"Pastor S.O.Oladele: A tried and tested vessel" by Pastor Odesola

Since the announcement of Pastor Samuel Olusegun Oladele as the new President of Christ Apostolic Church (Worldwide) by the Church Authority, some thoughts had kept coursing through my mind about the significance of his appointment as the 8th President of the Church. The thoughts persisted and kept coming back until I finally decided to put them on paper and share them with readers on this platform.

The significance of figure 8

In music and human calendar, figure 8 is significant. In both, the figure symbolizes a new beginning. For example, there are seven keys (either major or minor) in music  A,B,C,D,E,F,G. In basic tonal range (apart from semitones), we also have seven: d:r:m:f:s:l:t: To go higher, we have to start with another d:  that is, a new beginning at a higher tonal level. The same is true in our calendar. A week consists of seven days: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday. The next day after Saturday marks the beginning of another week  Sunday.

So, the appointment of Pastor S. O. Oladele as the 8th President of Christ Apostolic Church is significant because it indicates a new beginning not only in the leadership of the Church but also in the Church generally. It is very important to note that Pastor Oladele didnt become the 8th President of the Church by his own choice or design; it was by Divine design. 

Commencement of a new beginning

The forthcoming Inauguration and commencement of Duty Service of the new President could therefore be likened to the commencement of Prophet Elishas ministry. One, Prophet Elisha took off immediately where his predecessor, Prophet Elijah, left off. The last miracle performed by Elijah before his departure from the earth turned out to be the first miracle that Elisha performed at the commencement of his own ministry  the parting of river Jordan. The same river that gave way to two men to pass also parted way for one man, Elisha, to pass. No wonder, the other sons of the prophets who saw the miracle came to pay homage to Elisha because of the manifestation of Gods power and glory in Him. 

CAC has many rivers to cross

At this point in her history, Christ Apostolic Church (Worldwide) still has many rivers to cross, and she needs a leader who is adequately equipped and empowered to smite the waters of the rivers with the mantle of Gods power for the rivers to part way for Gods people to cross over to the promised land. Through Gods grace, as the mantle of leadership falls on Pastor S. O. Oladele, he has been ordained by the Lord with the power for the great task ahead. However, we must all join hands with him and support him with our prayers. Remember, leadership is not a lone-ranger job.  

Two, long before the commencement of Prophet Elishas leadership tenure, the city of Jericho had been groaning and suffering under a generational curse that made the citys land barren and its water bitter (2 Kings 2:19-22). Sickness and premature deaths were common in those days in Jericho. Although several centuries had passed since Joshua pronounced a curse on Jericho, yet the inhabitants of the city were still suffering from its negative effects. The healing of the land and the water of Jericho was the second miracle that Elisha performed. By healing the citys land and water, the commencement of Elishas ministry brought a new lease on life for the people of Jericho.

Healing open sores and fresh wounds

Both in the church and in our nation today, there are many open sores and fresh wounds that beg for urgent attention, treatment and healing. Like in the days of Prophet Elisha, it is our earnest prayer that Pastor Oladeles tenure as the President will bring healings to those open sores and fresh wounds in the church and in our nation. However, we must note that Elisha was able to deal with the citys problems because they were brought to his attention. We, too, must be the anointed eyes and the sanctified ears of the new President, feeding the presidency with true, accurate and useful information. We must not be like Gehazi who used the privilege of his close association with a great leader to feed his greed and inordinate ambitions. We must avoid coming to trade in the corridors of power with the fake currencies of deception and lies like Ananias and Sapphira. The consequences could be very disastrous.

A tried and tested vessel

Pastor Samuel Olusegun Oladele's rise to the pinnacle of church leadership was not without its own challenges. He is in many ways a tried and tested vessel in the Lords vineyard. In the early and mid-80s, he was seen as one of the young radicals who usually spoke out boldly in their sermons and teachings against the ills in the church. As a gifted teacher with a sharp brain and an analytical mind, Pastor Oladele usually reasons lucidly and teaches clearly and factually with a razor-edge precision that often makes many of his listeners ask if he was using a version of the Bible different from their own. 

In those days, you could tell where Pastor Oladele stood in any given matter in which he was either directly or indirectly involved. He was blunt almost to a fault when it came to telling the truth as it is, particularly on dicey and controversial matters. He would hold the Bible in one hand and lifes realities in the other and deftly and wisely combine the two to present his case logically, forcefully and succinctly. That didnt usually go down well with some powers that be in the church in those days because it often exposed the fallacy of their claims and the illogicality of their arguments. 

It actually got to a point in the late 90s that Pastor S. O. Oladele and Pastor M. O. Yusuf were blacklisted and prohibited from being featured as guest speakers in most national events in Christ Apostolic Church.

For instance, in 1998, when we organised the maiden edition of the CAC Publicity Departments News-Writing Seminar and Workshop for Publicity Secretaries and members of the public in Lagos, we featured Pastor Yusuf, Mr. Aderiye of AIT and Mr. Olusakin Babalola, News Editor of (the defunct) Daily Sketch Newspaper as guest speakers at the event. The then Chairman of CAC Mushin DCC where the programme was held showed no interest at all in the programme, although he was billed to give the Opening Address. However, when he saw Pastor Yusufs name on the list of our Guest Speakers, he quickly rushed down into the church and almost distrupted the programme. He called me aside and asked in veiled anger, Pastor Odesola, as the National Publicity Secretary of the Church, do you want to tell me that you didnt know that the Church Authority has banned Pastor Oladele and Pastor Yusuf from featuring as guest speakers in any national event in the church? Sir, that is news to me, I replied. I never received any verbal or written directive from the Church Authority to that effect, I explained further. The DCC Chairman looked at me incredulously as he tried vainly to control his anger. You either remove Pastor Yusuf from your list of guest speakers or take your programme elsewhere, he said with a tone of finality before he stormed out of the church auditorium.

Imagine! The same man who was blacklisted and banned from speaking at national events in CAC in those days now occupies the highest seat of leadership and power in the Church. Thats the Lords doing, and it is the stuff with which great leaders are made. 

You see his glory but you don't know his story

Today, many people who see Pastor Samuel Olusegun Oladele's glory didnt know his story. However, those of us who are close to him and watch from some distance his tortuous but steady rise to the seat of leadership know a little bit of the story and the crucible he has passed through. We know that he is a tried and tested vessel prepared by the Lord Himself for this period in the history of our great Mission. 

As Pastor S. O. Oladele is being inaugurated as the 8th President of Christ Apostolic Church (Worldwide), my wife and I wish him a peaceful, progressive, prosperous and fruitful tenure in the office, in Jesus name. Amen.