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| Pastor Abraham O. Akinosun |
The authorities of Christ Apostolic Church, Nigeria and Overseas, have concluded arrangements to celebrate the retired President of the Church, Pastor Abraham Olukunle Akinosun, who led the Church from 2011 till December 31, 2020.
Pastor Akinosun was appointed the General Superintendent of the Church in 2011, he was elevated to the highest office, the Presidency of the Church in April 2012 and finally retired last December, 2020.
During his tenure, he was able to push through a lot of reforms in the administration of the Church and the physical developments both at the Ikeji Arakeji Prayer Camp and at the General Secretariat of the Church in Ibadan.
Most of Pastor Akinosun’s lieutenants have very glowing tributes for him. Pastor S. O. Oladele, who succeeds Pastor Akinosun as the President of the Church commended him for his humility and his team spirit. He said during Baba Akinosun’s tenure, he never had cause to differ from whatever decision was taken: “There was no occasion for disagreement. We took joint decisions. So, I can’t opt out of any decision taken”.
According to the General Secretary of the Church, Pastor E. E. Mapur, Pastor Akinosun did his best in improving the church far better than he met it in terms of reformation of the administrative set up of the Church and improving human capital development; as his tenure saw to massive retraining of ministers in the field, through Enhanced Leadership and Administrative Training.
The programme, run with the cooperation of the Joseph Ayo Babalola University, JABU and which started from the most senior ministers of the Church has percolated down to the rank and file of the ministerial cadre of Christ Apostolic Church, Nigeria and Overseas. As at the time of his retirement in December 2020, the training programme has graduated close to 6000 ministers.
Pastor Mapur said the motive behind the training was that most pastors were naïve about administrative matters. This often reflected in the way some ministers fall into avoidable mistakes, especially in matters involving law and order, as well as personnel administration. The ELAT training was initiated to correct this and most of the beneficiaries of the programme have attested to its usefulness in their ministries.
Also speaking, Pastor Johnson F. Omitinde, the Finance Director, said Pastor Akinosun is a consesnsus builder. He never took any unilateral decision.” He would allow everybody to contribute to debate on issues before decisions would be taken, once taken, the decision became binding on everybody”.
Pastor Akinosun’s tenure was also credited with the rapid development of the camp at Ikeji Arakeji where residential structures have sprung up within the last five years thus reducing the tension prayer tourists and participants at Church programmes used to be exposed to anytime they had programmes in Ikeji Arakeji.
The Chairman of the Retirement and Send Off Committee, Pastor Benson Akanmu, said the event would hold on Saturday, June 26 at 10 am. According to him, the committee is leaving nothing to chances as it had made provisions for all the logistical needs to make the event a resounding success.
In a recent chat with Pastor A. O. Akinosun with the Media Team of the Church, he said he was filled with joy in his heart that he had been able to do the little he could to put the Church on development track. However, being a team player, he said whatever he was able to achieve during his leadership of the Church, the glory belongs more to his lieutenants than to himself because the cooperation of the management team and the entire ministers and members of the Church earned the successes.
The only issue he regretted was the way some people after agreeing to the end of the 30 years old crisis in the church, turned round to disclaim the announcement when it was made. He, however, prayed that the crisis would not linger beyond this 2021.
Pastor Akinosun was called into the gospel ministry in 1972. He had to resign from his lucrative job to answer the call. He started first as a Catechist and was ordained as a Pastor in 1981, after his return from Overseas theological training. He had been posted to various stations and had taught in the Church’ seminary. He was promoted AGS when that grading system was in vogue. He was later made the Chairman of CAC Latona Districts Coordinating Council in Oshogbo where he eventually got promotion to become the General Superintendent, a position he held before emerging as President.
PASTOR ADEMISOYE ALAWODE
DIRECTOR OF PUBLICITY, CAC, NIGERIA AND OVERSEAS