Why we wrote about Kumuyi, Izeze explains 

Former Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of The Guardian Newspaper Ltd, Pastor Emeka Izeze, has explained why he and three others wrote a biography of the General Superintendent of Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Pastor Williams Kumuyi.

Izeze, who is a member of the editorial board with Banji Ojewale, Segun Babatope, Tunde Opeibi, Steve Obidi, Andrew Umoru, Euriel Momah and chaired by Philip Oluwi, explained that it became expedient to write about Kumuyi, whose life has manifested Jesus Christ’s message to the world. 

In an interview with newsmen at the weekend in Port Harcourt during the promotion of the biography titled, “Kumuyi: Defender of the Faith,” organised by the International Friendship League (IFL), Izeze disclosed that the biography was conceived when Kumuyi turned 80 in 2021 and upon the realisation that his life had become a message to the world.

He noted that the 325-page book, with the forward written by Pastor Enoch Adeboye, is the first-ever book written about the life of the General Superintendent, stressing that it serves as a channel for sending the message of Jesus Christ to many more people.

He said: “Biographies are histories that people are documenting. Societies are built by the stories of the lives of leaders. That is why you would find that those who have ruled at all levels, you have them being talked about in books. Our pastor had not had his biography written before this book was written because he never wanted anybody to discuss his life. He would always prefer that one talks about Jesus Christ and not his own life. 

“But now the man turned 80 last year. And when he turned 80, we thought that it is a project worth doing and he did not know anything about it. 

“We did not tell him that we were going to do it. We started the work, we had finished everything about the work and then we said, because we knew that he could just say no I do not want the book written, then prayerfully when we presented it to him, he was pleasantly surprised and he did not have an objection to the book being written.” 

He added: “We recognised that his life is no longer just the life of any man. His life has become a message. In journalism, we say that the medium is the message. His life as a medium is now a big message for people.

“In school, he was struggling. He was not doing well in school. Eventually, the same man something changed, he went to university and made first-class in Mathematics. You would ask what happened. It’s the God factor, the involvement of God in his life. And then look at the trajectories of his life all through. Look at the number of lives he has impacted.

“So, there is a big story to tell there. Imagine if, in our country, we were to tell stories of men and women like this, young people will have an example of who to follow and the country will be better for it, that is really why the book was written.”