•Reveals Why He & EBENEZER OBEY Are Close
Evangelist J.A Adelakun is very close to notable ministers of God like Bishop David Oyedepo, General Overseer of Winners Chapel, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, General Overseer of Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Mathew Ashimolowo of Kingsway International Christian Centre, Bishop Francis Wale Oke of The Sword of the Spirit Ministries, Rev. Esther Ajayi- the founder of Love of Christ Generation Church and many other notable men of God. Probably because of his meek nature, he shares a great bond with all the aforementioned General Overseers. Despite being a Soldier at the beginning of his life, yet his humility is out of this world and it has really paved way and open several doors for him, it has made him sit before kings and queens, wine and dine with the dignitaries and the nobles. Also being a disciplinarian has also helped him too in maintaining and sustaining the Godly relationships.
It came as a surprise to many exactly 10years ago when Bishop David Oyedepo- General Overseer of Winners Chapel graced the 60th birthday celebration of this legend. Undoubtedly there must be a great bond between the duo was the conclusion of many friends, family members and well-wishers who witnessed the great event.
In this part of the interview, Pastor J.A Adelakun revealed how his relationship with some of these notable ministers of God started and why he will never take their relationship for granted. Excerpt
You seem to be very close to some notable ministers of God, the likes of Pastor David Oyedepo, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, Bishop Wale Oke, Pastor Mathew Ashimolowo, Rev. Esther Ajayi, Evang. Ebenezer Obey and co. What is your relationship with them and how did it start?
Let me start with Baba Ebenezer Obey. I became close with him when I left OgoOluwa record after my 50th birthday in 1999. We became Paul and Silas, we always travel together. I will call Evangelist Ebenezer Obey a spiritual father and a good mentor; we do a lot of things together. I consulted him when God told me to remix Amonatetewa, and I told him my interest in using one of his best guitarist, called Tao, and he gave me go ahead without looking back, he said you are a father to all of them and they all loved you too, that was how he gave me Tao. Like I said we’ve done a lot of things together.
As for Baba Oyedepo; I will use the word Grace again. People couldn’t believe it when he came for my 60th birthday 10years ago. He came to this premise and dedicated this studio. What is happening in the studio today was prophesied by him on that day when he prayed for us. He gave me his 2 numbers to call him any day anytime, yet I don’t call him anyhow been a man of discipline that I am, who has worked with disciplined officers like Obasanjo, Ajayi and co, I don’t call him anyhow; I call him maybe once or twice in a year. I’m a man of discipline and I derive pleasure in disciplining myself. Everybody knows me for that, even to the food I eat, even to my immediate family, my children and they are enjoying it till today.
I’ve always wanted to meet Baba Oyedepo. There was a time I decided to tell Baba Obey of my interest in seeing Baba Oyedepo because he always invites him for ministration, but Baba Obey said “that man is a wonderful man of God, you cannot see him like that. He may say what do you want from me and all that, because he doesn’t take nonsense”. Seriously I wasn’t pleased and I still really wanted to meet with him, at least let him hear my songs, not knowing that he is even one of my fans too. But to my upmost surprise I was going to the mountain at IddoAjinare one day and my phone rang and lo and behold the caller was Bishop Oyedepo, he said “this is Bishop Oyedepo, is that Evangelist Ayewa? I said, Yes Sir, and he said, “I lost my Dad and I want you to be there” I said, yes sir, without even looking at my schedule, I just told him that when I return from the mountain I will call him. I was so surprised that the man of God that I’ve tried possible means to see just called me. And that was how it started. When his father died it was Baba Obey and I that was on the band stand, same at his mother’s burial. Anything he wants to do he always invited me, and what I normally do, whenever they invite me for ministration I don’t wait to collect honorarium, including Baba Adeboye. I will pay my boys from my own pocket. And I was told he was looking for me one day and they told him I’ve left. I didn’t know that he noted it, the 2nd time the 3rd time. Then, when he was doing his 60th birthday, I dedicated an album for him, released it and gave him 5000copies without collecting a dime from him. Somebody came to tell me how much he always talks about me that, that man is a man of God and I have respect for him. Since then, anytime they are doing anything and they invite us, Baba will tell his committee not to worry he would see Baba Ayewa himself. And that was how the relationship started. There was a day Baba blessed me with a huge gift “I was like God, help me o”. There was a day he surprised me, called me among many people to see him in his office, on getting to his office he said don’t worry, I just want you to come and dine with me in my house, when we got there, he asked me to sit beside him, and that was how the relationship started and it’s been solid since then.
I met Baba Adeboye when he came for a family function at our church several years ago; it was Late Baba Akindayomi’s son that was getting married to Baba Olasehinde’s daughter. Baba Adeboye came with Mummy and sat quietly in the congregation, a very humble man to the core. On sighting him I went to tell Baba Olasehinde that Baba Adeboye is in our midst and it will be proper if we invite him to the altar. Though he was putting on white Agbada which is not allowed on the altar of C.A.C, where you must always use collar. I told them to let us put the law on one side and give honor to whom it’s due. Meanwhile the rules and regulation is meant for we the pastors not for his kind of guest and they all agreed. Baba said we should let him sit with the Elders but we insisted. Before the closing of service, I had already told my P.A to package all my albums and I gave it to him and Mama Adeboye. And daddy said, wow! So this is the man that sang Amona? And without saying anything again they just left. I started ruminating on how to see them but I was a bit slowed down because I was thinking I’m from C.A.C and they are Redeemed until something said in my spirit that “are we not the same thing?” Meanwhile KunleAjayi was my boy, the best guitarist I had then, and he’s already with Baba. He just told me one day that he would like me to come and sing at Redeem, and lo and behold Baba himself later said they should go and look for the man that sang Amonatetewa. That was how they contacted me and invited me. Being the first time, I was given 5min, and you know there is a stop watch on their stage, once they give you 5min and you start, your time starts counting anticlockwise immediately. Being a man of discipline I performed and stopped at that exact 5mins not minding that people were already enjoying the song, I just stopped and returned back to my sit. They invited me the 2nd time, 3rd time and later I don’t even need invitation again, I’m part of them already. Everytime I go there I perform for at least 1hour. Baba Adeboye loves the Grace of God upon my life and ministry so much, and he has always been a helper.
Bishop Francis Wale Oke is my very good friend too. Some people used to call us twins, that we look alike. He’s a very nice man. We used to go for his crusade together. Anytime he calls me I’m always ready. We are very close.
The relationship between me and Rev. Esther Ajayi started when I went to London. One of my sons is a friend to Mama Esther’s son. My son told me there is a woman that I want you to go to her church, she’s a nice woman, though she’s C& S but she’s a woman of God, she believes in Holiness, and I said no problem I will come. When I met her you will think we’ve known each other for long, very nice, pleasant and accommodating woman of God, and then I ministered. When I finished she blessed me with tangible money. Then we went for the 3 legend program in London, a program organized by a woman to celebrate Evang. Ebenezer Obey, King Sunny Ade and myself. She was there and we ministered in her church again. We were together few weeks ago with Omo Baba WoliniIlasamaja, we were together at Taborah. She always calls me Baba mi Ayewa and I don’t hide the grace of God she used to bless me. She’s a nice woman. There are so many things people don’t know about her but God has revealed to me. She’s a very nice woman and a disciplinarian. So I’m very close to the family.
My meeting with Pastor Mathew Ashimolowo was divine; he helped me a lot. He knows my ability and capacity grammatically. I used to visit him whenever I went to London because he knew me before he left Nigeria. He started with C.A.C. it was Baba Oyebamji that mentored him. When I got to London, I told them I want to see Pastor Ashimolowo, they said he was very busy, but immediately he heard my name he came outside and started hailing me. We sat down and talked. He said to me that I have a glorious future, that all I need to do is to brush myself up a little bit by reading books, that if I can buy books and train myself that it will work. I started buying books, reading English bible and everything changed, also with the help of my band boys then. There was a time Pastor Ashimolowo said to me that “Pastor, I know you are a shy person, don’t worry and don’t mind anybody, just talk anyhow and you will see the improvement. That was how Pastor Ashimolowo encouraged me to speak and read in English, and I have a very good handwriting too.
