Enoch Adeboye at 78: Biography and the day he met his old Girl Friend

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Enoch Adeboye at 78

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Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye is marking his 78th birthday today. His church members who call him Daddy G.O, that is General Overseer (of the Redeemed Christian Church of God) RCCG are paying tributes to him. Politicians, captains of industry and many others who admire him will shower praises on him like confetti.

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Biography of Enoch Adejare Adeboye

The life of Enoch Adejare Adeboye is a fulfillment of the scriptures in Zechariah 4: 10 which declare, “despise not the days of small beginnings”.

Born in 1942 into a humble family in the village of Ifewara, Osun State located in the South-western part of Nigeria Enoch Adeboye often humorously states that his family was so poor that even the poor people called them poor. As a matter of fact, he unashamedly tells his congregation that he never owned shoes until he was eighteen years of age. What he possessed though were physical intangibles such as focus, consistency, diligence, ambition, a brilliant mind and a determination to succeed in life.

 

In 1956 Enoch Adeboye was admitted into Ilesha Grammar School, Ilesha, Osun State, Western Nigeria and as a youth he discovered a passion for books, and an aptitude for science and in particular the field of Mathematics. This led to an academic journey in the field of Mathematics against incredible odds including but not limited to finances, the Nigerian Civil War and academic politics. By the time he was done, Enoch Adeboye had obtained not only a Bachelors (BSc.) degree in Mathematics from the University of Nigeria, Nnsukka, Nigeria in 1967, but also a Masters (MSc.) Degree in Hydrodynamics and a Doctorate Degree (PhD) in Applied Mathematics, both from the University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria in 1969 and 1975 respectively.

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Enoch Adeboye at 78
Enoch Adeboye at 78

One of the motivations for these academic achievements was Enoch Adeboye’s passionate desire to become the youngest Vice Chancellor (University President) of any one of the frontline Universities in Nigeria. It did seem that his academic ambition would be realized as his academic career flourished. However, this was not to be as a greater career awaited him in the service of the Lord. In 1967 Enoch Adeboye got married to his beloved wife Foluke Adenike Adeboye (nee Adeyokunnu).

Sometime in the early 70s, God had spoken to Pa Akindayomi about his successor. The Lord told him that this man who was not a member of the church then, would be a young educated man. Thus when a young university lecturer joined the church in 1973, Papa was able to recognize him in the Spirit as the one that the Lord had spoken about in the past. This man, Enoch Adejare Adeboye who was then a lecturer of Mathematics at the University of Lagos soon became involved in the church. He became one of the interpreters translating Pa Akindayomi’s sermons from Yoruba to English. He was ordained a pastor of the church in 1975.


Papa was preparing to meet his Creator. He sent for Pastor Adeboye and spent several hours sharing with him details of the covenant and the plans of the Lord for the church. Even though a year before this, the Lord had revealed to Pastor Adeboye that he would be Papa’s successor, it was still too difficult for him to fully contemplate such an awesome responsibility.

Pa Josiah Akindayomi was 71 years old when he died. Amidst controversy, Pastor Adeboye’s appointment was formalized by the reading of Pa Akindayomi’s sealed pronouncement after his burial.

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Enoch Adeboye at 78
Enoch Adeboye at 78

Since 1981, an open explosion began with the number of parishes growing in leaps and bounds. At the last count, there are at least about 2000 parishes of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in Nigeria. On the International scene, the church is present in other African nations including C’ote D’Ivoire, Ghana, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Gambia, Cameroon, and South Africa. In Europe the church is spread in England, Germany, and France. In the United States there are parishes in Dallas, Tallahassee, Houston, New York, Washington, and Chicago and also in the Caribbean states of Haiti and Jamaica.


Today, God is still doing marvelous deeds through the Redeemed Christian Church of God, worldwide. One of the well-known programs of the church is the Holy Ghost Service, an all night miracle service that holds on the first Friday of every month at the Redemption Camp at Km. 46, Lagos-Ibadan expressway. The average headcount of those who attend the Service is about 500,000. The Holy Ghost Service now holds in different parts of the world which includes the United Kingdom, India, USA, Canada, South Africa, Australia, Dubai, Ghana, Philippines and many more.

AUTHENTIC ALSO POSTED: Men should not marry women who can’t cook – Pastor Adeboye

Day Enoch Adeboye met his old Girl Friend

In other words, it goes without saying that Adeboye is admired all over because of his pious disposition. He preaches against sin. However, the Pastor is humble and blunt enough to reveal that he was as lustful as every raw young man. He had girlfriends too. 

This was revealed by Bisi Daniel, journalist, writer, public relations consultant and author of “Stories of Pastor E.A. Adeboye, in a tribute

(Pastor Adeboye at 78: A journalist’s experience with him) he wrote for TheNEWS today.

In Adeboye’s own words:

“Before I was born again, I was a very rotten boy. I had two things going for me that made it extremely easy to have girlfriends. I was a sportsman and I was also a photographer. I’m yet to meet a lady who can say no when you say you want to snap her; I haven’t met one, particularly if you have the right kind of language.

Things like “Ahh, whoa! What am I looking at? Where has this sun been hidden? I have never seen this sunshine before.  Do you mind if I record you?

You know the elders have a saying; they say the mouth of the old woman looks like she never sucked breast. Hmm, when you see Pastor Adeboye you think he was born a saint. No, no, no, Thank God for His power to change. I had so many girl friends that at a stage I didn’t even know the number. And for each girlfriend there was a birthday. I had so many birthdays, one birthday for each girlfriend. I am just telling you this to let you know that God can pick one up from the pit of hell and make him or her His servant. Among all these girlfriends, there was one that was closest to me.

But after some time we separated: she went her way, I went my way. She got married, I got married. But in the meantime, I had become born again.

The lady had a child that was born lame, so somebody told her if she took the child to a certain pastor he would pray for the child to walk. So she came to the mission house.

I was in the living room but she saw some people on the veranda who asked for the pastor and was told I was inside.  So she opened the door and saw me. Laughter, laughter, laughter.

And you know what old flames do, ‘Aaaah long time no see? Where have you been, how has life been treating you, excetra, excetra?

When we finished, she said, ‘I want to see the pastor.’

I said, ‘Yes, I am the pastor.’

‘You?’ She asked, surprised

‘Yes,’ I said

She shouted, ‘You will pray and God will answer?’

Let somebody shout Hallelujah! I prayed and she got her miracle.”

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