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| Pastor M.O. Yusuff |
By ‘Gbenga Bankole
As Christ Apostolic Church, Worldwide is preparing to celebrate her 100th anniversary, there are ministers of God the history book of the church cannot forget. This is due to their enviable track records and unquantifiable contributions to the progress of the work of God. The pioneer Regional Superintendent of Akinyele Region,Pastor Moses Olaniyi Yusuff is one of those ministers.
Pastor Yusuff is a voice in CAC Worldwide and a spiritual father to so many spiritual giants. The tremendous impact of his calling is yet speaking in the lives of many today.
Baba Yusuff as he is fondly called, belongs to a generation of ministers who do not see church planting as a task, but an hobby. CAC NEWS celebrates this distinguished minister of God par excellence on this memorable day.
HIS BIOGRAPHY
Pastor Moses Olaniyi Yusuff was born into the family of an Imam, Pa Yusuff Ani, an Islamic scholar with his own Arabic School and Mrs. Afusatu Yusuff of Ile-Oke, Molete Onju Iwo in Osun state on 1stAugust, 1945.
He started his academic carrier at the age of four in Islamic School Aba nla Isero in 1949. It was the free education programme of the Late Chief Obefemi Awolowo in 1955 that brought him to Methodist Primary School, Isero.
He had his conversion in 1956 at the Methodist Primary School, Isero. At the knowledge of his conversion, he was sent to Local Authority Primary School. The spiritual juggernaut was with his uncle who was a Moslem and primary school teacher, from where he was finally withdrawn from Methodist Primary School and sent to Ansar-Ur-deen Primary School, Araromi, Iwo where he finished his primary six in 1960.
He worked briefly as a Petrol Attendant and Butcher from 1960 to 1963. He moved to Lagos to learn Bricklaying in 1964. He learnt this vocation from Alfa Lamidi Fasasi at Adegbola Street, off Kayode Street, Igbobi. At this time, the seed of the gospel that was sown started to germinate and growing in Christ Apostolic Church, 28, Igi Olugbin Street, now permanently located at 18, Kajola Street, Bariga, Lagos under the shepherdship of Pastor G.A. Adunbarin, the planter of the church. At this time, he joined the Choir, Ushers, Light of the World Society which was that known as Prayer Warriors.
CALL INTO MINISTRY
Pastor Yusuff was called into the ministry in 1965. He underwent discipleship training under the then District Superintendent, Pastor M.O. Agbede of CAC Ikoyi Ayedaade District for one and half years. He then got admission of CAC Bible Training College, Akure, but did not go. Instead, he went to LIFE Bible College from January 1970 to 29th October, 1972 where he graduated and obtained Diploma in Theology. Before his graduation from LIFE Theological Seminary, Ikorodu, he was directed by the Lord to go to CAC to organize the Sunday School.
At his graduation, he moved straight to where God had sent him at the expense of the opportunity of serving in Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria and under his Pastor in Bariga, Lagos.
HE WORKED AS AN EVANGELIST
Pastor Yusuff started Sunday School in Iwo in 1973 under the leadership of Late Pastor S.A. Oniwinde who later took him to the then CAC President, Late Pastor E.T. Latunde, who allowed him to organize Sunday School in Il-Ife in May 1973.
After the Ile-Ife programme, the Sunday School was introduced to all Pastors in their conference held at Agege in 1973. The Sunday School organization took him to Osogbo , Bauchi, Kano, Mushin District in 1974, Akure, Idanre, Owo and later Port-Harcourt in 1975 under the leadership of the District Superintendent, Pastor Ogunniyi. A church was planted in Rumumasi, Port-Harcourt in 1976.
Later in the year, the first National Sunday School Rally was held in Ile-Ife under the then President Late Pastor E.T. Latunde. He was appointed the first National Sunday School Organising Secretary, the office he did occupy because of his admission to ECWA Bible College, Aba, then Imo State, now Ebonyi state.
Thereafter, he was transferred to CAC Sunday School department under the leadership of late Pastor E.H.L. Olusheye in Akure in 1981, after his four years course in Aba.
ORDINATION: He was ordained in September 1981, at CAC Oke Isegun, Irowo, Akure.
HE WORKED AS PASTOR/LECTURER
He served as the Head of Children Unit in CAC Sunday School Department. He organized programmes for children in Akure, Owo, Ile-Ife, Ado-Ekiti and other towns in CAC Worldwide.
He later proceeded to Obafemi Awolowo University in 1986 where he obtained Bachelor of Arts Degree in Religious Studies. He graduated in 1990 and went back to Sunday School Department.
Pastor Yusuff was then transferred to CAC Theological Seminary in April 1991 to assume duty in September, 1991. The cleric went to Nigeria Institute of Journalism, Ogba, Lagos in 1994/1995 where he obtained a Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism.
He was elevated from a Lecturer to the status of the Coordinator of all infrastructural development in CAC Theological Seminary.
HE WORKED AS DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT
Pastor Yusuff was promoted to District Superintendent in 1993. He was in Seminary as a lecturer from 1991 to May 1, 1996 and was transferred to CAC Grace Tabernacle as the first District Superintendent till 1st of June, 2004.
He spent eight years and twenty-eight days in CAC Grace Tabernacle District in the old Lagos Districts Coordinating Council. He served as a member of the Publicity Board and later became the chairman of the Publicity Board in the year 1999.
He was transferred to CAC Ketu District on 1st of June, 2004.
He was the third District Superintendent of CAC Ketu District and became the first Chairman of CAC Ketu Zone on 1stNovember, 2007 and CAC Ketu DCC Superintendent in March 2014 to 31stDecember, 2017. He was promoted as Akinyele Regional Superintendent with effect from January 1ST, 2018.
A FAMILY MAN
Pastor Yusuff is happily married to a wonderfully made companion in the person of Mrs. Mary Adeola Yusuff and they are blessed with glorious children all vibrantly partaking in the ministry.