Some months back, fans of ace comedian, Julius Agwu took to the social media to comment on his weight loss each time they saw him attend an event. Sometime in May, he had a seizure at home and that was the beginning of his battle with a brain ailment. In this interview, he opens up on the success of the brain surgery he had, the fact that God gave him a second chance and what he will be doing differently.
My perception about life has changed.
What lessons have you learnt through this experience?
My experience has told me that when you are really in a situation like that, it’s all about God. Everything is about God. My being here with you and talking about this is a rare privilege. I should have been gone. I used to have a lawyer friend who was very energetic, he was never ill. While he was delivering a paper, he had a heart attack, fell and died. He didn’t have the privilege of being rushed to the hospital. I went for his burial on October 3, after my show “Crack your ribs”. In all these, we are learning so much. A lot of people in their quest to be popular sell their souls to the devil, just because they want to be famous. Another lesson is the fact that misfortunes show you who your true friends are. It’s not just about money, it’s about concern. It’s about checking up on the person who needs your care.
What will you be doing differently now, the new Julius Agwu?
This is the new Julius Agwu. The way I talk has changed, it’s all about realigning with God and knowing that God owns everything. I have decided to use all my platforms to glorify him. I will glorify God anywhere I am. I am starting something I have called CEO-Christian Entertainers Outreach. I have already spoken with few of my colleagues who have agreed to be part of it. The devil has eaten deep into the fabrics of the entertainment industry, taking people at their prime. We can’t continue that way. Do you know how many entertainers we have lost? My house will be used for now as our meeting point until the completion of my event centre. God will come down and do something new. I am also using this medium to propose to President Buhari that we need to discard the first stanza of the national anthem. For years, we have been calling on our compatriots to arise and they have refused to. We should stick to the 2nd verse of the national anthem, which is a prayer. “Oh God of creation, direct our noble cause”. God is doing a new thing in Nigeria and we pray that God help the new ministers.
What will be your advice to individuals who are going through their own storm?
Let me tell you the reason why God gave me a second chance. It’s because he knows that I deserved it. I finished from church years back and a young man gave me a flier to help him. He needed to have a kidney transplant. I asked him if he worships in my church and he said yes. I gave him some money then but I had forgotten I did. Some days ago, I received a Whatsapp message from him. He said: “Sir I have been trying to reach you since. I heard everything you have been going through and I knew that God is going to save your life because you are a very good man”. He wrote these things and I just said, Amen! I gave him money for his kidney transplant but I had forgotten. The guy called me again recently saying he still has a challenge with his kidney. I asked him if he did the transplant and he said he didn’t due to financial constraints. He said this has started affecting his heart and that he cannot breathe properly. I asked him if he has a passport and he said no. I then told him to go meet the individual who helps me with my own passport at Ikoyi. I asked him if he wants to travel with someone and he answered in the affirmative. I sent him money and they went to Ikoyi. He has the passports now and I want to see to his traveling abroad. I am trying to help as many people that I can. In the past, I have given such platform to lots of comedians who had never traveled abroad. God has used me to impact on many lives and that is why He gave me a second chance.
What is next for you?
The next dimension is that I want to use all the platforms I have to showcase God to the world. I am raising a new set of ambassadors for God. Our industry has been desecrated, we need total cleansing. I am realigning with God and I am telling my friends who are close to me to come together to cleanse our land. I am planning big for February 7, next year. I will be working on an event called ‘Life as I see it’. I will be using the event to thank God for what He has done for me. I will also be unveiling my book and my album which will be titled Life as I see it.
