Baptist Reverend Decries Heightened Corruption in Churches.

Ibadan Baptist Conference turned some of their pastors into full time Reverends during their 6th Central Ordination Service held on Saturday 4th of August, 2018 at the Hebron Baptist Centre, Lasokun, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.

In an exclusive interview with PublicTimes correspondent, it was revealed that Ibadan Baptist Conference has an Education Minister in Reverend Sunday Olagoke Okunlola who co-ordinated the Ordination event.

The Minister revealed that the men of God were recommended by their local churches. They have been tested and interviewed by the Conference and the Convention before they were approved for ordination into full gospel ministry. This is why the Conference on behalf of the Convention laid hands on them to

Veteran Reverends laying Hands on the Ordained Pastors during the 6th Central Ordination Service, at Hebron Baptist Centre, Ibadan.

Ordain them to become Reverends under the Nigerian Baptist Convention.
Reverend Okunlola explained that the offices of the Pastor and deacon are recognized by the Convention. Pastor is an office. When a Pastor finishes his training, the Convention will sanctify him for duty but there are special responsibilities a Pastor cannot do until he or she is ordained. He further clarified that ordination gives such Pastor the recognition of being a full time cleric under the Convention.

By Baptist Convention policy, an ordained Pastor can represent the Convention at any level, has privileges to administer the two ordinances of the local church such as Baptism and the Lord’s Supper as well as privileges to join couples in marriages. And these roles justify the commissioning of Pastors into service of recognition and affirmation.

Rev. Okunlola lamented that during the process that led to the selection of candidates, some local churches recommended ineligible Pastors to the Conference. The Conference had to screen and analyze documents submitted by candidates in order to identify those that are qualified. In addition, some pastors qualified but the church did not select them. Yet if the church failed in their responsibility, it may affect the Pastor. Finance and cooperation of the Pastors were also challenges.

The Minister charged the ordained Reverends to flee from anything that will drag their names and their masters into mud. He urged them to live above board, and remember what they have been taught during their orientation seminar / workshop. He told the church to stand out of corruption and influence the society positively because happenings these days in the church are not palatable at all, corruption is also in the church, the Minister lamented. He observed that the Church found it difficult to blame politicians because the church itself is not doing things that are to be done. If there is any moral decay in the society, the church should be blamed because it is supposed to be the light of the world as projected in the bible, he said. Church should propagate the gospel and be the mouth-piece for the oppressed. The issue of standing for truth should be the priority of the church; not money, position or fame, he further urged.

Reverend Okunlola also viewed security as the responsibility of everybody which everyone and that Nigerians should not leave everything for the security agencies alone although security agencies must rise up to their responsibilities. He also charged government too to provide the necessary equipment, gadget and resources needed to fulfill this arduous task.

One of the ordained pastors, 47, now Reverend Kolade Ali Oluwasomidotun Zacheus who serves both Global Missions Board, Nigerian Baptist Convention, Total Garden, Ibadan and Faith Baptist Church Old Ife Road, Saw Mill, Ibadan applauded his church members, Association, Conference, Convention and every individual who aided his journey to become a Reverend. He narrated that he got to the level of the ordination after he went to Baptist Theology Seminary Ogbomoso from the year 2012 – 2015 with the certificate of the Master of Divinity in Religious Education and had served minimum of 2 years before he applied and was found fit to become a Reverend.

The 33 ordained pastors are; Ademola-Taiwo Oluwagbemiga from Gladness Baptist Church, Ibadan; Adewole Stephen Akinade from Bodija Estate Baptist Church, Ibadan; Adeyemo Ademola Job from El- Shaddai Baptist Church, Agbowo Ibadan; Agboola Akinola Zacheus from Divine Mercy Baptist Church Papa Ogungbade, Ibadan; Akano Solomon Adewumi from Living Faith Baptist Church, Ibadan; Akinola Festus Adegboyega from Men’s Missionary Union Headquarters, Molete Ibadan/Calvary Hill Baptist Church Felele, Ibadan; Alli, Kolade Oluwasomidotun from Global Missions Board Nigerian Baptist Conversation/ Faith Baptist Church, Old Ife Road, Saw mill, Ibadan; Avoseh Sameko Godbless from Goshenland Baptist Church Ibadan; and Awe Kolawole Michael from Pentecostal Baptist Church, Ibadan.

Others were Awolola Ebenezer Segun from Jubilee Baptist Church Apata, Ibadan; Awolola Moses Iyiola from First Baptist Church Idi- Omo, Ibadan; Ayorinde Olusegun Timothy Zion Baptist Church Alapata, Olosan, Ibadan; Emmanuel Onimisi Samuel from Iwo Road Baptist Church, Monatan, Ibadan; Fascinating Samuel Olapade from Ife-Oluwa Baptist Church, Olomi Ibadan; Ibitowa Peter Gbenga fro. Rock of Salvation Baptist Church, Ibadan; Ijaola, Ariteshoma from Global Missions Board Nigerian Baptist Conversation; Isola Samuel Oladejo fro. Wonderland Baptist Church, Ibadan; Mabawonku Adebayo Oluwadamilare from Molete Baptist Church, Idi- Odo Challenge, Ibadan; Ogundokun Mathew Adebisi from Bodija Estate Baptist Church Ibadan; Okewole Solomon Olanrewaju from New Life Baptist Church, Ibadan; Oko Sunday Omonka from Zion Baptist Church Idi- Iyun Ibadan; Ojo Oluyole Moses from Ring – Road Baptist Church, Adeoyo, Ibadan; Ola Oluwatosin Foluso fro. Fountain of Life Baptist Church Jenriyin, Ibadan; Oladejo Paul Abimbola from Divine Grace Baptist Church, Ibadan; Oladejo Solomon Olutayo from Bodija – Ashi Baptist Church, Ibadan; Olajoye Oluwatosin Alice from Praise Community Baptist Church Ajibode, Ibadan; Olaoye Taiwo David from Praise Baptist Church Ajibode, Ibadan; Olawale Timothy Olaoye from Grace Baptist Church Apete, Ibadan; Ogunlana Adekunle Olusola from El- Shaddai Baptist Church Agbowo Ibadan; Oyewole Johnson Oyedeko from Love of Fountain Baptist Church Aleshinloye, Ibadan; Raymond Olawale Rufus from Gateway Baptist Church, Sango, Ibadan; Sunday Joseph Oluwasegun from Dominion Baptist Mission Church, Olomi, Ibadan and Taiwo Deborah Oluwaseun from FLED, CED, Nigerian Baptist Conversation, Ibadan.

By Ademola Oladele

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