Posted by By SOLA BALOGUN on
For many years that he was a drug addict and magician, Kayode Abiola-Peller (now Bishop-elect), found himself in a world ruled by the devil. At a very tender age, the son of the late Professor Abiola Peller had followed his father's magical footsteps by floating his own outfit called Fantastic Young Peller.
For many years that he was a drug addict and magician, Kayode Abiola-Peller (now Bishop-elect), found himself in a world ruled by the devil. At a very tender age, the son of the late Professor Abiola Peller had followed his father's magical footsteps by floating his own outfit called Fantastic Young Peller.
As a strategy for survival, he took to alcoholism, marijuana and worse still, hard drugs such as cocaine and heroin. And when he could no longer afford the drugs, Abiola Peller offered his son for months as a collateral for regular supply. Later when he became impoverished, he tried to sell his only house for N50,000. But this was averted by his mother who seized the house documents.
Today, Abiola Peller is not just a reverend and a founder of a fast growing Christian ministry, he has just been elected by the Council of Charismatic Ministries worldwide based in California, USA. The man of God told Daily Sun about his life, the period of spiritual transition, his father's death, family and ordination as Bishop slated for October 1, this year.
Background
I was born in October 1960 to the great magician, the late Professor Abiola Peller. All my family members - mother and relations inclusive - were into magic. I grew up in magic and all along, I traded in it. I later travelled to America with my father, practising magic. We used to manipulate our body features to deceive unsuspecting audiences and we earned good money for this. While in primary four at the Nigeria Model Primary School, Idi Oro, Lagos, I started my own magical group, Fantastic Young Peller. But I used to be very much afraid on stage and because of stage fright, I started taking alcohol and later, marijuana. Later, I found out that after taking the marijuana, I would become lonely and dizzy. At this time, my own group was also going on tours and I got married very early.
Drug addiction
I took to drugs and this started having adverse effects on me. Drugs took away all my money to such an extent that I had to deposit my eldest son, Tunji with the drug barons as a condition for regular supply of drugs. I didn't have money but I needed the drugs. I then left my son with the drug barons for five months. In fact, the barons had enlisted my son in the Army Children School. In the end, I then went with my mother and brother to get him.
Me and my father
As a result of the disgrace I brought to him owing to drug addiction, he had no choice but to disown me. Although whenever people asked him about me, he used to tell them that I had offended some spirits. At this stage, my father too was helpless as I was actually passing through what I call spiritual transitional stage.
Everyone tried to help me. But I knew at that time that nothing else could have saved me except Jesus. My mother did all she could, she went to the herbalists, sold her gold and dresses. But none of these things could help because the matter was of the Lord.
Tribulation
The major problem started precisely in 1986. I had married four wives - Idowu, Sade, Ruka and Iyabo - and I was really in money, having many friends including musicians and politicians. But by 1987, the drug began to have adverse effects on me. At that time, I was made Chief Akogun of Ojokoroland, and shortly after the chieftaincy title, the problem escalated. I could no longer control myself. Before this everything was rosy and I had many friends with whom I enjoyed life in my house. However, by 1988, I had sold virtually all my property to one Alhaji Garban, an Ijesha man at Adeolu. The man had just returned from Amsterdam and I was prepared to sell my house for N50,000. People started running away from me. But it was my mother who saved me. While my father too placed embargo on the house that it would not be sold, my mother seized all the documents such that when I tried to sell it, I didn't have any documents to present.
Shortly after this, I turned a beggar and I had to deposit my son, Tunji who was then a student of St John's School, Palmgrove, with the drug dealer in Ibadan. It was at this stage that I noticed that friends had deserted me. I literally turned an area boy and I knew my life was going down the drain. I knew my problem but I had no power to change the situation. All along, I thought magic was responsible for my predicament. I had about nine cars with several bodyguards. But suddenly, I started entering molue.
Close shave with death
One day, I smoked to a point that I almost got killed. I was unconscious to the point that I slept in a vehicle for two days. It was a Good Samaritan who dragged me from the vehicle and later took me to Olosa bus stop. There, I pleaded with someone that he should help me, that I was dying. I asked people to take me to my mother who later took me to our family hospital where I got treated for clouded chest.
First encounter with God
While receiving treatment, a team of Deeper Life members led by Brother Kunle Ogunde (son of the late Hubert Ogunde) visited me and prayed for me. They rebuked the spirit of magic in my life and counselled me to shelve all that was related to magic. But I was not immediately converted. I was moved to Ashi - the Deeper Life Bible Church in Ibadan where I fell and fainted. While at Ashi, I ran back to the hospital because I was not pleased. They were giving me food but because there was no drug for me to take, I had to think of an escape route.
One day, I lied to someone in the church that I was going to buy some tablets. Then I ran away from there for a whole year. This experience taught me that addicts are the biggest liars. The devil has given them another tongue to deceive those who take care of them.
Another predicament
After leaving Ashi, when I no longer had money to spend on drugs, I resorted to selling property in my house, including doors, louvres, planks and ceiling. The funny thing is that I was the one removing these items for sale myself. Meanwhile, if I slept or woke up at that time without heroin, I would never be myself. I would simply be sick. So, at a point, I lied to one of my uncles, Isaac Awujoola to help me with money to cure hernia of the scrotum. I had this disease at birth, but not that I was actually suffering from the ailment. I only needed money to buy heroin.
Eventually I was taken back to our family hospital where I was first treated. But a new physician, Pastor Tobi James had taken over from the previous physician. The new man was quite compassionate and loving. He supervised the operation, but I noticed that I focused my attention on Christ. The pastor had always prayed for me. So I felt that even if I die during the operation, I would go to heaven.
Repentance
It is only in Christianity that I know true repentance exists. The operation was successful and Pastor Tobi James invited Bishop T.S. Adeosun, the General Overseer of Christ Deliverance Gospel Mission to pray for me. The man of God asked me to confess my sins and he referred me to Isaiah 53:5 and 11 Kings 6:27 which showed me that no man, not even my father could save me except Christ.
I started crying having realised that I was all along wasting my life and time on drugs. After the brief sermon, both the Bishop and Pastor James burst into tears for my sake, and both started praying for me.
Turning point
When I saw a whole Bishop and a doctor crying for my sake, that changed me and humbled me completely. I saw the compassion of Christ through them and I knew perfectly well that a change had come into my life. I did not waste time; so the Lord removed my shame on December 9, 1989 and I became a child of God.
Command from God/
Rehabilitation centre
After my deliverance, God commanded me to help other addicts through counselling and deliverance. Addicts could be very difficult to handle, if one doesn't understand them. So I started a rehabilitation centre in a two-room apartment at 4, Idi Ose Street in1991. While operating the centre, I was progressing in the work of God and I started receiving invitation to serve as a preacher. Although I was then a new convert, many churches were inviting me to come and share my testimony and also preach to change people.
On January 9, 1993, I established the Finger of God International as a church and a deliverance centre. The church moved to AIT Road in October, 2000. After staying at Ikoni Mountain for seven days with prayers and fasting, God referred me to Exodus 8:19 and Exodus 9:11. In one of the scriptures, there's a contest between Moses/Aaron and the magicians of Egypt.
And while both parties had demonstrated their skills, God spoke in favour of Moses/Aaron saying: "This is the Finger of God that cannot be confronted.". This was why I named the church Finger of God
Ministry International.Ordination as bishop
I have been nominated and elected by the Council of Charismatic Ministers Worldwide for consecration and ordination into the highly exalted office of a Charismatic Bishop. The formal installation ceremony is billed for October 1, this year at Life Cathedral, Joke Ayo, AIT Road, Alagbado, Lagos, Nigeria.