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| Pastor Amos Dada |
A Tribute To Pastor E.H.L. Olusheye, former President, Christ Apostolic Church Worldwide.
1. I remember him ordaining me in 1997 in his office, based on Pastor A. M. A Imevbore's recommendation after my initial ordination by Pastor Obadare CAC faction in 1995.
2. I remember inviting him to help us dedicate our then new ultra-modern church building CAC Bethel Effurun, Warri in a week long event that ended on Dec 6, 1998 in Delta State.
3. I remember on behalf of CAC Bethel Toronto in 2003 me asking you to give us money to buy a property we desperately needed for our services in Toronto. You asked me how much ?- I replied $150,000 was the downpayment we needed.How much in Nigeria currency? I said 15 million naira. You said 'Dada you are looking for 15M and I am looking for 1.5 billion naira to build JABU'. That as a policy CAC does not send money abroad but receives. I said that is not biblical that you need to sow and then harvest. Then you told me what I will never forget - "Dada you are my seed to Canada!" Thank God you realized your vision and God also provided a place of worship for us. Call it a win- win situation!
4. I remember him writing the forward to my book: Understanding Principles, Power, Purpose and People of Vision in 2009. You can get copies online.
5. I remember bringing my Caucasian International Gathering of Eagle conference speakers, Rev Judy Mayes, Bishop Gooden from USA and others to visit him in his office and he blessing them and commending me for the good work I was doing.
6. I remember as I was holding International Gathering of Eagles conference in Salem, India in 2010 and in my hotel room I opened the Internet and there was a terrible caption-
President, Christ Apostolic Church Worldwide arraigned for certificate forgery!
I was shaken, what if the souls we are winning for Christ in this far away country see this? In that meeting we just gave certificate of attendance to 450 Pastors in India.
I sent an email to my then CAC North America Coordinator, Pastor Joshua Owoeye to please leave whatever he was doing in America and go and meet Baba, for them to withdraw this case and settle this matter amicably. Pastor Owoeye a man of action responded and traveled to Nigeria to discuss the matter with you.
6. I remember the best encouragement I have heard in Pastoring abroad came from Pastor E. H. Olusheye in 2007. He was coming to preach in our church in CAC Bethel Toronto. Our congregation including children is about 100 people. This is a man that speaks at pastors conferences with thousands in attendance. So I went to his hotel room, and said " Sir, I just want you to know that we are a small congregation." "Dada what do you mean by a small congregation. Have you heard the story of the man that went to China and had only one convert for 31 years! And that convert later became a crowd puller and mighty man of God"
I will never forget that. Because like me leaving the CAC Bethel in Effurun with attendance of 1,500 and now struggling with hundred people it could be very challenging and distressing. But from that day I never see myself as having a small congregation.
Growing a church in the Western world can be very challenging. It was credited to late Archbishop Idahosa that a congregation of 100 people in the Western world is equivalent to 1000 people in Nigeria.
7. I remember the beginning of my many troubles with Baba. It was during the CAC North America Pastors conference in Chicago. I was one of the guest speakers. I was told to present a paper by the organizers on "The challenges facing CAC and strategies for overcoming them in 21st Century" Papa Olusheye sat at the lobby after what I thought was a brilliant presentation as attested to by the General Evangelist Pastor S.K. Abiara who after listening to my presentation started to call me - "My Man" till today. Pastor Olusheye saw it differently. He said " Dada why did you choose to wash the dirty linen of CAC in the open?" I said " Sir, I did not do that! That what I presented I had earlier sent to you in a proposal about the way forward for our mission. That it was sent through Internet to your office. " Am I to be looking for computer to know your mind?" Lol. It is also to your credit that you implemented some of the reforms I suggested.
8. I remember in 2009 writing to the church authority to give me permission to hold International Gathering of Eagles in Nigeria as we have done in many nations across the globe. It never went well with the late President. He accused me of planning to break CAC. That I was out to destabilize CAC in the likes of other church scatterers before me. I remember him inviting me to the mission house in Ibadan with his then lieutenants Baba Pastor Bamidele, the then GS and Pastor Okegwemeh, the General Secretary. At the end of the meeting after giving Baba all evidences to show that we have no intention or even capacity to do such a thing. I said " Sir, you cannot place me on the same pedestal with The names you are mentioning. I am unknown, a small pastor in a small corner in Toronto. That our organization is lifting up the name of Jesus. That the message is the same, only the methods are different. That the likes of Apostle Babalola used open air crusades but today to go to the nations with strategic leadership conferences is a better choice. That through this conference by the grace of God we have planted CAC Churches in India, Ghana, Kenya and even have two branches in Uganda. And that the churches are called CAC! I requested him to see me as his son, who has great intention for CAC and that all I needed from him is prayer and that he should not lead me with fear but with faith!"
9. I remember in 2011 holding another meeting in his office about this International Gathering of Eagles Conferences. According to him - "Dada with his eagle, eagle, eagle all over the place!"It was put in place by Pastor Solomon Okunola, all the principal office holders were there including the Finance Director and Pastor A. M. A Imevbore, my mentor and pastor. I brought my laptop to show Baba our trips to Uganda, Kenya, India, Singapore and more. " I don't want to see your computer, stop destabilizing the church. That was how another Pastor used his education and PhD to do. I responded, I cannot be likened to such people in any regard. I was born to CAC, in CAC mission, I attended CAC St Peters primary school in Igede- Ekiti. I attended CAC Modern School in Ado- Ekiti. I attended CAC Grammar School Efon- Alaye. I attended CAC Bethel all my days in University of Ife, now Obafemi University, I have never been a member of any other church than CAC in my life. I have no intention to leave or scatter it. He was not persuaded. He told us in the meeting that even when he retires as CAC President, he will still be in charge of affairs!
10. I remember inviting him to my father's thanksgiving celebration in 2005 in Igede- Ekiti.
I had told my dad that I preferred to honour him while he was alive than to kill thousands of cows at his burial. President Olusheye shared my vision and and came to Igede- Ekiti. It turned to out to be a great crusade as the whole city including the Oba who was in attendance in the service wanted to have a glimpse of CAC President. Thank you for your message of that day. My father Baba Jesukoyosi left before you to glory in April 2011.
11. Pastor Elijah Olusheye you made your mark on this planet earth using Christ Apostolic Church worldwide as a platform. You were a great author. Many will surely remember your book 'The unfinished work' because the work of the gospel is unfinished. You have done your bit and dropped the baton. By the grace of God we shall continue where you left. You had your convictions. You stood by them and many will remember you for different things. I have my respect for you even when I disagreed with you on issues. You were a great leader. A visionary leader with lots of initiative. It is to your credit through your sagacity and financial acumen that you brought CAC from a penury church to a prosperous church, from a borrowing church to a lending church, from a church they regarded as uneducated to a church with a university, Joseph Ayodele Babalola University. Sleep on dear comrade and gifted leader.
I don't know whether it is too late to pray for you, as we were taught it serves no purpose to pray for the dead but the living but in the words of Nehemiah - May the Lord remember you Pastor E. H.L. Olusheye for good .
Pastor Amos Dele Dada is the Snr. Pastor and Superintendent of CAC Bethel Toronto, Canada and the Convener of International Gathering of Eagle Conferences.