Chapter 42
I Settled
For Christianity
When I lived at Adesina Street Lagos Powerline Bible Church Lagos State University Powerline Bible Church Powerline Bible Church
I was fairly close to him but the fear of being trapped into priesthood made me to keep a safe distance from him! Pastor Osagie is one person who consistently marvels at the level of resemblance between my wife and I share. He was the one who wrote the foreward to the first edition of this book published in 1992. He was the one from whom I took counsel when I wanted to change my name and I remember his words: “you don't have to be emotional about it, change to your biological father's name!”
Although I loved to continue to worship in Powerline but I was forced to leave because I moved house from Ijeshatedo to Iba Housing Estate which was about 20km away.
Before leaving Powerline, I had made up my mind that I was moving to the Redeemed Church
I Joined RCCG Instead of TREM
Finally, I settled for the Redeemed Christian Church of God and I will tell you how. In the first place, I was unaware that there were two renowned versions of Redeemed Churches in Nigeria Lagos
I made thorough investigations about the Church through its own literature and from discussions with friends. Good enough, they had ample materials revealing so much about the founder, the doctrines and the incumbent General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye. The more questions I asked, the more answers I found. I became fascinated.
During mid-week and Sunday services, I flowed very well with everything done. First, there was a balanced preaching of salvation and the need and how to succeed here on earth. Their presentation aligned with my belief! Secondly, RCCG, as a church, caters absolutely for the souls of everyone irrespective of whether you are holy, semi-holy or unholy. RCCG has the passion to win ALL souls to its fold.
RCCG receives you the way you are. You are then indoctrinated with the Word of God through such channels as its Believer's Class, the Sunday School, The School of Disciples and other Biblical trainings until you come to self-realisation and acquire the sound ability to make mature choices!
The Church elevates you to appreciate holiness and righteousness, which informs the choice of names, such as Model and Classical, given to parishes. If the parish is classical, they are likely governed with much do's and don'ts in the pattern of the CAC, brooking no compromise at all. If you can't stand such toughness, you may belong to the Model parishes, which predominate in the Church. They contain the trendy ones, mostly the youth and females who invariably prefer to sport trouser suits, flaunt the airs of the generally fashionable and the educated diction exudes class!
My understanding of the church leadership's philosophy is for one to serve God with one's heart through the full exposure to the Word of God, by which one should operate at one's individual capacity to please God. I share this view very much. It differs from the outlook of the previous places (except Powerline which shares the same approach with RCCG) where I have worshipped before joining the RCCG..
The policy of establishing branches within five minutes of walking (or for car owners, five minutes of driving) distance to worshipers' residence is laudable and visionary. It is admirable . It challenges those who are zealous for God to become leaders quickly and has reduced leadership tussles in the Church to the barest minimum by the ready opportunities available to the ambitiously restless. It answers Christ's statement that the harvest is plenty but that the labourers are few!
One other thing I cherish in RCCG is the inculcation of the spirit of hard work and intellectual development through continuing education. Much of the preaching is decidedly educative and a constant reminder to the student adherents in particular to buckle up always and not relent in their studies. So mediocrity has no foothold in the congregation.
Above all, salvation of every member is the ultimate goal in RCCG. Holiness and righteousness are her emphasis and a lot of biblical training opportunities for adherents to know how to attain the much desired salvation. No doubt a lot of miracles happen during preachings, which only evidences the fact that God still performs the wonders of old today. If any member wants to really understand this policy of the church clearly, it is important for him or her to join the School of Disciples
RCCG also believes that good Christians are needed in all facets of leadership (including politics) to run the affairs of any nation well.
These two goals for a man to live an accomplished and balanced life to inherit the kingdom of God
The Controversies about RCCG
In every organisation, there will always be gray areas. The one that seems to have brought controversies in RCCG, as far as my research revealed, centred on the aspect of the fact that members must not breakaway from RCCG to establish their own churches at will and that if they did, such churches shall not prosper. Till the time of writing, I have not laid my hands on any material from RCCG which preaches this issue or(call it) doctrine.
I first heard of it during my Worker's Training in the Iba Estate Parish. As a new comer to the church, on hearing about it, the first question that came to my head as a mortal being was whether that would not sound like someone belonging to a body by compulsion and that if new churches have been emerging everyday and their Founder's are truly called, why can't that happen in RCCG? Again I reasoned that the RCCG itself is an off-spring of a white-garment church where the Founder, Papa Akindayomi himself, once worshipped before he was called to establish the RCCG. All these were my personal views and they may have arisen because of the two aspects of life I share with Apostle Paul, being a Lawyer and a man with scientific inclination - always wanting to know the underlying basis of everything!
However, if this debatable requirement of RCCG was indeed a revelation of God to the Founder, God can also empower at will other worthy born-again believers in the Church to found new churches if it would speed up world evangelisation to His satisfaction. So, to me, if today a Member of the RCCG rises up and says he has heard from God to establish a new Church for His worship, all that he or she needs to do is to humbly walk up to the Authorities of the Church confidently and lay God's message before them exactly how he received it.
Because of the fear of God which I believe is in them and the gift of the spirit of discernment upon our Daddy Adeboye and his team, I am sure they will not just dismiss such claim as false. I believe that they will hear directly from God who would give them confirmation and direction on the emerging development in the same way He had earlier directed Pa Akindayomi on the same issue.
If His will is that the new church should spring up, Daddy Adeboye would obediently bless the man and give him every support to make God's will prevail in his life. I know, from his characteristically humble manner, that Pastor Adeboye would say within him “Who am I to argue with my Creator?” I think what we all need to do is to be good followers so that God would elevate us to positions of leadership Himself.
Christian's Primary Concern
My view is that our primary concern, as Christians, should be to serve God in truth and in spirit and to identify and co-operate with the leaderships of our churches to realize their visions of winning as many souls to Christ as possible.
Chapter 43
My Life
As A
Student-Worker
"I would like to say here that in spite of the problems of underfunding, leading to a lack of provision of adequate basic amenities such as an up-to-date library, constant supply of power and water, good restaurant facilities, etcetera, I am proud of the outstanding quality of resource persons in the Law School
Sometimes, when I recall the events of my life, one aspect that makes me feel disturbed is the fact that I had to combine studies with fending for my livelihood. The implications on all facets of my life are far too serious. I would wish that my life had not been ordered that way.
First, during my work-school-church life, I was spiritually weakened and my spiritual growth seriously hampered. My first contact with RCCG was at the Iba Estate Parish. Pastor Obed Akinmulewo - a very pragmatic Pastor- headed the Church then. Through convincing and resourceful sermons, he finally succeeded in convincing me to grow in the church and spiritually. He was ably assisted by (then) Assistant Pastor Olugbemi. Indeed it was Pastor Akinmulewo's down-to-earth teachings that decisively impacted my life (and that of my wife) spiritually. It was in that Parish that I got re-baptised in the RCCG's way and there I became an active worker in the true sense of the word, having attended the Workers-in-Training course.
I Became A Landlord!
A year later, my family made an historical move to a three bed-room flat in the Jakande Housing Estate, Isolo, which I purchased with my own money to finally end my being a tenant! From then onwards, I qualified to attend Landlord Association Meetings and thereby bid bye-bye to tenancy and its numerous problems!
Appreciation to Mrs. Abe, My Last Landlady!
I think this is the appropriate point to appreciate my long-time good friend, Mrs. Abe (my sister-in-law), who was the owner of the 3-bedroom flat I occupied in the Iba Housing Estate and she was my last Landlady before I earned my new status of a Landlord myself. Our relationship which started incidentally as a teacher-student sometime mid-70's, grew to in-lawship when I married her younger sister, metamorphorsed into a Landlord-tenant relationship and today, with the death of her mother, Madam Ayinde, Iyabo has rightly stepped into the shoes of my late mother-in-law! God has ordered our lives such that we remain mutually beneficial to one another.
Ours is a strong testimony of my belief that it is easy to have a clean, healthy male-female relationship if those involved are focused positively on what God has ordained for them to do together. Today, our two families are one; our children indeed are one. We have set a good example for generations after us to follow.
My Roles in RCCG, Healing Porch Parish, Isolo
At the Jakande Housing Estate, Isolo, I was introduced to the Healing Porch Parish of the RCCG by Mr. Onilari who had been the last tenant of the apartment I bought. I soon joined the Workers Group and progressed to be a Minister by the time I got admitted into the Lagos State University
Why Go Back to School?
No doubt God can use an entire illiterate to do His work whenever He chooses to - that is an exceptional case. Nobody deliberately chooses to be illiterate. I always believed that those who had no spiritual vision should not be dogged about Ministry. Also, concomitantly, whoever wished to stand on a spiritual pedestal should also have a physical platform to stand on.
In other words, whoever must serve in the modern Church should endeavour to be thoroughly knowledgeable academically and theologically to be relevant and acceptable to present-day, knowledgeable congregations, for even the Bible confirms this in Hosea 4:6(a & b)
“My people perish from lack of knowledge.”
“Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests;” (NIV)
Such presentation helps to convince the congregation that a Pastor is actuated to serve and that he had not escaped or drifted into the house of God because of his failure or inadequacy in the secular world.
Today, congregations are mixed, representing the different classes of society: the highly educated consorting with not so educated, the high society with the town dwellers. Therefore, a Pastor worth his salt should be able to deal competently with the needs of every segment of his congregation, in terms of knowledge that they need to have, validated or disproved for their spiritual and physical growth.
If you are too unworthy or inferior and cannot form the necessary bridge for the interaction of your congregation, forget the Ministry. As Daddy Adeboye has said,
“Just the mastery of an insignificant percentage of the limitless deposit of knowledge which our Creator and Lord has put in place before the discovery of formal education itself is not enough for a man to become swollen-headed”
In other words, good education is very important and an irreducible minimum requirement for the clerical garb!
Therefore any Pastor who would win the people for Christ must be educated (enlightened) to a great degree, if not more educated than the people he is pastoring. On that platform, the popular saying that birds of the same feathers flock together becomes relevant even in the Church of God
That requirement is in the mould of my exemplary Fathers in the Lord such as Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, Bishop Oyedepo, Late Arch-Bishop Benson Idahosa, Bishop Lawrence Osagie, Mike Murdocks, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Pastor W.F. Kumuyi, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, The Billy Grahams, The Hagins, the Wesleys, Pastors Chris Okotie, Late Bimbo Odukoya and a host of other highly accomplished and well educated women and men of God. If by their good education, these anointed children of God have not tried to disprove the claims of the Holy Bible, then God must be real and mightier than anybody or intelligence and must be worshiped by all.
All these considerations informed my determination to lift myself beyond mediocrity. To actualize this dream, I went cap-in-hand to Pastor Okanlawon to be released to go back to school, and he granted my request.
The Prices I Had to Pay
As I have been trying to say, I paid a great price for the choice. But I preferred the pain to the pleasures of the moment. I must however confess that I was spiritually weakened during my sojourn at the University for being always in school at week-ends. I suffered from what I call spiritual dryness. I stuck to my grinding study schedule in order not to become a victim of 'carry-overs'. So, I was not active in the Church throughout my seven-year sojourn in school. I wished to be (if only to help me to be steadfast in all my ways) but I hardly could do something about that. The truth however, was that I would most likely have broken down in my health had I added the attendance of most Church services to my tight schedule. So, I was attending only the Sunday services but I always left soon after the grace, without attending the concomitant meetings.
In contrition, immediately on completion of my academic pursuits, I straight-away got enrolled into the Bible College
Social Relationships
Socially, I was totally restricted by my occupations so much so that even when my mother died, (against her wishes) I had to keep her remains in the mortuary for almost six months before undertaking her burial and funeral rites. I did that because I did not just want to bury her without pomp! My good mother deserved the very best celebration as my last honour to her and I thank God I was able to accomplish just that. I have some elaboration to make on this later.
Throughout my six-year law course at the Lagos State University
I Graduated!
By the special grace of God, I graduated with an LL.B (2nd Class Honours) Degree in the 2000/2001 academic session. At this point, I had shed the poor academic heritage I had been saddled with from birth!
I Was Called to the Bar!
But LL.B was not my ultimate goal in the legal profession. The ultimate goal was to become learned, not just educated. With persistent encouragement from my God-sent friends (Mr. Fagbohun, Mr. Sofowora, Mr. Ferdinand Ojiemen in particular- thanks to them) who insisted that I must not stop at the Degree level for whatever reasons, I proceeded to obtain the Nigerian Law School
July, Is My Month!
I was born in July, I married in July, I had one of my children in July, the most prosperous employment I had in life started in July, and here it is again, I became a qualified Lawyer in July! My first driving licence was obtained in July! If I were to choose my dying month after what the Bible has promised me a good old age - why wouldn't I choose this favourable and perfect number seven month - July - for it?
The Future of Legal Profession In Nigeria
Because of time constraint, the full account of my experiences at the Law School
Let me return to the Nigerian Law School Law School Nigerian Law School Nigeria
I must also commend the then Director-General of the School, Mr. Kayode Jegede, and his Deputy and successor Dr. Kole Abayomi who headed the Lagos Campus then, in particular. Dr. Abayomi was most affectionate to all his students. He demonstrated this fully when one day he practically went spiritual, praying for each student, laying his hands upon them to tap the anointing for success!
The study of law exposed me to the true nature of man. The gamut of our legal education (in the cases we read and digested) revealed to me the depth that some men (and women of course) can be inherently wicked, selfish, brutish and over adventurous! Yet the realization has not eliminated my earlier assertion that man is created good and that he recognizes and reciprocates love, when he sees it please! However, while the majority of human beings are good, it cannot be ignored that but for religion and the law, which combine to moderate him, he is capable of descending to the level of the wildest beast!
The study of the law also exposed me to the wisdom of the ages which is manifest in the various decisions of the courts that we perused.
Since graduation, it has been a pleasant feeling that people have accorded me greater respect than hitherto and that they have been coming to me for professional legal advice. The catch in the education is that everyone thinks I had all the wisdom which is the great challenge of Lawyers in society. I realize of course that to justify the expectation, one must not rest on one's oars!
Having become a Lawyer, a certified HR practitioner and an Author, God has finally helped me to lay a solid foundation for a better tomorrow. The icing of the cake is the grace of God to excel, especially as I have an eye to practise or lecture Law one day, in addition to my desire to write as many books as will change the society for the better.
Chapter 44
Appreciating Those
Who Supported
My Family
Throughout the duration of my educational quest, the management of my home had to be surrendered to my numerous family members including my mother, my niece, Busola Ajayi (nee Adeniyi), my Uncle Julius' wife's brother, Kazeem Olanipekun, my sister-in-law, Bola Ogunloye (nee Ayinde) and, towards the tail-end of my studies, my nephew, Lateef Biodun Jimoh.
I also acknowledge the good contributions made by Emmanuel Rotimi Ibitoye. Indeed my wife met him in my house and I have marveled at the beauty of their interpersonal relationship since then and even after he left us to be on his own. Two other nieces (Miss Eunice Adegbola and Janet Olayinka - both now married) who lived with us at one time or the other also made their own useful contribution to our home.
Everyone of them happily bridged the gaps created by the fact that my wife and I were a schooling and working couple. They gave our children psychological balance by managing our home co-operatively with us selflessly!
Reciprocally, my wife and I shared their visions and ensured that those who needed educating were not short-changed. We counseled those concerned about their future and generally shared a unified and unforced homely ambience where there were no social or family distinctions or prejudices. Happily, things have turned out right for everyone concerned, and my wife and I remain grateful to all those who helped to see us through our numerous transitions in life.
Throughout their stay with us, we all had a sense of oneness, such that nobody could draw the line between where the nuclear family ended and the extended family began! Till date, they remain cordial and happy with us. Busola Ajayi and her husband have taken me (and is eager to take my wife) out of the shores of Nigeria
This is why I maintain that human beings are created good. When they see love, they recognize it. When it is extended to them with all genuineness of heart, they reciprocate it. If I had hurt him when he was with me, he would most likely have reciprocated it also.
It stands to reason therefore that extended family members (so dreaded by some so-called nuclear homes) can be very helpful in building homes if only we demonstrated genuine love towards them. When they climb the ladder of fortune, they will not forget those who have been kind to them when they were down below.
As we appreciate them, we know that God appreciates them more and He will continue to reward them accordingly.
With these testimonies, I expect any doubters to bring their families (poly or monogamous, extended or nuclear) together in love. Let us stop justifying evil. No half measures! It just pays to do so and you, my reader, should initiate the conduct or practice. What I practised and still do, is what I am preaching to you. I am not postulating theories but earnest practicalities. You won't die if you do it. Rather, your life is bound to be the better for it in the long run!
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