“God began to open my eyes,” he shared, stating that despite the misguidance, there was a profound love from God for His people.
He claimed that Nigerians are genuinely striving to serve God but had been led astray.
The father of seven said through his studies, he began to perceive the true nature of Jesus differently.
“I didn’t see Him like that before,” he admitted, realising that his upbringing had shaped his understanding.
He noted that it was this vision that ignited his mission to reach out to Muslims, Christians, and traditional worshippers alike.
The cleric said he recognised that joining any church or mosque might lead him back to “exhorting the creatures more than the creator.”
Oshoba told Saturday PUNCH that the Quran, a book of peace, had been misinterpreted by some, and urged believers to read it with a heart aligned with love and understanding.
“If you read it very well with a love for peace, you will understand better.”
‘God is one with no religion’
Oshoba said while the Bible and the Quran may not align verbatim, they share significant similarities.
He argued against the notion that Allah is an idol, asserting that no idol claims to be the creator of human beings, while Allah does.
The cleric explained that Allah is the term for God Almighty in Arabic, just as Eledumere and Chineke refer to God in Yoruba and Igbo, respectively.
He believed that divisions among these faiths stem from language barriers and manipulation by those in power.
Oshoba questioned the effectiveness of the gods worshipped by Nigeria’s religious leaders, stating that a true God wouldn’t permit slavery.
This belief, he noted, inspired him to create a sanctuary for worship without rituals or sacrifices, focusing solely on calling on God.
He referenced Jesus’ teaching that there would be a time when believers would seek God directly.
He also addressed the conflict between Muslims and Christians, adding that while some Muslims label Christians as infidels for claiming Jesus as God, his understanding is quite different.
He pointed out that when Jesus stated that He and the Father are one, it signifies a spiritual connection rather than identity.
He said, “God does not have a religion. There is no portion in the Quran or Bible where God said someone would be called a Muslim and another, a Christian. Jesus was not a Christian when he was alive.
“Was Jesus Christ really his name as the Messiah? My research showed that the messiah who came to Israel in Jerusalem spoke two languages, Aramaic and Hebrew. I believe his parents also spoke those two languages. So, they did not give him an English name. They named him Yeshua. So, who changed the name to Jesus?”
The prophet added, “We do not use the name of Jesus to pray in this temple. We only use the teachings of Jesus because he is our teacher. He is our Rabbi, which means teacher. He is the Lord too, which means teacher. Mohammed is the Lord of Islam because he was and still is the person that God (Allah) uses.
“The major challenge was running around, trying to convince people to follow the vision God showed me. I went to many pastors and religious leaders.”