ODO ADO CHURCH 1

THE HISTORY OF SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH I,

ODO ADO, ADO - EKITI

Establishment of the church

          The Seventh –Day Adventist church started in Ado-Ekiti in August 1969 at the residence of Late Chief Abolarinde Ojo (Bola Clinic) in the compound of chief Asamo of Odo-Ado in Ado-Ekiti as the result of what happened when pastor J. A. Alade came from Adventist College of West Africa, now Babcock University (ACWA) to canvass i.e sell religious books, in Ado-Ekiti. As he was searching for the Seventh - Day Adventist Church, he was directed to a battery charger named Joseph Adeniyi (now Elder J. A. Adeniyi a.k.a Omo Igbala i.e. “saved child”), near the motor park. Pastor Alade and Mr J. A. Adeniyi went in search of Mr. Abolarinde Ojo and then organized worship servces from then.

          It is worthy to note that the popularity of the church grew very well because of the two different inscriptions on both sides of the main door of Mr. Joseph Adeniyi’s workshop from Sunday to Friday, the door will be opened with the inscription “NO WORK ON SATURDAY-THE SABBATH DAY”, while on Saturday the closed door reads “NO WORK TODAY, SATURDAY THE SABBATH DAY”.

FOUNDATION MEMBERS

          The foundation members with their families were, Elder J. A. Adeniyi and his junior brother, Mr. David Adeniyi now Elder at Oke Ila branch of the Seventh - Day Adventist Church, Ado-Ekiti; and Chief Abolarinde Ojo. The other foundation members of the church in Ado were not new converts but sons and daughters of Seventh-Day Adventist parents from so many towns and villages across Ekiti, Osun and Kwara States, among them were:

The Asanso family from Ikun-Ekiti

Mr. Aluko from Ikosu –Ekiti

Mr. Molomo from Ibadan

Mr & Mrs Jayeola – now Elder at Inisha Church Otun-Ekiti

Mr Kaniwovi B. (1969-1971) who came to canvass from the Book and Bible House, Oke Bola, Ibadan and an Elder at Oloola branch of our church in Ososami District, Ibadan.

Mr. & Mrs. Dada’s family from Ipoti Ekiti

Joshua Adeniyi Olaoye (Baba Samu) from Otun-Ekiti

Mrs. C. O. Ojo from Ikun-Ekiti

Michael Anisere and family from Ikun

Mrs Dorcas Asanso from Ikun

Oye Owolabi and family now Deacon at Ikun Ekiti

Mr Afolabi and family- from Inisha Osun State

          Church servcies were held at the residence of Chief Abolarinde in Asamo’s house at Odo-Ado until 1973 when the church was moved to Elder Adeniyi’s house. The first harvest thanksgiving of the church took place in Elder Adeniyi’s house in December 1975.

Church Growth

          The church moved back to Chief Abolarinde Ojo’s personal house at Odo-Ado in 1978 with the following member along with the foundation members.

          Sunday Nathaniel Ajibade (student Nurse), Oladunmomi Ajayi (now Mrs Ajibade) student nurse then.

Mr. & Mrs. Duro Falade

Aunty Iyabo Olajide

Tayo Ajayi (student nurse then)

Mrs. Mary Olaitan and Children

Miss Arigbede

Miss Christianah Olusola Ajayi (now Mrs. Ogunbiyi)

Mr D. O. Olajide – from Erimope

Elder Akinleye O. B. and family

Mr. & Mrs. David Ajisegbede

Mr M. O. Akande and family

Chief S. A. Olajide and family

Mr David Adeniyi (Elder Adeniyi’s Junior Brother) made a great impact on the growth of this young church through his selfless commitment to transporting church members with the family’s (Peugeot 504 station wagon) from their different houses to the church every Sabbath morning and back to their respective houses at the end of the service free of charge. Members therefore had no excuse of not attending church services for lack of money for transportation.

          When the verandah of chief Abolarinde’s house could no more occupy the members, the church moved to the clinic for worship not minding the inconveniences caused chief Abolarinde and the patients on the sick bed during the Sabbath services on the Sabbath days. A lot of other members joined the church at the clinic. 

          The church was organized at the clinic by Pastor J. A. Dada the then West Nigeria Mission Secretary (WNM), Ibadan and Elder J.A Adeniyi was ordained as the first Elder of the church on September 20, 1986.

          It was from the clinic that the church moved to the present site in February 1994 when Elder Akinleye was the head elder.

          The efforts of Elder E. O. Aburo and Elder O. B. Akinleye in mobilizing members for church development, spiritual activities and resolving issues for the progress of the church cannot be under-estimated. Other members joined the church from Akure after the creation of Ekiti state form the old Ondo State in 1996.

Development

          The land for the church building was acquired at Odo-Ado along Igirigiri Road through the connection of Chief Abolarinde with the Ashamo family in 1980. The foundation was laid in July 1981 through the generous donations from members.

          The church building was dedicated on March 3, 2001. This single church has given birth to other six churches in Ado-Ekiti today and there are two district Headquarters presently in Ado-Ekiti, they are Odo-Ado and Opopogboro respectively.

          It is pertinent to note the contribution of the following people and organziations towards the development and growth of the church in Ado-Ekiti.

          In our desperate effort to complete the church building at Odo-Ado, the church organized a fund-raising ceremony in the year 1993 with Late chief S. A. Olajide as the chairman of the church Building project. Late Prince Julius Adefajo who was chairman of former Ondo State Water Corporation championed the programme by mobilizing his friends and associates in politics for the event.

          Generous donations were received from late chief P. P. Ladapo of Ondo town and Late Senator O. J. Adewumi of Ipoti-Ekiti, the Spring Time Development Foundation, Ede (owned by Dr. Deji Adeleke) donated money for all windows of the church.

Evangelism

          In 1988, a group of believers in the church at Ado-Ekiti, called Christian Soldiers championed evangelism by sending their members to worship with the family of Elder Adelegan at Ikere every Sabbath. This same group played a prominent role through her generous donations towards the church building and also initiated the public evangelism which resulted in the establishment of a Branch Sabbath School at Ijan-Ekiti, in later years.

Pastors that have served the church

Pastor Alade, J. A. (pioneer Pastor)

Paster Onifade, D. O.

Evang. Adeniyi Benjamin

Pastor E. A. Adeleye (now Pastor Dr. E. A. Adeleye)

Pastor S. D. A. Adelakin

Pastor J. A. Dada (the former West Nigeria Mission Secretary who organized the church)

Pastor Ajao, M. O.

Pastor Atoki R. O.

Pastor Adeniyi, E. O.

Pastor Oludumila O. A.

Pastor Yinka Adeniyi

Pastor Obebe, E. O.

Pastor Ogundere, F. O.

Challenges: Even though the church has got seven branches, the church is yet to have a good number of Ado-Ekiti indigenes. There is a need for more evangelism program.

Lesson that could be drawn from the history

          The church waxed stronger due to the persevere love of Christ and unity among members not minding the few membership of the initial stage.