Evangelist Lydia Idoko is the President and Founder of Faith Women Fellowship (FWF) International. In this interview shortly after commemorating the 40 years anniversary of the ministry, the widow of late Chief Judge of Benue State, Justice Alhassan Idoko speaks about the faithfulness of God and other varied issues.
By Winnie Onu, Makurdi
You have spoken extensively about the 40th anniversary of the ministry. As Nigeria gradually enters another political season, what advice do you have for politicians and the electorate?
My advice is that we need to reflect and be sincere with ourselves. We should judge the situation of the country through the eyes of our conscience and approach national issues with maturity and decorum. As citizens, we must learn from our experiences because the lessons of life help us to mature. When we mature, we are better equipped to handle the challenges we face.
My appeal to Nigerians is that we should carefully examine what is happening around us and do what is right according to our conscience.
Politicians often make promises during campaigns but fail to fulfill them after elections. What is your message to them?
Politicians usually sell themselves and their manifestos to the people during campaigns. It is then left for the electorate to decide what to buy into. However, at this time, I want to appeal to politicians to look beyond their immediate families and personal interests. They should hear the cry of the masses and do what is necessary to improve the lives of the people.
Looking back on 40 years of Faith Women Fellowship, how do you feel about this milestone?
I feel excited and fulfilled. God called my husband, late Justice Alhassan Idoko of blessed memory, home when the ministry was just 13 and a half years old. He slept in the Lord on March 31, 1999. At that time, it felt as though the whole world was collapsing around us. But God, in His faithfulness and mercy, saw us through. Today, I can say that I have come out of the wilderness and overcome many challenges. Forty years is a significant milestone and a biblical marker of release. I believe I am stepping into a new season where God will manifest His power and send helpers.- both angelic and human – to support the ministry.
The journey is difficult to fully explain. It is only when you are under a tree that you truly feel how strongly the wind shakes it. These 40 years have been sustained solely by God. They have required resilience, unwavering faith, and the conviction that God never fails.
I am deeply grateful to God. In many ways, I see these 40 years not as an ending but as a new beginning. Through the experiences, encounters, and challenges of these years, God has shaped my character and strengthened my faith. One lesson I have learned is that the ultimate source of empathy, support, and protection is God. Human beings can be unpredictable. The same people who elect a leader today may condemn that leader tomorrow. But throughout these 40 years, God has remained constant.
For the rest of my life, it will continue to be about God. It is God and God alone.
