LAGOS ANCEDRAM CHAIRMAN COMMEND MEMBERS.

By Oluwafemi Dosu

The Lagos state chairman of All Nigeria Conference of Evangelical Drama Ministers (ANCEDRAM), Evangelist Isaac Afolahan has commend members of the association saying Lagos ANCEDRAM is full of visionary people and its  activeness begins with the activeness of individual ministry. The chairman while speaking at Ajah yesterday in an exclusive interview with  Ayanfeoluwa and Segun Balogun of Lagos ANCEDRAM publicity Team during the ongoing congress of the association also disclosed why Mike Bamiloye was present at the state congress and his intention either to run for a second term or not, Excerpt:

Interviewer: Can we meet you sir?

My name is Afolahan Yemi Isaac, the Chairman ANCEDRAM Lagos state

Interviewer: Do you have a ministry?

Isaac Yemi Afolahan

 Yes, I have a ministry and the name of my ministry is Christ Gospel Drama ministry, popularly known as CIGEDRAM

Interviewer: What position do you hold in the ministry sir?

I am the president of the ministry

Interviewer: How many films have you produced, featured or probably directed?

The ministry has produced four movies namely “Ileso Agbara, “Indisputable image”, “Ipinle mi” and “softy forces”. As per how many movies I have featured; countless, how many movies have I directed; countless.

Interviewer: What is your area of specialization in film production?

Directing, Cinematography, Editing and acting.

Interviewer: Despite the challenges all around, what keeps you moving?

The grace of God and the calling. No matter the challenge, no matter the bottle neck, the instruction and vision of your calling will keep you moving.

Interviewer: Speaking of ANCEDRAM, Have you been able to achieve you vision for this tenure?

Along the way, new visions kept coming. From 2016 that we came on board, everything we stated in our vision bulletin has been successfully achieved by the grace of God, at least 98 percent.

Interviewer: As the chairman of Lagos state ANCEDRAM, what are the challenges you encounter?

Every office has its challenges but my own believe is that all challenges are surmountable. It is not easy to manage even a nuclear family talk less of an association. This is an association and not a denomination, it is a combination of people from different background and different denomination and we have to unify all our church doctrine to become one; that is a challenge on its own. Also, Because it is an association, everybody has a voice, what you think is good some will say no it isn’t, for example, if you call for a program and you say it is a bible study program, some will say why must it be bible study, we do bible study in our churches all the time. If you say it is a prayer program, some will say; good, we love prayer while some will say why must it be prayer all the time so it is a challenge to satisfy everybody. Also, our members have not been committed financially, I can say only 10-20% are financially committed in the association and this makes the financial burden a challenge and the executive and the elders often shoulders the responsibility.

Interviewer: How has it been possible to bring our daddy Mike Bamiloye to the state programs recently?

Relationship! As leaders, you must build a relationship with your high authorities. When they have programs, you also be there. Also, follow God’s instruction. When I received the theme of the program contend for the faith, I saw it in a vision seeing daddy Mike teaching it. So I called daddy Mike that we would be bringing him to the state. Actually he said he won’t be chanced and I felt somehow bad. Up to the time we printed the flyer he was still not chanced but just for people to be encouraged we put his picture on the flyer. Two weeks after the flyer came out, he called me and said he was considering coming for the program, it appeared God ministered to him to come for the program. In fact, as at that the time we already draw the outline of the program but we had to redraw it. In all our decision, make sure there is a spiritual back up and God will do it himself.

Interviewer: How has it been able to control and organize your team of executives?

My team is matured people and vision oriented. Except one or two cases, we never had misunderstanding. It has never been difficult organizing them. It will be difficult to correct people when you have divergent of views and people who are not vision oriented and not matured enough in handling issues.

Interviewer: How do you balance between your home and ANCEDRAM despite your busy schedules?

When I began to receive the instruction to come up as the chairman, I sat my wife down to discuss it. I allowed her to pray so that she also can confirm and then she gave her consent that for the period of time I will be there the home is safe so she has been keeping the home. Whenever I get home we keep on doing it together. She is an understanding woman.

Interviewer: Do you think she will allow you go for a second tenure?

If God says I will run for a second tenure, He will minister to me and also minister to my wife. Both of us are spiritual, once God says it we don’t dispute it so that is not a problem, it is not even dicey at all.

Interviewer: Left to you, are you willing to run for second tenure?

I am not the type that hold tight to office, I am a vision man and once I realize a vision I believe that it has been achieved. For me this tenure, I believe I have been able to achieve something good but if God wills, who am I to say no but for me I think I am done.

Interviewer: Are you really satisfied with this year’s state congress?

Sure, I am satisfied, though every state congress has its own itches, like in the area of accommodation and the venue because there are little interruptions that we did not really plan for between our programs by the church but there is nothing we can do because ANCEDRAM does not have its own retreat center that we can say we have One hundred percent control over. So if a church allows you use their facilities you should appreciate that but we know that in the subsequent meetings things will be better. The congress is a success as long as I am concerned, our expectations have been met. I want to appreciate the publicity and the media team. Previously, the attendance has being between 250 0r 300 but because of the effort of the publicity like the social media program, the live interviews and others, we have over 300 participants. No one is left behind because the media team is transmitting the program live on facebook for those who are not here to follow up. Keep up the good work.

Interviewer: Daddy Mike Bamiloye said yesterday that Lagos state ANCEDRAM is one of the most active states, what is the secret behind that?

Lagos is full of visionary and talented people therefore there is no way you won’t be active. You can see it from the pantomime ministrations and other ministrations. The activeness of Lagos state chapter begins with the activeness of individual ministries. When these ministries are active, there is no way it will not rob on the entire chapter of ANCEDRAM in Lagos state. Moreover, we have elders in Lagos state that when they finish they do not run away and that is a motivation that keeps us moving.

Interviewer: What are the relationship between Lagos state ANCEDRAM and the state elders?

There is a cordial relationship, before now, some people believe our elders were our problems. I carry them along and they have been very supportive. In this congress, some of the elders contributed ten thousand to support. Some of them have been around since we started and they will close with us, it shows that we have a cordial relationship.

Interviewer: Any word of advice to the local unit that might take it up next year?

The local unit that might take it up next year should learn the lessons from this one. They should get us a venue without interference; they should start their planning early enough.

Interviewer: What other advice can you give other visionaries?

Everybody that has something in mind that you can contribute to the growth of Christian evangelism, come out! Come out into the position of leadership. My philosophy is that what we are doing in ANCEDRAM is what we are doing in our ministries; ANCEDRAM is just a bigger platform for people to operate. There are programs we do in our ministries so when we get to leadership positions in ANCEDRAM, we start it.