(Spiritual Deborah)
The First General Superintendent of the Sacred C & S Church of Nigeria (1936 – 1941)
“Lives of great, all remind us, we can make our lives sublime and parting, leaving behind us, footprints on the sands of mine”.
The quotation above can manifest its significance in manifold aspects of life ranging from religious, economic, political to social strata. The life and activities of our Reverend Mother Prophetess Christianah Olatunrinde brought vividly to mind the time of the Biblical Prophetess Deborah. Hence her alias “Spiritual Deborah”.
Christianah was a promise child of Chief Awosika (Sasore of Ondo) and Madam Odage, both of whom were prominent citizens of Ode, Ondo. By the time of their marriage. Chief Awosika suffered very great financial stress. This condition prompted him to seek guidance from one Babalawo (spiritual diviner) who told him he would beget a baby girl whose luck would obliterate his poverty.
Soon, Odage became pregnant and Chief Awosika anxious about getting means to take care of his wife became enmeshed in sorrow as money eluded him. One afternoon, an Akure man brought a merchandise which turned out to be two elephant tusks (Ehin Erin).
Chief Awosika struck a bargain with the merchant and agreed to pay him with two slaves. He then carried the tusks to Lagos where he sold them for four slaves. He settled the merchant with two slaves and retained the other two namely Famoluke and Rakiatu. He thus dabbled into lucrative slave trade of the time.
When he was retiring from Lagos to Ondo, he came with one white man called Goldsworthy (corrupted Koshuwodu) in 1983. This white man was introduced to his wife who was still pregnant. After spending a short time with Chief Awosika. Mr. Goldsworthy returned to Lagos. He paid another visit to Ondo in October 1963 and the visit synchronized with the birth of baby latunrinde. Because the white man took delight in her, she euphemistically called Mrs. Goldsworthy (Iyawo Koshuwodu).
From now on, Chief Awosika continued to prosper. He secured service in the Ashante war where he made friends with two white Missionaries who followed him to Ondo in 1873. The Missionaries were Rev. J.A. Masser and Rev. E. Roper who introduced Christianity to Ondo on December 24 th 1873. Through the instrumentally of Chief Awosika, Bishop S.C. Philip came to stay in Ondo from March 29th , 1878.
With the activities of the parents, as narrated, it is not surprising that Madam Latunrinde inherited the great deeds she manifested in her own life. She grew up as a leader in the family, in the community, and among the Christians congregation. They latter chose her as the Iyalode of the Christians (a title she held until her departure from life). Mama Latunrinde loved juju medicine so much that she overcomes her inveterate enemies. But she realized that the more she fought her enemies with juju, the more the enemies thrived. She therefore decided to revert to praying God to wipe off her sorrows caused by enemies.
In 1926, she went on a trip to Lagos in promotion of her trade as Caterer/Contractor with the Prisons Department. Here she heard of Baba Aladura Moses Orimolade, and she made up her mind to see this man for prayer. She had the greatest marvel of her life when she got to his abode and met people (aladuras) praying. After the prayers, visions were delivered in turns, and without knowing her past actions were narrated to her.
She was greatly impressed and there and then pledged to enroll as a member of the C & S Society. As a follow up, Baba Aladura sent missionaries to Ondo where Mama embraced the Society and worked relentlessly to spread it throughout Ondo area, which led to the establishment of the Cherubim and Seraphim Society, Ogo Olorun, 20, Barracks Road, Ondo on 28th May, 1927.
In 1932, God directed the great Prophet Emmanuel Adesanya (of C & S Ibadan fame) to anoint Mama Latunrinde as a Prophetess. The ceremony was performed at OriOke Olorunkole, Akinyele Village, Ibadan. As the Missionary work thrived, she, Latunrinde, anointed Prophets and Prophetess Christianah Adeyemi (alias Asejeje of Okeseni fame). Pastors were also anointed for the Organisation. Hence, Mama started Christian Missionary journey throughout the West and North of Nigeria. She donated five acres of land for the present site of Ogo Olorun Parish, Ondo and another five acres for Ogo Olorun C & S Primary School and Cemetary at Oke Sarowo Street, Ondo. Her dynamism was proverbial. She was highly respected and feared by all and sundry. Prayer wonders were performed by her and her team of workers.
In 1936, Prophetess Christianah Latunrinde was unanimously elected the first General Superintendent ( Iya Alakoso) of the established Sacred Cherubim and Seraphim Society(now Church). Her time was very peaceful and the society thrived under her administration.
General Superintendent Olatunrinde had a daughter. Mrs. Okunbadejo Makanju who begat four children among whom is Special Apostle P.A. Makanju, a renowned member of the Sacred Cherubim and Seraphim Church.
Reverend Mother Christianah Latunrinde had her last breath on August 18 th 1941 and was buried in her home town, Ode-Ondo.
The Second General Superintendent
General Superintendent Apostle Williams Folarin Sosan was born on 12 th October 1881,He was educated at Christ Anglican School .Iporo, Ake,Abeokuta and at CMS Grammar School ,Lagos between 1891 -1903. He worked with the Nigerian Railway Corporation for one year and joined the Egba United Kingdom Government in 1904 as Customs Clerk and rose to Position of Clerk to the Council of Egba United Government. He retired in 1936 after working for thirty two years, Baba Alakoso Sosan married late Felicia Savage on 23 rd February,1911,He was a Pastor’s Warden in the CMS Iporo ,Ake (now Christ Anglican Church) during the tenure of Rev F.W.George and some other Reverends.
Baba Alakoso Sosan joined the Cherubim and Seraphim Society in 1927 at Isabo, Abeokuta. In the house of late Daddy Thomas ,the father of late Chief (Mrs.,) Olufunmilayo Ransome Kuti. During the establishment of the Cherubim and Seraphim Society’s converts were persecuted and denied the offer of Holy Communion in their mother Churches ,which led to the withdrawal of late Daddy Tomas from the Society in 1929.
In order to keep the flag of the Society flying ,Late General Superintend Apostle W.F.Sosan brought the seat of the Society to his house at Okejigbo, Abeokuta in 1929, the year the Cherubim and Seraphim split into two as a result of the quarrel between the two leaders,St Moses Orimolade and Captain Christiana Abiodun Emmanuel. It should be put on record that Pa Sosan with some other Elders worked relentlessly to resolve the dispute which escalated further in 1930 when Late Ezekiel Davies left Late St. Moses Orimolade to form the Praying Band of the C & S with all the elites within the Society.
In 1931,the members from the hinterland assembled at Ile Ife and formed what was then known As the Western Conference (now General Conference)when efforts to reconcile the Lagos Faction failed and Pa W.F.Sosan was elected the first Chairman at the meeting. Pa Sosan was anointed Spiritual Joshua in 1935.
Pa W.F. Sosan was anointed the General Superintendent(Baba Alakoso)on 29 th July, 1941.The Ordination and Thanksgiving Service was held on 6th August,1944 .He held the position for thirteen years and died on 5th August 1957 at age of 76 years.
The Third General Superintendent
Venerable James Akinwunmi Philips was the third General Superintendent. He was the fifth child of late Elder Henry Aina Odedina Philips and Mother In-Israel Christianah Faremi Philips at No. 63, Balogun Street, Lagos on August 23rd, 1894. His siblings were Apostolic Mother M.B Fadayiro, Madam Subuola Cole, Mr. H.B. Philips and Mrs. A.J. Odukoya.
He attended the Holy Trinity Parish School, Ebute Ero, Lagos for his Primary education and proceeded to Eko Boys High School as one of the foundation students. Being a very brilliant student, he won many prizes in his school days. After his secondary school education, he joined the Post and Telegraphs Department and served the government for thirty-two years before he retired on pension. Pa Philips was married and blessed with six children, four of whom survived him. A keen religionist, he was for many years one of the choristers of the Holy Trinity Parish Church, Ebute Ero, Lagos.
Before the establishment of the Cherubim and Seraphim, His Grace Venerable H.A. Philips and Mrs. M.B. Fadayiro had been associated with founder Pa Moses Orimolade Tunolase. No wonder, therefore the two Philips brothers were among the seventy disciples of Baba Aladura Orimolade. At the establishment of the Seraphim Church, Pa Philips was made one of the Bible Class Leaders of the Church. He used his talent and possessions to work steadfastly for the church’s progress.
More importantly, when he was transferred to head the Pose Office at Agege, he used his position to spread the establishment of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church with the able assistance of Elders E.A. Oluga, Labinko, Ogunmesa and some elderly women. Special assistance was given by one of his wives, Prophetess Florence Olayinka Philips who founded the Shiloh where barren women were gathered for special prayers daily at 9:00a.m. in the morning. It was from there that the Agege Church was named Shiloh, Agege.
When Papa Philips retired from the Government Service, he devoted the rest of his life to spreading the gospel to various Yoruba, Hausa, Soso and Ibo towns. To crown his efforts he was elected to the vacant post of the General Superintendent in 1958, the post which he held creditably before he died in 1961.
Papa Philips wrote his noble name in gold in the annals of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church. His devotion, steadfastness, goodness and faith fullness are worthy of emulation. His remains was given a befitting burial in the Courtyard at Agege.
Fourth General Superintendent
Most Elder Apostle Ayodele Abiola was born at Ikereku, Abeokuta on 18 th August, 1899. His parent were stanch members of Holy Trinity Church Ikereku, Abeokuta. He attended Holy Trinity Day School at Ikereku for his elementary education and attended both Saint John’s Memorial Grammar School, Iporo Ake and Abeokuta Grammar School at Ijemo Agbadu before it was lately shifted to Igbehin, Abeokuta.
After schooling, he learnt printing for three years under the Egba United Government press till 1914, and on passing out, he proceeded to Lagos in that year and worked for Remington Bookshop and Dr. Pryor’s for three years before joining the Civil Service as a Mileage Accounts Clerk under the Railway corporation in 1919, he resigned from the Nigerian Railway Corporation to work with three mercantile firms of John Wailkens, Gottschalks and Messrs G.B. Ollivant, all of which have merged into the firm of U.A.C today.
In 1930, he opened a Printing Press and a Bookshop in Ibadan popularly called Lisabi Press and Bookshop with branches at Abeokuta, Ijebu ode, Orb Ile-Ife and Ilorin to immortalize the name of Lisabi, an Egba hero and to commemorate Egba Settlement Centenary Celebration held in 1930. He was one of the influential members who joined hands in the building of Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Ikereku. Abeokuta and Saint James Church Oke Bola, Ibadan. In recognition of his patriotic activities, Most Elder Apostle Abiola was made an Egba Chief in 1938 at Ikereku, Abeokuta. He was also elected to Egba Central Council between 1940 and 1951 and later appointed to the membership of the Egba Appeal Court and as a Justice of the Peace by then Western State Government in 1973. He unsuccessfully contested the throne of the Alake in 1962 after the demise of Sir Oladapo Ademola II.
He joined the Cherubim and Seraphim Church in 1933 at Oke Seni headquarters and was instrumental to the making of the first Constitution of the Sacred Cherubim and Seraphim Church. He was a member of the Building Committee of the First Temple at Oke Seni. The current administrative block at Oke Seni and the new Oke Seni church Cathedral were built during his reign, but were dedicated shortly after his death.
The affiliated churches during his lifetime were designed as Parishes and there were 18 of them during his life time. The Good Women Association was also established during his reign. He laid the foundation stone of the Sacred C & S Church maternity at Okeigbo which was sponsored by the Good Women Association. Through is personality and dynamism, the C & S Church was recognized and given prominence among the Christian Association of Nigeria.
He was the second President of the Association of Aladura Churches; and Member Yoruba Bible Translation Committee representing the Sacred Cherubim and Seraphim Church in Committee. General Superintendent Apostle Abiola was an accredited representative of Nigeria in the Organization of African Instituted Churches Conference held in Egypt.
His last public engagement was the General Conference he attended at Idasa, Ilesa. He worked relentlessly for the progress of the Sacred Cherubim and Seraphim Church and died on 18th may, 1981. His remains was buried at Oke Seni Headquarters and exhumed to General Conference Headquarters, Basorun Ibadan for reburial in 1987.
The Fifth General Superintendent
Most Elder Apostle/Prophet J.A.O Omole, JP was born in 1928 at Igbogi Quarters, Ilesa, Osun State. His father, Pa. Omole Adegunrantan Ekunboye was a descendant of Prince Loro who migrated from Ondo and sojourned at Ilesa and his mother is popularly called Yeye.
In 1931, Most Elder Apostle J.A.O. Omole was ill and taken to Hospital headed by an expatriate. It was the expatriate Doctor that christened him Jacob.
Most Elder Apostle J.A.O. Omole at the age of eight years had a dream of standing on a pedestal which an ifa priest translated that he Jacob would have many ifa disciples and nicknamed him as “Lemese” not knowing that Jacob’s dream foretold the height he would scale as a Christian.
On 25th January, 1942, he was baptized by the Spiritual Shepherd of the Church at Oke Eso, Ilesa. In 1946, he joined the Co-operative Society as a successful farmer and later worked for PZ and G.B. Olivant in conjunction with Pa. Salawu Gbadamosi. He had divine Spiritual call in 1954 in the Cherubim and Seraphim Church of Nigeria, Idasa Ilesa where Pa. David Oje was the leader. He played a prominent role in the development of Sared Cherubim and Seraphim Church, Oke Esho, Ilesa, before the birth of a new branch of the church now popularly known as Idasa No. 1 which was headed by the General Superintendent Apostle J.A.O. Omole.
In 1971, he was elected a member of the General Conference Executive Committee, and used all his energy as a loyal member for the growth of the Organisation. He maintained the good and cordial relationship with his predecessor, Late General Superintendent A.A. Abiola to the extent that people nicknamed his as “Pa Abiola’s Bodyguard”.
Most Elder Apostle J.A.O. Omole JP was a seasoned Christian, Spiritually alert, eloquent and a powerful preacher. No wonder why he was anointed the Fifth General Superintendent and Supreme Head of the Sacred Cherubim and Seraphim Church Worldwide on 28 th November,1982.
Most Elder Apostle/Prophet J.A.O. Omole rested in the Lord on December 27 h 1994 and was buried at the General Headquarters, Orita Basorun, Ashi, Ibadan.
ACHIEVEMENTS
22/1/84 - Cathedral Church, Ifetedo, Parish, Sagamu
21/11/84 - Cathedral Church, Ile Kanani Parish, Edunabon
26/1/85 - Cathedral Church, Oke Iro Parish, Ilesa 2
5/1/86 - Cathedral Church, Mount Goshen Parish, Binukonu, Agege
12/2/86 - Ogo Oluwa kiitan, Surulere Parish, Lagos
24/1/87 - Holy Mount of Salvation Cathedral Church, Surulere, Lagos
25/1/87 - Ebenezer Parish, Asero, Abeokuta
15/11/87 - Ebenezer Church, Idimu
23/1/88 - Cathedral Church, Kajola Ilesa
21/1/89 - Cathedral Church, Oke Ayo Parish, Agege
16/9/89 - Cathedral Church, Beula, Fola Agoro Parish, Lagos
20/1/90 - Cathedral Church Oke Ayo, Osu
12/5/90 - Cathedral Church, Christian Soldiers Parish, Ketu, Lagos
19/5/90 - Foko No. 1 Parish Oluwa pamilerin, Ibadan
19/1/91 - Cathedral Church Oluwatedo Parish, Owode-Ota
22/1/94 - Cathedral Church, Moborode, Ijebu Ode
He laid the foundation for the gigantic hall at Olorunkole which after completion will accommodate 2,500 people.
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