In the quiet ancestral compound of Gbonum Ulepa Ntezi, Ebonyi State, a man once dismissed as mad now commands the attention of politicians, prophets, and power-seekers. Prophet Emmanuel Chukwudi, founder and General Overseer of King of Kings Deliverance Church Worldwide, claims a divine mandate: to raise leaders from obscurity to prominence. His followers call him “Spirit Emmanuel.” His enemies call him dangerous. But all agree — he cannot be ignored.
A Bloodline of Power and Terror
Born into a lineage that traces its roots to Benue State, Chukwudi’s people speak Orring (Uffia), not Igbo — a fact that underscores their outsider status in Ebonyi. His paternal ancestry links him to the first royal family of Gbonum, dating back to 1701. His maternal grandfather, Chuku Ogbuneke, was a feared spiritual figure said to wield powers that could kill on Eke market day. “He could point at a tree and it would die,” Emmanuel says. “That fire runs in my blood.”
But unlike Ogbuneke, whose powers were feared, Emmanuel insists his calling is to heal, deliver, and uplift. “I came carrying both inheritances,” he says. “But God set me apart.”
Hunger, Madness, and the Call
Before the miracles and prophecies, there was suffering. In Enugu, Emmanuel hawked recharge cards and scooped sand from muddy streams for ₦200 a day. He fasted — not out of devotion, but because he couldn’t afford food. “I pretended to be spiritual,” he admits. “But I was just broke.”
His refusal to accept the prophetic call led to a breakdown. “God struck me with insanity,” he says. He wandered barefoot, slept in bushes, and scavenged for scraps. His wife stayed by his side, defying advice to leave him. “I was punished until I said yes,” he recalls. The moment he surrendered, his mind was restored.
The Birth of a Ministry
The turning point came with a miracle. A barren woman came to him for prayer. He prophesied she would conceive within three months — and she did. That testimony spread, and crowds began to gather. From a dusty compound in Ebonyi, King of Kings Deliverance Church was born.
Today, his ministry draws thousands. His prophecies — often political — have earned him national attention. He predicted the death of President Yar’Adua, the rise of Goodluck Jonathan, and Buhari’s victory in 2015. He foresaw Donald Trump’s first win and later loss, claiming Trump would return to power.
The Kingmaker Mandate
Emmanuel insists his assignment is not just spiritual — it’s governmental. “God told me I am a kingmaker,” he says. “I raise leaders from scratch to power.” In 2017, he prophesied the spiritual release of IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu from prison. He invited Kanu to his church for fortification, warning of calamity if he refused. Kanu declined — and weeks later, his base was raided by the military.
These prophecies, often dismissed at first, have become central to Emmanuel’s reputation. Journalists, politicians, and seekers travel to Gbonum for a word from “Spirit Emmanuel.”
A Throne of Two Fires
Emmanuel’s story is one of paradox: royalty and poverty, madness and miracles, terror and healing. He claims to bear two thrones — his people’s ancestral seat and God’s divine mandate. “I was chosen,” he says, “to carry both.”
For those who saw him hawking recharge cards in Enugu, the transformation is staggering. For his followers, it’s proof that destiny cannot be outrun.
As one elder in Ulepa puts it: “He carries the fire of Chuku Ogbuneke, but now it burns for heaven.”
