IKOLE CHURCH

THE SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH, IKOLE-EKITI

Ikole Ekiti had her first impact of Seventh-Day Adventist Church through Pastor Wilfred George Till, a British, and his team, which included Pastor I. A. Balogun from Ipoti-Ekiti in the early 1930s.

Information gathered from reliable sources referred to an Octogenarian, Mrs. Mary Babarinde popularly known as “Mama Satide” (Mama Saturday) as a foundation member of the church. His Royal Highness, Oba Samuel A. Oluyemi (The Olusin of Usin-Ekiti) confirmed that the church was one time established in Omodowa Street, Ikole-Ekiti in the early 1930’s. Mrs Babarinde, the octogenarian, said the church had a standard primary school in the town. She said some properties of the church including the sign post, hand bell and other church materials were still safely kept in the roof of a house on that street till date. The King, Oba Samuel A. Oluyemi, also conformed that there was a Seventh-Day Adventist Church and School in Ikole town as far back as early 1940’s. Unfortunately both were no more in existence.

It could be assumed that the strong traditional beliefs and practices as well as other prevailing circumstances then prevented Ikole indigenes from getting totally converted or committed to the church and her doctrine except the family of Mrs. Mary Babarinde (Mama Satide).

Church growth

After a lot of challenges, the Seventh-Day Adventist Church returned to Ikole again through Elder Olarewaju (a native of Omuo-Ekiti) and his family on the 21^st of July 2001 when he was posted to the Federal Government College, Ikole Ekiti as a teacher. The activities of the church came to an end again in the year 2007 as a result of the death of Elder Olarewaju. The legacy he left behind was however what the church is building upon till today.

The church came back to life when Mr. Abolaji Joshua Oluwafemi, a born Adventist from Idofin-Odo-Aga in Kwara State was posted to Egbeoba High School as a Teacher in 2008. He and one student teacher, Miss Oluwayemisi Adeniyi (now Mrs Oluwayemisi Aina) who was at that time a new convert into Adventism through her fiancé, Mr Abiodun Aina, and two youth corpers, Gift and Lucky from the Eastern states started the church again with the help of God. Mr Abolaji was able to secure a classroom at Egbeola High School for the group to worship. However, both the student teacher and youth corpers left after completing their programmes leaving only Mr. Abolaji on ground. The arrival of Mr. and Mrs. Robinson (native of Ido-Ile Ekiti) in Ikole Local Government Area boosted Mr. Abolaji’s morale.  They started worshipping together at Egbeoba High School for a while before they changed the place of worship to the Robinson’s residence at Odo-Oro Ekiti (a suburb of Ikole).

Not quite long after, Mr Kehinde Awojobi (a prince from Ikun-Ekiti) and Mr. L. O. Kayode and his family from Epe Ekiti joined the church at Odo-Oro Ekiti.

The church moved from Mr. Robinson’s seating room to a rented shop within the same building because it could no longer contain them. Visitors on short trips or business trips as well as youth corpers regularly joined the members for worship. It was note-worthy to acknowledge a youth corper, Samuel who donated all his state allowance of sixty thousand naira (60,000.00) for a whole year toward the development of the church.

Ikole Church history would not be complete without acknowledging the great impact and contributions of the Adventist Men Organziation (AMO) under the able leadership of Elders J. K. Bamisile, D. O. Aina and O. B. Akinleye. The organization held Ekiti State AMO convention at the Federal Government College Ikole in the year and this again brought the church into lime-light in Ikole-Ekiti. In the year 2012, AMO compelled her members in each district in Ekiti State to send representative to worship in Ikole Church in rotation every Sabbath. One could easily conclude that Ikole church today is a baby of AMO.

Elder Omoyajowo B. I. of Usin-Ekiti in Ikole L.G.A. donated a piece of land for a church building. By the grace of God with spiritual and strong financial support from AMO, the church building project is in progress. The great spiritual and fiancnail support of Pastor D. A. Obaya from our division in Abdjan could not be over-emphasized.

The following people have served as Pastor of the church:

1.       Pastor David O. Aremu

2.       Pastor S. Ajibola (student pastor from Babcock University)

3.       Pastor A. Boboye

4.       Pastor Joshua Omoniyi Afolabi who is the current church Pastor.

Challenges

1.       Lack of stable resident pastor

2.       Completion of place of worship

3.       Lack of enough evangelism e.g. open air crusade etc.

4.       Absence of Ikole indigenes in membership.

          We pray that the Lord continues to take care of His church and increase the members especially with Ikole Indigenes.