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| Pastor Mich Oladapo |
In this exclusive interview with the Publisher of CAC NEWS, Oluwagbenga Bankole, Pastor Oladapo speaks on how God called him into the ministry, his forthcoming induction as the Zonal Superintendent of Life and Power zone, and other typical issues. EXCERPT!
How did God call you into the ministry?
Prophecy concerning my call dated back to 1964. I was under 10 years old when a Prophetess came to my parents and said I was going to be a vessel of God. Neither my parents nor I took the prophecy serious.
The prophecy notwithstanding, God allowed me to have formal education. I passed out from primary school in 1969. Due to financial problem and political imbroglio, I stayed at home for FOUR YEARS after my primary education before I had the opportunity of secondary education. I entered secondary school (Baptist High School Ede) in the year 1973 and passed out in 1977 with Grade One, aggregate 17 at that time.
I lost my dad on 6 November 1976 the day I started my GCE O Level Examination and that was the end of that examination. I thought that was the end of the road for me. Although I was not the first born of the family, none of my elderly siblings was financially buoyant as at that time. Everybody was struggling to survive. I came to Ikorodu in 1977 after my secondary education.
I started work with Nichemtex Industries Limited, Ikorodu as a Spinning Production Clerk. I was so much loved by the management of the company because of my dexterity that I was given salary increment twice within four months. In April 1978 I joined Lagos State Schools Management Board as a School Bursar in United High School Ikorodu. I worked briefly before I gained admission into Yaba College of Technology in September 1979 where I bagged my OND and HND in Business Administration and Management (BAM) in 1981 and 1983 respectively. I observed my Compulsory National Youth Service between September 1983 and August 1984 as a teacher in United High School Ikorodu. After my NYSC I secured an employment with Lagos State Teaching Service Commission as a teacher. I was posted to Oreyo Grammar School Igbogbo where I worked between September 1984 and November 1987 as Head of Business Studies Department. I was redeployed to Irepodun Schools Management Committee, Imota on 1st of December 1987 where I worked as Assistant Head of Personnel Section up to end of 1988. In 1989 I was further redeployed to Ikorodu Local Education District (LED) at Oriwu College Compound, Ikorodu as the Assistant Head of Administration and General Section. Towards the close of 1989 I was redeployed to the Ministry of Education Alausa Ikeja as the Zonal Officer for Planning, Research and Statistics covering Ikorodu, Epe, Ibeju-Lekki and Eti-Osa Local Education Districts.
During that period I had the opportunity of attending Faith Christian Theological Seminary, Sango Ota for Weekend Theological Training. I passed out with Higher Diploma in Theology and got ordained as a Reverend in 1990.
I joined Private Sector in October 1990 and resigned in 1995 February when the call into the ministry was becoming so persistent that I almost lost my house boy to death at that time. I received a message from God that if I failed to heed the clarion call I should prepare for the worst. At that time I had attained the position of Group General Manager I faced so many tribulations due to my unwillingness to listen to God’s calling. God used my wife for me when she told me that if I refused to listen to the voice of God she will pack all our children and go to her father’s house. That was how I put in three months notice of resignation in October 1994 to expire by December 1994. However because my boss was not ready to release me, in January 1995, I instructed the Group Accountant to remove my name from the pay roll of the company. It would rather pay me to work without pay than for me to fall under the anger of God. After so many entreaties, I left the company by the end of February 1985. I was then released with my official car and my driver who I hoped would still be driving me in the ministry.
Unwilling to serve under any church or authority, I went ahead to register my own ministry CHRIST GOSPEL DEFENCE MINISTRY (CHRIGODEM). I bought necessary things I knew I would need for my ministry (typewriters, amplifier engines, microphones and others) even though at that time I was serving as an Evangelist in Christ Apostolic Church Alabukun, Ikorodu. I was the Choirmaster of the church there for 13years. I started serving there officially as an Evangelist in March 1995. Before that time, we had been engaging in church planting under ‘The Light of World Society. (the militant youth wing of Christ Apostolic Church then) which was inaugurated in Ikorodu on the 20th day of November, 1980 by Pastor Joel Emmanuel. I dropped the idea of personal ministry permanently when God spoke to me through one of His respected prophets that I should put myself under an authority so that He (God) would make me what He wanted me to become.
Being a Baptist by background, I obtained admission form to Baptist Theological Seminary, Ogbomoso where I intended to formalize my theological training. After I filled the form, I gave it to my District Superintendent Pastor D.A Ayotunde to reference me and append his signature.
He asked me with exclamation, “What is that”?
I said, “Admission Application Form”.
He asked, “To which school?”
I said it was to Baptist Theological Seminary, Ogbomoso.
He said I should forget about it because he would be the last person to allow me to leave Christ Apostolic Church. He promised to do everything within his powers to retain me in CAC.
That was how I finally surrendered to the Authority of Christ Apostolic Church Worldwide and I must frankly say that I never for once regretted being a minister in Christ Apostolic Church. Although I started work as an Evangelist March, it was in July before the church started paying me salary of N460.00 per month with allowance of N1,000.00, totaling N1,460.00 per month. My financial graph fell drastically and it affected my entire family.
However, probably as a reward for obedience there arose an opportunity for nomination of candidates for pastoral ordination in 1995, I was nominated. I attended the pastoral training between October 2 and December 13, 1995 and was ordained a pastor on 15 December 1995.
After my ordination as a Pastor in 1995, I took a step to develop myself the more theologically by attending LIFE Theological Seminary, Ikorodu where I did 2nd BA Programme in Biblical and Pastoral Studies. I graduated in 1999 bagging Bachelor of Theology in Biblical & Pastoral Theology with First Class Honours and as a Valedictorian of my set.
Later in the year 2008, that is, ten years after my degree in Theology, I secured admission to University of Ibadan where I bagged my Post Graduate Diploma (PGD) in Teacher Education in 2009.
In the next few weeks you will be inducted by the authority of CAC Worldwide as the Zonal Superintendent of Life and Power Zone. How do you feel sir?
I feel good and give glory to God because I believe that it is not by might, nor by power, but by His Spirit. That will be my key message on the day of induction. It is God that is doing it. He said that he would take me to places in the ministry and I just see this lifting as the beginning of fulfillment of His promise. When I was ordained as a Pastor, I was least qualified for it. When I became the District Superintendent, I never struggled for it. And for this lifting as well, I return all the glory to the almighty God.
On the same day you will be inducted as the Zonal Superintendent of Life and Power Zone, Life and Power Zone will be inaugurated. Kindly tell us in brief about the zone
Life and Power Zone is an offshoot of CAC Hosanna chapel, a church that was established about 22 years ago in a small cabin (wooden structure) along Oyewumi Street, Odogunyan (precisely October 1, 1995). The church was established by CAC Alabukun, Ikorodu under the leadership of Pastor Daniel Ayotunde who was then the Ikorodu District Superintendent and the Minister-in-charge of CAC Alabukun, which was the District Headquarters. The pioneering minister was Pastor Mich ‘Tunji Oladapo (then an Evangelist serving in CAC Alabukun, Ikorodu). The space was secured for temporary use free-of-charge through the influence of MR. JOHNSON OYEWUMI who later became one of the Elders of the church in the year 2001.
Evangelistic outreach was embarked upon at the early life of the church and this led to the planting of more branches, even when the church was just a year old.
For instance, to the glory of God, on the boxing day of 1996, that is 26 December 1996, barely one year after the establishment of the church (Hosanna Chapel), the pioneering Pastor led a team of youths to a village called Odo-Kekere for evangelism and revival. This development led to establishment of a branch in that village and Sunday Service commenced in January 1997. The branch was first named CAC Hosanna Chapel II, later renamed CAC Pentecostal Chapel. The branch was later raised to the stature of a District (Pentecostal District) on the 25th day of January 2015 to the glory of God.
The Lord also used Pastor Peter Ojo Babalola who was then the Acting Secretary of the church to lead the planting of a church at Ita Oluwo, Ogun State in the year 2004. The church was named CAC Fountain of Provision. To the glory of God the church also has developed to the status of a District Headquarters today known and called Divine Fountain District.
With intensified planting of more churches Christ Apostolic Church Hosanna Chapel was elevated to the status of a district known and called Life & Power District on the 30th day of August 2005 along with six other districts in Ikorodu DCC. Others that were elevated on the same day were Owode district, Restoration district, Ogijo district, Power House of Prayer district, Oke Itura district and Oke Isegun district.
Also On the 25th day of January 2015 the district (Life & Power) was upgraded to the status of a ZONE known, called and addressed as Life & Power Zone by the Authority of the church with CAC Hosanna Chapel as the Zonal Headquarters and my humble self as the Zonal Superintendent. This upgrade also paved way for the upgrade of Pentecostal Centre and Divine Fountain Centre to the status of districts namely Pentecostal District and Divine Fountain District respectively on the same 25th day of January 2015.
Now we have THREE districts forming Life & Power Zone, namely, Life & Power District, Pentecostal District and Divine Fountain District with Pastor Mich ‘Tunji Oladapo, Pastor Israel Temitayo Ariyo and Pastor Peter Ojo Babalola as the district Superintendents respectively.
How do you think our leaders in CAC can best be immortalized?
The recent development in the church in relation to the creation of Regional Administration has taken care of that. We now have Akinyele region, Odubanjo region and others. All the 12 regions recently created have been named after the Patriarchs of the Church.
What is your opinion on the agitation for house fellowship by some members of the church?
House fellowship is not a new thing. I don’t think we need to wait for any directive from the Authority of the church before starting it. The Church Authority does not frown at anything that can lead to soul-wining, evangelism and church planting
Some people have been calling on President Buhari to reshuffle his cabinet. They want him to inject new blood into the system. What is your opinion about this sir?
I support cabinet reshuffle. I support injection of new blood into the system. The much expected “CHANGE”, in my opinion, will begin with the injection of new blood.
There are so people who are against Christians or pastors going into politics. What is your opinion about this sir?
I don’t see anything wrong in Christians going into politics. However, I don’t subscribe to “Vocational ministers of God, (that is, Full time ministers) like myself going into partisan politics and leave the primary gospel assignment. I personally cannot go into politics because I know how God called me. But if any of my children or my church members wants to go into politics let him or her go ahead. I will pray for them. Let them go ahead, but when they get there, they should uphold righteousness.
Finally sir, what is your advice for youth of nowadays?
My advice for them is to wait on the Lord. The Lord that sustained us can still sustain them. A lot of evils are happening in the world today. But the bible says they that wait upon the Lord he shall renew their strength. I want to advice the youth of nowadays to know their God, especially Christian youths. Even those who are not Christians should go back to God. They should shun violence, gagsterism, cultism drug addiction, sexual perversion and other social vices. They should know that they can still make it without stealing, without being violent and without unnecessarily enriching themselves by way of corruption. They should wait on the Lord. If you are a student face your studies very well. Work very hard, so that you don’t do hard work.