By Rachael Oke & Oluwagbenga Bankole
The President, Christ Apostolic Church Nigeria and Overseas, Pastor Samuel O. Oladele being one of the esteemed awardees at the Bible Society of Nigeria (BSN)'s 16th Founders Day Award Ceremony held in Lagos on Friday February 7, 2025, has affirmed the Bible’s indestructible nature.
In his acceptance remarks, Pastor Oladele underscored the Bible's resilience, stating that the Bible has remained unshaken despite years of attempts by various people to destroy it.
"The Bible remains that very bush burning but which cannot be consumed. Throughout church history, the Bible has endured many fires attempting to destroy it, but it remains indestructible. It is said that the Lord gave the word and great is the company of those that publish it" He noted.
He referenced historical attempts to destroy the Bible, such as those by Voltaire in Switzerland and other incidents where copies of the Bible were burnt, yet, the Bible persists.
Drawing from a biblical story in Jeremiah 36, Pastor Oladele recounted how King Jehoiakim cut up and burned the scroll containing God’s word through Prophet Jeremiah and how God commanded the creation of another scroll.
He then encouraged the Bible Society of Nigeria, saying, "There will be many fires that people may want to throw the Bible into, but the Bible is such a book that cannot be destroyed. You must always take up a new scroll to ensure that the Bible reaches the hands of everyone in this country."
Pastor Oladele expressed his gratitude for the award and pledged continued support from CAC to BSN.
“I want to thank the leadership of Bible Society of Nigeria, for this great honour and award presented to me here today.” He remarked.
"On behalf of the leadership of the Christ Apostolic Church, I want to pledge once again the support of Christ Apostolic Church to the work of the Bible Society of Nigeria. Call us anytime; you can count on our support." He added.
In a further interview, the president reflected on the keynote address, "Diversification and Production: Panacea to Nigeria's Economic Quagmire", which emphasized the need to diversify the Nigerian economy. He highlighted the crucial role the church should play in promoting responsible education, resource utilization, and enlightening citizens on the importance of economic diversification.
“What I take from the keynote address is that the church has a duty to open the eyes of the people because sometimes we just criticize the government without knowing what they are going through. Governance in this country is very complex and even complicated and so many people will be blaming government for not doing this or that, but we have a duty to enlighten the citizens.” He stated.
“The guest speaker also made mention of keeping our children informed and guarding them against embarking on certain courses that may not be of any use to them or to the country. Yes we know that Nigerian economy is solely dependent on oil but since we have been blessed abundantly with many other resources, we need to key into that to see that Nigeria prospers.” He added.
Reflecting on the award and its significance in relation to eternal rewards, Pastor Oladele said, "This award reminds me of the great day when we shall appear before the judgment seat of Christ and be awarded for the work done here. I look forward to that great day when I shall stand before my Saviour and He will say to me, Come on, enter into the very joy of your master."
Pastor Oladele was honored alongside other distinguished individuals, including the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, The Most Reverend Henry Ndukuba, Former Minister of Information and National Orientation, Professor Jerry Gana, CEO of Tudel Global Investments Limited, Pastor Dele Adejugbe, and President and Chairman of Council, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Dr. Ike Neliaku.
To grace the occasion are CAC General Secretary, Pastor Emmanuel Mapur, the Finance Director, Pastor Johnson Omitinde, Regional Superintendent of Akinyele Region, Pastor S.A. Adedayo, Regional Superintendent of Pearce Region, Pastor S.O. Aluko, Special Assistant to the President, Pastor Tunde Asokeji, Director of Publicity, Pastor Ademisoye Alawode, Secretary of CAC World Evangelistic Outreach, Pastor J.O. Makinwa, Regional Secretary of Akinyele Region, Pastor E.A. Oyedeji,
Superintendent of Ketu DCC, Pastor M.A. Ajayi, Superintendent of CAC Olushi DCC, Pastor J.B. Olajide, Zonal Superintendent of Ogudu Zone, Pastor C.A.S. Daramola, Zonal Superintendent of Oshodi Zone, Pastor F.F. Daramola, immediate past General Overseer of Foursquare Gospel Church, Reverend Felix Meduoye many others.
