The voice of a father is the voice of wisdom, direction and influence. Rev. Dr. Felix Omobude is the Spiritual father to Apostle Lawrence, Reverend Fola Achudume and VLBC family.
He is the founder of New Covenant Church in Benin City and a strong voice in the leadership of the Christendom in Nigeria and overseas; a former National President of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN). Our team visited Dr. Omobude in Benin City. It was another exciting moment hearing directly his sonorous voice, as he reflected on the passing of RFA and urged everyone to end the grieving season and emulate the passion, visionary leadership and commitment to the kingdom found in RFA.
Your daughter, Reverend Folake Achudume left; how did you feel about this separation?
Well definitely no father wants to experience a situation like this. Apostle Lawrence and Folake were very loyal children to me. So when it happened the way it has happened, we have learned to give thanks to God in everything. My joy is that she fought a good fight of faith. I’m aware of the struggle that led to this final event. I’m aware of how she took her stand and she held on even to the last. Anyone who knew her well, will recall her passion for the things of the kingdom, for a long time will continue to see her footprints. So I counsel everyone to be strong and rejoice that God in the first instance gave her to us and since it pleased God that she should come home at this stage, we cannot question his authority.
We should give thanks to God that she finished well, she fought a good fight; an ambassador has gone ahead of us. So I urge Apostle Lawrence and the children to lift their head high. It is a journey that every one of us will make at some point. One only prays that you are able finish well. So, we should celebrate her legacies and see that her values are kept and indeed improved upon. And I think that is what will please her and all of us, what will please God best.
How would you counsel other women to emulate her type of passion?
Fola was not just a Christian, she was a mother to the children. She was a faithful wife to her husband. She had a sense of mission that although she was a pastor’s wife, she was not flying on the apron strings of her husband. She knew God for herself.
I encourage all women, especially pastor’s wives, to establish that kind of nexus and to know God for themselves, to reflect at all times: “This decision I’m making, this counsel I’m giving to my husband, how does God feel about it?” You know, kingdom-mindedness was what drove her. And that is the way to live.
How will her values be sustained?
Nothing takes our God by surprise. He knows the end even from the beginning. So, all that she embodied, all that she accomplished, was done by the grace that this God gave to her. So, he is the owner of the kingdom. What we’ve done is for the kingdom. So, he knows what to do.
Folake has joined, according to Hebrews 12:1, says we are surrounded with a cloud of witnesses; she has joined a cloud of witnesses. And those who call her mummy, those who call her sister, those who call her friend, this is the time to prove it. Because although physically, she is not here, but she sees. This opportunity is now given to the church to prove their loyalty, to prove their followership.
You know, when you tell someone, I love you, it must stand both in good and in bad times. The greatest tribute that the church can pay to her is to uphold what matters most to her. The International Women Convention is part of the opportunity we have to uphold her values.
The role of women, both in nation building and kingdom work, cannot be underestimated. You know, in every church, women play such a very vital role. And I urge all that are involved in this programme to carve a niche for themselves, take their own places, understand that they are not just a part of the crowd, that they have their own destiny to fulfil and take it seriously.
I urge all participants to take their faith outside the church premises. It must reflect in the upbringing of their children, their loyalty to their husbands, and of course, the values that the Bible teaches us.
So, I urge them to brace up. We are living in a very challenging time, but we must not give up on our faith, our belief system, and everyone should stand up for what we believe.
To anyone that may be discouraged, what word of counsel do you give?
Death is a common denominator to every man. The length of time you spend here, great as it may be, it doesn’t define the quality of life that you live. Folake has slept, her impact is still being felt.
So, I urge everyone to shake off the pain, the disappointment, and focus on their own future and run their races well. And if Folake was to speak out, this is what she would say. “Come on, go on! You know we all go through this, don’t be discouraged.” She would say so. I know her very well.
I speak to her husband regularly, and I’m happy he’s catching up. The hole cannot be filled, but life has to go on. Victory Life Bible Church has to march forward and everyone that is connected, that is pained by her exit, must shake it off by now and work to uphold her values.
