The President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria and Presiding Bishop of Sword of the Spirit Ministries, Francis Wale Oke, has said that the ongoing japa wave, involving Nigerians migrating abroad in search of greener pastures, has a positive side, as it can serve as a vehicle for spreading the gospel across the world.
Bishop Oke spoke on Tuesday during the ongoing eight-day Holy Ghost Convention 2025 of Sword of the Spirit Ministries, with the theme “Great Joy: Sound From Heaven,” held at Covenant Cathedral, Ibadan, Oyo State.
According to the PFN president, while japa has been associated with brain drain and national loss, it also aligns with God’s original command for humanity to spread across the earth.
“There are still many positive things attached to the ongoing japa syndrome in the country,” Oke said. “The original intention of God is for the people to carry His glory to spread all over the world by going, being fruitful, and multiplying. It is time for Nigerians to take the word of God to the nations. As they japa, they can spread the gospel in countries of the earth.”
Drawing from what he described as an insight received from the Holy Spirit while meditating on “Vision 2033,” Bishop Oke recalled the story of South Korean church leader, David Yonggi Cho, as a cautionary tale.
“The Holy Spirit cautioned me not to allow what befell the church in South Korea to happen in Nigeria,” he said.
He explained that Cho, founder of the world’s largest single congregation, had built a 450,000-seat church in Seoul but failed to replicate that fire through others. Later, Cho faced conviction for tax evasion, narrowly escaping imprisonment following global outcry from churches.
“Cho was a man aflame with passion, but the light did not spread widely enough beyond him. We must learn from that and ensure that Nigerian believers plant vibrant seeds of the church in every nation,” Oke urged.
The PFN president urged Christians to remain sensitive to the movement of the Holy Spirit and align with God’s eternal purpose.
“We must revere God and honour Him diligently. Every act of obedience to divine instruction leads to elevation and blessing. To provoke God through disobedience is to invite His wrath,” he cautioned.
The highlight of the convention’s second day was the cutting of a cake to mark Bishop Oke’s 69th birthday, an event that drew cheers from the congregation.
