Not many Benin people expected it to end the way it ended on Tuesday night, the 31st day of October 2023. Many might have equated the crusade with others which they had witnessed in the city. But they were wrong in their calculations. Garrick Memorial Grammar School, venue of the October edition of the GCK in Benin City was never expected to be crowded as it turned out to be. The field was an expansive land space never seen in most cities in Nigeria. But against uninformed views, the Benin people and others within the state turned out massively for the historic crusade in the city.
Standing from one end of the crusade ground, one could see a sea of heads piling up the white chairs in the field. From the entrance, one could see men, women, youths and children trooping in and filling the seats arranged from one end to the other end of the crusade ground. It was one of the biggest gatherings ever in the history of Pastor Kumuyi’s two years global crusades across states in Nigeria and countries in Africa.
This writer gathered authoritatively that the Benin global crusade was the second single largest in Nigeria after the gathering at the church’s international headquarters in Lagos, Nigeria. Although the first day was less, however, as the crusade progressed, the participants grew in triple geometric progression. And the last day being Tuesday, October 31, it was a sea of heads running from end to end. So far, Garrick Memorial Grammar School ground was one of the biggest grounds recorded in the crusades.
As the participants trooped in from the three unofficial routes designated to accommodate the teeming crowd, one could see a people desirous of God in their lives. From one end of the city to the other, residents of Benin, the ancient city, moved in to hear the word of God from the anointed man of God. Though the schedule time was 5pm, as early as 3pm, men, women, youths seeking God’s face had begun milling around the arena in preparation for God’s outpouring. Many came with various prayer requests, with photos of their loved ones either in faraway communities, hospitals or bedridden in homes.
They came with the belief that God, the ultimate source of solution to all challenges of life, would answer their prayers. And so, it was that as the man of God prayed with the last thunderous Amen bursting through the airwaves, the miracles rolled in. One thing worth mentioning is that the miracles did not only happen at the Alpha location, they occurred across the globe, with testimonies turning in from Facebook, YouTube and other social media handles of the church globally. It was one of the most significant displays of God’s presence and answer to the prayer of a man of God.
Testimonies flowed in from states in Nigeria, the Africa continent and countries in Europe, America, the United Kingdom and the Asian countries. Most of them happened immediately the prayer was offered and the shouts of thunderous Amen reverberated across the globe. Wheelchairs, clutches, other walking aids were raised up signifying the occurrence of outstanding miracles. As the miracles occurred, there were shouts of clapping, joy and happiness reverberating across the crusade ground.
There were instant healings of different ailments that had lasted for days, weeks, months and even years. Some had visited hospitals, spent huge amount of money, some had abandoned themselves to their fate, thinking hope was already lost. But their hopes rose as their pains and sorrows were rolled away just after moments of prayers from the anointed man of God. It was jubilation galore all over the crusade ground as participants danced, sang and praised God for the healing presence of the Almighty God globally.
The miracles followed the teachings of the convener of the Global Crusade with Kumuyi, Pastor William Foluronsho Kumuyi. His teachings for the six days the crusade lasted dwelt on two essentials, one the need to accept Christ into their lives, and two, the need to have faith in the healing power of God. His teachings gave hope to the people. As many as were hopeless and had felt written off, the pastor’s messages lifted up their hearts, giving them assurance that there is nothing impossible with God, and that no challenge on earth, no sickness, no problem could surpass the power of God. Their hopes rose and thousands of the participants left the ground with beautiful smiles lightening up their faces.
The choruses and choir ministrations from across the globe and the Alpha location were also soul lifting and source of powerful inspirations, driving hope into the souls of lost ones. Added to the choir songs from across the world, the foreign guest singer, Jared Anderson, it was a life transforming encounter in Benin City. For the six days the crusade lasted, it was an inspiring experience and unforgettable encounter with God of miracles.
Not less than 50,000 people gathered at the crusade ground from every part of Edo state with greater attendance from Benin City. Left alone, many participants would not want the crusade to end. The reason is not far-fetched. It was a moment of revival, soul lifting and drawing inspiring and hope to face the wicked world loaded with army of challenges and troubles, orchestrated by the presence of the devil and his agents. But the closure of the crusade was never the end of God’s presence in the lives of participants. It is expected that they go home with the mind to live as they had been taught by the pastor and continue to enjoy God’s presence forthwith.
The global crusade was attended by Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo state with his wife, Betsy. Speaker of the state house of assembly, Blessing Sheriff Agbebaku, members of the state executive council, members of the state house of assembly and judges of the state judiciary were all in attendance.
