OPOPO CHURCH 1


SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH, 
OPOPOGBOORO, ADO-EKITI
          The urgent need of having a Branch Sabbath School at Opopogbooro area of Ado-Ekiti Township became a reality on the 18th of June, 1998, when the S.D.A Church, Odo-Ado Board Members at a meeting under the chairmanship of Pastor E. A. Adeleye (Ado-Ekiti Church and District Pastor) voted the establishment of a Branch Sabbath School.
          The Branch Sabbath School commenced on the 20th of June, 1998 to help address the challenge faced by church members living at Adebayo and Opopogbooro areas who were finding it very difficult to attend weekly programmes as well as the normal Sabbath day service regularly and punctually.
          At the said Church Board meeting, the following members were chosen to serve in the Branch Sabbath School. They were:
(1)     Elder D.F. Ajisegbede   -        Elder –in-charge
(2)     Mrs G. F. Omole           -        Sabbath School Superintendent
(3)     Mrs Kemi Adesina    -     Asst. Sabbath School Superintendent
(4)     Bother Seun AJisegbede     -        Secretary
          The first service of the company was held on Saturday, 20th of June, 1998 at Prince and Mrs Julius Adefajo’s residence. Elder J. A. Awoniyi, the first Elder, of S. D. A. Church, Odo-Ado delivered the inaugural speech. On attendance on that first Sabbath were forty-nine (49) worshippers, comprising of eight (8) male adults, eleven (11) female adults, sixteen (16) youth members and fourteen (14) children.
          The first three Sabbath services were observed at Prince and Mrs Adefajo’s residence but with improvement in attendance, the place was no longer spacious enough and an alternative place of worship was secured at Ajitadidun for an annual rent of five thousand naira (N5,000.00). The experience there revealed that a church building was urgently needed. With God on the side of the Branch Sabbath, a piece of land for the erection of the church auditorium was secured. The foundation was laid on 16th of February, 2000 by Pastor S. D. A. Adelakin, the District leader.
          While the church building was in progress, attempt made to renew our tenancy in the rented apartment for another twelve months was faced with frustration. The tenancy was extended for only six months (6) terminating on 31st December, 2000. When it became apparent that our church building could not be completed by that 31st December, we had to plead with the landlord who extended the tenancy to the end of March, 2001.
          To our dismay, on Wednesday 24th of January, 2001, the hall was found Jam-packed with school lockers and chairs of some extra mural students, leaving no space for easy movement. That hindered our mid-week prayer. Consequently, the Sabbath service of 27th of January, 2001 was held in the neighboring Rhema Church. The situation forced us to move into an uncompleted residential building belonging to Elder & Mrs. Dele Ajibade, a broth to one of our church members. Despite the fact that the place was not all that spacious, we were saved from the embarrassment of not having a place of worship.
          On Thursday, 3rd May, 2001, the roofing of Opopogboro church auditorium was by the grace of God completed and the first Sabbath worship was observed there on the 12th of May, 2001.

          ORGANIZATION
          The organization of the church company look place on Saturday 18th of August, 2001 by officers from the South West Nigeria Conference (S.W.N.C), under the leadership of Pastor Dr J. M. A. Oyinloye. In a miraculous way, indescribable progress took place in the church both physically and spiritually, the pews were constructed and other fittings done through freewill donations of members. Membership of the church grew from forty-Nine (49) in 1998 to one Hundred and fifty (150) in 2008. Two churches already grew out of the church: S. D. A. Church, NOVA and Olorunda/Olorunsogo Churches.
          At this juncture, we appreciate God Almighty for the lives of the Adefajos and the Ajibades and all other church members who made their properties readily available for the progress of God’s work on earth. Their inestimable contributions shall ever remain indelible in the history of Opopogboro church.
          Similarly, it should be remarked that the members were wonderful, dutiful, dedicated and committeed to God’s course. They willingly sacrificed their time, talents and resources to ensure smooth and effective take off/advancement of the church. For instance, Princess Iyabode Olajide did a lot motivating Sabbath School members then to contribute towards the purchase of another parcel of land contiguous to the one earlier bought for the erection of the church building.
          She devised a contributory system later tagged “Voluntary Donation Strategy” through which the church was able to pay for the contiguous parcel of land. The building erected on the said parcel of land had its foundation laid on Sunday, 25th of February, 2007 by Pastor E. A. Adeleye. The ground floor of the building was initially earmarked as the children Department only, but it now accommodates the Opopogbooro District office as well as the Children Department while the upper floor originally meant to serve as the Pastor’s residence is now being used as the temporary office of Ekiti Conference of Seventh-Day Adventist Church. (To God be the glory).
          The Church Building was dedicated on Saturday 22nd of March, 2008 by Pastor E. A. Adeleye- the President of SWNC.
Former pastors
1.       Pastor E.A Adeleye                           District Pastor
2.       Pastor S.D.A Adelakin                     District Pastor
3.     Pastor J. A. O. Babalola    Church Pastor    2002-2004
4.       Pastor Onugha Wen       Church Pastor    2004-2006
5.       Pastor E.O. Obebe                            Church Pastor               
6.       Pastor D. O. Dada                            Church Pastor
7.       Pastor I. O. A. Osagunna                  Church Pastor
8.       Pastor E. O. Obebe                           Church/District Pastor
9.       Pastor O. S. Alofe   Current Church/Disttrict Pastor  Jan 2014 – June 2017
          May the church of God continue to march forward in the name of Jesus.