Samuel Oamen

Fifty years after active ministry, Apapa District Superintendent of Assemblies of God Church Lagos, Rev. Michael Ogunbola, has retired.

Friends, associates and well-wishers converge on the 7th Avenue, Festac, Lagos headquarters of the district last week to bid him a deserving retirement.

They said his 18-year stint as District Superintendent was not only fruitful but extremely productive.

They recalled God used Ogunbola and his wife, Evangelist Esther produce pastors, build churches and schools and executed projects with little or no fund.

Under him, according to them, the district gave birth to Badagry and Lekki districts with over 110 branches.

Secretary to the Church, Reverend Chukwudebelu Vincent, described Ogunbola as a leader par excellence, a spirit- filled man with five-dimensional strength.

He said: “I have been under the tutelage of Reverend Ogunbola for many years now.

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“He is a man who is not easily swayed by public opinion, a Yoruba man who excellently led a denomination where the Igbos dominate. He is extremely committed to project execution.”

He added: “He is a man of God whose impact was not only felt church members but also by non-church members, whose children have benefited from his annual scholarship programme which is being determined by an annual quiz competition.

“The Assemblies of God secondary school Festac is another project that was executed by Reverend Ogunbola in 2017, currently having over 1000 pupils and majority is non-members of the church.”

Another top official of the church, Reverend Gabriel Chinedu, described the retiring superintendent as a gift to the church.

He stated if it were possible, he would have asked him to remain as a leader because of his giftedness, thoroughness in administrative management.

According to him: “Rev Ogunbola is a man whose good works will continue to speak for him after he is gone, a principled man who frowns at idleness and embraces hardworking, a time keeper who is punctual at all time, a man of laudable character who is a role model to many.”

Ogunbola told reporters during the retirement service that it was actually God’s grace that saw him through his days of ministry.

He said: “One of the things I’m thankful to God for is that I am alive to witness this day.

‘’So many pastors started the race and died in ministry, but here am I today, hale and hearty and able to hand over the mantle to another Pastor.”

When asked if he had challenges that almost made him quit ministry, he said: “There were challenges but God kept seeing me through and as for quitting, there was a particular time I felt like quitting because those I trusted and put my trust in, betrayed me, but I prayed and seek the face of God, and He saw me through the ordeal.

“Even though he is retiring as a district superintendent, he is not retiring from the work of God.”