Reinhard Bonnke: Di man wey change di face of Christianity for Africa
Millions of Christians na im mourn German-born evangelist Reinhard Bonnke wey attract plenti pipo for Africa during im years of preaching, as im die for di age of 79. Kenyan writer Jesse Masai look back at im influence.
Bonnke always dey challenge im followers to take di mantle from am If you compare am with British "Prince of Preachers" Charles Spurgeon, even American televangelist Billy Graham, Bonnke status as di Papa of modern-day crusade preaching and healing for Africa no get fight inside. Across di continent, big one week church rallies don dey popular, usually with big tents, fine podiums, ogbonge public address systems, local language translator and, in some cases, evangelists wey dey copy di way Bonnke dey tok and di way im dey do for stage including di way im dey hold microphone. For di end of some of im preaching, im go ask who for di crowd hear God call to take di microphone from im hand. Im message wey dey give pipo hope don become important, especially for Africa nations wey drought dey affect, civil palava and oda bad bad tins wey dey. Who be Reinhard Bonnke? Some, like 83 year-old Kenyan Pentecostal preacher Wilson Mamboleo - wey help organise Bonnke waka into East Africa - consider Africa best-known names for di African Christian scene like TB Joshua from Nigeria and Teresia Wairimu from Kenya as direct result of Bonnke early influence. 'To see di dead rise' Bonnke join Kenya President Uhuru Kenyatta wen dem dey dedicate Wairimu Faith Evangelistic Ministry Family Church for Nairobi, di kontri capital, for August 2016. "Im militant style of preaching for open-air crusades come out based on our setting. Like St Paul for Bible, im know say im dey face strong evil forces" Mr Mamboleo tok Im Christ For All Nations (CFAN) organisation, wey pipo sabi all ova Africa claim Bonnke dey oversee more than 79 million conversions to Christianity. For huge rallies - including one wey dem do for Nigeria main city, Lagos, for 2000 wey dem say na 1.6 million people attend - Bonnke claim say im heal pipo with di power of God. Im also tell followers say im don see pipo dey rise from di dead although im critics say di 'miracles' no be true. Di way Bonnke dey do im crusade sometimes dey make pipo tok. Stephen Mutua, wey serve as international director between 1986 and 2009 say im remember di fights for mainly Muslim Kano for northern Nigeria for 1990. Di Muslim population bin vex say Bonnke get permit to hold crusade. "For di kasala, I see myself inside armoured car for di first time in my life, before di Nigerian military use plane carry us enta Lagos," Dr Mutua tok. "Bonnke, wey understand di special way Nigeria religion dey, write personal message give federal goment and vow say im go come back." Bonnke hold more crusades for Nigeria pass any oda kontri for Africa Officially at least eight pipo die but report wey dem no fit confirm say about hundred pipo lose dia lives. "Afta di incident dem deny us visa and we no come back Nigeria till afta 10 years." Dr Mutua, wey dey head di African Evangelists Network for Nairobi, say things don change when President Olusegun Obasanjo enta power for 1999. Im note say Nigeria di most populous state for Africa, go thereafter regularly welcome Bonnke pass oda African nation. Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari, a Muslim northerner, pay tribute to di evangelist, tok say im death na "great loss to Nigeria, Africa and di entire world". Dr Mutua say as Bonnke fit don inspire oda teachers, pastors, apostles and prophets in Africa and beyond, di evangelist work neva finish. And while di Associated Press news agency report for 2014 say Bonnke dey live for $3m (£2.3m) apartment near Palm Beach, Florida, Dr Mutua argue say di evangelist dey committed to transparency. "We need continue in im commitment to scripture and a life of personal integrity ," he tok. 'Healing ministry na circus' Dr Emily Onyango, wey be lecturer for Kenya St Paul's University department of Theology and Development studies, believe say Bonnke focus on evangelism don inspire millions of Christians for Africa to get personal relationship with Christ. "Although im address crusades wey get thousands of people, im approach get individual touch and most people feel am like say im dey tok about dia needs" she tok. One "farewell gospel crusade" wey Bonnke hold for Nigeria Prof Esther Mombo from di university's Center for Christian-Muslim Relations for Eastleigh (CCMRE), tok say Bonnke's impact on Africa dey somehow and e fit take researchers some time to properly torchlight am. Di CCMRE wey dem establish for 2010 don dey di heart of several attempts to build inter-religious relationships between Muslims and Christians for di African context. Prof Mombo argue say Bonnke preaching no dey always support make pipo live together in peace, but e dey preach rivalry and hatred. "Di people wey suffer from dat kain tok na ordinary people. Na dem e kolobi," she tok "Im healing ministries dey strange and e be like circus. Yet I dey sure say through im ministry, some people meet Christ and dia faith grow." Bonnke hold farewell gospel campaign for 2017 for Nigeria, afta which im step down as di leader of di organisation sake of poor health. Dem still dey feel im impact for many streets for Africa wia self-styled pastors wey hold microphone tight for one hand, carry di Bible with di oda and tok to passer-by to embrace di Christian message.