My intention was to persecute the woman I married, I ended up falling in love with her

The Supreme Head of the Cherubim and Seraphim Unification Church of Nigeria, Dr Solomon Alao, speaks about his childhood, journey to priesthood and issues in the country

At what point did you decide to become a cleric?

I have been a tent-making priest, without spiritual duties, since 1963 but I became a full-time priest in 1981. In 1986, I became the head of a diocese, managing 13 churches. If you call me the Saul of C&S, you could be right because I didn’t join C&S voluntarily. God forced me to join them because I was waging a war against them. I used to have a gang that disrupted their services. I persecuted them. In fact, I married my wife out of persecution.

How?

When I knew she was from a C&S family, I pretended as if I wanted to date her but before I knew it, I fell in love. The love became stronger and I married her.

What kind of childhood did you have?

I was born in Ejigbo in Osun State but I am from the Ilare dynasty in Ile-Ife. I attended Ibadan City Academy and from there, I studied Insurance and was qualified in 1966. I became an insurance practitioner in 1981. My parents taught me to be honest. We believe that whatever one has is a gift. I spent a part of my childhood in Jos (Plateau State) under the tutelage of my elder sister, who was a stern disciplinarian. I thank God for her life. I later went to Ibadan, stayed there briefly before I settled down in Lagos in 1961.

Jos was a nice place to visit. It had a nice climate and environment. I don’t think it is the same now. You could put your wares outside and nobody would touch them. But things have changed because moral decadence is now the order of the day.

For how long did you practise insurance?

I practised from 1962 to 1998.

As the supreme head of the C&S Unification Church of Nigeria, what comes to your mind when you look at how your journey started?

I sometimes think about the past. I used to throw stones at some of them but I have asked for forgiveness because I thought I was doing the right thing and it was out of curiosity. I have attended many churches. (Anthony Cardinal) Okogie knew at that time. The first time I entered a Catholic Church and saw the image of Mary, I made a noise about it.

Did people try to discourage you when you decided to become a full-time priest in the C&S?

No. Becoming a priest was not voluntary.

At 84, what are you most thankful for?

I thank God for the good health and contentment. When I don’t have one thing, I don’t worry. I don’t look for anybody to lend me money. When it becomes necessary, I go to a bank and take an overdraft and use my property as collateral. But I thank God for my good health.

Do you have any regrets?

No; none at all.

What does a normal day for you look like?

I don’t have a breathing space; once I wake up at 6am or 7am I work until about 11:30pm, attending to visitors, my family, my spiritual church and the church, which is my main job.

Do you have preference when it comes to food?

Do I have a favourite meal? The only meal I don’t eat is eba. I don’t eat amala (too). I used to take a glass of wine in the past but I stopped that.

What is your hobby?

I love reading. I read a lot because knowledge is power. I read newspapers to be abreast of issues.

Tell me about the erroneous perceptions some people have about C&S. Why do you think C&S is wrongly perceived by some people?

It is because they don’t know. The book of Jude (in the Bible) says that instead of people asking questions about things they don’t know, they speak perfidious words. I used to behave that way. Most of the things, like clapping of hands, we were criticised for are the things many denominations do now. Now, people speak in tongues and their religious leaders wear white garments and footwear, they consecrate water, which they did not do before. We have been using olive oil for sanctification but some churches call it anointing oil.

Your church has also been criticised over the claim that some of its members slip into a trance. What is your take on that? Is it make-believe?

It is not make-believe. It happens. Christ said a person shall have power when the Holy Spirit falls on them and they would be empowered to teach and do other things. It (trance) still happens today. Admittedly, some people claim to experience trance just to deceive others.

Is slipping into a trance a requirement to become a full member of the church?

No. Maybe only less than one per cent of people are given the grace to go into trance. Some people fake it for monetary gains or publicity. But it (trance) is real and when it happens, the person experiencing it won’t know.

There are viral videos of some members of the ‘white garment’ church alleged to be dancing in a manner many may consider immoral. Have you seen such videos?

I see them. But what can I do? I can’t take them (worshippers) to court because it is their fundamental right.

What is your thought about the criticism against the luxury lifestyles of some religious leaders in the country?

I pity their followers. A lot of churches in Nigeria are not churches of God but churches of the world. Why would I buy a private jet as the head of a church? What would I do with it? The landing and parking charges are enough to start a factory for the church. I read in the newspapers that the general overseer of a church closed down some of the branches because the money coming from them was not enough. We don’t do that in C&S.

You said Nigerians should not expect credible elections in 2023. Why do you think the elections won’t be credible?

The same old leaders are running for office.

Nigerians, including the youth, still vote for such politicians despite their old age. What could be responsible for that?

It is because they are poor. If people are not poor, they would not be available for thuggery.

You are among those against the removal of fuel subsidy. What are your concerns?

The cost of transportation will increase. A trip that costs about N3,000 would cost up to N7,000. A transport business owner, of course, would pass the cost to the consumer. A landlord would increase his rent. It would be a vicious circle. Many factories would be shut down. It would be a terrible thing. But political leaders are not worried because most of their children are abroad. These are the repercussions we should avoid, even if Nigeria has to borrow to buy machines and begin to refine (crude oil). If we refine, we would save foreign exchange due to exports. We would create more jobs. The cost of doing business would go down. Companies that have relocated abroad would return. (Sunday PUNCH)