How God used Heroes of Faith Ministries to save me – Account of repentant cultist

Bishop Kingsley Enakirerhi

The existence of God and His saving power was far from Ilo Oghene’s (not real name) mind when he decided to join maphite confraternity more than 25 years ago. Uppermost then in his mind was the pecuniary gains that come with being a member of a secret cult.

It was not until he encountered the Heroes of Faith Ministries Int’l, along Patini Road, Ughelli, Delta state, last year, 2024, he realised that it is only God who exercises the real power and not any secret cults.

Oghene, while giving testimony in the weekly programme of the church – which holds every Thursday between the hours of 9am and 12pm – recently laid bare the over riding power of the Almighty God.

Speaking with The Recorder afterwards, he said his conversion was dramatic as it was surprising just as he delved into the world of cultism, drugs and associate crimes that come with being a member of a confraternity.

For his daring nature and always willing to execute any assignment with deadly precision, he rose quickly through the ranks until he was arrested by God, using Heroes of Faith Ministries and Bishop of the church, Kingsley Enakirerhi and his wife.

Oghene, who rose to the number 2 man (acting head) in the hierarchy because of his exploits and ability to carry out hit jobs, confessed that God’s mighty hand is powerful, and that power exists in the Heroes of Faith Ministries.

According to him, his mother, a member of church tricked him into coming for the Thursday programme, code named – Testimony Thursday (Ministration and Manifestation Service).

“My activities had given my mother so much headaches that she had been asking me to come with her to the church on several occasions, I always refused. Infact she used to tell me that my dead brothers were better than me, that I was better dead. One day she asked me to accompany her on a trip but said we had to stop and offer prayers before we proceed on the journey. I never knew it was a church. Immediately I entered, during prayers, the Mayor of the City (Bishop’s wife) pointed to me and asked me to come forward. The Bishop prayed with me and I found myself dumbstruck. I can’t really say what happened to me. I saw myself spiritually handcuffed. I was angry that my mother brought me to the church to be disgraced.”

He emphasised that the Bishop laid his hands on him, “I saw the handcuffs dropped off, I immediately accepted Christ as my Lord and personal saviour. My mother is very happy now.”

He continued: “Today, my life is a testimony to people in my environment. People who swear for me before now pray for me for God’s protection.”

He said if anyone had told him before then he was going to be a preacher of the Bible today he would have chased the person away.

He said it was not easy at first. “The question was how do I tell members of a gang where I was a number 2 man that I have left them? When I summed courage to tell them that I was no longer with them, I became a target of assassination. I was chased all around town. They said as the head, giving my life to God was not accepted by them. One day they chased me and I ran like a mad man on the express road. I had to run to the church to tell the Bishop of my predicament. In fact, I was confused. He asked ne stay within the church premises ( Known as Heroes City). He prayed with me and simply told me that from henceforth anyone who wanted me dead or chased me, would die. That was how surprisingly members of the cult told me that I was free to practice my Christianity and that they would no longer chase or kill me. Since then I have been left alone. It takes the grace of God.”

Thereafter, he immediately took steps to break ties them as he took all the materials associated with the confraternity and dumped them in the river.

Now an evangelist, he wants to go to a Bible School to further his understanding of God and the Bible for exploits.

“Since then I have been going to places, markets, streets telling people especially youths to turn away from drugs and cultism. And God has given me the boldness to preach the gospel. I want to attend a Bible School now,” he said.

Giving a background how he became a cultist, Oghene stated that his older brother, who is now late, initiated him into the deadly cult, whose motto is akin to “forgiveness is a sin.”

He said he became deeply entrenched when he lost all his brothers. He wanted to live with them and call them brothers because he has no one to call brother. “I believed in them and wanted to live all my life with them,” he explained.

According to him, he helped the organisation to open cells in Benin Republic, Ghana, among other countries and sent to execute assignments in cities across the Nigeria, noting he was one of those used by politicians during elections and dumped quickly then after.

As benefits of being a Christian he now lives freely without fear of being killed. He sleeps soundly and no longer live in self denial, run or hide from opposite cult members.

“When I was a member, I couldn’t walk freely without members around me. I couldn’t sleep without drugs. I must drug myself with all kinds of substances to be able to sleep. I gave my poor mother lot of troubles but now since I became a Christian I sleep like a baby with out anxiety and worries. I was always afraid to close my eyes because I felt I could be killed anytime but now I’m no longer afraid,” he told The Recorder.

In his early 30’s, he cautioned youths against involving themselves in cultism because with it comes drugs, and other vices that jeopardize their future.

“Once a cultist you are not of value to anybody. The politicians will use you and dump you immediately. Come to Jesus if you want to be a better and useful person,” he pleaded with youths.