KICC Founder, Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo, just turned 74. But he does not look that far gone in age. He is still very agile and vibrant. He is still very strong. He looks young, and he could pass for 65. Apart from his grey hair and beard, there is nothing to suggest that Pastor Ashimolowo is an old man. He is very contemporary in his thinking. He runs his life via is phone, which has many features.
For 2 hours last Friday, we drilled him. City People visited him at his Lagos home, somewhere on the Island and we found in him a bubbly man who is still very active.
Below are excerpts of his interview.
You turned 74 a few days ago but you don’t look that age at all. What is the secret of your youthful look?
Before the advent of social media, a lot of people began to post warnings like, “avoid this, this will happen,” and “avoid that, that will happen.” But personally, I felt we should cut down on many of the meals we eat in Africa, because they have become part of our daily lifestyle.
For the past 28 years, I have not eaten rice. I only eat rice once a year, on Christmas Day. Apart from that, I have not eaten rice for 28 years. I have also not eaten eba, yams, or drank Coca-Cola for 28 years.
I redesigned my meals. The meals Nigerians eat were originally designed by farmers who needed a lot of energy. They would eat and go back to physically demanding work. But today, we eat those same heavy meals, yet we sit in air-conditioned rooms and drive air-conditioned cars.
In addition to diet, I do a lot of exercise. I walk between 10 and 18 kilometres every other day. I also go to the gym regularly. I used to play golf, but I found it was not challenging enough. Sometimes in golf, you spend more time waiting than playing. So I now prefer working out at home and walking around the estate.
These three things—Diet, Exercise, and Mental activity—help a lot. I also read a lot. I read about four books a week. Continuous reading keeps the mind active and helps prevent mental decline.
I usually don’t celebrate birthdays, except for major milestones like 40, 50, 60, or 70. Some people don’t celebrate because they feel fulfilled even without a celebration.
On my recent birthday, some people came into my studio with a Saxophonist and celebrated with me for about 20–30 minutes. After that, I went for my exercise and visited one of our estates. For me, it is not about the Day—it is about Life. It is not about Age—it is about Stage.
That day, I reflected on turning 74. It made me think about Eternity, Legacy, and Impact. I asked myself, if I am given another 20 years, what do I want to achieve? What legacy do I want to leave behind? You cannot look back and see 74 years; you can only live today. What matters is what you do with today and the future.
I manage my schedule carefully. I have someone who organises my diary, and I use technology to stay updated. My schedule is synchronised across devices.
I live a “Quadrant lifestyle,” where I plan my activities in blocks. Every day is already structured in advance. I think in terms of short-term, mid-term, and long-term goals. Whatever I do today must have an impact on the future. For example, I work on projects that will take 5–10 years to complete, while also handling immediate responsibilities like conferences and meetings.
A value-driven life is important. If you don’t define your values, others will define them for you and take advantage of your life.
I am still a Pastor and organise major crusades every November. These meetings are very important to me and will continue throughout my life. I also focus on building estates as a legacy project, creating environments that meet international standards. I continue to train leaders through my ministry and remain active in my pastoral work in London, travelling frequently between countries.
I also prioritise my family, especially my grandchildren. I am responsible for their education from early schooling to higher levels. I want to ensure they receive quality education and opportunities.
Technology is very important. If you ignore it, you will be left behind. Our guiding principle is: “Timely Technology, Timeless Truth.”
The future is Digital. Even traditional systems like TV and cinema are being replaced by platforms like streaming services. Nigeria and other countries must embrace artificial intelligence and advanced technologies to stay relevant.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Artificial Super Intelligence (ASI) will shape the future. Many jobs will change or disappear, but new opportunities will also be created.
People must be ready to retrain and adapt. If you cannot compete with change, you must join it. Change is constant and unavoidable. People who resist change often fall behind.
If Alexander Graham Bell came today, he would not recognise modern technology. This shows how fast the world evolves. The only constant is change, and people must learn to adapt. Nations that refuse to adapt often struggle to progress.
Global events, such as conflicts in the Middle East, affect the entire world, including everyday life in Nigeria. War influences oil prices, economies, and global stability. Different people interpret these events differently depending on their perspectives—religious, political, or global.
From a broader perspective, these events show how interconnected the world has become. Life should be lived with purpose, vision, and preparation. We must focus on today while planning for the future, building legacies, and adapting to change.
Can you share with us the Lessons life has taught you at 74?
The lesson that life has taught me is uncountable. Number one lesson is that life is short, death is sure—so life must prepare us for eternity. That’s number one.
Number two, you cannot do life without your family. So whatever you do, whatever friendship you create and show, you must sustain family. Number three, allow room for people’s humanity. So if they disappoint you, just know that the best of men are men at best, so that you have made room—they are humans, not angels.
The next thing again is to also realise that there is no perfect Nation. Nigerians want to japa. Those who have Japa want to come back home. Those who live in certain places know the weaknesses. So you must learn to find your laughter, your love, your family, your relationships, your joy in the place where you are.
And then I guess one other lesson is that you must make your life count, so that you are missed when you are gone. Some people don’t think about that. They don’t think of the fact that they need to make their lives count—count for good, count for impact, count for contribution, count for whatever you have given, count for touching people in your own way, so that in fact you didn’t even know how many, and you are doing it because you love it.
We were to interview somebody who would be COO of our crusade, and my friend, Mr. Akeem Oguniran, borrowed an office on Opebi road as we were sitting to start the interview, somebody brought water for us. As he brought the water, he was greeting us, especially me in particular. I greeted him and said, “Okay, do you know me?” He said yes. He said, “I paid his school fees; he said he used to be one of the caddies who carried your bags when you played golf at Ikeja.”
And I was to read accounting and you sent me to school for all four years, I didn’t even remember it. He said so. Those are impacts that you make.
Then I went to speak in Toronto, Canada, and a young man was at the door of the church and said, “My name is Samson. I went to KIM University, which is our university.” He said, “I paid about 40 or 50 per cent of his tuition.”
So you live in those things. You cannot buy them in the market, and you cannot pretend to have them.
