INTERVIEW: What I’ve Been Through In My 25 Years of Ministerial Experience- Ayobami Adegboyega
Ayobami Adegboyega
“Being challenged in life is inevitable, being defeated is optional,” says Roger Crawford. This explains the story of producer of the “Husband and Wife” movie series, Evangelist Ayobami Adegboyega. His Drama and Film ministry, PRODRAM recently clocked 25 years. In this Exclusive Interview with Gospel Film News, Adegboyega narrated how the ministry started, the challenges he has been through in his 25 years of ministerial journey. He also explained how the idea of “Husband and Wife” movie series started, amongst others. Excerpt:
How Has The Ministry Been In The Last 25 Years?
It has been 25 years of several ministerial stages and experiences, ups, downs, valley, mountains, times of severe needs, times of surplus, but above all God’s grace has sustained us. The story of PRODRAM INTERNATIONAL is that of the absolute grace of God.
How Did You Start The Ministry And How Did You Arrive At The Name?
PRODRAM INTERNATIONAL started in 1996 but prior to that time, a group of young Christians gathered ourselves together with the aim of acting drama and singing to entertain people at different events and programmes. We were able to do this for some months until God began to reach out to few of us. Apparently, the knowledge that few of us gathered by attending programmes at the instance of The Mount Zion Faith Ministries and EVOM World Network those days enlightened our vision. We subsequently closed than the group and restructured it to operate as a Christian drama ministry. We asked members to reapply, which made many people dropped their membership and few of us who were ready to operate in ministry chose the 3rd of May, 1996, it was on this day that PRODRAM INT’L was officially inaugurated.
The name PRODRAM is a short form of Progressive Drama Ministry, while preparing for the ministry’s inauguration and commissioning, we asked brethren to fast and pray in preparation for the ministry’s christening, it was at one of our meetings that we arrived at the name “Progressive Drama Ministry”
What Are Your Unforgettable Experiences In Ministry?
My personal encounters with the Holy Spirit in my years of laboring in ministry. I have seen the Holy Spirit doing openly what He showed or told me in the secrets. For me the encounters/experiences are unforgettable.
Then, I remember several years back, we just finished one of the early productions of PRODRAM titled My Crown and I was in the office of one of the cast that featured in the movie, the man introduced me to a man of God who came to visit him also and the man looked at me and said “the Lord said you will produce film that will announce you to the world’’ I don’t know the man up till today. There are also several instances when severe lack will make you want to quit but God’s grace has been sustainable.
What Is The Idea Behind The Husband And Wife Series?
It was not the Covid-19 lock down that gave birth to the Husband and Wife Series, though it helped in facilitating the vision. God told me in 2018 that He has given me a vision to produce short films weekly, I shared the vision with a respected woman of God then, in fact we did few skits titled, You don’t need to fast, What does She have? The Rights and few others. Though it was extremely difficult for us to achieve the weekly release of those skits.
However, having being on Covid 19 lock down for some weeks, my family decided to play football after our morning devotion. While we were engrossed in the game, my wife’s niece was recording the game without our knowledge, I saw the video afterwards and an aspect where after dribbling my wife, I fell down and she quickly rushed to help me get up. We edited the video and put it online with a message that husbands should stop dribbling their wives in marital relationships. As I read the comments on the video afterwards, the Holy Spirit reminded me of the weekly family series and I told my wife immediately that we are starting the vision fully. Hence, the maiden episode was uploaded on the 15th of May, 2020 at it has been on ever since to the glory of God.
What Are The Challenges Of Producing During Covid 19?
There will always be challenges at anytime in ministry just that what happened during Covid 19 was peculiar. It opened our eyes to a new normal way of ministry. For instance, when Husband and Wife Series started, it was just two cast my wife and I. Since there was no movement of people from one place to another, instead of staying idle, the Holy Spirit gave the idea of Script of two cast. Romans 2:1 says “thou are inexcusable, O man”.. we do not have any excuse to stop operation as ministers of the gospel, we just need the Holy Spirit to give us new ideas per time. It is also surprising that some ministers find it difficult to change and I hope that no drama minister is waiting for a time when we will return to what life used to be before Covid 19?
That may remain in our dream world, we have to channel our ministry in a way that no situation or circumstance will render us useless. Take the issue of selling films on DVD for instance; it is not likely that the advent of social media will give DVD platforms again.
What Is Your Advise For Young Christian Film Maker?
(Smiles) Well, I am also a young Christian filmmaker. Let us know that we are Christians before we become filmmakers, film making should not take away our relationship with God. Our lives before God comes before our acting before the people.
We also need to have large hearts to do great things for the kingdom. I believe we are still operating far below God’s expectation for us as Christian filmmakers, we can do things better and bigger.
You Are One Of The Contestants For The Presidential Race During The Last ANCEDRAM Election, What Do You Have To Say About The Election And What Is Your Take Home Lesson?
What I have to say is that the person that God wants has emerged. I have been a member of ANCEDRAM from the beginning and I have been privileged to attend most elections if not all. Our style of election is not “a do or die” type of election. I believe God has given me a mandate to lead ANCEDRAM at the national level and contribute my own quota to its development, so if I didn’t win now I will win later. The current president is my very good friend and a brother and my greatest desire is to see his tenure succeed. We won together!
