91-year-old Primate David Olonade is a survivor from the dark alleys of hell.
The founder of Ark of Covenant Church Lagos had heart-wrenching struggles with God before he finally started his church in August, 1960.
For years, he was totally paralysed and given up for death.
Recalling his battles with God, he said: “I never wished to be prophet of God. I was a rascal boy and very popular in 29 Binuyo Street, Isale gangan, Lagos.
“I grew up in the third house before Fashola’s father’s house. In fact the Fashola family brought us up. We used to carry ladies about and if any preacher comes to our area I don’t allow them preach despite the fact that my father and mother were prophet and prophetess. My mother died at 97 while my father was 122 and I am the last child of my parents.”
He went on: “I didn’t even want to hear Halleluyah. I hated the word prophet because I was very famous in Lagos and thought I had it all. If somebody told me I would be here today, I would have said it was a white lie.”
The prophet, who is an electrician and worked at the then Ijora Power Station, said his typical day was going to work in the morning, closing by 4pm and returning to ‘rock’ town in the evening.
“I had a bicycle and bicycles weren’t easy to come by then. It was like a beautiful car. We could take our bicycles from Isale Gangan to any part of Lagos to meet our girlfriends. I never knew that I would become a servant of God.”
He was living like that until an encounter with one Prophet Zaccheaus.
“We beat him up and scattered the place. The money that was contributed for the man was taken away from him.
“After catching his breath, he said God said the person who organised that riot would be a servant of God but if he refused, he would be paralysed. I ran after him up to Casino Cinema at Ita Faaji to beat him but I couldn’t get him so I went away.”
The next day, Olonade’s troubles started. “I became very sick. I was working with two men from Liverpool, Mr Cavel and Mr Butt.
“They were the contractors of Ijora Power Station. I was told by Mr Butt to pass a wire from the compound to a carpenter’s workshop. I had already buried the pole in the middle of the compound with concrete some days ago but had not joined any cable with it.
“The day I wanted to join the cable I was on shorts and short sleeve. At that time, we used to do cracker board- rolling up your short sleeve shirt.
“It made us feel handsome. I climbed a ladder which was held by the son of Mr Butt who was working with his father in Nigeria.
“Within 10 to 15 minutes, he was calling me Dogo man (my nickname) you are shaking on ladder, I told him to leave me alone and continued my work.
“When I got down, I realised I was sweating profusely and my eyes were very red then I began shaking like a motorcycle. I was taken to our dispenser who said he couldn’t do anything for me.
“After two weeks, I was in general hospital where Dr Mabayoje, a friend and father was attending to me. When he first saw me, he said ‘Dogo man, I am not a prophet or a spiritual man but this spirit using me is saying God is calling you, go and answer him,’”
That began his search for healing. “I was taken to an herbalist in Iya Ofin, Balogun near canal. That native doctor cut all my body but no blood.
“He rubbed some concoctions and asked if I felt the pains but I said no. That was when I knew that I was under some sort of punishment.
“My stomach was as big as a nine- month pregnant woman’s. I was tested by many doctors but they didn’t see anything wrong with me.
“By this time my mother was no more, she died on 1st April, 1947 so I was sent to my step mother in Mushin who then sent me to Abeokuta where I was given so many medicines.
“Any medicine I was given, I passed out at the toilet just as I was given the medicine. I had sold my two cars, Vanguard and Chevrolet.
“When the situation became worse, my father sent for me from the village in Egba now Ogun State.”
But his situation worsened at his father’s village. “When I got to the market, which is the last stop and about two and half miles to my father’s village, I was dropped on the floor and the vehicle left the place.
“During this time, I was already paralysed and couldn’t move on my own. It was about 10am but there was no one to send to my family that I was nearby.
“A member of father’s family who was a tailor came to the market from the village to buy sewing thread. He walked passed me as he couldn’t recognise me.
“I called out his name then he turned around to look at me. He greeted me looking at me to know if he knew but he still didn’t recognise me so he said “I don’t know you.” I introduced myself to him. He screamed and ran to my father’s village to call him.”
“Yet, Olonade would not give up. He was still obstinate. “I was defecating and urinating on myself without knowing it. I started to smell. I was alone in a room for 3 years and seven months and out of these 3 years and 7 months, I didn’t stool, urinate, eat, sleep or hear anybody talking for 3 months and 12 days.”
“If they put me on the mat, not bed, they will turn me like this, (showing this reporter his side). If they remember after two weeks that somebody is in the room, they will come and turn me again.
“When they turned, my skin would have peeled. All my father’s family members began to grumble and shout complaining that I was dead already and should be buried.”
At a point, even his father agreed he should be buried. “A coffin was made and date fixed for my burial. I was taken to the burial ground but as I was about to be buried, a visioner in the village who was also a farmer ran towards us and demanded that I was removed from the coffin.
“He said ‘Mr Olonade, God said you are about to bury a living man. Go and make covenant for him that you will force him to become a servant of God.”
His father had to open the coffin while Olonade was taken to the mountain where he swore to serve God.
“My foot and hands were curved like someone who has leprosy. You can see it, it is still like that. Even my stomach is still a little swollen.
“I requested for food – white local food called Eko. They got it for me and started to feed me. When they put it in my mouth the third time, I threw up. My tongue was as black as charcoal and everything I vomited came out black.
“As I was throwing up, I was stooling and urinating and hearing some music which no other person could hear. All my body was stiff; I couldn’t walk or move more than sitting up.
“After a while I forced myself to move and began to crawl. But anytime I forced myself to move I would hear a voice saying he is God and calling me to serve him, he would say, “I am Christ Jesus, if you agree to be m servant, I will release you from this bondage.”
A ruffled Olonade started begging God for forgiveness. It had taken over three years for God to break him down.
“I became fervent in prayers calling on God to forgive me, release me from the bandage and promise to worship him. Medicines began to work on me and I started to move about.”
He moved back to Lagos and enrolled for pastoral training. “But in 1955, I ran away. I started to trade in woods which I carried in vehicles to people.
“The man who was training me would laugh whenever he sees me and say what will happen to me next will be worse than what happened to me before.”
He hadn’t learnt his lessons and was going to go through the trial of affliction again. Suddenly, he became sick again and was admitted in a general hospital.
“I began to beg on the streets. I managed after some days to go back to the church and finished my training in 1960 and started my own church.”
Saying he is still very strong at 91 plus, the prophet said his wife is pregnant. He also has a five- year- old child.
Asked how many women he is married to, he said: “I have only two here with me but I have married many in the past. Any woman who gives me problem I settle and tell her to leave.”
Blessed with 12 children, he said he has secured their future in a most innovative way.
“I give them my churches that are located around the world. The baby that is yet to be born too is a boy and I will hand this church over to him,”? he hinted.
