+How He Runs His Church INRI
Every 14th of February is the birthday of a man that I so much cherished. He is Primate Elijah Babatunde Ayodele. He is an administrator, a teacher, an evangelist and apostle of peace, love, a philanthropist per excellence, a down-to-earth and humble personality, a father of the fatherless who has been working tirelessly in the Lord’s vineyard for 28 years.
To start with, Primate Ayodele of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church is not a neophyte nor is he a stranger in the mission. He started on a sound footing about the same time with the likes of such famous prophets of God as Professor Godspower Oyewole; Dr. Gabriel Okunzua, a notable parapsychologist; Prophet Samuel Adewole of the Celestial Church of Christ, and Primate Theophilus Olabayo of the Evangelical Church of Yahweh. And like Olabayo did in those days when prophetic outbursts were such that conveyed a vent of colour, wild excitement and admiration, defining the beauty of the seasons, Ayodele proudly still carries the torch of spiritual evangelism proclaiming the glory of God to the benefit of mankind. He also enjoys the rare uniqueness of a regular critic of CAN, the umbrella body of Christians in Nigeria which to him still falls short of leading by example. Ayodele’s reputation is such that spreads across the world and his prophetic accuracy remains ever intact in its unique integrity.
To his friends, Ayodele represents all the reasons for friendship. If you ever had any doubts that friends are one of the most important, if least understood, aspects of life, Ayodele will convince you. When it comes to happiness of his friends, he is there always. He prays with his friends, mixes with them, gives counsels when necessary and inspires to advance their goals.Conversely, he is also exposed to friends who are more successful than himself and have the potential to expand his thinking and catapult his bases. In this group of his secret friends and admirers are top politicians, scholars, presidents of African and European nations.
A godly husband, he leads his family. Primate Ayodele is the perfect example of a responsible husband and father at home.However, he does not encourage sacrificing the ministry on the altar of family. Hence, his wife and children are less visible in the church. This may not be the case for every Pastor’s wife, though. To the famous cleric who would prefer to be just addressed as ‘servant of God’, he loves to keep his family out of attention simply “because it gives me a more balanced perspective in making decisions for the church. This is a ministry to me personally and to the church family. I try as much to resist the temptation to idolize my family.” Such thinking!
Talking about prophetic gifts, it would be understating the obvious to say that Ayodele, based on the precision of his spiritual foresights, is renowned globally. A true prophet never gives his private interpretation; he only shares what the lord reveals (2 Peter 1:20). For Ayodele, scripture defines scripture, not man.
These quick facts about his prophetic fitness should be convincing. Ayodele is the first Nigerian prophet to predict the emergence of a Republican candidate to as the next American President after Barack Obama. He’d warned the Democrat’s candidate, Hillary Clinton against underrating Donald Trump’s capability during the presidential campaign. After the President Goodluck Jonathan victory of 2011, the Primate warned that the president would not win the next election of 2015. Also, in that year, he predicted a Christian governor for Lagos State after Raji Fashola. He predicted the birth of a mega party to fight the then ruling PDP, foresaw the fight of Buhari and Tinubu. Emphatically, he warned that President Buhari would be down with a strange disease and might go for surgery. This was a banner story in major newspapers and the social media in 2015. In his latest messages, he said he foresaw Asiwaju Bola Tinubu contesting for presidency in 2019 and he has warned him to be strategic about it or else he’ll fail. He has also warned the federal government to take the matter of security very seriously as he has not seen the security issues settled. Ayodele said he foresaw the CBN as the main reason for Nigeria’s current economic challenge, warning that unless CBN is restructured, there may not be an end to the problem.
Also, the fearless preacher has come out to state categorically that President Buhari is still very much alive. He noted, however, that he needs serious prayers if he is to continue at the helm of affairs when he returns.
On the humanitarian leg, the servant of God has also achieved tremendously. Apart from ministering to win souls for Christ, he equally ministers to those who are in need; the widow, the orphan, the aged and the vulnerable in the society. With his ministry’s humanitarian arm, Ayodele moves around to reach those most in need, and he often does his charity with little fanfare. He visits regularly to donate security equipment to the police and other security agencies; he visits hospitals to gives drugs and supporting cash, he visits schools where he offers scholarships, free books and teaching aids, and food and clothing to the destitute. About 200 secondary school students benefited from his free JAMB forms scheme done recently. Tuition fees of 100 tertiary students and 50 primary school pupils were also paid from the scheme. Because the satisfaction of the church is the welfare of members and the success of the church is seen in the number of lives touched, Ayodele, will always put the welfare of his members first. Amazingly, members are offered millions of naira worth of cars at N7, 000 installments. About 50 church members were recently allocated plots of land valued at N3m per plot. Apartments are offered at ridiculous rent and offering food items at the cheapest or no rate is a steady affair. Also, the sensitive dynamics between Christians and Muslims underlines the importance of Ayodele’s interest in interreligious relations. It has become a practice since the birth of INRI to sponsor widows on pilgrimage to Mecca and Jerusalem. 2017 is not an exception.
A healing evangelist, Ayodele’s restorative ability is so great that his ministry has been witness to hundreds of miracles God has performed over the last two decades. His services represent a new move of supernatural Christianity characterized by signs, wonders and healing miracles. Recently, a woman was healed of 30 years old diabetes, and many more.
It is recalled with joy that the INRI is the first White Garment church in Nigeria to have launched a cable television. Its Golden TV was launched with the sole objective of creating a hub for Christians and non-Christians all over the world to watch gospel messages and programmes that will transform their lives and help them grow deeper in the knowledge of God. Also, INRI sets the record as the first White Garment Church to run both English and Yoruba services simultaneously. I will not forget to tell about Primate Ayodele’s new outreach in Ikeja, an interdenominational initiative that is fast drawing large turnouts of people seeking divine restorations. The Ikoyi leg will take off soon.
What a better way to say happy birthday to a strong leader who demonstrates firm values and disciplines, a leader who leads himself before he leads others, a leader who leads out of inner rest and depth, and embodiment of truth and wisdom.
ADEMOLA ALADE FOLORUNSHO
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