The Pastor Adeboye Story in His Words

In a new book, General Overseer Worldwide of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, (RCCG), Pastor E. A. Adeboye, tells the story of his amazing transformation from debilitating poverty into a powerful man of God revered by millions of people across the wo

Ihave written over 15 books, but sometimes I get the sense I was specifically prepared by circumstances of my life in the last few years to write this particular book that will bless millions of people around the world. My testimony I profoundly acknowledge Upfront The privilege And signal honour To toil on this tome On a rare pearl of God The pivotal soul of our times Who multitudes across the globe today Bear gratitude for being alive To see at work The plenitude of God

In so great a man Being ever so humble Life thrives and throbs In complete holiness Aman noted for signs Wonders and miracles Of the dimensions Of the Biblical days Aman God calls His son And speaks with

Born to financially-challenged parents In the backwaters of Ifewara, Osun State He boasted of no shoes Whatsoever Even at age 18

He set forth Not as a Born-Again Christian Until he notched the job Of a mathematics teacher At the University of Lagos And history became writ large In the march of the Pentecost Becoming the hallowed leader Of an abounding church Transcending well over 192 countries With 32,000 parishes in Nigeria alone Indeed a miracle worth knowing.

For the singular man To remain infectiously humble Despite his enormous power Influence and popularity Is besides a miracle in itself

Work on the book Transformed me Pulled me closer to God And equipped one With greater understanding Of the spiritual realm Particularly The less understood dark part

Where mothers kill children They carried 9 months In their own womb And cried in the labour room to bear To drink their blood And eat their flesh

Adark world indeed Where some mothers make Their daughters barren Or make it impossible For them to be married

Where fathers curse and cause Their sons to lose jobs

And where wives gleefully Ruin husbands Into destitution And husbands use Their wives For rituals

Miracles are difficult To explain By mere mortals But I now have Abetter appreciation Of the epochal miracle called Pastor Enoch, Elisha, Sunday, Adejare, Adetona, Olagundoye, Adeboye.

The book

Entitled “Stories of Pastor E.A. Adeboye,” the man fondly called Daddy G.O. tells the story in his own words in testimonies compiled to read like an autobiography by seasoned author and journalist, Bisi Daniels.

The 350-page book, which shows for the first time the house in which Pastor Adeboye was born and the primary school he attended in Ifewara, Osun State, was released last week to mark his 75th birthday.

Aman revered by millions across the world as a true man of God, Pastor Adeboye is a great believer in the power of testimony. He is himself a living testimony of the power of God. His sermons always contain stories about how people have experienced the power of Jesus Christ in their lives. This book is a collection of those testimonies, which reads like his biography right from his birth in Ifewara in strange circumstances to the present moment.

According to Daniels, the story of Pastor Adeboye becomes a compelling read, when after breaking free from the vicious cycle of poverty in his family to become a lecturer at the university and living in a palatial home, he abandoned all that to live in a onebedroom apartment in Mushin, Lagos, as General Overseer of RCCG.

Daddy G.O. confesses he was scared but God assured him of His support. The church had only 39 parishes but now has over 32,000 parishes in Nigeria, over 700 parishes in the United Kingdom, and many more spread across over 196 countries including Samoa, Fiji, Serbia, Pakistan, Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates.

The subjects covered in the book dedicated to Pastor Adeboye and his wife, Pastor Folu Adeboye, who stood by him during his most difficult times, include: The RCCG, and testimonies on Faith, Salvation, Miracles, Marriage, Fruit of the womb, Temptation, Unforgiveness, the dark world of Power and Principalities amongst many others. Mixed in with them is the fascinating story of Pastor Adeboye himself and how, having been born again, he rose from debilitating depravation to become the famous and much-loved leader of the RCCG.

In one of the many testimonies in the book, Pastor Adeboye revealed how he got his ever supportive wife, even when he was clearly the least qualified suitor: “There were many of us contesting for the hand of my wife. I wanted to marry a beautiful princess but I was the least qualified among the many suitors. Out of the number, three of us were in the forefront. But I was a student, while one of us was a lawyer who owned a car.All I had was a “foot wagon” (move around on foot). I decided to let her know my financial status

I said to her, “Please listen. I have nothing, no money, no house, no influence, nothing.”

I told her that if I had anything at all, it was the little brain God gave to me. “I have nothing to offer you except myself. If you will marry me, you will have me to yourself completely,” I said.

Surprisingly, she replied, “Because you are so honest, I will marry you.”

Daniels feels privileged and honoured “to work on this great book of a very great man of God; a rare person of our times, who so many people around the world are grateful to be alive to see at work for God.”

He says working on the book has transformed him, gotten him closer to God, and equipped him with greater understanding of the spiritual realm.

In the foreword of the book he wrote just before he was sworn in as Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) recommended the book highly.

He noted that, “The sharing of what he calls ‘stories’ is an integral part of the sermons of Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, who is fondly called Daddy G.O.

“Most of Daddy’s ‘stories’ are indeed miracles, used to illustrate his sermons and show the power of God, rather than his own achievements.

“Having been a member of the church for many years and now a pastor, I have seen the efficacy of this style of preaching.

“Testimonies not only enhance the faith of others but also honour God. This book of some of the testimonies of one of the greatest servants of God in this generation is worth reading and learning from.”

A poverty story of Pastor Adeboye

I walked bare-footed for the first eighteen years of my life - in rain and in sunshine. Now that I walk with shoes on my feet, I prefer shoes on my feet. What about you?

I can never forget my final year in the grammar school. I was eighteen years old. I was a fairly good student, and had won many prizes as a testimony to that. In those days at Ilesha Grammar School, they used to have what they called a Prize-Giving Day. That was a day before the school vacation; a day when all those who won prizes would come forward, shake hands with the principal and receive a prize for the subject they excelled in.

For those in the final year, there was a dress code – a white shirt over a pair of white trousers, and shoes to match. I had won a prize, but had no trousers – white, black or red. Shoes? I didn’t even know what that looked like! What was I going to do? They were going to call my name in front of everybody. It meant that I was going to go forward in the only a pair of shorts I owned, barefooted. I started lamenting, God you know I have no trousers, why did you allow me to win a prize?

It was at that stage that one of the boys in the hostel called me, “Ademaths.” (That was my nickname). And I answered, “Yes.” He summoned me over and said, “I have six pairs of trousers, I don’t know which one to wear tomorrow. Can you help me choose?”

Now tell me, which is better? No trousers or six trousers?

I helped him choose one and then said to him, “Emmm, you know I don’t even have one to wear.” “Pick one,” he said. Although the boy was several feet taller than me, I didn’t care.As far as I was concerned, trousers were trousers. . Glory be to God! So I chose a pair. When I wore them, I had to pull the waistband up to my chest!

Now the problem of trousers was solved, next was the problem of shoes.

It was then I remembered that I had an uncle somewhere. He was as poor as a church rat but I remembered I had seen shoes on his feet before. So I went to see him and asked for the shoes. The decent pair I saw on him, he said he couldn’t let go, but that he had a pair of mended sandals to spare. Those of you who know what we used to call Odutola tyre sole (sole of sandals made from lorry tyres) in those days will understand.

Let somebody shout Hallelujah! None of you will die in poverty. I rebuke poverty in your life in Jesus’ name.Amen!

Finally, he gave me the sandals and because I had never worn sandals before, I had to practise how to walk in them.At last the Prize-Giving Day came and, glory be to God, I had trousers and a pair of sandals to wear to the occasion – a pair of borrowed trousers over Odutola tyre sole sandals. That didn’t matter to me as I walked up there and got my prize.