Pastor Abel Damina of Power Chapel International has recently been at the center of a storm of controversy. Within the Christian community, his teachings have sparked significant perplexity, with many labeling his doctrines as outright heresies. These concerns have raised serious questions about his doctrinal stance and the spiritual root of his ministry.
One of the most contentious aspects of Damina’s teachings is his assertion that sin does not condemn anyone to hell. Additionally, he has claimed that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was never a virgin. These and other provocative teachings have led many to question the origin of his inspiration.
To gain deeper insight into the roots of Damina’s ministry and the controversy surrounding it, we spoke with Bro Soviet, a long-time acquaintance who knew Damina before his ministry began.
In a revealing interview, Bro Soviet shared his thoughts on the current controversies and offered a candid perspective on Damina’s spiritual journey.
“When it comes to Abel Damina, I believe he has run out of ideas,” Bro Soviet stated.
“The spirit behind his teachings is definitely not of God because there is meant to be harmony in the body of Christ. When someone finds fault with everyone else and claims to be the only one who is right, it means he is the one who is actually wrong. Abel is someone I have known even before he started his ministry.”
Bro Soviet’s familiarity with Damina dates back to the early days of his ministry. Reflecting on Damina’s early years, Bro Soviet expressed his skepticism about Damina’s calling and discipline.
“Before he started his ministry, I observed an obvious lack of clarity of call and discipline in his lifestyle. His messages don’t bear the fruit of the Spirit of God. I have not seen that clear call. He probably went into ministry because his father was a pastor in the Assemblies of God, and he grew up on church premises and got few bits of information and began to mix them up.
“To fully understand the trajectory of Abel Damina’s ministry, it’s essential to trace his roots back to his arrival in Uyo in 1990.
“When Damina first came to Uyo, I was a member of a church called Life Tabernacle. A branch of Idem Ikon’s Church in Calabar. In Calabar it is called Revival Valley.
“But when they created Akwa Ibom State, the members of the church that came to Akwa Ibom as Akwa Ibomites opened a church in Uyo called Life Tabernacle located along Oron Road in one secondary school.
“Now while the church was growing up, that was when Abel Damina came in. He introduced himself to the man of God called Atauyo Ibanga. When he introduced himself, the pastor only gave him the pulpit to greet the church and introduce himself for 5 or 15 minutes thereabouts. As soon as he dropped the microphone, he left with the two people that he came with.
“After the service, the pastor said, ‘This young man is up to something.” He said that he would never give him the pulpit again. He called Damina, “This Hausa boy,” because in Akwa Ibom then, they call everybody from the north, Hausa.
“So when I learnt that he is from the north and I am also from the north, I went after him, and tried to encourage him. In that process, we went to Dr Uma Ukpai, and he introduced himself and told Uma Ukpai what he came from the north to do and all that. Dr Uma Ukpai used a few words, he said, “Young man, Go back to the north, your assingment is not welcomed here.” That was all.
It was then. I said, “Ah! A father of faith that is supposed to receive a young, vibrant minister…”
That was when I started developing cold feet because it was rejection everywhere. Then, I was thinking that it was persecution but I found out that utterances from his mouth and what he was doing were at variance. That was when I began to develop cold feet.
“Honestly, let me tell you. From the beginning, I saw insincerity, I saw moral bankruptcy, I saw all these things from the beginning. And like I said, that was why I refused to be part of his work.
“Now he came in and introduced himself that he never came to establish any church, rather, he came for a ministers association called ICMA, meaning International Charismatic Ministers Association. Not too long after that, he started a fellowship, calling it FFF. Friday Fire Fellowship. Not too long Power Chapel International started. That was when it was confirmed that he was up to something else other than what he told people when he came.
“As I’m talking today, everything metamorphosed from ICMA to FFF, then to Power Chapel International, and now it is Power City.
“Honestly, there had never been any honesty from the beginning. There had never been a clean, clear vision, from the beginning.
“The foundation was faulty and it’s the same thing that is happening up to date.”
Bro Soviet’s concerns about Damina’s doctrinal stance are not unfounded. “If I met him today, I would tell him to apologize to the body of Christ. His heretical ideas and teachings are leading some gullible young generation of Christians astray. But all I know is, just like music, it will all fizzle away,” Bro Soviet said.
Bro Soviet believes that those who are genuinely seeking Christ will eventually find their way back, despite the confusion caused by Damina’s teachings.
Reflecting on the financial aspect of Damina’s ministry, Bro Soviet shared his experiences from the past. “As a preacher, if your message centers on how to collect money from people every time, then something is wrong. Way back, I used to give him money. Though I was never comfortable because of his character, I knew he was not the one to reward me but God. He had no capacity to manage the money. This was someone who was preaching that all tithes belonged to him and he could do whatever he wanted with it.”
Despite Damina’s current stance against giving, Bro Soviet remains hypocritical. “Like I told you, when you run out of lies, you need to cook up more lies to cover up the previous lies you have told. At the beginning, his foundation was faulty. When the first phase expired, he needed more lies to sustain his life. I don’t know of any academic certificate that he has. He is not a graduate because he didn’t go to any university to my knowledge.”
Bro Soviet’s critique extends beyond Damina’s teachings to his personal life and foundation. “There are men of God in Nigeria who have integrity, but right from the beginning, he exhibited an abysmal level of moral and character bankruptcy in all ramifications. That is why he has the audacity to say once born again, always born again.”
Bro Soviet concluded with a call for accountability and repentance. “As a servant of the kingdom, he should humble himself and apologize to the world for misleading people. Some of us have invested so much into his life and ministry. He has benefited a lot. I housed him and his pastors for one year and six months in Uyo, so I know what I am saying.
“Joshua Talena, if he is sincere, knows what I’m talking about. His own younger brother, Gideon was in the picture. At the beginning as I have been saying, there were a number of people who rushed in thinking they had found a ministry with which they could grow, but not too long after, they were all discouraged and fizzled away. Persons like Joe Odobre, Joe Udomio, Bro Tony that he turned into his driver, Rev. Benny Momoh and Macdonald Edward with his wife and a daughter then; all of them lived in my house at No. 53 Enwe street by Oron Road. Bro Uduak Ekong, Sister Aniebo Ndada Inyang, Bro Charles Uko. There were many more brethren whose names I cannot remember anymore because this was some 34 years ago.
Bro Soviet hasn’t been able to reach Damina to discuss these issues directly. “I will tell him to his face that he should apologize to those men of God he has insulted. He should apologize for misleading people. From the Bible, you can pick one or two scriptures and build any negative message. But the foundation is what is important. A message built on falsehood will eventually crumble. We must remember it is not just about those he has insulted; it’s about the body of Christ. If a man of God twists scripture for personal gain, it’s a problem.”
In Bro Soviet’s view, Damina’s recent messages are fueled by jealousy. “His new messages are products of jealousy. He feels left behind and there is nothing he can do to measure up to the standard of those he is attacking. The men of God he’s talking about, one branch of their church is more than everything he has worked for in his entire life. I urge those fathers of faith he has defamed to forgive him and pray for his repentance.”