The Senior Pastor of Kingsway International Christian Centre, Matthew Ashimolowo, says a wise person learns from everyone, “even from the devil”

He made this known in a sermon titled, ‘Decoding The Bible For Wealth Creation’ aired on Channels Television on Thursday evening.

The clergy, who also said most of those studying business management in universities were hardly able to manage any business, attributed the business success of the Igbos to their ability to perfect a training model for themselves.

He said, “Who is wise? One who learns from all people, even from the devil, you can learn something from him, at least he is persistent and he is restless – he is always working. God asked him one time; He (God) said, ‘Where are you coming from?’ He (devil) said, ‘Up and down and everywhere. To and fro and up and down, covering all base.’ You can learn that from the devil.

“The Taanit verse 7a says much have I learnt from my masters and more from my colleagues than from my masters and from my disciples the most.

“I said this last week that this particular verse reflects how the biggest people who are more into business in my country, the Igbos, this is the way they’ve trained people – not the university. Most of the guys who read business in our country have nothing, they don’t have jack.

“But the guys who run businesses, who now own real estates, the area where my family has a house, 60 per cent of the houses now belong to them while others are busy having parties every weekend. Coronavirus has killed their parties but this particular tribe have learnt how to train a man.

“They will take a boy, parents don’t have money, they will sponsor him to school, send him to uni (versity). Sometimes it is even better, send him to a master when he finishes secondary school. He is 14 years old. He learns how to sell for seven years. At the end of the training, the master gives him small money and opens a shop for him. Phew! He is launched! You find out that in a few years time, he begins to have people under him. Much have I learnt from my masters and from my colleagues.

“Some people have never learnt from anyone. When you meet them, they want to impress you with their ecclesiastical appellations or they want to impress you with their degrees. Because he has two honorary doctorates, so his name starts with Dr Dr.”

Ashimolowo noted that Christians have become ashamed of their religion.

He added, “Christians are so self-deceiving now; they just don’t want people to know they are believers. They just don’t want.

“When you meet people who are Jewish, apart from a few who are really secular Jews, they don’t hide it.

“I have flown several times to Jerusalem, five to seven times. Every time I fly, when flying to or coming back, the Jews in the plane when it is their prayer time, they pray like every three hours. They will be looking for where Jerusalem is in the flight. They will focus on the direction just like the Muslims will face Mecca.

“Christians are not asked to do that because in our case, Jesus lives in us and anywhere you face is fine.

“But in their (Jews’) case, they will be looking for Jerusalem so that they can pray facing the city which God has connected them to. And they are not ashamed. I remember in the flight, they will get up. Some of them will go to the back and they are praying.

“Some people are trying to be cool but in a world that has become so secularised, they (the Jews) know their God.”