In 1995, after completing a diploma programme in Mass communication from the University of Jos, the Lord ministered to me in a white car while travelling to Lagos State to visit my parents. The call was audible in my heart. I was confused for a while. Through discussion with the Lord, in the car, He showed me the need to go into the ministry of film production, starting from Adamawa State. By that time I had never been involved in film production. There and then the Lord gave me the film storyline to start with.
On reaching Lagos, I shared the vision with my father, Rev. J.D. Yiri. I asked for plain sheets to write the film script. He gave the sheets to me. I prayed to the Lord for wisdom and knowledge before I started writing.
After about three months, the film script was ready for the next stage. I requested assistance from my father of one hundred thousand Naira. He did not have any but gave me transportation fare to Yola.
Moreover, with the complete script, another journey commenced back to Adamawa, which was to be the location for the take-off of the ministry. To me, the idea of starting film production in Adamawa did not make any sense because the state (to my knowledge) was not having any film production background.
When I arrived at Yola, I kept the script in a locker and started working with Adamawa Television as an artist-reporter. After about six months, a woman in a village called Bamba in the State reminded me of the vision. It was a surprise because I have never mentioned it to her. I went home and opened the locker and proceeded with the struggle of fulfilling the vision. First, I started with some children who demonstrated some scenes in the script. I was shocked to see that God had used me to create something meaningful.
On the 28-October 1995, I invited people to share the vision. Only four attended: Evans Makama, Biyapo, Mrs Beatrice Tangwani and Benjamin. I shared the vision and all of them agreed to support it. During the second general meeting, which took place on Monday 8 January 1996, many people came, mostly friends.
The rehearsal grew and the pre-production of the film was done. It was finished on Friday 19 January 1996. On Monday 26 February, the tape was sent to Bwallami Yiri (my sister) in Lagos to help solicit funds. Some people were contacted for support but all did not work successfully.
One day, the Lord ministered to me to leave my part-time work with the Adamawa Television Authority and go to Lagos for sponsorship. On Thursday the fourth of April 1996, I arrived at Ijora Park in Lagos by midnight. I slept in the park for security reasons. That weekend, I shared my mission with my family members.
On Tuesday 9 April 1996, I made my first contact for sponsorship, but it was not successful. On 15 Monday, April 1996 I made my second contact, but still, there was no success. Again, I continued to search. On the 19 Sunday of May 1996, I made my third attempt at meeting a different person. This time, the person agreed on Saturday 25 of the same month to sponsor the film. Between the periods of meeting the sponsor and the fulfilment took a long time of waiting.
On the 18 Friday three of the potential sponsors, I earlier met, agreed in a meeting to sponsor the film collectively. However, on 21 October 1996, only two of them responded. I scheduled to leave Lagos for Yola using Nigeria Airways on Wednesday 23 October 1996, but the flight was postponed till the next day. I arrived at Yola airport around 1 AM. While in Lagos, I participated in preaching in the Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria.
The production of the film Good for Evil was with several challenges. Even though I had gotten sponsorship for the project I lacked enough expertise to produce the film. One day at night, I had a special experience and the Lord blessed me with the knowledge and authority to do the job. Few people supported me and my team with cars, houses, costumes and other things to produce the film.
It was during the production that God told me to get married to become more equipped for the work of the ministry. I got married to Helen Donald on 2 January 1999, in Borrong, Demsa Local Government in Adamawa State.
Another dimension to the ministry came with the conviction for me to go to a seminary. I earlier got admitted to the University of Jos to study Theatre Arts. I turned it down and got admitted to ECWA Theological Seminary Jos where I obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Theology (Missions and Evangelism). The Lord taught me great things about Himself and the Word and how to communicate with people.
As I was about to complete my study in 2005, ten years after receiving the vision, the Lord enabled me to have the big picture of my ministry, putting the pieces together since 1995. The overall goal is evangelism using film, drama, literature, sermon, training, consultancy/counselling and other methods of carrying out the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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