how I was baptized with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues.

Interestingly, my husband did not object to my going to the church. That was how I fell in love with God and it has been glorious ever since.

Was your husband in politics then?

He had been in politics ever since. He was doing it in the background even as a civil servant. It was when he retired from civil service that the then governor of Ondo State, Michael Ajasin made him a commissioner.

You said he allowed you to worship God the way you wanted?
He allowed me and the children to worship God. When the military took over power in 1983, he was arrested along with Pa Michael Ajasin. They were in detention for 18 months. But God supported us throughout that period. We were attending the fellowship and serving God. When he came back he joined us after so much prayer.

I’m sure he also had an encounter in the prison. Before he went to detention he was always supporting us. We were praying and fasting for him to give his life. He was born to a Christian home. The father was a layreader, the mother the matron of the church but he was not born again as it were. So we kept praying for him. There was one brother Taye Abe who was working on him too. God answered our prayers. After much persuasion he decided to join us in the fellowship. That was when he gave his life to Christ formerly.

The day he gave his life to Christ was a glorious day. That same day God gave him a miracle. He has been using glasses. But the very night he gave his life to Christ, God healed him. He wanted to read papers that night and water was coming out of his eyes. He cleaned it and put on the glasses again and water kept pouring out again. He now let go the glasses. That was how he was healed. Since then till he died at the age of 76 seven years ago he did not use glasses. That was the miracle God gave him at conversion. Thank God for him because he held to his salvation. And this helped the family. We see ourselves as one. The extended family and the people who worked with us when he was governor experienced this. Some of our aides also surrendered their lives to Christ.

But how did you pull through those years in politics with your husband?

My husband made it clear to everybody around him that he was not going to use any charm. Even when people came to him to tempt him he turned them down. During his days as commissioner in the second republic he had not given his life to Christ. It was when he came back from detention that we knew he must have had an encounter that now led to his salvation. When he came back he had to throw away charms. We had two boxes full of charms which he threw away in a river around us here.

And there was no reprisal from his group when he left the world?

No. There could have been if he had been in a cult. But he was not in any cult though he was not a Christian. I did not meet him in any cult and he did not take part in any cult meeting. When he died people were expecting that cult members would come around to claim his body. But they were disappointed.

What lessons did you learn being in government and relating with people?

I thank God. If I write my experience in government I would not be able to finish it. Being in government made me know people; and more about people. When people laugh with you be careful because they may not be sincere. But I count myself as a blessed woman because the women of Ondo State were out to support me and they supported that government. Many of them came around and gave useful counsel. Even when the intrigues against baba started it was one of them who came around to tell us. My husband loved everybody to a fault. He did not believe in rumours that helped him a lot.

But what is it about being in government that those of us outside don’t understand. Many people believe that those in government don’t do anything that they are just there to steal money. I’m sure there was similar complaint about your husband?

It’s common for people to have such notion. We had such experience too. Even when my husband wanted to work, the powers that be did not release funds to him. He was able to go into the archives and had useful information about the oil wealth of Ondo State. He discovered some of the oil wells were being exploited by some other oil producing states. He tried to get these back. A committee was set up and it made investigations and it was clear the oil wells were for Ondo State. But the powers that be did not release funds due to the state. He was always going to Abuja almost every week. He was frustrated but the little funds that accrued to the state were used judiciously. He ran a welfarist government. Rather than give contract to one person, he gave it to a consortium of people.

Those who understood knew what was happening. But there are those who just wanted to blackmail government. Sometimes I wonder what people think. When they see that you are in government they think you should be doling out money.

I can imagine your experience in that area?

I think we should appreciate government for what they do that we see rather than castigate them and expect them to dole out money for personal gratification. There was a man my husband gave series of contracts but this man kept telling people my husband did not empower them. People will always talk about government not performing.

If you are recall, can you share one or two lessons people can learn from you as a former first lady?

One should be hundred percent supportive of her husband in prayers. When we were in government we did not joke with prayers. That was our backbone. As a first lady see everybody as one. Don’t look down on anybody.

From what you went through would you still recommend that Christians should go into politics?

They should join politics but hold to their salvation. They should not tell lies. They should not take undue credit. They should be transparent. Except somebody is greedy, as a governor of the state you don’t need to steal. It is important you do your job and don’t allow people to influence you negatively. There were contractors who did not execute projects given to them and they still came around to ask for more money. A Christian will not allow that. Greed should also be avoided. It is not in the Bible of Christians.

What fond memory do you have about your husband?

A lot. We have put behind us seven years since he died. He was very nice and accommodating. He had rapport with everybody. When he was the governor of this state he picks his phone and would give attention to people as he had the opportunity. We don’t get such things these days.

You are a member of the Akoko community. What do you think about the community?

I’m an ijesha woman but since I’m married to them here I see myself as an indigene of Akungba which is also in Akoko. I believe this community deserves to be developed.

The theme of the synod of the Akoko Diocese of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion is: This same Jesus. What do you have to say about this theme?

The theme of the synod is apt. When people say there is no God I wonder where they got that from. Without Jesus there is no Christianity. He was the one who reconcile us to God. I’m a testimony that God exist. I have had cause to tell people that God has a special ways of answering the prayers of widows. The prayers of widows are answered quickly. But you just have to accept this Jesus into your life. I’m not a saint but I have my righteousness in Christ Jesus. He is faithful. A lot of things have been happening since the demise of my husband but God has not allowed us to suffer for one day. My husband left a good name. In terms of money we may not be there but we are contented with what we have.

You are not interested in politics?

I’m not into politics. I loved to play the behind the scene role when my husband was alive and was actively involved in politics. One of my children is trying to go into politics but for me no way. But then I don’t see people around playing the game the way it should be played. What we have now is lies and boot licking. I can’t tell lies.

What is your own perspective of the abduction of the girls from the government school in Chibok?

It’s unfortunate. Many of us whose children are not involved are already devastated by the abduction not to talk of the parents of the children involved. We hear all sorts of stories. What we can only do is to pray for them.

CULLED