General Superintendent, CAC Nigeria and Overseas, Pastor Emmanuel Olatoro Odejobi
Not all preachers of the word have been able to walk the talk, but this is not the case with today's celebrant, the General Superintendent of Christ Apostolic Church, Nigeria and Overseas, Pastor Emmanuel Olatoro Odejobi. He is a reputable man of integrity, a living Bible, who not only preaches the word but also lives it out in his actions.
HIS BACKGROUND:
From grass to grace
The living legend was born on 31st July,1952 to Pa Abraham
Odejobi. Pa Odejobi was a pioneer member of Christ Apostolic Church,
Oke-Ayo,Baakun Ipetumodu in Ife North
Local Government of Osun State. He is also a farmer, hunter and a leader. The
mother of Pastor Odejobi is Mama Maria Omitunde Odejobi who was a Deaconess in
The Apostolic Church., Ipetumodu. She is trader who sells Aso-Oke and Kerosene.
His boyhood
Expectedly he grew up coerced into accompanying his father
to farming even on Sundays when he would have loved to attend Church services.
It is an irony of life therefore that he who was born into
the home where palm wine was tapped, sold and celebrated could grow to be the
dispensing station of the Word of God and become an attraction and host Ministers
of the Gospel. It is rather unthinkable that the son of an ordinary farmer
would become the Superintendent of a conglomeration of Gospel Believers and
Gospel Ministers.
His Education
He attended Christ Church (Anglican) School 1, Ipetumodu
from 1960 where he left for St. John’s Primary School at Omidi Onipetesi in
1964 where he accompanied his brother Reverend Francis Adunola Odejobi who is
now late. There he completed his primary school education and gained admission
to CAC Commercial Modern School in 1965. He could however not attend because of
lack of funds.
He spent the academic year on the farm handling hoes and
cutlasses instead of biro and notes and in the classroom. It is no wonder that
he grew up ensuring that the children of even strangers are financed in schools
even university education by him.
He joined Binuyo Electrical Works in 1967 as an apprentice
and completed the training in 1970. He thereafter joined social outfits. He was
one of the foundation members of the erstwhile Oredegbe Social Band at
Ipetumodu captained by Mr. Morohunkeji Olowolawi from where he joined Guinea
Ade at Ile Ife who later became Yemi Kuti in Lagos. This reflects till today in
his ministrations as he employed meaningful and fittingly appropriate songs to
buttress Gospel truths.
Pastor Odejobi holds London C&G Course C in Electrical
Engineering, an equivalent of National Diploma (ND).
Honours
Pastor Odejobi was an awardee of two Doctor of Divinity. He
was awarded at All Nations Bible College, Ibadan and Christ the King
Theological Seminary, Lagos.
Sports life
He was a lover of sports especially football. He joined
others to play football but his delight was goalkeeping. One thing with him was
and till now is his commitment and zeal towards whatsoever he does or is
assigned to do.
The talent later earned him opportunity to continue his
education in fulfillment of the scriptures which is ‘the gift of a man makes
way for him’ Proverbs18:16.
After being in limbo academically for four years, he
accompanied his friends to their school. By providence, that day the school had
football training session but the second team had no goalkeeper. So for one he
offered to keep the goal and that day he made daring saves which endeared him
to the hearts of both the spectators and the teams. This led to his admission
into Anglican Commercial Modern School where he completed the modern school
education in 1973.
Gospel / Christian
Life
In his final year there was a group of students called the
‘brilliant ten’ among whom Pastor Odejobi was one. Their Teacher was poised to
ensure their success so he offered to assist them but at a cost. So the ten
started to look for the money. Pastor Odejobi approached his cousin, Taye
Odesola who rather than gave him money gave him an option of committing the
examination into the hands of Jesus rather than trust in the lecturer. Instead
of money he was asked to pray and fast. With that resignation option he opted
for Jesus and told his colleagues three of who joined him.
The result from the examination favoured Pastor Odejobi and
his colleagues while others who relied on the lecturer failed. This incident
implanted faith in Jesus in him.
Later on one of his journeys he had cause to go and excrete
in a bush while the vehicle he boarded had some problem. There he saw a tract
which had been abused. He picked and read it. The title of the tract was ‘no
adjustment later’. The message broke him leaving him with no other time to give
his life to Jesus Christ. He also read Pastor Kumuyi’s tract titled “Others’
May, But I Cannot.” The message of the tract also shaped his life not to join others
to do what is not right.
Armed with the Modern III Certificate, he came to Lagos to
join his cousin, Pastor Taye Odesola, who was the manager of Christ Apostolic
Church Printing Press, Shiaba, Agege, Lagos under late Pastor Benjamin Okpaise.
His knowledge of electricity and installation earned him a
job with WESTEX, working as Assistant Engineer with an Indian.
In 1974, he sought and got admission into Government
Technical College, Owo. It was dramatic but divine intervention secured it for
him.
As a President of Christian Youth Movement through which
over 30 members have become ministers of the gospel, amongst was Late Pastor
Titus Adejubu, a trainee under him who also happened to be the first Pastor and
Chairman of CAC Garki, Abuja.
His ministry cut across board. He is a grassroot and
cosmopolitan Evangelist whose evangelism penetrated the nooks and crannies of
Nigeria states, West African coast, Ghana, Benin Republic, etc., Europe and
U.S.A.
He was mentored by
the following dynamic men of God:
i. Pastor John O. Oyebanji
ii.
Pastor A.O. Akinosun – President Retired, CAC Nigeria & Overseas
iii.
Pastor S.O. Oladele – President , CAC Nigeria & Overseas
iv.
Pastor D.O.A. Oloye – General Superintendent (Retired)
v.
Late Pastor E.A. Faniyani – Interim Chairman, CAC General Executive Council
He was also discipled by Pastor J.K. Solomon
He served in the following committee and board in CAC:
i.
Chairman- Evangelical Committee under revered General Evangelist,
Prophet S.K. Abiara (Rtd.)
ii.
Member, Ministers’ Wives Advisory Committee
iii. Vice
Chairman, Mission Board under the present indefatigable General Superintendent,
Pastor S.O. Oladele
iv. Member,
Ministers’ Welfare Scheme
v. Member, Management Boar
Pastor Odejobi has grown through the ranks and he is
presently a member of the Management board of Christ Apostolic Church and one
of the Trustees.
CAC Transfiguration
DCC
CAC Transfiguration DCC has over 25 assemblies, four
Districts and two centres. To the glory of God, many ministers have been raised
through the ministry of Pastor Odejobi. There presently 30 Pastors and 25
Evangelists in Transfiguration DCC.
Drama
By this time he had been showing the Jesus in Him and in his
desperate move to communicate the Gospel of his Lord to his world, apart from
preaching, he went into drama and eulogy. He also employed songs to add to his
means of disseminating the good news. He led many evangelical outreaches and it
had become obvious before leaving the school that the hand of His Saviour was
on him.
He graciously combined his evangelical fleet with academics
with good results which was amazing.
He led various evangelical groups and fellowships such as
CACSA and Light of the World. He was the President of Christ Youth Movement.
Not less than 30 members of the movement have become
renowned men of God among who was Pastor Adejubu, who was the pioneering
minister of CAC Church Garki in Abuja. He completed his course as Electrical
Engineer.
His second chapter in
Lagos
After the completion of his career at the Technical College
he came to Lagos but not as in the former stance but as Gospel light bearer but
who must need a course to his station.
He joined the veteran Evangelist Segun Ilesanmi as
interpreter and as Gospel recruit. There he was till the crisis in 1978 in
Christ Apostolic Church, Oke Itedo Olorun Iyanu. Just like it happened on the
football pitch so it happened on the Gospel pitch. He became a ready tool of
God to stand for God to manage the crisis.
In 1983, the crisis led to splitting the Church and he moved
peacefully with one part to become Christ Apostolic Church, Oke Irapada. The
latter is now a DCC while the former is Regional Center.
From there he moved out for peace and though without a clear
vision of where he was going but God compensated him with meaningful outreaches
which culminated into what is today known as CAC Transfiguration Zone with 25
assemblies, four Districts and two centres.
Marital life
He is married to Folashade Mariam Odejobi and both are
blessed with male and female children some of who presently reside overseas.
His wedding ceremony was conducted at Go Yee Evangelical Church in 1982 brought
back late Pastor T.A. Iyanda who founder of the ministry.
Affluence
Though a man of significant influence in people’s lives he
detests using his influence for affluence but the influential grace from God
has often made his listeners to generously share their affluence with him.
This was why a woman who listened to him on a street evangelism
outing, gave him her Volkswagen Beetle car in 1980. From then to date he has
rarely bought any car with his money.
His affluence is from his influence in the life of people.
APPOINTMENT AS
GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT
Pastor Odejobi was appointed as the General Superintendent
of CAC Worldwide on Thursday October 15, 2020.