•Replies Her Critics: “I Am Not Who You Say I Am”
Prophetess Mary Olubori is one of the leading prophetesses in Nigeria. She and her husband, Pastor Israel Ayanfe Olubori, co-run their 24-year-old Rock of Salvation Apostolic Church (ROSAC Worldwide) and Havilah Mountain of Fire, at Amuloko-Akanra Road, Off Lagos Ibadan Expressway, Ibadan.
Over the last few months, her phenomenal success and growth has attracted to her a lot of envy and criticism, with some of her critics alleging all sorts of accusations bothering on her glamorous fashion style and her love for dancing all the time during her services. But she has remained unbothered.
A few days ago, City People Publisher SEYE KEHINDE and Head of City People TV, SUNDAY ADIGUN got her to respond to these allegations. She explains why she loves to dress well and her love for dancing, which she says takes her to a spiritual realm.
In this interview, she revealed a lot about her Grass- to-Grace story. It is very revealing.
We thank God for his grace and for his mercy. Firstly, the work of God is not like a personal business. It’s not something you can say this is what I’m doing I want to make money from it. As a matter of fact, the work of God is easy now compared to when we started. How God was directing us then is what is still keeping us till now. Because there is a difference between those that God speaks to directly and those that go to Bible school or using human knowledge or degree. So, God is the one keeping us. We’ve passed through so many challenges. There was a time we don’t have more than one car and God instructed us to dash it out. Which we did and we started trekking. You need the spirit of the living God to work in Havilah. To be a minister on the mountain is a work on its own talk less of running a church with it, because church ministry is different from mountain ministry. God gave us the name of the mountain as Havillah International Mountain. It’s an interdenominational mountain; whereby anybody can come to pray there. On Havillah Mountain, we don’t do any sacrifice, we don’t light candles. I’m not talking against those that light candles, that is their doctrine but for us, we don’t light candles. What you are permitted to do there is to pray and fast. We will bless your water, and if you have message to get anointing oil we will bless it for you.
What is the difference between the running of a mountain and church?
Just like I said, the running of the two is different. Mountain does not have members, it is meant for warfare. You have so many things, challenges going on in your life and you need to talk to God. You believe God for a breakthrough, believing God for the fruit of the womb, you want to travel and you need to pray about it. It is the battles that refuse to go that you take to the mountain. Our Church is Rock of Salvation Apostolic Ministry. our father in the Lord and other Ministers will be working day and night and be in charge of many families because we would not like to lose any member, while the mountain like I said does not have members. Some people come to the mountain only when they need God, but once their prayer is answered you won’t see them again until when they have another challenge. In the Bible Jesus always goes to 2 places either mountains or Seaside; to teach or to pray. So, anybody that preaches against Mountain is not really deep in the word of God. Even in the Old Testament, God always communicates with all the prophets on the mountain. Where Jesus received power most was on the mountain. Mountain is a must for you if you are truly a servant of God because the mountain is meant for you to refresh and ask God for direction and power. We thank God we were able to combine the two together here by the grace of God
There has been a lot of misconception about who Prophetess Mary Olubori is. Can you tell us about yourself?
That’s a very brilliant question. A lot of people really want to ask me that question but never have the grace to see me one on one. This is Prophetess Mary Olubori sitting in front of you. It depends on how you see me. People call me different names. You heard when Ooni of Ife called me Angel on earth. Some people will call me “My Angel” some will say “Iya Adura” while others will say “Fashionista Prophetess”. It is what you want to believe in this life that you will believe. Any call that you don’t believe in will never work for you. The anointing you don’t believe in it will never work for you. The anointing you don’t believe in, why will you kneel down for them to pray for you, do you want to mock their calling? No, you don’t mock the work of God. Let me tell you about myself. Before God called me I’m a kind of person that loves fashion. Many people don’t even know that I’m learned and I have my school cert. Our School Cert then can be compared with University Certificate now. But immediately I finished my School Cert God arrested me to do his work. I had two plans but God proved to me otherwise. I was in standard seven when my mother took me to Baba Kogberegbe in Isolo and he told me that I’m going to work for God. Despite the fact that Baba Kogberegbe is C&S yet he told me that I must not use candle. He said God does not call me to use candle, but He’s going to use me, I’m going to be a prophetess. Right from my tender age I love fashion, probably because I’m from Ede, you know our conglomeration says “Omo Aji laala Esho, Omo Aji fo jo gbogbo dara bi Egbin” and that reflects in me. Fashion is in my blood, just like my father. To look good and to look okay is not a sin. Jesus even talked about it in the bible. To look good is not a sin but everything must be moderate. After my meeting with Baba Kogberegbe, God appeared to me in my dream. He told me he’s going to use me. I started going to a church, and one day they took us for baptism. But to be sincere with you, I was not really putting my mind into it because I still want to enjoy my life. Then I used to even think like I can’t get married to any man because I don’t want any man to cheat or control me. I was also into business then because I like it a lot. I never knew I will work for God. I had already made up my mind to be a businesswoman. Any time we are on holiday I will travel to Lagos to work just because I wanted to look good. I sent myself to school from the money I was making just to support my mother and to look good. You will also remember that if you are living in Lagos then it’s like you are living abroad and anytime you go home, to your town like this it will be like you are coming from London. My dressing and everything always looked different whenever we resume back to school. I remember I had a quarrel with one girl just because I heard she speaks evil of me. And this is one lady I always buy clothes and many things for. I was so bitter because I hate when I like someone and I discover that person does not like me in return or speaking evil of me. I stopped talking to her because I was still angry with her. And when I’m angry with someone, things always get out of hand. I will be shaking, my body will be vibrating. At times I will lock myself in the room and I will not eat for 3 days. In fact I had to pray and fast for 7 days before God took that spirit of anger away from me because God told me I can’t be a prophetess and be short-tempered. So, when the girl offended me and I stopped greeting her, and prophesy came that I must do restitution, with fasting and praying for 3 days just to ask God for forgiveness. It was during that time I went into trance and the work of God started in CAC Olomi, Ibadan then. I spent few months there before I went to Christian Hope Evangelical Ministry, Oremeji Ibadan. It was from there they transferred me to Ife, where I prayed and fasted for 21 days, after that I returned back to Ibadan, then after 2 years, God told me to start my own ministry. And God instructed me not to leave the place with anybody, many people wanted to leave with me because I’m a prophetess, but God said No. In fact, when the man came to our church after 5 years that we started he didn’t see anybody from his church because the call is genuine and I was also popular then, but not like now. There is nobody that did not know me as a Prophetess in 1996, they always call my place “Ile Iyanu”. Many people always come there including Muslims. That was the time somebody took me to late Gen Sanni Abacha, just to let you know how blessed I was then. So I thank God for everything. That is Olubori for you. I’ve always been a fashionista right from a tender age. And I know how to dress from head to toe. But when God called me I stopped using everything, even earrings, in accordance with C.A.C doctrine. I was still dressing nice even without make up or earrings until when I travelled out and a white man was asking me if I’m a man or woman. I had to tell my husband to join me in asking for grace, and God gave me the grace, that it’s not a sin. To be a fashionable person with being a Prophetess is not a sin. If I don’t have anywhere I’m going for 2 months I will be on the mountain. There was a time God instructed me to be on the mountain and one of my children was sick at home I couldn’t go and attend to him. There was a time God told us not to bathe for 21 days, you can imagine that. When we were suffering like that nobody blogged us, there was even nothing like blogging then. I really wish those that are talking now know our humble beginning. I’ve been on the mountain since, praying and fasting, I only came here to rest. People should always try to know someone before they start judging them. I’ve passed through so many challenges in life, in this ministerial calling but when they see my dressing they don’t always see me as a prophetess, but i always implore them to get close to me before judging me.
What is your message to everyone out there?
My message is just to advise them. Many of us always judge people by their outlook. I beg us in the name of God, let us always find out the truth and know the truth before you judge people. We are in the end time, there is no respect anymore. The battle many of us are facing now is not from our foundation or witchcraft battle. It is what we cause with our mouth and attitude, self-inflicting battle. Look at the way people talk to even Pastors and Prophets of God nowadays, it’s wrong. I beg us in the name of God, let’s always be careful in our dealing with people. Don’t always judge people by their outlook. My dressing is not a sin for me. I’ve received that grace. I thank God.
