ODO OWA - EKITI CHURCH


THE HISTORY OF SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH ODO OWA EKITI
          In the year 1915 Elder D.C. Babcock brought the gospel down from Sao to Ipoti Ekiti. The church came to Odo-Owa Ekiti (formerly Odoehin) in the same year through Pa Simeon Olaleye who later became an evangelist in this church (S.D.A church Odo Owa) before his death. May God grant him eternal life.
          Immediately Elder D.C Babcock came to Ipoti, he asked for a land to erect his church building and he was given, that is where Church 1 is located till date at Ipoti Ekiti.
          Elder D.C. Babcock wanted capable carpenters who would help him to build the church at Ipoti Ekiti. Pa Olaleye was a good carpenter and also literate, he could read and write in English fluently. Pa Simeon Olaleye had two friends at Ipoti namely, Pastor Isaiah Balogun and Chief Daniel Ojo (the Esaya). Both of them told Elder D.C Babcock about their friend and he immediately engaged him.
          When Pa Simeon Olaleye was working with Elder D.C. Babcock, he told him about the true gospel message. His two friends mentioned above advised him to accept this message. Without much ado, Pa Simeon Olaleye became Evangelist at Odo Owa Ekiti in 1915 while Pastor Isaiah A. Balogun was at Ipoti as a Pastor.
          Those who accepted the message immediately were: Elder Okomure at Aye Compound, Odo-Owa Ekiti, this man was a very close friend to Pa Simeon Olaleye, others were: James Adaramola, Jacob Okin-Oloro at Aye House, Gabriel Jegede of Inurin Compound. These people were going to Ipoti every Sabbath to worship but when they were increasing in number they started worshiping at Okomure’s house in Aye Compound. Then there was a society at Alase compound and their chairman was Aina Aragbamigo, they were more than thirty (30) able men, majority of them accepted this true message.
          Some of our youths went to the Seventh Day Adventist School established at Sao by Elder D.C Babcock from 1920-1921 to learn more about the church
          Elder Okoluregun who died in the year 1917 was the first person to die in the church and was buried within the church premises.  After his death the church was moved to pa Simeon Olaleye’s house.
          In 1918 when the membership increased our church at Ipoti assisted Odo-Owa church to build their own church. They sent Ireti and Igbalaye groups. These societies were headed by Daniel Akande Yaoji the father of Later Pa S.B Akande (former Federal Permanent Secretary), Daniel Omolewa (father of Prof. Omolewa), Daniel Ojo (Chief Esaya, Elder Babcock’s interpreter).
          In the year 1922 when the church was fully developed, the members were afflicted with small pox on the New Year eve. Some of the people that survived the attack were Pastor Daniel Kayode Omoleye who later served as the President of West Nigeria Mission, Late Gabriel Dada Ogunyebi popularly known as (Baba Ife).
          This small pox killed Pa Simeon Olaleye and other seventeen (17) able bodied members and those who died were about 24 people altogether.
          This incident caused some people return to the Anglcan Church (C M S ) among whom were Ezekiel Opaje (the father of Rev. Opaje Rtd.), Elder Agboola (father of Prof. S.A. Agboola).
          After this terrible incident, our church members at Ipoti started to help our church at Odo-Owa. After the death of Simeon Olaleye who was then a Pastor, the following people also served as pastors in Odo-Owa Ekiti church namely: Elder Daniel Osuntade, Daniel Adesina, Mr. O Adeniran, Pastor S. Dada, D.K. Harrison, John Osaguna. They were all from Ipoti Ekiti, John Makinde from Erunmu, S.B Dada, (Ejemu Oke Ila Orangun) J.B Olaoye (Epe), Mr. Ojo from Erunmu, Pastor D.K Omoleye from 1929-1936. There was no Pastor in this church from 1948-1986. But glory be to God almighty for our leaders at Ibadan who posted Evangelist S B Dada from Ipoti to the church in 1986. The incident mentioned above led some prominent members of the church to leave the church for the Anglican Church and they never returned.
          To conclude this brief history let’s read the second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians 2cor 4:8-9 “We are trouble in every side yet not distressed; we are perplex but not in despair, persecuted but not forsaken; cast down but not destroyed.”
          Our prayer is, “May God himself grant every one of us eternal life”.