In the Redeemed Church of God, Pastor Foluke Adeboye, Mother- In-Israel, fondly called Mummy G. O, the wife of the General Overseer, Enoch Adeboye, is the leader of all the women in the ministry of the Redeemed Church. She handles all the activities that have to do with women and coordinates them in all the countries where the church has branches. Mummy G.O. is in charge of Women Affairs. She plays host to the Annual Women in Ministry programme for all female ministers in the RCCG all over the world.
The programme is aimed at training RCCG Pastors’ wives and Midwives. She’s the Editor-in-Chief of Courage Magazine, the official publication of RCCG women, which helps in disseminating information on current issues as they affect Christian Women. She turned 69 this year and was celebrated by many, most especially the Redeemed Church members.
She’s the President of a welfare ministry called Certain Women. This welfare ministry caters for the emotional, financial, material and spiritual needs of widows both within and outside the church. The Women in Ministry Conference is 19 years since its establishment in 1998. Not many people know about mummy G.O’s early beginning asides being Pastor Adeboyes wife, and RCCG’s Mother in Israel.
She went to one of the best schools in Ibadan, coming from a very deep Christian home, she is well brought up and had followed the path of Christ since she was growing up. In the book, “For Such a time as this, A portrait of Pastor Foluke Adeboye” which is an exhaustive account book on Mummy G.O. written by Pastor Afolayan Nwabuogo Adefope, a Redeemed Pastor, who serves as the Pastor in Charge of RCCGNA – Christs for all Nations, Marietta, Georgia, USA, and also doubles as the executive editor of VIRTUE magazine, the official publication of the RCCGNA Women in Ministry. Taking excerpts from chapter 1 and 2, which talk extensively about Mama Adeboye’s early beginning and growing up.
She wrote, “on Tuesday 13th July 1948, a beautiful baby girl was born in Ilesha, Osun State to Papa Jacob Adefusika Adeyokunnu and Mama Felicia Morounfola Adeyokunnu. The child of destiny, who was the first among ten siblings, was on the eight day named Foluke Adenaike. Born into the family in total were 4 sons and 6 daughters. Today all the ten children of papa and mama are born again and serving the Lord in their own right.
To the glory of God, they are all very well educated and successful in various endeavors and walks of life. Papa Adeyokunnu was also the first horn of his father, from a royal family and lineage of one of the great kings of Ijeshaland,the Owan Obokun Ajimoko 1 making baby Foluke a princess. Papa had a very long and successful career as a teacher with the Methodist Mission of Nigeria. He was not just a member of the Methodist Church, but also a catechist, which is what is known today as a Deacon or an Assistant Pastor. He officiated in the church every Sunday.
He also made it compulsory for his entire family to go to church every Sunday raising them all as staunch Methodists. Papa Ayonkunnu was convinced that Christian education would provide the best foundation for young Foluke and as such he ensured that she attended the best elementary school at that time, Methodist Primary School, Ilesha. Young Foluke had a brilliant mind and was always at the top of her class, to the joy of her parents.
Upon her successful graduation from there, Papa enrolled her at the Methodist Girls School, Ilesha to continue her studies. Here, again young Foluke excelled much to her father’s satisfaction and pride.by this time, Foluke had proved herself to be a very brilliant and highly intelligent young lady the entire family and community began to see her as a role model for her peers and the younger children coming behind, following her education, at the Methodist Girls School, Foluke proceeded to attend one of the best teacher training colleges in Western Nigeria-the United Missionary College, Ibadan (UMC) from 1964 to 1966.
This college in those days was like a University for women. Again this was a Christian Mission School. and Foluke completed her programme in flying colours, graduating as a Grade Two teacher by age of 18. While attending the UMC, she was actively involved in various extra-curricular activities such as athletics and drama and she also served as the Sunday School supritendent.
Foluke was very popular at UMC known for her great sense of humor, friendly and jovial disposition.in the course of her studies at the UMC, Foluke served at various times as house prefect, food prefect and college supritendent. She was also a committed member of the scripture union (SU), a national devout and conservative evangelical Christian students group. Her area of study was science and mathematics and she graduated with a Grade 11 teachers certificate in 1966″.
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