Nigerian Christian community is blessed with many pastors and more are still emerging from every part of the country. One part of the country that has produced a great number of the great men of God is Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State. Some were born there, some grew up there, and others simply started their ministry there. Today, they are known to head mega churches with members running into hundreds of thousands. TEMITOPE DAVID-ADEGBOYE chronicles these men of God produced by Ilorin.
There seems to be something spiritually special about Ilorin, the Kwara State capital. The city has been the birth place of great ministries that have impacted` not just Nigeria, but the world in general.
From Joseph Ayo Babalola, who founded Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) – the first Aladura Pentecostal church – far back in 1941, to Adeboye of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), it appears the three tents Peter requested to be built on Mount Tabor, after the Transfiguration, was eventually sited in the ancient city.
The following are some of the great Gospel ministers made in Ilorin.
Oyedepo
Oyedepo has written several books, published by Dominion Publishing House, a publishing arm of his ministry, to complement his soul-winning efforts. Canaanland has business ventures operated by the church such as a bakery, bottled water processing plant, a petrol station, restaurants, residential buildings that provide for over 2,000 church employees and guest houses. It also has four commercial banks, one of which is a community and micro-finance bank operated by the church.
Also the Chancellor of Covenant University (CU), Oyedepo was recently listed among top 10 richest pastors in the world.
Oyedepo, who hails from Omu Aran, Kwara community, did not, however, start big. His journey into ministry began in Ilorin.
He was said to have received divine mandate, through a vision, in May 1981, and this led to the founding of Liberation Faith Hour Ministries in Ilorin. This later metamorphosed into a church, Winners Chapel, which started officially in Kaduna but moved to Lagos, in September 1989. Today, the church exists in every state of Nigeria and in some other African countries.
Adeboye
General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, also had a stint with Ilorin. Fondly called ‘Daddy GO’ by his members, he was in Ilorin at the beginning of his ministry, where he helped in planting some other churches and ordained some pastors, though he hails from Osun State.
Born in 1942 into a humble family in the village of Ifewara, Osun State, Adeboye often humorously states that his family was so poor that even the poor people called them poor. As a matter of fact, he unashamedly tells his congregation that he never owned shoes until he was 18 years of age. In 1956, he was admitted into Ilesha Grammar School, Ilesha, Osun State, where he discovered a passion for books, and an aptitude for science, particularly Mathematics. This led to an academic journey in the field of Mathematics against incredible odds including but not limited to finances, the Nigerian Civil War and academic politics. By the time he was done, Adeboye had obtained not only a Bachelors (BSc.) degree in Mathematics from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria in 1967, but also a Masters (MSc.) Degree in Hydrodynamics and a Doctorate Degree (Ph.D) in Applied Mathematics, both from the University of Lagos, in 1969 and 1975.
In 1973, Adeboye received Jesus, joined RCCG and became baptised. Unknown to him though, the Lord had already informed the founder that “a man of books” (a highly educated man) would soon join RCCG and eventually take over the mantle of leadership from him (the founder) whenever he passed away. As Adeboye joined and became an active member of RCCG, the founder began to personally mentor and groom him for the future assignment he was totally oblivious of. He initially served as the sermon interpreter to the founder (from the native Yoruba dialect to the English language) and was ordained a Pastor in 1977.
Ayorinde
Prophet Samson Ayorinde is the founder of World Bible Church, a.k.a WEBIC, which was founded in 1996 with only eight members; but the church now located in Ogudu axis of Lagos has grown into thousands of worshippers. He is a healing evangelist with a special anointing to minister to the barren, which was one of the things that attracted a lot of members to his ministry.
Born in Rore, Kwara State, and though he was raised by a Christian mother, he was an atheist until he encountered the Lord in 1986 in his room at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Kaduna State. He runs crusades in several cities, towns and villages where the gospel is preached and souls are saved, healed and delivered all to the glory of God. He has authored several books, including Mighty Deliverance, Overcoming Diseases, Demons and Death, and Forty Ways of Hearing from God.
Alawode
Bishop Samuel Alawode is the President, Maranatha Lord Cometh Ministries International, with its headquarters in Ibadan, Oyo State, got into the ministry as a student in University of Ilorin (UNILORIN).
He later moved to Ibadan, Oyo State, to establish a church. The church has grown to have branches in Lagos, Ghana, South Africa, Canada and the United Kingdom (UK).
He also heads Covenant Alliance, an inter-denominational international network of ministers, ministries and churches aligned together for the purpose of vision-sharpening, networking supports, and divine empowerment for the expansion of Gods Kingdom on earth as the covering presbyter and apostolic president.
George Adegboye
Rev. George Adegboye is the President and Founder of Rhema Chapel International Churches with headquarters in Ilorin, Kwara State. He is also the President of the Word of Victory Bible Training Institute and the Young Ministers Teaching School, which are the training arm of the ministry.
He teaches the word extensively with a simplistic practical prophetic insight. Known for his prophetic and peculiar anointing, especially at crusade grounds, he has a dynamic insight into the Word of God.
His ability to memorise and quote the Scriptures copiously has endeared him to many Christians earning him the sobriquet, “The Walking Bible”. Humble and down-to-earth, his ministry has produced a lot of top pastors in the country such as Pastor Sam Adeyemi, Pastor Samuel Olubiyo, Pastor Victor Adeyemi and a host of others.
He has been helping to birth, father, mentor, train, adjust, repair, place, encourage, motivate and send forth men of God into the harvest fields of the earth. He has been used to impart and transform many young men and women into flaming firebrand ministers of the Gospel in several nations of the world.
Alex Adegboye
Pastor Alex Adegboye, the founder of The Stone Church, is the elder brother of the Rhema Chapel founder, Rev. George Adegboye. He is easy to miss in a crowd. But beneath his unassuming attitude are profound spiritual gems hard to find among many preachers. An architect by profession, for many years, Adegboye was actively involved in the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship, where he anchored the widely popular TV programme, ‘The Happiest People on Earth’ (THP).
He teaches the Word with passion, simplicity and accuracy, emphasising God’s eternal commitment to bring it to pass. He believes ‘the Word works if it is worked’. And his church, which was established in 1993 in Ibadan with just few members, has grown to become a household name. He has over 30 branches, within and outside the country. He also has three flourishing branches in Lagos.
With a special anointing in deliverance, Adegboye is one of the most sought-after speakers in crusades and special anointing programmes. He doesn’t emphasise on miracles in his church, but the word.
Sam Adeyemi
Senior Pastor of Daystar Christian Centre, Oregun, Lagos, and President of Success Power International, Sam Adeyemi, who hails from Kogi State, actually started his ministry in Ilorin. He used to be one of the pastors at Rhema Chapel, and contributed a lot to the growth of the church throughout his stay in Ilorin.
Pastor Sam got the call of God when the church sent him to preside over the new Lagos branch of the church. That was what led to the birth of Daystar Christian Centre 14 years ago.
Though the church started small with only few members, today, it boasts of over 10,000 worshippers.
Victor Adeyemi
Rev. Victor Adeyemi, the immediate younger brother of Daystar Christian Centre Senior Pastor, is also a prolific preacher and teacher. He toed the same path as his brother after obtaining a college diploma in law in 1989.
He joined Rhema Chapel, Ilorin, as a full-time minister. He was later sent forth to preside over the newly established Rhema Chapel branch in Ibadan. He pastored the church for five years, planting two others in the city before resigning to establish Global Harvest Church with headquarters in Ibadan. Over the years, the ministry has grown rapidly with new branches and several thousand members spread over Lagos and the United Kingdom.
Olubiyo
Known for his healing service and evangelism, Rev. Samuel Olubiyo is the General Overseer of Triumphant Christian Centre, Oregun, Lagos.
He was a full-time minister at the Rhema Chapel, Ilorin, for years before he got the call to start his own church. His church is now located in the Oregun, Ikeja.
Coker
Pastor Samuel Coker is the Senior Pastor of The King’s Chamber, the church arm of Redemption Inheritance Ministries situated at Ilupeju, Lagos.
Born in Osogbo, Osun State, Rev. Coker grew up in Ilorin, Kwara State.
With a first degree in Geology from UNILORIN and a master’s degree from the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), he started his career as a lecturer. As an academic, he lectured at the Geology Department UNILORIN before he got the call to go into ministry.
He has been mentored by the likes of Pastor Adeboye, Bishop Oyedepo, Bishop Francis Oke, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, Pastor Taiwo Odukoya, Rev. George Adegboye, Pastor Adeyemi, Pastor Amos Fenwa, Pastor Yeside Staveley, Pastor David Adedeji and Dr. Albert Odulele, the impact which could be seen in his ministry.
Coker founded his church, The King’s Chamber, in 2002. He is also the President and Visioner of Settle Me, O Lord! (SMOL) – a prophetic outreach programme that gives direction by the Word and the Spirit; with broadcasts on radio and television stations all over Nigeria. He has authored quite a number of books. His simplicity in the communication of the word is highly acclaimed by all and sundry.