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By Rotimi Bakare
As a beloved and a well-cared for child, I had a promising future—until I made some unwise choices. My life situation changed and the bright future darkened—until God changed the course of my life.
I was born into a well-respected Muslim family. My grandfather was a Muslim scholar and the main Koranic teacher. He usually interpreted the Koran during the feast of Ramadan.
I started living with my grandmother when I was only 14 months old. She was a wonderful woman. She would give anything to anyone whoever they were, no matter where they came from. She was known even to feed beggars who came to her home. Grandmother was a trader. Although she was not rich, she was comfortable. She would do anything for me and give me everything I asked for. She bought me new clothes for every Muslim festival. If we were required to buy something for school, I would be the first student to get it. When my father was growing up, she did not have the money to give him a good education because she was divorced. She, herself, was not educated, so she wanted to give me all the advantages. Thankfully, I did very well in school. She was proud of that and it made her very happy.
I was introduced to Islam at a very early age. I attended Arabic school every afternoon after coming back from the regular school. Basically, we memorized the Koran, but it was never interpreted. My grandfather, because of his position as a Muslim scholar, was pleased with me. He thought one day he would pass on to his grandchild the work that he was doing.
When I was in middle school, I went to live with my mother. During that time I was nearly killed in an accident. A trailer was blocking the road so I could not see that a car was coming. The car dragged me about 100 meters. My back was so bruised that I could not sleep on my back or bend down for a month. It was a tough experience. In middle school I began to play a lot of truancy —a most unwise choice. Perhaps I was not challenged enough in my studies. I had so much confidence in my ability that I knew I would pass the exams. I could cover in two days the material that others covered in three months. The teachers loved me, so I got away with it for a long time. One of the teachers, however, told my mother that they had not seen her son for a long time—even though I had left home every day. My mother was a strict disciplinarian and she punished me by severe beatings. In fact, I used to run away from her at times.
After two years, the school officials advised me to find a different school. I passed my grade, but they said that I was a bad influence on the other students. I feared to tell my mother because I knew she would beat me and not let me go on vacation. I wanted to go to see my grandmother. She was the only person that I could confide in. Even if I was in the wrong, I could tell her; she always understood and looked for a way to fix things. So I hid my results from my mother. I told her the report card would be sent home later by mail. A week later I went to my grandmother.
I told Grandmother that I had been kicked out of school and that I had feared to tell my mother. She already knew that my mother was severe and unreasonable. Grandmother was tough, too, but she was also merciful and reasonable. She said she would talk to her cousin who would find another school for me. Unknown to her, that cousin was jealous of me. His first son, who was three years older than I, was my buddy. We had played together a lot. However, he was slow in school and not gifted academically. I was the opposite. I was always among the first three in the class. Grandmother used to tell everyone that she would see that I went to the best university and would build me a house when I married. Mother had cautioned her not to share it with others because of jealousy.
My grandmother did speak to her cousin about finding a school for me. His son told my grandmother that he had consulted an oracle about the matter. He said he was told that I was not meant to be an academic, that I should go to a trade school. My grandmother believed him because she, herself, would never stoop to such deceit. So I stopped school and was sent to learn auto mechanics. Mother was furious but she did not have the money to pay my school fees, so she did not take me away. Anyhow, I did not want to live with my high-handed mother again. I was able, however, to study on my own and attain a high school certificate.
During the time I was with Mother, I was introduced to religion from a Christian point of view. Mother was a church goer, attending what is known in Nigeria as Aldura, the “white garment” church. Their rituals are based mostly on the Old Testament. That was my first introduction to a church where they prayed and read the Bible. I had heard many preachers on Nigerian TV and had listened to Jim Baker on the PTL Club, but I did not make any response.
I continued attending the “white garment” church when I moved to London, England in 1988. To me, church was a cultural thing because I saw Muslims and Christians co-habit and celebrate together. I saw that for years. I concluded that we all worship the same God and it is just our method of worship that differs.
The move to England, however, was the next step in my spiritual journey. I think God was preparing me to really know Him because I was spiritually hungry, even though I was still indulging in every kind of sin. But I did not emigrate for spiritual reasons. I was seeking a better life for myself. I never wanted to be poor and I was determined to be rich even if it meant carrying drugs or making fake money. I didn’t want the children I would have to be raised in poverty.
Shortly after, my fiancee, Ronke, came from Nigeria and we began living together. One day Ronke met a girl that we had known in Nigeria. She had been a notoriously bad girl at school, but her life had changed. She told Ronke that she had been “born-again.” This friend warmly invited us to come to her church. I remembered seeing “born-again” people in Nigeria. They were so poor and wretched looking. I didn’t want any part of that. Our friend did not give up; she kept inviting us to church continually. One day she invited us to her house for her fiance’s birthday party. When we arrived, they were praying! I said, “What are you doing praying? We are supposed to be eating. You born-again people go too far.”
We finally attended the church. I was so impressed with the warm welcome the pastor gave us. He was well-known in Nigeria and Europe and yet he shook my hand and embraced me like he had known me for a long time. I had never experienced anything like that before.
The third time we went, I realized that we couldn’t keep playing church. The pastor said that no matter if we are always in church, if we have not confessed Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we are not Christians. Jesus said to a ruler of the Jews, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). “Born again” is not a fad, it is an expression Jesus used.
As the pastor preached, he made me to see my sinful nature and that God does not tolerate sin. He wants to get rid of it. I didn’t know how to do it, but I realized He was willing to help me if I wanted to give it to Him. My fiancee and I surrendered to Christ that day. When the altar call was given, we went forward and were led in the sinners prayer. We asked God to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us in the blood of Jesus. Then we invited Him to come into our lives.
A couple of months later we were baptized in water and in the Holy Spirit. Our lives have not been the same since. God has been glorious in our lives. He made many, many changes. I was so given to fornication; I thought one woman would never satisfy me. I would have up to six girl friends at a time. When I said, “Lord, I can’t handle this; I still have the attraction. You have to help me,” the desire began to leave. All the lies I told easily began to disappear. The allure of parties ceased to hold me. I was surprised, for I was always the life of the party. I didn’t consciously make the effort, it was the power of the Holy Spirit working in me.
Immediately after we became born-again Christians, my fiancee and I wanted to make our relationship right before the Lord. We had intended to go back to Nigeria to marry and do the social things, but we couldn’t go because of the cost and problems with Immigration. We decided to marry in England. A couple of weeks before our wedding day, I lost my job. Ronke thought we should not go ahead. But I said we would do as planned, but be married in our living room. The pastor came and blessed us and many of our friends attended. Some of them sneered that it wasn’t the way to have a wedding. Today these friends admire and envy us. One man said, “This is no marriage.” Sad to say, that man has gone through two marriages, but we are still married after 12 years!
The Lord has also blessed us with children, a daughter and a son whom we love very much. He has also broken the pattern of divorce that has been in my family for generations. I knew if it didn’t stop with me, my children would be affected. I didn’t know how I was going to do it, but when you trust the Lord completely, even impossible things become possible.
When Immigration problems worsened, we applied for an American visa under the Diversity Visa Program. When I first read about it, I thought it was a joke, but I applied in 1989 and again in 1994. The Lord made it possible that out of the millions that applied, I was one of those selected. We came to the U.S.A. in 1995. I am now an American citizen. I wanted to come to America because I knew there was opportunity there for someone who is ready to diligently make use of it.
I have also continued with my education. In England I attended college for a year to earn a certificate diploma in Business Administration. Since coming to the U.S.A., I have studied computers and am employed in that field.
When I went to Nigeria for my mother’s burial in 1997, some of the people looked at me in amazement. Here was the boy they thought would end up in prison and not amount to anything. But I had an encounter with Jesus Christ. When He stepped into my life, He changed my course to a godly and prosperous way.
A word of advice to the young people:
If everything is working for you right now, even if you have good prospects ahead of you and a college is waiting to admit you, you have NOTHING until you have Jesus Christ. If you live in this world until you are a hundred years old (if you are so lucky), you will still have millions of years to live in eternity. You alone can make the choice where you want to live eternally, either in heaven or hell. If you think there is no hell, be assured there is a hell. It was created for the devil and his co-demons. God wants His children to reign with Him, but you have to make the choice. The choice is not made after you die. In Islam we believe that when our people die, we pray for God to save their souls. That is too late. You must make the decision while you are alive. Only when you are alive can you decide where you want to spend eternity.
My advice is that Jesus Christ is the only way— no matter what anyone is saying. There is no other way but the Name of Jesus Christ. The Bible says, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). It is only through Him. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”(John 14:6). “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved” (John 10:9).
God is always there, waiting for you to call on Him. Even if you are in tough situations, remember your tough times are not tougher than God. You just have to say to Him, “Lord I don’t know how to do it; I need Your help.” You can say this wherever you are—in the corner of your room, in the bathroom, or riding a bus. God will meet you if you sincerely want to know Him. This is not about being religious; it is not just about going to church; it is about knowing Jesus Christ. Many people go to church, but they do not know Jesus Christ. When you know Him, your life will never be the same.
My life has never been the same since the Sunday I surrendered it to Christ. I have been blessed beyond my wildest imagination. I didn’t know He would enable me to be a man of position. I never knew he would enable me to buy a house for my family in America and own two new vehicles. Even though my wife lost her job two years ago, we have been able to meet our mortgage payments and even help others financially.
We still support my mother-in-law, my father, my brother and others in Nigeria who ask us for help. God has never let us down. Our children do not wear rags. They never lack any good thing because the Bible promises, “Those that seek the Lord lack no good thing” (Psa. 34: 10). I thank the Lord that we lack no good thing. It is not because I work hard or know how to talk to people, it is because God has blessed me, because I trust in his Son to be my Lord and Savior. I asked Him to come into my life and He has come in. He is always with me; He lives in me.
Whoever you are, whatever your level in life, if you have never asked Jesus to come into your life, this is your chance. Ask Him. If He can do what He has done for me, He can do anything for you. I was once so lost in sin, I didn’t know what I was going to do next. I enjoyed sin so much that it didn’t seem like sin to me—because I was so filthy. But when God got a hold of me, everything that was enjoyable became like dung to me. And all I wanted then was what He wanted for me. What He wanted for me I cannot compare to what I wanted for myself. His plan is so much bettter and higher and He has the power to bring it to pass. I can plan, but I do not have the power to bring it to pass. He does!
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