Christian Tourism Practitioners Association of Nigeria (CTPAN), the umbrella body for all private Christian pilgrimage operators in Nigeria, has re-elected, Rev. Dr. Israel Kristilere as President for another term of three years.
The election of new officers marked the high point of activities during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) last Tuesday in Lagos.
The physical and virtual AGM afforded all members of the association spread across the West, East, North and South of Nigeria the opportunity to fully participate in the meeting.
Other members of the executive committee elected with Kristilere the CEO of Oasis of Faith Intercontinental Ltd are Dns Mopelola Oluokun (Beulah Travels) as Vice President; Pastor Olajumoke Adeniyi (Pasture Travels) as General Secretary; Mrs. Bola Mapaderun (Air Pearl Travels) as Deputy General Secretary; Pastor Taiwo Akinsola (Unique Travels) as Publicity Secretary and Pastor Favour Lajuwomi (Disciples Travels) as Financial Secretary.
Other members of the excos are Pastor Taiwo Gabriel (Journey Craft Travels) Treasurer; Rev. Okey Ikeri (Aerologistics) Chairman of Disciplinary Committee; Mrs Adetutu Sulaiman (Flash Travels) Auditor; Barrister Simon Onu (Tsalianim Travels) Legal Adviser; Mrs Adeola Adekola (Ideal Travels) Ex Officio 1 and Rev. Dr. Julius Akinrinade (Julius Travels) Ex Officio 2.
Kristilere appreciated all members of the association for the confidence reposed in them and promised to work harder towards greater improvement in the processes of private Christian pilgrimage in Nigeria.
Responding to a journalist who asked for his opinion on the recent appointment of Bishop Dr. S. T.V Adegbite as the New Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission, (NCPC) by President Bola Tinubu, Kristilere, who is also the Lead Pastor of Shepherdhill Baptist Church, Obanikoro, Lagos stated that the President could not have appointed a better person.
According to him: “Dr Adegbite is a round peg in a round hole. The man knows the job, he is prepared for the job and very capable for the job.” He stated that Dr Adegbite, who had been his friend of many years since their doctoral programme at the University of Ibadan will definitely take Christian Pilgrimage in Nigeria to enviable heights.”
Speaking on the relationship between his association and the Commission, Kristilere pointed out he and all members of CTPAN are already looking forward to a cordial working relationship and meaningful partnership with the newly appointed Executive Secretary and members of the Board of NCPC.
The Bible Society of Nigeria (BSN) has concluded plans to honour the Founder of the Love of Christ Generation Church, Rev Mother Esther Ajayi; the Group Managing Director of Rose of Sharon Group, Mrs. Folorunsho Alakija and the pioneer Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Micro Support Services, Mrs. Elizabeth Ehigiamusoe with the award of selfless service to God and humanity.
Its Manager, Media and Public Relations, Benjamin Mordi, said that the award, which is part of activities marking BSN’s 15th Founder’s Day annual lecture holds at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Victoria Island, Lagos on February 8.
Mordi said that the programme will be chaired by the Group Managing Director of Wetherheads Advertising Group, Pastor Abiodun Iderawumi.
The theme for this year is: “Security, social justice and poverty eradication: Clarion demands on governance in Nigeria” and the guest speaker is a veteran Journalist, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of Corporate Biographers, Mr. Mike Awoyinfa.
Other dignitaries expected at the occasion are The Patron of The Bible Society of Nigeria, Gen. Dr. Yakubu Gowon GCFR, who is the Father of the Day; Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu; the Chief Executive Officer of Ocean Glory Commodities Limited, Mr. Peter Chiori, who is the Special Guest of Honour; the Chairman of Apapa Local Government, Hon. Idowu Senbanjo as Guest of Honour, and other captains of industries.
Samm Henshaw is a British-Nigerian performing artiste and composer. The entertainer, who is the son of pastor, shares his favourite things with Olaitan Ganiu.
Favourite wrist watch
I don’t really wear any. Not a watch guy.
Favourite car
I love classic cars, so Mercedes w 123, That I really want. Really love that car.
Favourite designer
Ellie Misner. She’s amazing. Yeah, she does great stuff.
At the moment, Everybody needs love by Marvin Gaye
Favourite book
I’m currently reading a Rick Rubin book.
Favourite accessories
I’m always wearing this bracelet and I’m always wearing my pinky ring. I found this in a store in LA on Melrose and I always go back to that shop because they always have these really special gems in there.
Sir John Barnett known professionally as Sir John is a makeup artist, activist, and influencer. He has worked with several celebrities like Beyonce, Naomi Campbell, Serena Williams, Iman, Celine Dion, and Erykah Badu. During an encounter at the GTCO Masterclass in Lagos, he tells Yetunde Oladeinde about the memorable moments, learning the ropes, meeting a lot of people, and inspiring others.
Sir John was born in Buffalo, New York and he goes down memory lane to tell you how his grandmother, whom he adores named him Sir.” All my uncles are Marines, in the Navy, Army and Air Force. As her first grandchild, she gave me the name and title Sir”.
From a very early age, he took an interest in art after receiving formal training from the age of six. He later honed his skillset at the Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts.
By the time he was 18 years old, he moved to Atlanta, Georgia, following his passion for art, to study art history, printmaking, and sculpture at The American InterContinental University.
While in Atlanta, Sir John discovered a love for make-up. His friend, a catalog model, invited him to accompany her to a photo shoot for an upcoming spread.
Interestingly, the make-up artist scheduled for the shoot canceled at the last minute, and the shoot photographer, recognizing that Sir John studied art, offered him the opportunity to do his friend’s make-up.
He did a marvelous job and this was the turning point for so many other opportunities to come. The following week, the photographer invited Sir John to work on another photo shoot, and soon introduced Sir John to some of his friends in the cosmetic industry; this led to his first full-time job at a local make-up counter for MAC Cosmetics.
At the age of 23, he pivoted into visual merchandising and executed displays for brands like Barneys New York, Henri Bendel, Bergdorf Goodman, and Gucci.
He worked smoothly as he did the practical sessions with the two ladies with different skin tones and explained the reason for choosing the different colours and shades. Now, you want to know what his first attempts were like and he responds this way:
“My first attempt at makeup was when I was very young. I didn’t know it was a job. I didn’t know you had to be paid to do this but I loved it. The first time I did this, I saw a great transformation. I also remember my mum was a single mum. She used to go to the bathroom and put stuff on her lashes, even before I knew what the name was. Happily, he recalls that each time, his mother came out she looked a little bit better. “So, that is the power of beauty. It is not something that you conceal. It is something that you can create. It is a feeling and that is why it is important to understand the personality you are working on”.
Now, you want to know if he practiced with himself before you started working on others. “No. I was a make-up artist but I was scared of putting makeup on myself. Now, I am older and know much better now.
Next, Sir John talked about his experiences in the sector and what it means to him with nostalgia. “ It has been a very exciting journey and I am happy doing what I do. This is the second time I will be attending GT Fashion Weekend. I had an amazing time. Any time I come for an event, I try to create a very powerful effect. Art is a vehicle for us to express pain, emotion, and the highlights within the room”.
So, how did he discover Beyoncee, or was she the one who discovered him?“She met me backstage at the Tom Ford fashion show. I did her makeup and she liked it. My mother wanted me to do something she considered more professional and she wanted me to express myself differently. Sometimes, our choices make our parents worried. It wasn’t easy because I had the privilege of being a guy’s guy”.
Next, he goes on to talk about mentoring young people and the need to discover what they are passionate about and excel. “A lot of our young people are doing very well, breaking new grounds and setting a pace for others to follow. They need a lot of support and encouragement I will continue to talk to a generation until I reach the target.”
He continued: “ I just did a Master class that was very interesting. I have a podcast that is coming on and I love talking to people. I am from New York and I think the best thing we can do is to continue to raise our voices. The voice is more powerful even though I can do a lot with my hands”.
Is Sir John married you asked? “No! I have been with the same partner for 11 years till date”.
What are the new things and areas that he is looking forward to ?“I am looking forward to how much we can go forward. I have been the creative director for L’Oreal Paris USA for 10 years. I am the first black person to do that and now with CTZN Cosmetics which is French. The goal is not easy, working with the French and pushing back the stereotype. We all have our space. luxury does not have to look like this or that”.
Rhoda Agbeyo is the creative director and CEO of Rhoda Micheals Academy.In this interview with Yetunde Oladeinde, she talks about growing up, being inspired to sew by her mother, challenges, surviving in the sector, how government can make things better as well as mentoring young entrepreneurs.
Why did you go into fashion?
I love fashion. I enjoy creating things, not just fashion. I also love business and my mum was a fashion designer. So, it was just easy. She taught me everything. I also learnt from all her mistakes. I was literally born into it.
What were the challenges for you at the beginning?
I don’t like focusing on the challenges. The basic challenges include electricity, lack of infrastructure and lack of funds. But when you sit down and map out your strategies, you will overcome them. You learn from it and you will be stronger.
How would you describe your journey in the past 25 years?
It has been interesting. For me, I love to be positive and always look at things from the bright side. I don’t stay in negativity for too long because if you dwell there, then it will consume you. Sometimes, you have the mountain top and sometimes it’s the valley. It comes with the business and it’s not going to change.
How do you source your materials?
They are locally sourced. Foreign exchange however is affecting everything. Whoever is bringing resources in would have to change it to dollars, so it’s a very big problem. If it’s going to be better, fine. If it is not, then we have to find a way to live with it.
Apart from your mum, do you have other mentors in the sector?
There are so many of them. You have the western designers and even the local ones in Nigeria. You have influences from right, left and center. When you are an artistic person, you just have to pick from everybody. So, I can’t say that it is one specific person.
What is the inspiration for the training that you do?
Every year we have always graduated students as entrepreneurs. But this year, we were very intentional because of the situation in the country. It is not everybody that can Japa. Japa is not that interesting anymore. The only reason why people are going away is the way Nigeria is in terms of security. If things were good, nobody would Japa. But how do we create this alternative? Personally, I don’t like living outside the country.
If I travel, after two weeks, I have to come back home. Home is home. How do I make it more habitable for the young person coming up? How do we make the business atmosphere more profitable? The economic instability is not really peculiar to Nigeria although it could be better. For the few of us that are left, we have to figure out how we can make it work.
So, this year we were very intentional. The reason is that we have to make entrepreneurship work. If you are not going to be the best entrepreneur, we have to make you the best employee. But truly, if you cannot serve, you cannot even lead. First, we created employees from all our students and then turned them to budding entrepreneurs.
Hence, we had to register their businesses and they are standing as businesses this year. Experience is the best teacher but it doesn’t have to be your experience. If you can climb the shoulders of those who have actually been there, then it makes it easier. So, that is what we give them. Inasmuch as we are a school, we are also a surviving business in Nigeria. So it’s easy to impact the principles that we have learnt. We just teach them how to start with the barest minimum.
You don’t have to have it all because at the end of the day, you realise that it is not only the cutting and sewing. Anybody can cut and sew. What they lack is that entrepreneurial spirit. That ability to collaborate, communicate and network. So, those were the key principles this year. We also taught them diligence and time management. No matter how successful you are and you don’t have those skills, everything is just a waste.
How are you going to ensure that they have the necessary funding?
You don’t have to depend on loans. You shouldn’t even take loans as far as we are concerned. You are just a budding entrepreneur. You don’t even know the pitfalls yet. So, what we teach those that I have mentored is to start from scratch. There are some stages that if you skip you will meet it in front and you will meet it at a higher level. When you start from the scratch, you will understand the rudiments of the business. What you cannot solve without money, you cannot solve with money.
If you pump a lot of money into fashion, it would take it but it won’t bring it out at the rate at which you pump it. Fashion is ever evolving, it’s changing. So, we just taught them the pay as you go syndrome. If you try this and it’s not working, then you can try something else. When you start with one machine, then two or three years later, you can get another machine. Then five years down the line, you can start saying I want to collect money, because now you know what you are doing.
Funny enough, in this generation, three to five years is another learning curve again. You are starting another stage, fashion is actually something that can bankroll itself if you know what you are doing.
How would you describe the impact of the economy in the past one year?
I must say that it hasn’t been a very good year because of the fuel, not just the naira. Most designers rely on the generator, the fuel is already at par with diesel. The small designer is bearing that impact. I always advise that when there is no electricity , use the black head machine to sew. Also, get the smaller generator, you don’t have to use the bigger one. If you are not careful, the fueling would consume your profit.
Is it 10 years as a designer or of the Academy?
It is 10 years of running the school, our fashion academy. As a designer officially, I have been in the sector for the past 25 years, even though I have been in it since I was 8 years old. I quit designing 10 years ago because you cannot be competing with your students. Now, I do more mentoring . My mum had a fashion school, Parent care Fashion college then and she just kept me there.
How many graduates do you churn out every year ?
Each year we train an average of 20 to 50 students. You have to be certified and the process of being certified is important because sometimes you need to go abroad or get permission from the husband. There are different steps and you have to handle them with care.
So, if you go through the process of liasing with models, going through the process of negotiating with tailors, understanding the rudiments of the fashion industry, take them on excursions and talk to other fashion designers. This year , what we did was to take them to Alumni’s fashion houses , this helps them to understand that this is a profitable journey.
Do you always have fashion shows?
Yes, we have fashion shows every year. This has been the pattern and we have the graduation as well. This year was smaller because we considered the economy as well. Although, it is usually about 80 per cent of the cost is sponsored by the school.
What can the government do to make things better ?
Let them just create the enabling environment. If there is light , access to market, access to products. Make sure that the young designers in Nigeria are able to export their products. So, that is what the government can do to make things easier for people. Just do the needful and strengthen the naira.
Did you or any of your students benefit from any of the government initiatives?
When it comes to loans , it is easy to collect. If you do not have an enabling environment , how can you repay a loan of 10 to 22 per cent? It is not realistic and so we do not train our students to go in that direction. What we teach you to do, you must actually make money from it. This is because a lot of things are involved when it comes to pushing a product.
If you don’t get your marketing niche right , then there is a problem. So, if you collect a loan into a disaster , that is why you see people getting in trouble. It is because those percentages are unrealistic.
Do you have an area of specialization?
We do everything from children, male , female wear and bridals. This year we have gone hybrid, which means that the school is both digital and physical. We got students from outside Nigeria and last year all our students graduated from Accra Fashion school in Ghana. We took them all to Ghana. It can be anywhere next time. Ours is just to expose our students and to make sure that our certificate is really strong. So, that anywhere you go with it , they will know that it is credible.
Let’s talk about some of the memories?
I am proud of all my students . I have most of them launching brands every single day . This is just the beginning and by the time we come back in three or four years , it would be unbelievable. If you cannot outlive what you are doing , then you have a very big problem. That is what we also teach our students, you have to learn to collaborate . We are not just teaching you to take care of yourself, you have got to take care of society.
What about your mum?
She is retired now. She does bridals sometimes. For me, combining motherhood with designing was easy because I understood the seasons. I know the successes that I would have in ten years time and those that I would have in 20 years time. If you can understand that and do things according to your environment, then you would be fine. The truth is that a woman can’t have it all. No matter how you sweet talk it. So, if this business is taking 25 per cent, then I am giving it my all. That is what I have done and I have been able to balance it all.
• Most of the present generation does not even know reason for the feud
Tuesday December 26, 2023 will go down as a date to remember by members of the Fasinro Soenu family of Lagos Island and the Magbamiloruko Oloto Royal Family of Mainland Lagos, as it was a date both families reunited after about a century old separation. Onisabe of Igbobi-Sabe, Yaba Lagos, Oba Owolabi Adeniyi and Dr Akinlade Babafemi of the Magbamiloruko family who spoke to The Nation, said the significance cannot be over-emphasized.
The reunion, which took place in Otto, Lagos Mainland, also had notable family members, including Olori Ebi Fasinro Suenu family, Suenu Jimoh Senior, Pa. Mukthair Kayode Jenmi, Chief Mohammed Bashir Akinola, the Odoffin of Otto & Mainland, Pa Lamoriu Sanusi, Amidu Sulaiman Suenu (Fabiyi), Bankole Olalekan Orishayomi, Alhadja Saidatu Amodu among others.
Notably, offerings were also made and a big get-together bash was organised to commemorate the occasion.
According to Dr Akinlade Babafemi, who was speaking in the presence of the Onisabe of Igbobi Sabe in his palace in Igbobi-Sabe, Magbamiloruko, whose real name was Ifayemi got married to two husbands, one after the other, both of who, incidentally, were of royal families at different times in her lifetime.
“The first was a prince of Benin of the Adele Ajosun Family while the later was of Suenu family, both of Lagos. She married Prince Akapo, who was the third son of then reigning Oba Adele Ajosun. When that one passed, she got married to Orisadaran, an Apa Prince from present day Badagry. Orisadaran was a warrior and mercenary, who due to his valiant exploits, accompanied Oba Akinsemoyin and was honoured to become the first Suenu of Lagos. Magbamiloruko herself wasn’t without royalty in her blood, as she was the third born of Oloto Baalo, who reigned between 1816 and 1859 after Oloto Akinjufe who reigned between 1730 and 1765.
Because Ifayemi’s marriage to Akapo was of two royal families – Oba Adele Ajosun as the Eleko on Lagos Island and Oba Baalo Oloto on the Mainland, the Lagos State gazette of the Oloto came out recently, the term they used was ‘resuscitation’, which means the Lagos State Government recognised in history that past Olotos were Obas. The Oloto inherited the seat of power of the Olofin kingdom at Iddo. The two obas were said to have sat side by side during the celebrated marriage of Magbamiloruko. The people and palace of the Eleko brought out the Eyo Orisha Agere as dowry. Till today, Eyo Agere concludes its visit to the Oloto Palace before any Adamu Orisha play by visiting the Esugbayi Oloto compound in Otto to pay homage in continued recognition of the historic marriage.
“After the death of Prince Akapo, Princess Ifayemi married Orisadaran as her second husband. Like I said, Orisadaran was a mercenary and he was involved in most of the Yoruba wars around that time; that was why he was honoured as the first Suenu of Lagos, domiciled in Isale-Eko, Lagos Island.
“History has it that Ifayemi was into slave trade and that she was a contemporary of Madam Tinubu, the legendary Egba warrior woman and slave merchant; and that it was during her trade forays along the Badagry slave routes/markets that she met Orisadaran. Orisadaran had the honour of been a member of the entourage of Oba Akinsemoyin to Lagos. The mother of Akinsemoyin was from Apa and that created a base for the ascendancy of Orisadaran in Lagos history.
“From the first marriage, Ifayemi had Esugbayi and Adejo and from the second marriage, she had Fasinro and Omontorisha. The Fasinro family have kept a long lull and absence, owing to historical disagreements and rarely showed up except and only during coronation or other important events to celebrate their roots. The story of the Fasinro Suenu stock had been marred by disagreements over properties, destruction of documents and sharing of spoils with the Omotorisha family over a centenary. Many in this present generation barely understand the crux of matter and issues. The descendants of the other siblings have grown used to only the Omotorisha in the Oloto family.
According to Oba Owolabi Adeniyi, “One of the significance of this marriage was that it fostered the relationship between the Apa Kingdom in Badagry and the Olofin kingdom at Iddo. It was during this period that the Oba Alapa of Apa honoured Oba Akinsemoyin with the Kerevesi, which was later adopted by the white cap chiefs in central Lagos. The other significance of that relationship was that the then Oloto Akinjufe gave Princess Ifayemi (Magbamiloruko) and Orisadaran, Abebe village for their genealogy to inherit, which covers part of today’s Breweries, Apex Mill and some parts of Iponri low-cost Housing estate and Eyin Iganmu.”
Dr Akinlade Babafemi explained that the marriage of Orisadaran to Magbamiloruko during the reign of Oloto Akinjufe is ably supported by colonial and archival records. It was also the habit of the past Olotos to give land to future descendants, especially notable personalities who were their in-laws. Oloto Akinjufe did the same when Ogabi the son of Chief Kupae, the first Eletu-Iwase married his daughter called Erufa. Oloto Akinjufe gave the descendants of the union some parts of Mushin, which is today inherited by only children bore to him by Erufa and excluded descendants of other wives of Ogabi. The fact of this ownership was buttressed when the reunion meeting between the Omotorisha and Fasinro Suenu took place on May 21st 2021.
“Bear in mind that even though the Esugbayi and Adejo families are products of Oba Adele Ajosun in Lagos Island, both their descendants preferred to stay more in their maternal home of Otto, because Otto was also a seat of power of the present day Oloto of Otto. The present day Oloto palace in Otto was built by Esugbayi, the second child of Magbamiloruko, with the majority contribution from Omontorisha.
Babafemi added: “Esugbayi became king in Otto, ably supported by his sister Omontorisha and Chief Fasinro Suenu. He (Esugbayi) was the son Ifayemi bore to the Adele family after Adejo in her first marriage. That cemented the reason they felt more at home in Otto. In fact, being descendants of a past king, their roots are firmly cemented there. When it was time for Odun Agba (Agba Festival), which by the way, is the oldest festival in Olofin enclave, Ifayemi descendants born to Orisadaran (Suenu Family) would come over to Otto to partake and play their part. Agba is the name of the deity worshipped in Otto.
How Ifayemi came by the name Magbamiloruko
Shedding more light, Oba Adeniyi said, “The real name of our matriarch was Ifayemi; however, according to the historical narratives passed on by our elders, an incident happened in 1888, which changed her name publicly and that of the family to Magbamiloruko, especially in Otto. Oba Oyekan the first had directed that an Oloto should be capped in 1888. However, in the process of capping the Oloto, the person who was supposed to put forward the new Oloto was an uncle to Ifayemi; his name was called Fagbayi. The Oloto family had ceded the throne to Epe returnees led by Fagbayi after a long absence, owing to the Epe exile arising from the Kosoko-Akitoye war. Fagbayi is the progenitor of all of today’s Fagbayis in the Oloto family. There was so much funfare at Olumegbon’s palace while they awaited Fagbayi ‘s arrival via the sea. The name on everyone’s lips was one Buramoh Bello. He came with a large entourage and brought a lot for guests to eat and drink. Historical accounts of the day said Fagbayi was not interested in the stool while some said he was too old or had some bodily condition. The most important thing, however, was that he was on ground to state that the said Buraimoh Bello was an Ibiga of Oloto Baalo and not a child of Baalo. He thus denied Buraimoh Bello, who would have been wrongly crowned as an Oloto of Otto.
“Chief Fasinro Suenu thus forbade the usurpation of his name in Oloto family affairs, hence the name Magbamiloruko, meaning “do not steal my name. Subsequently, the name Magbamiloruko, which ordinarily was an alias, became so rife that it literally obliterated our real name. That is why if you go to Otto today, the name you would hear is Magbamioruko rather than Ifayemi.
“Eventually, it was Esugbayi, the grandson of Baalo, who unexpectedly became king. Fagbayi busted Buraimoh Bello’s attempted impersonation and told Oba Oyekan (I) that he was not the Fasinro known to the Oloto family.
Akinlade picked up the narrative: “Esugbayi himself was not even aware that he would be crowned king that fateful day but Omontorisa prompted by the Progenitor Fagbayi looked everywhere for his brother who was coming from fishing on the Lagos Lagoon. Esugbayi was then given an Aroko (a customary signal) to take to the Olumegbon’s palace and that eventually stopped the impostor from usurping the throne and Esugbayi was immediately seized and crowned with Oloto throne.
“Because he wasn’t prepared, it was the food and clothes brought by the impostor that were used to celebrate Esugbayi’s enthronement on that day.”
How is it possible for someone else to step in with the family name on such an occasion?
Oba Owolabi Adeniyi explained: “You know in the past, people can dwell in a royal court (Iga or Agbole) and start bearing the name of that family after a while, with the original owners of the name not batting an eyelid or complaining, so long as they are not dragging the name in the mud or transgressing. The man may have been one of such. This happens even in present day Lagos. So we are the real Fasinros in the Oloto family, I mean those of us from the Suenu branch. Fasinro was the son that Magbamiloruko bore to the first Suenu, Orisadaran .The first child was Omotorisha whose name was shortened from Omotorishadaran.
As The Shepherd’s Flock International Church (TSF) celebrates its 20th anniversary, the Lead Pastor of the church, Rev. Tony Akinyemi, talks about the church’s 2024 DIVINE IMPACT SUMMIT which ended today, the impact of his healthy living ministry on the Nigerian companies in the food industry, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects. Excerpts.
How you feel seeing the church clocks two decades this year on February 1, 2024.
We are full of gratitude to God for two decades of the commission. It didn’t look like it when we first started. All we had was God and the instructions He gave us. We had no financial or material resources to prosecute the vision. However, we had faith in the One who called and commissioned us, that He would provide all the resources needed to carry out the mandate – spiritual resources, human resources, financial and material resources, and He has been more than faithful in sending us quality and loyal men and women who have teamed up with us and laboured alongside us to get to this point.
We can only shout Ebenezer at this time, ‘hitherto as the Lord helped us.’ We feel extremely happy and joyful for the privilege of serving the greatest employer of men, the Almighty God Himself.
Specifically, what are you mostly grateful to God for as TSF clocks 20 years?
We are most grateful to God for the faithful and loyal men and women of skill, character, and integrity that God has used to support us. We are grateful that, despite some challenges along the way, we are still standing and growing in leaps and bounds. We are grateful for all that God has helped us to accomplish in 20 years. We are grateful that when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world, TSF did not lose a single soul to COVID-19 in any of our parishes scattered all over Nigeria and abroad. God preserved every single one of us. We are grateful.
Briefly recap the vision that birthed TSF
The mandate God gave us is to raise holy, healthy & highly successful people using a new platform to accomplish the vision. We could have stayed back on our previous platform in the denomination where we were privileged to serve as pastors for 11 years; but God said we should create a new platform for the vision so that it would not be hindered in any way due to a misunderstanding of the vision, hence The Shepherd’s Flock International Church. We set out to start the vision by simply listening to directives from God and guidance from the Holy Spirit every step of the way. When He says “move”, we move, and when He says “stop”, we stop. Every step we have taken is by divine instruction, direction, and guidance, and this has made the work stress-free for us. Alleluia!
What were some of the early challenges of the church, and did you overcome them to keep the work going till now?
Of course, if we didn’t overcome our challenges, we wouldn’t be here celebrating 20 years! Like any other human being or institution, we have had our fair share of challenges but, to the glory of God, we have overcome them all because God has made us more than conquerors. Among many other challenges, was the challenge of the venue for our church services when we first started. Today, God has planted us on our property right now. Not only that, even all our parishes all over Nigeria have been blessed with their own landed properties, except only one parish, and we believe God that that one parish too will acquire its property soon. Even our parish in the UK is on its property to the glory of God. Even three parishes that we are yet to start already have their landed properties in place in Lagos, Ogun, and Osun states. To God be the glory!
You started the church with a unique dimension of healthy living teaching and services. To what extent has the healthy living dimension contributed to TSF’s growth in these 20 years
Well, we set out to teach healthy living to fulfill an aspect of our mandate. It was not intended primarily to grow our church numerically. We have other strategies for numerical church growth. We have been raised to be a blessing to the entire body of Christ in the area of healthy living and to the world at large.
For example, if a pastor general overseer, a deacon and elder, or a church member from another ministry or denomination comes to our ministry to be ministered to in the area of their health, we sure are not going to expect that after we have ministered to them and they are healed, that they would now abandon their ministry and come to join us. No! That’s not our objective. We have been raised to fill a gap in the body of Christ, to minister to people so that they can be healthy and live long enough to fulfill their destinies and finish their assignments. By the way, there have been instances when unchurched people have come to know the Lord and joined our ministry through our healthy living teachings and medical outreaches.
However, if you are talking about growth in terms of impact and visibility then it would be right to say that our healthy living teaching has helped us to be well known out there. Today, we have a fairly large following on social media because of our healthy living teachings. Two of my healthy living videos (one on Facebook and one on TikTok) garnered more than one million views each in less than one month after we released those videos. Our series on EXPOSE WITH TONY AKINYEMI, which we stream on Facebook and YouTube every Monday at 8 pm Nigerian Time, has a fairly good following too, and has been a blessing to many. Our RAPHA INSTITUTE OF HEALTHY LIVING has also trained hundreds of Healthy Living Ambassadors (HLAs) both from within and outside our ministry who are also doing amazing things out there in the wellness & fitness industry. To God alone be all the glory.
Aside from the healthy living programmes, what are the other programmes of the church in which God has impacted lives in the past 20 years?
As I said earlier, our mandate is to raise holy, healthy, and highly successful people. We have published books and held seminars in all of these three areas. Our annual free 5F Conference is one of the programmes specifically designed to minister to folks in the areas of their faith, fitness, family, finance, and future. We aim to raise and discipline well-rounded and well-grounded individuals who will be able to radically transform their world for God’s glory and their fulfillment and joy.
We also run The Shepherd’s Academy, our free discipleship training programme for fostering spiritual growth and development and for building spiritual capacity. Our TSF Creche has been another platform to impact the lives of infants and toddlers very early in life. Our Rev. Tony Akinyemi Scholarship Foundation has been a lifeline for many brilliant but indigent students who may never have been able to get formal education if our ministry didn’t offer them scholarships. To the glory of God, we have helped to train several people who are now graduates in medicine & surgery, dentistry, agricultural science, mass communication, computer science, economics, accounting, business administration, engineering, education, you name it. Some of them even graduated with first-class honors. To God alone be all the glory!
What is the significance of the annual Divine Impact Summits (DIS) of the church that also marks its yearly anniversary?
Essentially, our annual Divine Impact Summits (DIS) are moments of taking stock and counting our blessings to reflect on what God has done in us, for us, and through us, to elicit deep gratitude and appreciation on the one hand. On the other hand, these summits also help to create both a platform and an atmosphere for Divine Encounter with God for all attendees. These summits are moments when divinity kisses humanity. Because the Divine Impact Summit (DIS) is held around February 1 of every year, we also use the occasion to emphasize the direction in which God is leading us in every New Year. So, the theme of the year is often the theme of the summit, so that our people can be taught the mind of God for the moment, the present truth, if you will.
Citing his attempt to build up a generation of believers on the five-fold mandates of fruitfulness, multiplication, replenishment, subdue, and dominion based on transformed life in Jesus Christ, Senior Pastor Oluwaolegan Kayode Stephen has announced the name change of his spiritual ministry from Christ Messiah Mandate Church International to Fivefold Mandate Transformed Church, (FMTC).
Oluwaolegan, in a statement explained, “To actualise this vision and reflect in our kingdom lifestyle on earth, God gave the name that defines the teaching, beliefs, and lifestyle that believers can connect and relate with.”
According to Oluwaolegan, “It is important for people to know that your profession, career, business or what have you, be it politics or vocational skill is a ministry that God has called every individual into, that man must rule in all his or her field on earth.
“And this comes through the knowledge of who you are in Christ and this knowledge comes with teaching the word of God with kingdom principles based on truth and righteousness without compromise through sound and practical teaching in Fivefold Mandate Transformed Church.
He added: “This fivefold mandate calls for one to utilise their God-given talent and abilities to bring about greatness and prosperity. The name and the logo are a reflection of our doctrinal teaching and practical kingdom lifestyle. And this we will always confess in our Sunday services.
He disclosed that the Trustees of the Church, which include himself, Osade Akintayo Benjamin; Oluwaolegan Nchedo Susan, who’s the Secretary, and Oluwaolegan Blossom Omolana.
A United State-based court in Baltimore County presided over by Theresa Adams, has fined a Nigerian blogger $50,000 in damages for defaming the General Overseer of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, Dr. Daniel Olukoya.
Three MFM US-based pastors had filed a lawsuit against the Nigerian blogger who recently relocated to America, after she made a defamatory statement, about the General Overseer of the Church in a video posted to her YouTube channel on November 28, 2023,
The court delivered its judgement in the matter with Case Number: C-03-CV-22-004424 and returned a unified verdict in favour of MFM USA and its three pastors, Grace Ugeh, Kunle Ladipo, and Adekunle Adekola.
Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries Chief Legal Adviser worldwide, Barr Davidson Adejuwon said while reacting to the court case that the judgment is only a further confirmation of the word of God that says He (Jesus Christ) has built His church and no gate of hell in any form shall prevail over it.
“Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries is not just any church. It is an Apostolic Revival church of Christ with a great end-time mandate divinely committed into the hand of a prepared prophet and servant of God, Dr D.K. Olukoya the General Overseer of the Ministry worldwide.
“There is certainly no way you deliberately and devilishly collide with such and not be grounded.”
Adejuwon also implored the public and the media to always do proper checks against any form of falsehood before publishing their stories.
“I will use this opportunity to implore the public and our media men and women to always do proper checks before publishing their stories or sharing lies and falsehood against the church of Christ and men and women of God to ensure proper due diligence is done on any story sent to them before going to the public with lies against reputable institutions and personalities.
“We will not fold our hands anymore on such unacceptable trends in our society.
Before the court case, the Church claimed Ashekun had been spreading all manners of erroneous and fallacious statements, on social media, against the MFM Church and its General Overseer, thereby tarnishing and damaging the image and the reputation of the respected man of God and that of his ministry.
In a historic event heralding the beginning of the New Year, the New Seraph soared into 2024 with a remarkable night of fervent prayers, praises, and the pure word of God.
The groundbreaking Orimolade Prophetic Night took place at the New Seraph Prayer City on the last day of January, centered on the theme “Great Mercy,” paying homage to Orimolade, Africa’s first indigenous prophet and visionary founder of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church worldwide.
Members and non-members of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church, alongside those from the New Seraph, gathered from near and far to participate in this inaugural night of potent prayers.
Declared an annual programme, the event aims to reignite the spiritual fervor reminiscent of the days of St. Moses Orimolade Tunolase, as highlighted by the New Seraph Chairman, Apostle Yemisi Iyun.
Apostle Iyun stressed that the Orimolade Prophetic Night is a divine mandate from God Almighty, intended to set a profound prayerful trajectory for each new year.
Iya Aladura General, Dr. Oluwaseye Yomi Sholoye JP, the Founder of the New Seraph, was entrusted with fortifying the year ahead, breaking chains, and ushering in unlimited testimonies and deliverances for those aligning with the prophetic journey of St. Moses Orimolade.
In her grace, Dr. Sholoye acknowledged the pivotal role of prophecy in the C&S church, emphasizing its significance for the benefit and deliverance of the members.
Underlining the biblical call to “pray without ceasing,” she led the congregation in fervent prayers, with a specific focus on the security of lives and property in the nation.me.
The event featured esteemed ministers of God, including Baba Aladura Dr. Dipo Okeyomi and Supt. Gen. Ap. I. A Adekunle JP, declaring the prophetic insights of God.
Musical renditions by the TNS Mass Choir and Eternal Central Choir added a melodious dimension to the spiritually charged atmosphere.
The Orimolade Prophetic Night stands as a guiding light, illuminating the path for believers to embark on a transformative journey in the year ahead.
