HOW ILORIN HAS PRODUCED TOP PASTORS

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In Nigeria today, there are a lot of powerful pastors whose area of specialty are miracles, prophecy, healing, teaching, marriage counseling and these are attracting people with such problems. But it will be interesting to know that one part of the country that has produced a great number of the great men of God is Ilorin. While some of them either was born or grew up in Ilorin, others simply started their ministry there spending a remarkable years of their life there.
Today, these pastors control some of the fastest growing churches in the country, with branches all over the country. They have also registered their presence on the international scene. In this report, BOLA AKINBOADE, bring to you these men of God that Ilorin has produced.

BISHOP DAVID OYEDEPO
Bishop David Oyedepo is the general overseer of Living Faith Ministries aka Winners Chapel. He is been referred today as one of the fathers of Christianity. He controls one of the biggest churches in Africa. His 50,000 capacity worship centre in Cannan land, Otta, Ogun State, has attracted Christian worshippers from within and outside the country. A native Omu Aran, Kwara state, Oyedepo started his early life in Osogbo where he was actually born. Tertiary education took him back to Ilorin, where he studied architecture at Kwara State Polytechnic. He worked briefly with the Federal Ministry of Housing in Ilorin, before resigning to concentrate on missionary work.
His ministry also started from Ilorin.
Papa, as he is called by many, received a mandate from God in May 1981 to ‘liberate the world from all oppression of the devil through the preaching of the word of faith.’
This inaugural vision led to the founding of the Living Faith Church Worldwide, first called Liberation Faith Hour Ministries, in 1981.
Two years after, on September 17, 1983, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, ordained David and his wife, Florence Abiola Akano (now known as Faith Abiola Oyedepo) as pastors and also officially commissioned the newly started church by Oyedepo.
After establishing his ministry in Ilorin, it metamorphosized in a church, Winners chapel which started officially in Kaduna but moved to Lagos, the former capital of Nigeria in September 1989, to start a new branch of his Church, after receiving an instruction from God to reach out to the population in Lagos.
The Church in Otta has gone on to become the International headquarters. His ministry has several testimonies with many barren women recording birth of babies after attending his programmes. Many more claim to have received healing, secured employment, financial breakthroughs, turn-around in their respective businesses and deliverance from ancestral curses.
Today, the church exists in every state of Nigeria and in some other African countries.
Oyedepo has more than 20 books, published by Dominion Publishing House, a publishing arm of his ministry, to complement his soul- winning efforts.

PASTOR ENOCH ADEBOYE
Pastor Enoch Adeboye, fondly called ‘Daddy G.O’ is the general overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG). Though he hails from Osun State, he was also in Ilorin at the beginning of his ministry where he helped in planting some other churches and ordained some pastors such as the likes of Bishop David Oyedepo and his wife, amongst others.
Before joining the pentecostal church, Adeboye was a mathematics lecturer and worked at the universities of Lagos and University of Ilorin.
He has a PhD in applied mathematics from the University of Lagos, hitting a successful career in the academic world.
In 1981 by divine providence, Adeboye became the General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church Of God, making him leader of the Church after the death of Papa Akindayomi, the previous year. For three years he filled the role part-time, as he was still lecturing at Ilorin. He later gave up his university position to preach full-time.
Since then, Pastor Adeboye has overseen the planting of RCCG into one of the biggest churches around, with branches in over a hundred countries, including more than 14,000 in Nigeria.
The humble mathematician-turned preacher has impacted on the lives of millions of Nigerians with his monthly Holy Ghost Night programme.

PROPHET SAMSON 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, who has a special anointing on problem of barreness, which was one of the things that attracted a lot of members to his ministry within a short period of time.
Women in search of the fruit of the womb have continued to flock his miracle programmes, so are the unemployed, students and a host of miracle seekers. And there have been series of testimonies emanating from his ministry over the years.
Ayorinde is one of the most sought after healing evangelist in the country and even on the international scene. Interestingly, this great man of God is another Ilorin product.
He was born in Rore, Kwara State. Although 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, Zaria, Nigeria. By the mercy of God, he was saved and the future prophet was birthed. He preaches the word of God across the continents with prophetic anointing, confirmed with miracles, signs and wonders. His Television Ministry is beamed to the world through Faith World Channel U.K while his crusade outreach records great multitudes in attendance and numerous converting.
Prophet Samson 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

REV. GEORGE ADEGBOYE
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. He is known for his prophetic and peculiar anointing, especially at crusade grounds. He has a dynamic insight into the Word of God. His ability to memorize and quote the Scriptures copiously has endeared him to many Christians earning him the name “The Walking Bible”. Humble and down-to-earth, he is also been referred as one of the Fathers of Christianity as his ministry has produced a lot of the top pastors in the country such as Pastor Sam Adeyemi, Pastor Samuel Olubiyo, Pastor Victor Adeyemi and a host of others.
He has being instrumental in 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 fire brand ministers of the Gospel in several nations of the world.

PASTOR 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. He is an architect by profession. For many years, he 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, emphasizing 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 branches in Lagos, which are all doing well.
He is one of the most sought after speakers in crusade and special anointing programme.
Alex has a special anointing in deliverance, though he doesn’t emphasise too much on miracles in his church, but rather the word, which then work the wonders.

PASTOR SAM ADEYEMI
Pastor Sam Adeyemi is the Senior Pastor of Daystar Christian Centre, a fast growing church based in Lagos and President of Success Power International, that aims to impart individuals with knowledge that will help them discover, develop, release and maximise their potentials.
Though Pastor Sam hails from Kogi state, he actually started his ministry from Ilorin. He used to be one of the Pastors at Rhema Chapel, founded by George Adegboye. He contributed a lot to the growth of the church through out his stay in Ilorin. It was also in the trust that the church sent him to preside on the new Lagos branch of the church.
Pastor Sam got the call of God along the line and 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 5,000 worshippers. One of the things that stand him out is his dynamic way of preaching; he is also a teacher and motivational speaker. He has the God given mandate to teach scriptural Success, Leadership and Financial principles through seminars and the media – radio, television, tapes and prints. His teachings have motivated, encouraged and spur on people to start or advance their businesses. He’s one of the few championing the course for a “new Nigeria” and the reformation of the African continent as a whole.
Pastor Sam has authored several books including best sellers like “The Second Revolution” and “Parable of Dollars”.

REV. VICTOR ADEYEMI
Rev. Victor Adeyemi, the immediate younger brother of Daystar Christian Centre Senior Pastor, Sam Adeyemi is a prolific preacher and teacher.
He towed the same path similar to his brother after obtaining a college diploma in law in 1989. He joined Rhema Chapel International Church, 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 the city of Lagos and the United Kingdom.
With more than 25 years in the ministry, he is committed to bringing the good news of Jesus Christ to people all over the world.
He is the author of several books and hosts a quarterly ministers and ministry leaders meeting tagged Charismatic Alliance. His itinerant ministry is widely sought and resource materials widely circulated in the United States America, United Kingdom, Africa and Asia.
A much sought-after conference speaker Rev. victor Adeyemi is known for his practical approach to the Bible and has encouraged thousands to pursue a personal relationship with God.

REV. SAMUEL OLUBIYO
Rev. Samuel Olubiyo is the General Overseer of Triumphant Christian Centre, Oregun, Lagos.
He is known for his healing service and evangelism. He doesn’t portray himself as a miracle worker but someone whom God has used to perform many miracles. He is also known for his firebrand style of preaching.
Olubiyo started his ministry in Ilorin. He was a full time minister at the Rhema Chapel, Ilorin for years before he got the call of God to start his own church. His church now, located in the Oregun axis of Lagos started couple of years back. He is also the author of books such as ‘None shall be barren’, ‘The law of prosperity’, ‘Should such a man as I quit?’, ‘You shall rise again’, ‘Failed but not a failure’ amongst others.

PASTOR AFOLABI SAMUEL COKER
Pastor Samuel Afolabi Coker is the Senior Pastor The King’s Chamber, the church arm of Redemption Inheritance Ministries situated in Ilupeju, Lagos. He could be said to be a man of many parts. Born about 50 years ago in Oshogbo, Osun State, into the reputable Coker family from the ancient city of Abeokuta.
Reverend Afolabi Samuel Coker grew up in Ilorin, Kwara State.
With a first degree in Geology from the University of Ilorin and a Masters degree from the Obafemi Awolowo University, he started his career as a lecturer. As an academic, he lectured at the Geology Department University of Ilorin, Kwara State Nigeria, before he got the call of God to go into ministry. He has been mentored by great men of God in Christendom including the likes of Pastor Enoch Adeboye, Bishop David Oyedepo, Bishop Francis Wale Oke, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, Pastor Taiwo Odukoya, Rev. George Adegboye, Pastor Sam Adeyemi, Pastor Amos Fenwa, Pastor Yeside Staveley, Pastor David Adedeji, Dr. Albert Odulele, amongst others, the impact which could be seen in his ministry.
Today, Reverend Coker is a minister of the gospel who has been called as a prophet to the nations of the world. He founded his church, The King’s Chamber in 2002. He is also the President and Visioner of the Settle Me, 0 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.

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