International Miracle Service (IMS), in collaboration with the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Agbowa-Ikosi Chapter as well as the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Agbowa-Ikosi Chapter, Lagos State recently held a three-day crusade at Agbowa-Ikosi.

The crusade, themed “Emi Ni (It Is I, Be Not Afraid),” and held at Agbowa-Ikosi Open Ground, Agbowa, Lagos, brought spiritual revival, healing and social support to residents of the community.

Lead Pastor of IMS and Evangelistic Ministries, Andrew Umoru, said the outreach was designed to bring salvation, deliverance and supernatural turnaround to the lives of residents.

Umoru said the crusade reflected the ministry’s commitment to taking the gospel beyond church buildings to communities where people could experience its transformative impact.

He added that Jesus Christ never confined His ministry to one location or wait for people to come to Him, but travelled through different towns and cities, preaching the gospel and healing those oppressed by the devil.

“Jesus wasn’t staying in one place. He wasn’t staying in one cathedral. He wasn’t sitting on an armchair waiting for people to come. He went to Decapolis, Galilee and Jerusalem, preaching the gospel,” he said.

Umoru noted that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, enabling Him to go about doing good and healing those oppressed by the devil.

He said: “We were at Agbowa-Ikosi for the same gospel of Jesus Christ and brought salvation and deliverance to the people of Agbowa-Ikosi and reconciled them with God.”

On the impact of the programme, the cleric disclosed that the three-day programme attracted a large turnout of people and those with different challenges were delivered.

Beyond spiritual ministration, Umoru said the crusade featured medical outreach and food distribution as part of the ministry’s commitment to address the physical needs of the community.

He explained that the medical exercise involved doctors, including eye specialists drawn from different parts of the country, and catered for adults, youths and children.

The initiative, he said, was informed by the belief that evangelism should be accompanied by practical expressions of compassion, particularly towards vulnerable members of society.

Citing Jesus Christ’s feeding of more than 5,000 people during His earthly ministry, Umoru said the church had a responsibility to respond to hunger and other pressing social needs.

He said the traditional ruler of Agbowa-Ikosi, alongside his chiefs and other subjects were at the crusade, which reinforced the message of peace, unity and positive change.

Umoru called on the government to improve infrastructure in the community to attract investors, stimulate economic activities and enhance residents’ living standards.

Chairman of PFN, Agbowa-Ikosi Chapter, Pastor Godwin Ayodele, said residents came with high expectations and were not disappointed.

Similarly, the Treasurer of CAN, Agbowa-Ikosi Chapter, Apostle Paul Muritala said that the crusade brought liberation to the people and would in the long run rid the community of idolatry.

Umoru and his entourage including the representatives of CAN and PFN before the crusade visited the palace of the traditional ruler of Agbowa-Ikosi, His Royal Highness, Oba Saheed Owolabi Momson, Mabudeje-Aduloju III, The Abowa of Agbowa-Ikosi kingdom where he met with him and his subjects who were elated.
The monarch, who described Agbowa-Ikosi as a peaceful community with a strong educational heritage, said the area had produced accomplished professionals, including the first Attorney-General of Lagos State, as well as numerous medical doctors and engineers.

He identified the community’s waterfront as a major economic asset that could be developed into a tourism destination through investments in hotels, resorts and recreational facilities.

According to him, the waterfront’s connection to Lekki and Lagos Island presents opportunities for economic growth if the necessary infrastructure is provided.

He said the government’s primary responsibility was to protect lives and property and provide essential amenities, including good roads, electricity, potable water, quality healthcare and functional schools.

The monarch acknowledged the efforts of the Lagos State Government, particularly in healthcare delivery, citing the general hospital and health centre serving the community.

He, however, urged authorities to sustain efforts towards addressing the community’s infrastructural needs.

Speaking on the crusade and free medical outreach, the monarch expressed gratitude to the organisers for providing healthcare services and medications at no cost to residents.

He described the initiative as timely, noting that the rising cost of medical treatment had placed considerable financial pressure on families and community leaders.

The monarch was happy that the crusade brought healing, peace and prosperity to Agbowa-Ikosi, adding that the programme positively transformed the lives of residents.

He urged residents to remain hopeful and assured them that the crusade would in the long run bring greater development to the town.