Written By Henry Kester Ewruje
Apostle Peter Oboh is the founder of Jesus Loves You Ministry in Lagos. The cleric, who hails from Edo State, relocated back to Lagos, in November 2008, after 18 years in Europe as an amateur and professional boxer. His adventure in Italy and the United Kingdom fetched him three boxing championship belts in the light heavy weight division. He presently runs an outreach ministry and preaches salvation in different Churches where he is invited.
Recently, he held a crusade in Lagos. The venue was the popular Comfort Hotel, Km 21 Apapa / Oshodi Expressway, Lagos. The man of God preached and prayed. Then he made an altar call for people to come out and give their lives to Jesus Christ. Things began to happen. Most of the people he touched and prayed for, fell down. The others he threw a white handkerchief at, also fell down. Raymond Lasisi, who recorded and edited the event on video CD, said the people fell down due to the Holy Spirit touch because they were filled with anointing.
Later in an interview, Apostle Peter Oboh told this writer that miracles are real. In his words, “miracles started from the beginning and miracles still exist and they will occur in future. Miracles bring the power of God with signs and wonders and they announce the power of God because Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. Signs, wonders and miracles do not guarantee the truth. Those who fail to look unto Jesus Christ but look unto Pastors and Prophets will be deceived. Jesus will not fail you but men will fail you”.
According to him, “I was born again in 1990 and it was the joy of knowing Jesus Christ that made me to handle challenges and adventures as tests of faith. Whenever I come across challenges, I prepare my mind that I will come out victorious. At one stage in my life in 1998, as a professional boxer, God spoke to me that I could destroy lack with sowing a seed. I woke up and went to sow a seed in my Church in South East London. After that, my boxing career changed”.
Apostle Oboh left Lagos, on March 14, 1990 for Italy. He was in Napoli and fought as amateur boxer for 5years winning all his fights. He began his professional career in May 1993 in Cassino, Italy by successfully stopping Italian Antonio Russo in the fifth round to win his first Pro bout. His first three professional fights were in Italy. He left for London, the United Kingdom in 1994.
He fought in three different weight classes in the United Kingdom, light heavy, cruiser and heavyweight because he had to make a living. All his fights were on a few days notice until the elimination bout against Chris Davies on January 29, 2001 at Peterborough, United Kingdom, which he won in round 8 to emerge the No 1 mandatory contender for the Commonwealth light heavyweight title. It was the first time he was given 8 weeks notice to prepare for a fight. “They’ve always given me 2 days notice, their regular method and I took the fights to pay my bills. They don’t believe it when I knockout my opponents. And I had a new manager, Dean Powell who had the same idea and goals, which is to become a world champion”.
On September 6, 2002, Oboh won his first title by knocking out Kenyan, George Adipo in the first round in Bethnal Green, London to grab the Commonwealth British light heavyweight championship. His next fight came in Coventry, United Kingdom on March 8, 2003 when he knocked out former British and Commonwealth Champion, Neil Simpson in round 11 to win the vacant British light heavy weight belt. He won the WBA International light heavy weight belt on November 14, 2003 by 11th round knock out over previously unbeaten Elvis Michailenko in Bethnal Green, London.
His camp went into negotiations with WBA world light heavy weight champion, Silvio Branco to defend his title in London or Italy. “I was ready to take on any light heavy weight world champion including former undisputed light heavy weight Roy Jones Jnr. There are too many games in boxing especially if you are an African. With all their tricks, I had conquered the domestic scene in the UK. They couldn’t stop me by robbing me of victory because I knocked everybody out. Then they frustrated me by not letting me get a shot at any of the world titles”.
With all the three belts, he still felt empty and he became morose and dispirited. He was not new to Christianity. He decided to be a full time minister of God. His last fight was 12 May 2004 against Andrew Lowe in Reading, United Kingdom, which he won by knock out in round 10. He retired from boxing as the British, Commonwealth and the WBA International light heavy weight-boxing champion.
This is what his manager, Dean Powell had to say, “… his boxing abilities and determination was not in doubt. He was a formidable opponent. He was a southpaw who lashed out with a devastating ware of combination punches. His gloves moved so fast with power that he would continue punching by reflex as his opponent was on his way down. He couldn’t stop himself. His mastery of the ring was great. But he went crazy and quite on me. He told me he saw God. I didn’t know what he was talking about”.
Apostle Oboh says he does not miss boxing although he still watches the sport on television. “People should come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ and get convinced that they really need the saviour in their lives”.
He says Nigerians in Diaspora wishing to come back home should come with lots of money because only money can make them settle down in the country comfortably. He advises that they should also have their return tickets so that they can go back to where they came from if things don’t work out as they planned before they turn liabilities here in the country.
History was made recently in the United States of America, when a 15 year old Nigerian Girl, Kimberly Anyadike broke aviation records to be the first African-American of her age to pilot an aircraft from coast to coast.
The pictures showed a group of people in Thailand butchering a black man to pieces before cooking and feasting on his parts.
