#IamChosen: CAN to convene, address growing concerns over testimonies

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) will reportedly convene to address growing concerns and outrage over a recent viral exam malpractice testimony by a Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministries congregant.

The testifier, a middle-aged woman, claimed an old man miraculously appeared to her in an examination hall and gave her answers to a promotional examination for the Nigerian Navy, Army, and Air Force. She, in turn, shared her answers with another candidate.

“We all had written our career questions. It then came to these very ten questions, which asked, ‘Mention 10 Francophone countries and their capitals. Brethren, nobody knew this question. So, all I did was to raise the question paper and declare to it: ‘I am a Chosen! I am a chosen!! I am a chosen!!! This question: who are you? Where is the God of my pastor’s power? Then, suddenly, an old man appeared by my right-hand side in white apparel. He told me, ‘My daughter, begin to write.’ And I began to write,” she recounted.

She claimed that some of the invigilators, who suspected something was amiss, pulled off her church apron, which made “the angel” disappear.

She added that after the apron was returned to her, the old man reappeared and gave her the answers to the remaining questions. She completed all ten questions correctly, stating it felt like a dream.

She further narrated how she signalled a Mountain of Fire member sitting beside her, and the woman quietly copied her answers. “That was how only two of us out of 102 could do this,” she concluded, prompting wild celebrations in the church.

Enter CAN

PUNCH on Saturday reported that the Lagos State Chairman of CAN, Stephen Adegbite, said that the religious association would convene on 27 September to address the matter thoroughly.

Additionally, Mr Adegbite said CAN would address several other “unacceptable comments made by Pentecostal pastors on social media.”

Addressing the viral exam malpractice testimony and similar claims, the Lagos CAN Chairman expressed shock that such testimony was allowed in the church.

Mr Adegbite described the testimony as absurd and warned against promoting falsehoods within the Christian community.

“She is entitled to her opinion, as she owns her mouth. But for anyone to say such, we must verify that. We must see the people in the hall, and they must testify against her that that was never the situation. But looking at it ordinarily, that is a foolish talk, and nobody should accept that. There are testimonies you don’t allow to be given in the church,” Bishop Adegbite stated.

The CAN Chair emphasised that testimonies should be vetted before they are presented to a congregation.

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He said, “There are stories you can only tell to monkeys, not human beings. So, that type of testimony should be served to the monkeys, not human beings. God doesn’t act that way. I have a Ph.D. Which God of Chosen will appear to you and give you answers to your examination questions? The God of Chosen will strengthen you to read your books and go for the exams. There is no shortcut to success in life other than hard work and belief in God.”

“We will be meeting probably next Friday. It will be a CAN general meeting in Lagos, and we will address it. We will speak about the madness going on among Pentecostal pastors,” he said.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported how the dramatic testimonies of Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministries members sparked social media discussions and an online challenge.

These viral testimonies, which the testifiers claimed miraculously occurred after the phrase ‘I’m chosen’ was shouted in dreams, contributed to a popular social media trend.

However, the church’s Head of Public Relations and Media, Chidi Louis, debunked the viral footage and tagged them as fabricated.

He said: “Nigerians should disregard the fake video and visit our church platform to listen to the complete testimony for better understanding. The woman’s story occurred in a dream, not in reality.

“Don’t believe everything you see on the internet. Bloggers often edit content to ridicule the work of God. Most of these bloggers are wicked and devilish.”