Dimgba's shoes too big for anybody- Gen Toun

Igwe

After spending over two decades together in a church where they were both founding members, Major-General Paul A. Toun (rtd.), the General Overseer of Evangel Pentecostal Church, Lagos, says the shoes of the late Vice Chairman of The Sun Publishing Limited and Associate Publisher of Entertainment Express and Sunday Express Newspapers, Pastor Dimgba Igwe, would be too big for anyone to step into. In this interview, he explained what he knew about his deputy and how he handled issues with the seasoned journalist whenever they had contrary views on church matters. To him, the magnitude of the loss Dimgba’s death has brought to the church cannot be quantified.

Excerpts:

How long have you been together with Pastor Dimgba Igwe?           

We’ve been together since the ministry started over 22 years ago. When we started, he was an elder. We were in the Board of the church, as elders. He was the Secretary to the Elders Board. After some time, we became pastors and later Senior Pastors; and he was still Secretary to the Elders Board for a very long time. So, he was involved in all the very major decisions the church took.

About five years ago, the leadership of the church changed; I became the General Overseer while he became the Deputy General Overseer of the church. Since then, we’ve been working together to move the church forward until the sad event took place.

What do you have to say about his commitment to the ministry, looking at the fact that his job, as journalist was very tasking?            

He was very committed. He was fully committed to the ministry. In fact, his life was for the church. He was for God. Like he used to say, he was sold out to God. And he would never stop telling the truth; neither would he stop writing on issues that he feels very strong about in the nation. Whether people get very offended or not, he doesn’t care as long as it is the truth. That was his own way of contributing towards national development.

He sowed into people’s lives a lot in the church. He was a mentor to many, father to many, pastor to many. Any issue or problem they had, they ran to his house. So, many times, he would be busy in the house, attending to people, busy in the church, attending to people. He helped many people to stand on their feet either spiritually or financially for them to be stable in life. He was a very wonderful man of God. He was never afraid of whatever would happen. He used to say he couldn’t die twice. So, he had already made up his mind, so he was not afraid of any person, so you can’t threaten him.

You are a retired general, he was journalist that was ready to confront anybody by virtue of his training; how were you able to cope as G.O. and Deputy G.O. without being at loggerheads from time to time?          

We worked together as a team. We discussed issues; actually on Fridays, I would call him to discuss issues that came up during the week and he would give his own opinion. Everything that happened, I would hear his own opinion before we take a decision. Everything that happened, I did hear his opinion before we then took decision together.  Of course, even if I didn’t buy his own opinion, he still deferred to whatever decision that we take.   And that is a sign of maturity. But in most cases, his opinion counted because he had a very analytical mindset. He was a man who loved the truth. He didn’t believe in deceiving anybody; he didn’t play to the gallery. He didn’t want to please you because you are so and so person. No! He will tell you the truth. And that is what I appreciate about him. He could analyse situations properly and tell you the correct situation of things. He would not mince words whether it is favourable to you or not and that is the beauty.

How and when did you receive the news of his death?         

It was shocking because I got the message about 6:30am that Saturday. The wife called to tell me what happened. I was monitoring the situation and the development. I was in the church to set up a training and then go back and link up with them. That was the situation before I got the call that I was needed in the hospital. I got there and he was still very much alive. He was still talking to his wife, telling her to take him to the hospital. And they got to the hospital quite alright.

They were battling to see if they could still keep him alive. But that is where they could not because he had lost so much blood. With the type of medical facilities they had in the hospital (there was nothing they could do). He gave up in the hospital. The pastor on ground called to tell me I needed to come to the hospital. So, I went and saw the body. I actually delivered the message to the wife. The wife said: “No, it is not possible. Let me go and see him.”  And I said you have the right to see him.    So, she was talking to him, saying: “You can’t leave me. Talk to me.”

After some time, we all had to accept that she would have to leave the place. I had to more or less tell them to force her to leave the place and they took her back home while we continued with the process.

When last did you see him before the death?

We talked on Friday. We were together in church on Wednesday during our mid-week service. Obviously, we were together the previous Sunday. But we talked last on Friday.

As a Christian and God’s general, how do you take the reality of the fact that he is dead?          

Death is painful to the living. Whether Christian or not, nobody wants to die. Everybody wants to stay and achieve more things he could achieve; to see your children grow old. That is our prayer. But once it happens, it happens. Although we believe that God can still do miracle. Even right now, we’re still praying that God will bring him back to life because there is nothing God cannot do. But whatever God decides, He is sovereign. I want God to bring him back because nobody can fill his shoes; both in the church, in his family; even in his business, nobody can fill his shoes.

There are certain things you don’t have control over. Where and how you are born, you have no control. When and how you will die, you have no control.  That is God’s sovereignty. And it belongs to Him alone. So, on the other hand, he has gone to be with Him in glory.  Paul said in the Holy Bible that for him to live is Christ and to die is gain. His death is gain to the Kingdom, although we would have loved to see him continue living here because there are still a lot to be done. There isww still a lot of people who still need him. He was a teacher, mentor, somebody so many people looked up to.

Any unfinished project he still needs to complete?        

He was still having a lot of uncompleted projects. You know, he was the Deputy General Overseer. There was a lot of people he was training, who have not finished the training before he died. He was teaching so many people, mentoring so many people. His children are still in school. He needed to be around to see them through, to see them get married and settle down. All these are unfinished projects. Look at his contributions to the society, who will continue to write his “Side-view” column? Who will continue to document all his write-ups, as a memoir to help many people learn from his wealth of experience? All these are unfinished works.

What is your advice to the family?         

They have to look onto God to seek solace in Him. They should continue to bear in mind that God is looking and watching. I will advise the extended family members should ensure they continue to bear in mind that the children he left behind must continue to go to school. The larger family must ensure they support the wife and the children.

Charles Adegbite, Daily Sun