An interesting piece by Ben Ezeamalu for which he called "A Sunday with controversial preacher Dr Fireman"
Excerpts below..
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"At exactly 8:29 a.m., I walked into the noisy grounds of the Perfect Christianity Mission, a semi-enclosed space where wooden beams are suspended on metallic poles, in Surulere, Lagos.
The Sunday service, which would double as the wedding of the General Overseer, had already begun.
The past few weeks has been awash with announcements of the impending marriage of Sign Fireman, a controversial character, who heads the church. He had picked one of the ladies in the church and the congregation were waiting, with bated breath, to see the bride.
On the wedding ‘flyer’ is a white Hummer limousine announcing the special guests at the ceremony – “governors, senators, top pastors from around the world, legendary businessmen from around the world,” amongst others.
I was present for the wedding ceremony.
I sat at a vantage point, from where I’d get a clear view of the altar as well as notice the arrival of any of the special guests. From my seat, I scanned the faces around the altar, no recognizable one yet.
Fireman, decked in a black suit on a cream shirt and his hair gleaming under the yellow lights at the altar, had begun to lead the prayer and worship session.
“Open your hands and come to the stage…”
The congregation chorused after him.
A lady in an obscure corner screamed: “My daddy is a handsome man.”
The music stopped abruptly.
Almost immediately, Fireman broke the silence. He sang, “Sweet sweet lover. Endless lover…”
The congregation went wild.
A security man, wearing a black face-cap and clutching a piece of wood, moved his feet in rhythm with the music. He threw the stick up, caught it mid air, and then dashed towards the gate- wriggling his waist all the time.
Not too far from where I sat in the church, a photographer begged a young lady in a long, flowing dress, posing for a shot to stop moving to the music and focus on the shot.
By the time the last of the choruses faded away, the church was filled to the brim with scores of people having nowhere to seat. Fireman, appearing surprised at the large turnout, knelt at the altar to apologize to those on their feet and asked some to come and perch around the edges of the altar.
A little boy leading an elderly blind man tried to force his way through the crowd onto a raised platform at the rear of the altar.
Signs and wonders
The controversy surrounding Fireman’s ministry lies mostly in the ‘signs and wonders’ he performs during his service, the miracles being astounding and outrageous in one breath.
More when you continue..
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