FIRST POLITICAL JOURNEY.
OGUN WEST BID FOR SENATE. -Part1.
By Rev. DIPO Smith... Senior Pastor Genesis chapel Intnl and CEO Walk4jesus Agency.
In 2018 March the Lord spoke to me after a private waiting on the Lord on how we can help our people with impactful empowerment programs... He said
"it's the Senate"
And since then I started informing leaders in my constituency...
My first major introduction came when Dr Ubaka our Regional coordinator invited me to our Ogun west of meeting at Ilaro.. precisely at TREM.. Dr Enisan is the pastor of that church and all the province governor's, chapter/ exco officers and some members were present.
I was allowed to explain God's mandate given to me to all present and this lead to several invitation especially the one to Imeko...
I went to Imeko with late Apostle Tobi Ebuka.. may his soul rest in peace.
Pastor Ajibade's Church TAPLON at Imeko was our place of meeting and at the end of it, Rev Akinyemi was appointed the coordinator to spearhead the mobilization at Imeko and it's environ. They are a good host, people with foresight and great humility.
We were taken care off. They never tasked me to bring money. Yet they spent their time to take care of us. Great mention and thanks to Rev. Ajibade the Yewa north regional coordinator and Imeko province governor Rev. Olugbile...
This lead to our mobilization meeting that came in form of a seminar at TAPLON during Ileya day. The hall was filled to the brim. We did solar training and campained. Then I was still at ID... Party.
To be continued.
*FIRST POLITICAL JOURNEY -PART 2*
OGUN WEST BID FOR SENATE
By Rev. DIPO Smith... Senior Pastor Genesis chapel intnl and CEO Walk4jesus Agency.
Joshua 6
*God's plan for the church got clearer to me as I went from church to church.
I saw the need to educate Ministers of the gospel on why we must set up a system of the grassroot to produce political leaders among us. I noted Moses, Joshua etc.
In yewa south I will like to single out Pastor Toye who invited me to a widows meeting of Pastor Oris at the Ilaro cooperative hall, Pastor Oris runs several NGO for the blind, market women, orphans, widows and others in Ilaro.
The meeting was fruitful.
We came for another of such meeting within the month at a church in Ilaro.
Pastor Toye was also around.
The role of this men in Yewa south can not be under played. I was introduced to Pastor Jonah who took care of my introduction to Rev. Adeyemi the Province Governor and other important people in the Christian community in Ilaro. It took several visits to achieve this. This men are great men of honour.
While all this was going on I was introduced to Iju Pfn through Rev. Jesuje and there at one of their meetings I met Retired colonel who is now a Pastor, Arewa and an Area chairman of PFN who invited me to his base and allowed me to meet people there, he latter introduced me to Rainbow community at Iyana Iyesi where I met for the first time Evangelist Fashola of CCC Ilogbo who introduced me to the Ilogbo CCC and c&s fellowship, Bro Kola of Bond FM and lots of others. While this was going on the nomination of candidate by parties was close and the party I was in Independent Democrats ID brougty out unreasonable conditions and exobitant registration fee against there initial agreement that they had with me.. As at this time I came in contact with Me Onifade of Fresh Democratic party, Mr Francis of AAC and others but Francis played a great role to absorb me into AAC..
God set up a long link of connection for me.
As at this time I was already setting up our first solar training for the grassroot mobilization in TREM, Sango- for Ota and it's environs.
To make this happen I was in constant meeting with Rev Aruleba, Late Pastor Tobi Ebuka, Apostle Kayode Adeyemi and Dr Emmanuel Awuku... We meet with other groups in Ijoko Area CAN under Rev Adebayo and others, Pastor Sam Yemi hosted several meetings at Ntabo at his church.
The Solar seminar was fixed for August 4th 2018 at TREM. It was there that we brought a Lagos solar company called vanpeaux LTD who conducted the training. We had almost 300 people in attendance. People from Imeko, Ilaro, Ilogbo, Atan, Iju etc
To be contd.
FIRST POLITICAL JOURNEY -PART 3
OGUN WEST BID FOR SENATE..
Political party politics and experience
By Rev. DIPO Smith... Senior Pastor Genesis chapel intnl and CEO Walk4jesus Agency.
Joshua 6
*God's plan for the church got clearer to me as I went from church to church.
And now from ID to AAC... This was facilitated because I was a follower of Sowores Takeitback group online. It was this that morphed into AAC.
Engr Francis got in touch with me and we had a meeting at Domino Pizza about how I will join the newly approved party. This was around September/Oct 2018.
Long story short, I joined and for the first time I saw what it means to be in the midst of young people who still thought that they are doing aluta on campus. Ogun state AAC lead by Engr Francis was somehow not so favoured by the Sowore American sponsors because of Engr Francis relationship with the London Takeitbacker Fundraiser.
I didn't realise this in time untill after our primaries that I won to contest for the seat of Senate- Ogun west on Aac ticket. I had paid the registration fees of the party.. which was set at less than a million at the national level. I Donated money to the state exco under the leadership of Sheu Olowokeu after Francis was impeached.
Then the cabals at Sowores Sahara reporters office lead by Abiodun Thorp's hyjacked all inec forms and decided who to register. At the night of the closing of collection of forms at Abuja I was called that Thorpe did not submit my form.
There was an upproah as almost 5 of us from different states were affected by this deliberate ommission.
I was at Oja odan when this bad news broke.. I almost had a heart attack.
When I got home we had meetings upon meetings on the loop but it was too late.
Tears flowed in my household. It took me almost 5 days to figure out how to face this disappointment.
Comrade Sowore got the report. I called him personally as the chairman and presidential candidate. But he left all this internal crisis and flew to Texas to raise funds.
Some candidate asked for refund but the party had scammed us already. Their campain fundraising was a grand scam.
The chief fund raiser for Sowore in London Princes Eniola Otasanya Martin's withdrew from this task when she got to know that the money was not meant for campaign but private pockets. She was the governorship candidate of AAC in Ogun state. Francis and Dr Donald Ezenwa the party secrtery had to stop Abiodun Thorpes plan in Abuja to submit her forms by theirself. I have never seen such bitter acrimony over money like this in my life.
Several revelation from members of my family and church guided us through this difficult times. Almost #3million naira sunk in the experiment.
That was when I went to Fresh...were I eventually contested for Ogun state house of assembly in OTA 1 constituency. No acrimony in fresh. Their leader Rev Chris Okotie was a pastor who was busy Pastoring the church while campain struggle was on elsewhere.
A lot of people gave funds to support my campaign. It was published on WhatsApp and Facebook as it was given then.
God was faithfu all through.
Continue latter.
FIRST POLITICAL JOURNEY -PART 4
OGUN WEST BID FOR SENATE..
Empowerment mobilization strategy
By Rev. DIPO Smith... Senior Pastor Genesis chapel intnl and CEO Walk4jesus Agency.
Joshua 6
*God's plan for the church got clearer to me as I went from church to church.
I remember the words of Engr Adebayo the chairman independent Democrats ID Ogun state before I left the party. He said
"Pastor Smith I will advice to quickly use the gift of God in your life to impact life's and do everything within your power to raise money for your campain, mobilization activities as fast as possible"
This word came at the right time because the funds to promote my journey was not available and no major financier was stepping forward, so I had to seek the face of the Lord on what to do to fund my campaign. The Holy spirit lead me back to one same thing. To teach the word of salvation which was given to me in 1995 in Lagos at the inception of my ministry.
This was divided into two:
1. Teaching pastors to get involved in community leadership through active political participation. Many joined me to mobilize for voters registration through this while others just had a new understanding that politics is of God.
2. Organize subsidized Solar training for communities were we need to reach with our campaign.
This lead to me traveling to speak to our key leaders to fix dates, get free venue and arrange for networking arrangement to get people to attend.
This journey covered, Imeko, Ilaro, Oja odan, Idiroko, Igbesa/Agbara, Ado odo, Ilogbo, Iju-Oke Ibukun, Konifewo- Ilogbo, CAN Ijoko, ILO OTA, Itele Lafenwa, etc. We were able to do 95% of this solar Training successfully.
I need to mention some key people that made this journey possible.
Great Men of God like Rev Dr Ubaka of TREM Sango-, who introduced me to Dr Donatus Obi senior pastor of CPM OTA, Pastor Fashola who broke the code of c&s/CCC for me at Ilogbo, Igbesa, and Ado odo.
I must remember my friend at Idiroko Pastor Obaze of Assemblies of God who mandated Pastor Sunday Maviwoku to see to it that I meet our key leaders in that local government.
Province Governor's like Rev Idowu, Rev Opeoluwa and Bishop Akanbi the Yewa south coordinator.
Pastor Miracle also supported my mobilization at Ipokia LGA.
Rev Kugbakin the Province Go erno made Oja odan available to me while Pastor Adeyemi Province Governor and Pastor Jonah, Rev Toye gave broke Ilaro for me and Rev Uzo gave me Owode yewa.
This seminars in most places were paid for and this usually covers our travel expenses and publicity materials and feeding. At times we pay for medicine because I or some of my team may be sick and we had to treat ourselves on the road as we travel. No appointment can be turned down, it's campain season. Every one wants to see the candidate to accept the offer.
The journeys were dangerous and tourturing because Ogun state roads is a nightmare.
All of this coupled with my attending party meetings in Abeokuta and LAGOS.
Politics requires sacrifice of time, energy, relational skills and a lot of patience. You win some, you loose some.
This stories must be told. Although all this are summaries, it will help others in the body of Christ to know that Christian's can do politics successful.
My campaign team inludes my children, wife and church staffs and volunteers. The core people are Pastor Mrs Ngozi Oladipupo who handles finance and fundraising, Toib Adebayo and Pastor Israel who handle solar training, Peace Oladipupo, Michael Oladipupo, Anna Oladipupo, handled logistics, media and welfare respectively. We all travel together making it more expensive but easy for me to cope with the demand on me.
Continue latter
*FIRST POLITICAL JOURNEY PART5*
FAILING FORWARD.
By Rev. DIPO Smith of Genesis Chapel Intnl, and walk4jesus Agency, Ijoko , OTA, Ogun state.
This is not the conclusion of the story but a digression.
I want to thank every one that I have come across, interacted with along the line. This year started with the mixed feeling of the February election. It was clear to me that Fresh had no structure on ground that could deliver the election but I was secretly resolved in my heart to try my best.
The issue of the 150 poling units stare me in the face.. How to get people to represent me as poling agent became an issue. I threw the idea into the Pfn network for people to be volunteered. I was having a budget of #1,500 per agent for the important 90 Poling boots were I felt I had chances of one or two votes.
It was not about winning, it was about testing the rigorous campain in the churches to see how they will respond.
2019 has been prophetically our season of favour and that is what it is. I have seen God move on my behalf. The money to finance the agents and other logistic came five days to the election.
Am not talking about the election but to thank all those pastors who frantically joined me to test the experiment. Two people came to mind... Rev Ubaka who got to poling unit at Arinko and called me with the situation report. Massive vote buying in progress, Atila our youth leader calling.. Our people are not coming out ooo.. call them.
There was a lot of money sunk in bulk SMS in the last 3 days calling people to action. Almost 10,000 people were texted to go out and vote.
Thank you all for a year of learning, experience and favour.
Another experiment is on the way. In the LGA election let's take 2-3 counselor seats in this next experiment. We can do it.
When good men do nothing evil men take authority and become role model to the people. And society suffers for it. I have two more stories to post after this to conclude the story... Happy crossover... 2020 will favour us in Jesus name.
Continue latter.
FIRST POLITICAL JOURNEY PART6
FAILING FORWARD: GETTING THE CHURCH TO GET THE VOTERS CARD.
By Rev. DIPO Smith of Genesis Chapel Intnl, and walk4jesus Agency, Ijoko , OTA, Ogun state.
This is an important aspect of the political mobilization of the church. Most pastors did not respond quickly enough to the announcement of INEC registeration untill it was getting to the closing dates when the crowd was extremely much and registration became monetized.
Pastor Fashiola of CCC ilogbo OTA and Celestial/c&s fellowship took the registration seriously and registered most of their ministers.
Most Pentecostal ministers were apathetic to the election process.
Many ministers said they had given up about politics, therefore they refused to register to vote, yet they complain of bad policies and bad people in govt.
Pastor Openiyi, Olulana, Adu, Oke, Ajimo, mogaji, pst Samson of itele, and some few others made concerted effort to register a lot of members in OTA, Sango, Ijoko and Itele Lafenwa OTA, community.
The crowd at the polling unit and the price of getting registered became a great obstacle to those who were politically docile and reluctant that latter changed their mind to register.
I was hoping that since the issue was to benefit the people of the church a lot them will rush to register to vote in their own candidate.
The Imeko, Ilaro group registered very well but the complain in Idiroko/ Ipokia churches was based on the distance to the inec office. Most did not register. Most were looking at me that am I really a Christian? Some we're envious and some wanted to collect money from me despite that they had no voters card.
Some felt that pastors should not be involved in politics, because of that they refused to announce it in their churches or register to vote. Some were already active in Apc, Pdp, and other parties.
This was the first heart ache that I had in the journey.
At times I cried privately because of the unbelief of many in the church. The key to electoral victory lies on how many registered voters belong to your grassroot.
My own grassroot was filled with 80% of suppoters who had no voters card. I knew this as I visited up to 4000 churches. I usually asked them. How many of you have a voters card? In a church of 30 adults you may have 3 which does not even include the pastor. The worst is that some will confirm that it is not an Ogun state voters card.
Can you imagine the incredible wastage.
Continue latter.
