Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), marked his 73rd birthday on March 2, 2015. HENRY ODUAH looks into the life of the much-loved preacher, fondly called Daddy G.O. by his members, concluding that his humility, service to God and mankind is infectious
Sometimes a man’s humble beginning equips him with values that stay with him even till death. Enoch Adeboye’s beginning had rough edges, which time has smoothened.
One without knowledge of his childhood would probably think he was born with a big proverbial silver spoon. Adeboye never hid from the world his lack of shoes until he was 18. Nevertheless, he had a burning desire to succeed.
Born on March 2, 1942 into a humble family in the village of Ifewara, Osun State, South West Nigeria, the preacher once joked about taking so much breast milk from his mother even as a young boy which, medically-proven, improves brain development. Perhaps parents could take a cue from that.
Adeboye was admitted into Ilesha Grammar School, Ilesha, Osun State in 1956. He soon fell in love with books, science and Mathematics precisely. Of course, lack of funds was an issue for him.
But determination to succeed drove Adeboye to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), where he obtained a B.Sc degree in Mathematics in 1967. A master’s degree in Hydrodynamics two years later at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) followed suit. A doctorate degree in Applied Mathematics became reality for the energetic Adeboye in 1975, also from UNILAG.
Adeboye put in so much effort in his academic journey with the desire to become the youngest vice chancellor of any of the leading universities in Nigeria. Little did he know that he would become a “vice chancellor” in the Lord’s vineyard, with the primary role of fishing for men.
When he was to get married, this humility personified took the woman of his dreams, Foluke, down the aisle to be his soulmate in 1968.
‘Daddy G.O.’ had never in his life dreamt of becoming a pastor, let alone the leader of a multinational church. He started out as a teacher at Okeigbo Grammar School, Ondo, and the Lagos Anglican Girls Grammar School, Surulere, Lagos. He then took his love for books one step further as a lecturer in Mathematics at UNILAG and UNILORIN, to live his dream of becoming Nigeria’s youngest vice chancellor.
Divine arrangement probably led Adeboye and his wife in 1973 to RCCG in search of divine intervention on personal challenges, after they had sought solution in numerous places. There he met the founder of RCCG, Rev. Josiah Akindayomi, a man who had no formal education and could not speak anything other than his native Yoruba language. Adeboye was unusually inspired and touched by the Word of God in the church. That year, on July 29, Adeboye gave his life to Christ and was baptised.
According to Akindayomi, by divine injunction, he prepared Adeboye to shepherd the flock in the case of his death. Adeboye, unaware of this, was first given the responsibility of translating the sermons of the founder from Yoruba to English.
Four years after Adeboye arrived at the RCCG, he moved a step further the ladder when he was ordained a pastor in the church.
Another four years passed and it became a reality to Adeboye that he had been prepared to shepherd a flock. He became G.O. of the church in 1981, after the founder had joined his maker a year earlier.
The tall figure didn’t seem to understand the size of the shoe he was then wearing, as he continued lecturing at UNILORIN. He eventually gave up his love for lecturing three years after becoming G.O., when it dawned on him that ‘the harvest is rich, but the labourers few’.
Adeboye’s ascension as general overseer did not come without resistance, though the founder left a sealed document revealing him as successor.
What remains most remarkable is that at the time the founder passed on, the church had only 42 parishes, which was an impressive figure at that time though; but 34 years after Adeboye became G.O., the church has established its presence in over 100 countries with countless branches in Nigeria. The mathematician was once quoted to have said that his aim was to put a church within five minutes of every person on earth.
The annual three-day Holy Ghost Congress is one of Adeboye’s innovations, with its maiden edition held on December 18, 1998, as Holy Ghost Festival with an attendance of over seven million people.
Nigerian campuses have also felt his impact, with the introduction of the Redeemed Campus Fellowship (RCF) of which he is the national president.
To celebrate his birthday, a 73-hour marathon praise session was held for the clergyman at the RCCG camp ground along Lagos-Abeokuta express way.
For several years, the lecturer-turned-pastor has been the spiritual counsellor to public office holders. His most notable appearance with a public servant is the picture which has long gone viral on social media – the picture of him dressed in green outfit and laying his lands on a kneeling President Goodluck Jonathan.
Little wonder the presidency wasted no time in sending congratulatory message to him on his 73rd birthday.
The president wrote: “It gives me great pleasure to felicitate with you on the occasion of your 73rd birthday.
“Our administration and the Nigerian nation owe you a debt of gratitude for your prayerful support and the productive spiritual leadership you continue to provide, not just for the millions that constitute the membership of the Redeemed Christian Church of God across the world, but also for the entire body of Christ in Nigeria.
“On a personal level, I have left every meeting with you greatly strengthened and deeply inspired by your steadfast faith and commitment to the peace, stability, growth and development of our dear nation.
“I pray that Almighty God continues to imbue you with robust health and enduring fulfilment in the many more years of worthy service ahead of you.”
The All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, did not hold back his praise for the man of God whom he described as a peace-loving citizen through the Directorate of Media and Publicity, APC Presidential Campaign Organisation.
“Your role as a nation-builder is being acknowledged by all, and I enjoin you to continue in your service to God and humanity,” read the statement with birthday wishes rounding it off.
As deservedly, national and international awards have not stopped pouring in on the cleric. In 1999, he received honorary citizenship and key of Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America. In 2005, he was presented with honorary citizenship and key of Dallas, Texas, U.S.; and honorary citizenship and key of Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
On home soil, he was awarded a national honour, Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) by the late Nigeria leader, Umaru Yar’Adua in 2008.
Honorary doctorate degrees from UNILAG and UNN also make the list.
Interestingly, America’s Newsweek magazine in 2009 named him as one of 50 most powerful people in the world.
Pa Adeboye has written over 40 books published all over the world and is the author of the popular, globally-distributed daily devotional, Open Heavens.
The Adeboyes are blessed with four children – Bolu, Leke, Adeolu and Dare – in their 47-year-old marriage, with several grandchildren.
