A legal practitioner,who doubles as a minister of God, Reverend (Mrs) Omowumi Popoola, wife of Apostle Sunday Popoola, President, Word Communication Ministries (WOCOM) and former president, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Oyo State chapter, speaks with TOLUWANI OLAMITOKE on her childhood days, passion for her profession, challenges of running a ministry and marriage.
Having added another year, what are those things you wish to do to impact the society?
Lots of it, but most importantly, there is the need for me to impact my generation. I’m in a hurry to do more. I have loads of things inside of me that I want to impact the life of the younger generation with.
You are a lawyer turned a minister of God. How many years did you spend practising your profession before you went into the ministry?
That was 15 years before I went into full-time ministry. But then, I’m still into the practice although not on full time due to the demands of my ministerial work. Many times, I had wanted to quit my profession, but it had been difficult because of the passion I have for it. It has become part of me. I also discovered early in the practice a part of me which seeks to help people and advocate.
What is your area of specialisation?
I do mostly commercial practices, company law and industrial practices that is trade mark, patents and designs.
The belief in some quarters today is that the short cut to getting rich quickly and having fame is going into ministerial work?
To make name or have fame takes a long time and the grace of God added to it. I don’t believe in the get-rich-quick syndrome which is evident in our society these days. The wealth of an individual is the impact he or she is making in developing people around him or her. People would believe in someone who had stood the test of time. And this is when you have your fame. I won’t follow someone who has been there for a short while and is popular. People want to follow someone who they had seen both cry and laugh and were encouraged and impacted with the way he handled both situations and is still moving on. People want to follow someone who is real.
What was your experience like early in the ministry?
It wasn’t smooth. Then, as a matter of fact, going into ministerial work wasn’t rosy. You signed up to a life of sacrifice because you really loved God. It was like dying. My husband and I sacrificed so many things. I was a lawyer earning good money, but money meant nothing to me. Rather than spending this on ourselves, we put it to the gospel. We sacrificed our convenience for the gospel. We were completely sold out to God.
Can you recall an experience in this line?
There was a time I was working as Assistant Registrar in Federal Ministry of Trade, Lagos. I was working in a division where any young graduate would love to be because people believe that in this division, they made money. Then as a Christian, I knew I mustn’t compromise my faith. I was in charge of registering all the trademarks in Nigeria, and patents and designs. Most companies would normally go through me. In 1987, my office had to move to Abuja. I had a young family, the ministry was there and I knew I needed money, but there was the home to protect. I wanted to be in the office and the glamour of the whole thing. It was a tug of war. I was given N10,000 as inconvenience allowance and given an accommodation in Area 1, Garki in Abuja. But then, my heart was always with my husband and the kids. My second baby was at home being taken care of by my mum. When I saw the conflict in keeping my home and ministry, I had to resign tearfully, because then we were taught it was God first. My colleagues looked at me and said ‘we admire you.’ I didn’t even inform my husband before I took the decision. It was like a bombshell to both my husband and mother because it was my money that was being used in running the home and ministry. But then I didn’t regret the step I took..
How long have you been married?
29 years.
What are those things which have not changed about your spouse since you got married?
He’s a man that is settled, confident, resolute and passionate in the way he serves God. He’s ever passionate about developing people and making them come to their best. Again, he’s truthful.
What is it about him people probably don’t know?
He displays simplicity in his ways and he’s down to earth. He’s that kind of person who can go into the kitchen and help himself with whatever is available there. My husband is not keen about people waiting on him or serving him. There was a day he went into the kitchen, took one of the plastic plates and served himself. That is just him. When we got married, he used to cook with me. He loved to cook and experiment with food. He taught me many menu. Then he wasn’t as busy as he is now. He taught me how to make buns, puff puff and chin chin. My husband doesn’t like too much of protocol, he actually breaks it. He wants to be real, approachable, accessible even when his responsibilities are becoming more. My younger ones and others who lived with us enjoyed him.
Communicating with body language is a normal practice between couples. How does either of you pass a message across through this means?
My husband is a fiery preacher, but when it comes to the home, I talk more. When he dims his eyes, that is a sign of disapproval and when he hums, it’s a sign of caution; he’s saying I have said enough.
How do you know he’s angry?
He would be quiet. Although he’s naturally a quiet person, but when he’s angry, he would be completely quiet.
And when he’s happy?
He jokes so much.
Who is your next of kin?
My husband. Years back, someone asked me why I was putting everything I had in my husband’s name. I told him I know and was sure of the kind of life and matrimony we are practising.
In a situation a man makes his siblings his next of kin and the woman, the children, what do you think has gone wrong?
Most times, there’s no more trust in the man or the spouse. And so, either the man or woman would say let me prepare my aftermath when I’m around. I can’t advise that all women should make their spouses their next of kin like I do. I would rather advise that a woman watch her husband, his character, the kind of family he’s from because some men are ‘yes men’ who dance to the tune of their parents or family. And of course, when you have a man who flirts around and squanders the family’s money, a woman would be sensible enough not to make such her next of kin.
Can we know your background?
I had a loving father who believed in me, raised and saw me as his sister rather than daughter. In essence, he gave me freedom to grow. He helped raise the confidence in me that I could be what God wanted me to be. I started schooling at age four. And though a native of Ipe-Akoko in Ondo State, I was born in Owo, also in Ondo State.I had my childhood days in Okeluse and Owo. I attended Imade College, Owo, Victory College, Ikare and was the first set in Ondo special six form at Ikare. This was introduced in the stead of the A level programme which was then cancelled. I had my tertiary education at the University of Lagos, Lagos State.
How would you describe your childhood days?
Interesting, enjoyable. I had everything a child could have because my father was well-to-do and I was the child of his old age. It took my parents some years before they could have us. I’m the first in my family. My dad was a cooperative secretary, he was manning the cocoa produce and was a cocoa merchant. My mum on her part was a full time housewife until my dad died. I was then 15 years old. She took on to trading and farming extensively. My mother took up the challenge of raising us and this she did well with the help of God.
What were those things you did as a child which earned you punishment?
Breaking things or playing rough. I was always afraid of the cane and so, my younger brother and I would connive and lie that it was my younger sister who did any wrong. She was actually happy covering us up and would take the strokes of cane because she was beefy. My father was not used to beating us. He rather believed in talking to us. I wish I could use my father’s method because most of the beatings we give our children are done out of annoyance. All the lessons and talks my dad gave me stuck while using the cane brings fear and erodes a child’s confidence.
Looking at the ways youths dress and behave even in the church, it appears women ministers are not really making impact or playing their roles as role models.
The end of time is near and things are moving at a terrific speed. In the past, you communicated through letters, telegrams, fax machine, but now, in a split of seconds you can pass a message across while people talk and see each other regardless of distance via video conversation. The cultural barrier is melting off and this is aided by technical advancement which made our culture to be barged into. Parents and female ministers can’t catch up with the terrific change while the younger ones have photographic brain and grasp things quick. Our youths understand information technology better and faster, while those of us who are supposed to be their role models don’t. We have to find a way of bridging the gap between us who have the core values of those days and the youth now. The truth is we can’t go on condemning then because it’s their age. If you call a 15- year-old and hear or know the kind of temptation confronting him or her, you would weep. We have to double up, be current to know the problems these young ones are facing. We can’t just go on criticising them.
In what ways can Christian women impact the fashion world?
Talking about the fashion world, how many Christians are there making names and showing the world how best to look good without exposing the body? None. We rather stay in the corner of our shops and sew. How many mothers take the pain to dress well and look good and let their children know it’s possible to look good without exposing the body? We need lots of us to break through into the current culture of dressing and package that kind of fashion— beautiful and decent that we know the younger generation will relate with. I always advise parents and mothers especially, to give our young people a measure of freedom and let them express themselves according to the age they are in, this helps them in being confident of themselves.
What does relaxation mean to you?
After a hard days job, take a book, read, sit down and watch nature, the flowers and grass in the cool of the evening. I believe so much in that. I find it so, much difficult to go on leave. So on Mondays, I relax. Saturday and Sunday are the busiest in our lives.
What do you do to keep your skin glowing?
I’m an ardent believer in beauty routine. I believe in taking care of myself. It’s scriptural and so I’m very meticulous about it. I don’t use anything harsh. I used the natural, local shea butter and fill it with perfume. I also exfoliate. and drink lots of water. I take water very early in the day before brushing. I don’t cook with much oil and sometimes, I cook with no oil. My family loves fruits. I take a lot of them. Again I eat food that could be got as local as possible. I take little fish and poultry and no red meat. In form of exercise, I do the treadmill, aerobic and brisk walk. Above all, it’s the mercy of God.
What country do you love to visit?
Ethiopia in East Africa. I have heard a lot of stories about it. I also learnt they have a different calendar there.
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