In a wide-ranging interview with The Sunday Mail, Prophet
Java, who is also a social media aficionado, explained his online pranks that
have courted both controversy and a wide following.The charismatic preacher,
who on Friday was appointed the Affirmative Action Group (AAG) vice president, says
he is multi-skilled and people should read him as such.
“Passion Java is a brand. There is Passion Java the church
leader of Kingdom Embassy, then there is Passion Java the socialite. There is
also Passion Java the business mogul. So my critics fail to differentiate these
three. What inspires what I do on social media is simply what happens around
us,” Java said.
Prophet Java’s approach to the church business is
relatively uncommon. If he is not flaunting the latest guns, wheels, he is
making cameo appearances in dancehall music videos some of which he bankrolls.
It would appear that there is more content of him showing
his pristine designer clothes online, than there are sermons.
A larger than life character, Prophet Java tries to project
an image of invincibility to the glee and chagrin of his divided audience. He
said those who question his methods are ‘uninformed’.
“That is their opinion because they want me to be like
them, even Jesus was misunderstood during his days. The Pharisees and the
Sadducees thought he was an evil man but actually he was the Messiah,” said
Prophet Java.
Spirituality is one of the key pillars of the prophet
persona that Java sustains and speaking in tongues is considered to be the
language of seers.
Prophet Java’s version of tongues has been received with
scorn, as he sometimes mentions names and words that sound like street lingo. He
told The Sunday Mail that during those moments, he would be communicating in
another realm. Asked if his sermons in tongues are not manufactured, Prophet
Java responded:
“Those who hold that view don’t understand the doctrine of
tongues, they don’t understand the heavenly language but they are entitled to
their opinion.”
Asked about how he makes the money he uses to finance his
flamboyant lifestyle, Prophet Java did not go into detail.
“I am a blessed man, my lifestyle is a reflection of how blessed
I am. We are not doing God’s work to generate funds, we do God’s work to attain
God’s blessing and all the lifestyle you’re talking about is the blessing of
God. If you read your Bible very well you will come across a man called
Abraham. He was a blessed man, the blessing came from God not from anything
else and that’s how best one can explain my wealth,” Prophet Java said.
The prophet, who financed his trademark Gara Mumba Iwe
online music concerts during the lockdown, recently launched a studio and
record label which will be handling productions for artists affiliated to him.
“I support all types of music but Zimdancehall is my
favourite, this is because I have good relations with artistes belonging to
that genre compared to any other genre. Dancehall artists embraced the vision
we have at Passion Java Records. More so I find it easy working with them, but
I do work with musicians from other genres,” he said.
His hope is to eventually export Zimbabwean music,
especially dancehall. Just before the late liberation war hero, Soul Jah Love’s
death, the ‘dancehall prophet’ had signed the chanter to his stable and they
were in the process of putting a body of work together.
Aside from his controversies, Prophet Java had a turbulent
beginning to the year as he lost his mother just after the turn of the New
Year.
He described the experience as one of his lowest moments in
his life. “My mother’s death was not an easy experience for me, my wife, our
kids and also for my siblings. She was our pillar of strength and at some point
in life she was our source of survival. I can’t really say I am now over her
death because there are times I find myself in pain thinking of her,” the
prophet said.
The jury is still out on Prophet Java’s religious beliefs.
However, what is unmistakable is his energy and confidence. Sunday Mail
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