It is only few people will know that the Late Pastor Isaiah Ogunbomehin was the one God used to discover Christ Apostolic Church, Babalola International Miracle Camp, Ikeji-Arakeji after the great Apostle slept in the Lord.
CAC NEWS gathered that Pastor Ogunbomehin slept in the Lord on July 21, 2019 at age 81.
Until his death, he was the planter and Senior Pastor of Mount of Joy and Grace Church, based in Agege, Lagos and a well-known personality in Christ Apostolic Church Worldwide.
In an interview with Church Times, his only surviving son, Pastor Seyi Ogunbomehin hinted that his late father labored tirelessly while on earth for the purpose of God’s kingdom.
He said, “My father died on July 21 at 81 but the church he left behind has been mourning his death like the death of a 40-year-old man because of the impact he made while alive. He was too concerned about members of the church to the detriment of his own personal comfort. He touched virtually everybody that came his way. He was not materialistic. He did not have a building of his own till he died apart from the church building which he did not see as his personal property. He was for many people who were close to him the second Babalola while he was still in the CAC. But for his commitment to the CAC, perhaps the camp called Joseph Babalola Memorial Camp would not have been what it is today.”
Pastor Seyi Ogunbomehin explained further: “The campground was a thick forest when God led my father to go there and preserve the legacy of the late Ayodele Babalola. That was why he worked tirelessly to help secure the property for the CAC. He ensured the building of the first set of structures on the land. He spent all he had on the camp to make the place habitable. Just last year he was given the most distinguished personality award along with Vice President Yemi Osibajo during the centenary celebration of CAC. I am hoping that the CAC will go further to immortalize his name on that camp. My joy is that he was a fulfilled man. Part of his purpose in life was to do what he did by securing camp for the CAC. Many people are now being blessed through that camp.”
The late Ogunbomehin however had to leave the CAC at some point to start his own ministry. His son said further, “Though he left CAC he was not too keen about having a church. He was just concerned about doing the will of God. That is why he had just one branch of his church. In that one branch he was able to reach and impact a lot of people.”
On how he died, Pastor Seyi Ogunbomehin said, “He was still strong at the point of death. He preached quite well on Sunday morning. He left the church around 2pm and passed on around 10pm. He did not give any sign he was going to die because he was hale and hearty. But then the Lord took him. I am happy he ended well. I am sure his soul is with the Lord.”
Ogunbomehin: His Biography
Ogunbomehin
The late Ogunbomehin was born on Wednesday, 17th November, 1937 at Irolu Remo in Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State. He is the second of the two sons of Alice Ekidan and Ogunbomehin Ogunnaike.
Ogunbomehin had his Elementary Education at Methodist School, Irolu where he obtained his Standard Six Certificate in 1953. His profession was printing.
“In 1957 he joined Sofowote Printing Press at 29, Willoughby Street, Oyingbo, Lagos as Supervisor. He was on his way from that job on Thursday, 29th October, 1959, when God called him to join the church of New Jerusalem through a life-saving miracle of healing he received at an open-air crusade by the church that night.
“On Thursday 25th February, 1960, he received the power of the Holy Spirit in fulfillment of a three-week prophecy in the church. The Holy Spirit had earlier revealed to the church that someone among them would be specifically empowered for use in the Church and in the Nation. He was called to join the team of Evangelists, called Crusaders in the Church, on Monday 9th May, 1960.
“On Friday, 17th June, 1960, he travelled to Obior, in present Delta State, in company of other Evangelists, including the leader, Pastor Isaac Olatunde Ogunsanya, on a crusade. He stayed back there while others returned to Lagos and later, he moved to Ubulu-Uku where he established a branch of the Church that still remains there till today.
“In July, 1960, exactly one year after the demise of Apostle Babalola, Pastor Ogunbomehin was in a trance for 3 days during which the Lord made a covenant with him that in 30 years’ time, He had a job for him to accomplish. This later became Ikeji-Arakeji project. Construction work at Ikeji actually began in 1990, exactly 30 years after the covenant.
“On Saturday 7th February, 1965, Pastor Ogunbomehin established a branch of the Church of New Jerusalem in Sango Agege in Lagos State. On 2nd June 1968, he and his church formally joined Christ Apostolic Church after he conducted a two-week revival in CAC Somolu Bailey, Lagos under God’s directive through him. The directive was corroborated by an earlier prophecy from Prophet Babajide, the then General Evangelist of CAC. He said that an Evangelist from outside CAC would come to conduct a revival in their church and that he should be allowed.
“Pastor Ogunbomehin married former Miss. Bisi Bakare in 1965, and are both blessed with three children and five grandchildren.
“His first born, Samuel Oluseyi, now a Pastor, holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A) degree in History, Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism and a PhD in Church Growth. The other children are Christiana Olufunmilayo and Dorcas Modupeoluwa who are into their personal businesses.”