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| Pastor S.O. Owolabi |
Pastor Samuel Olusola Owolabi, a Justice of the Peace [JP] of Ondo State, Nigeria was born and bred at Ikare-Akoko nearly seven decades ago to Elder Joseph B Owolabi and Deaconess [princess] Janet Folake Owolabi, both of blessed memory.
After a primary education spanning from 1957-1963, he attended St. Paul's CAC Secondary Modern School Ikare from 1965-1967 after which he started learning furniture making at Ikare from 1968- 1971 where he obtained freedom and became a master furniture maker. But by 1973 he received a divine call to be a worker in the Vineyard of God and through the help of the late former C.A.C General Superintendent Pastor J.A. Medaiyese. He was admitted to C.A.C Bible Training College, Akure, between 1973 and 1975. He was the Organist of the College for one year taking over from the current C.A.C President Pastor S.O Oladele. After graduation from Bible College he was immediately posted to start work at C.A.C Oke- Igbala, Ondo from where he went to Lagos for further training at New Life Bible College, Ajegunle, Apapa.
He later became the Evangelist in charge of C.A.C 83 Lagos Street, Ebute- Metta where our papa Pastor D.O.A Oloye was the Pastor in Charge of the Assembly. From Lagos he travelled abroad to the United Kingdom of Great Britain for further Bible Training. There, Pastor S.O Owolabi attended Capernwray Bible College in Carnforth, near Lancaster in Lancashire where he obtained the College Diploma in 1979.
Upon his return to Nigeria and in 1980 he was ordained Pastor by the Church Authority when C.A.C was celebrating her Golden Jubilee Anniversary. The ordination came up on 28th September at llesha Convention of that year. Thereafter, Pastor S.O Owolabi was posted to ljero- Ekiti to go and prove his mettle in the ministry. He sat and wrote the General Certificate of Education (GCE) examinations and passed them at distinction level which qualified him for full academic work. He also passed the then dreaded almighty JAMB examination as well.
After a short spell as a Pastor, he was admitted to the then University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife to read Archaeology. He was very active in his department and was voted for to become the president and student leader of the department for two academic sessions consecutively. He bagged the Bachelor of Arts degree with Honors (B.A.Hons) in Archaeology in 1990. For his brilliance and in his final year the Ondo State Government awarded him full scholarship to complete his studies. After graduation he had stint with Prophet S. K. Abiara (who later became the immediate past C.A.C Gen. Evangelist) at C.A.CAgbala Itura, Ibadan where he later became the Director of Evangelism. In 1992, Pastor Owolabi was posted as a Pastor to a branch of the C.A.C in Battersea, London and later to C.A.C Lozelles Street, Birmingham, UK, before he returned to Nigeria.
He was promoted to the rank of District Superintendent in 1992, and in 1994 was transferred to Osupa District, Akure. At Akure the then Military Government of Ondo State appointed him as a Justice of the Peace (JP) in 1994 and also made him one of the leaders of delegation to the State of Israel in 1995. He ascended up to Jerusalem and the Government of the State of Israel gave him a certificate to commemorate the 3000™ year when King David made Jerusalem his capital!
On his return to Nigeria in 1995, Pastor Samuel O. Owolabi was admitted to the then University of the Ibadan, Ibadan for his Masters Degree majoring in Religion and African Studies. He was the best overall student of his class and for his brilliance the University awarded him a prize named after the late Venerable Lucas in Religion. He became "primus inter pares" in the University and he was asked to proceed to Ph.D Degree which he did in 1997. In 1998 the Church Authority promoted him to the rank of Assistant General Superintendent. Pastor Owolabi JP was also appointed by the Government of Oyo State in the year 2000 by the then, now late, Governor Lam Adesina to again ascend up to Jerusalem. He worked in many assemblies of Christ Apostolic Church Worldwide in Lagos, Ibadan, Akure Ikire, Ilorin, Birmingham, London, Ikare among other places. He was appointed the Director of Publicity for C.A.C Worldwide in 2002/2003 and was the editor of Christ Apostolic magazine during that period.
He was made the Chairman of C.A.C Ikare DCC in 2007 before he was recalled back to the C.A.C General Secretariat, Ibadan in 2009 to be in charge of Pastoral Ordination as well as Head of Department for Church Registration till December 2015. Pastor Samuel O.Owolabi was posted to head C.A.C Oke- Igbala DCC Akure in January 2016 to 2019.
At the inception of Regional Administration in C.A.C in 2018 he played pivotal roles in the life of CAC Odubanjo Region, and in December 2019, the Church Authority appointed him as a Regional Superintendent in C.A.C and posted him to be the Babajide Regional Superintendent starting from January 1, 2020 upon which he is being inducted today the 22 March, 2020. CAC Babajide Region is comprised of Kwara, Kogi and part of Niger State.
Pastor Owolabi is charismatic and has musical talent. He has many laurels to his credit and has been honored by many reputable organisations. He is a member of Nigerian Institute of Management and also a member of Archeology Society.
He is married to Mrs. Modupeola Abike Owolabi with godly children and many grandchildren. We wish him a successful tenure of office and pray that his time here will witness revival and reformation.