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By Olakunle Olafioye
It was yet another moment of ecstasy at the 2022 annual thanksgiving of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Lagos, when the Presiding Servant of God of the church, Primate Elijah Babatunde Ayodele, took his philanthropic gesture to another level as many Nigerians benefitted from his kind heart in what has become a tradition with the popular seer.
Many first timers to this year’s event could not conceal their bewilderment as beneficiaries took to the podium one after another to take delivery of their gifts from the man of God.
Globally renowned for his prophetic ministry, not a few of those who are familiar with the foremost seer are of the opinion that Primate Ayodele is indeed living up to his calling as a true servant of God in his Christian ministry. The General Overseer of Christ Royal Church, Bishop Tom Samson, who was the guest minister at the well-attended –event, echoed much of this when he described Primate Ayodele’s philanthropy as an evidence of the hand of God upon his life.
“Primate Ayodele is fearless; he doesn’t prophesy to win anybody’s favour. Fearlessness is the hallmark of true prophets. This event is an evidence of the hand of God upon your life because what you are doing is what the government cannot do for the people. Whether you are appreciated or not you must take this as what you are called to do. I encourage you to continue irrespective of what others think about you,” he said.
The 2022 thanksgiving and appreciation service of Inri Evangelical Spiritual Church was unique in several aspects. One of the uniqueness of this year’s event was the inclusion of those generally considered to be well-to-do and the rich in the society on the list of Primate Ayodele’s beneficiaries.
Notable among these is Nigeria’s renowned Juju music maestro, King Sunny Ade whom the man of God appreciated with specially-made and customised microphones in appreciation of the singer’s contributions to the growth of Inri Evangelical Spiritual Church.
Apart from King Sunny Ade, Dare Melody, a Yoruba gospel musician also emerged as one of the beneficiaries of the four cars which the man of God shared to lucky beneficiaries at the event.
Two journalists and one other lucky Nigerian also smiled home with car gifts at the end of the colourful event.
One of the lucky journalists who recounted his first encounter with the man of God recalled how he reluctantly published a prediction about the imminent assassination of the late Kudirat Abiola sent to him by Primate Ayodele during the military era.
“I was in the newsroom one day when someone brought a press release signed by Primate Ayodele. Then his church was around Ballet at Ilasa. In the release, Primate Ayodele warned the late Kudirat Abiola to tread softly about the June 12, 1993 struggle in order not be killed by the then military government. I showed the press release to my editor who equally expressed skepticism about its content. We were however constrained to publish the story owning to insufficient new items for publications the next day. Some weeks later Kudirat was assassinated,” he recalled.
Besides the car gifts, Primate Ayodele also empowered some Nigerians with tricycles and cash gifts for their businesses.
For example, no fewer than 51 widows were financially empowered to either start their own businesses or to support and grow their businesses.
In the area of education support, over 50 students in private schools got their school fees paid by the man of God while over 60 other students having difficulties in registering for the 2022 West African Examination Council, (WAEC) May/June examination and the Joint Admission and Matriculation Examination Board (JAMB) examination were registered for both examinations.
In addition to these, other beneficiaries received items ranging from industrial machines, grinding machines, refrigerators, home appliances; among other items just as several other people with accommodation challenge received cash supports from the man of God. Residents of Prosperity Estate, which houses INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, were not left out of Primate Ayodele’s large heartedness following the construction of the road leading into the estate by the man of God.
The event which held on Monday, February 14, was the grand finale of the 16-day event which kicked off on Sunday, 30th of January, 2022 with food service at main auditorium of the church.
This was followed by appreciation of widows and the aged on Monday, January 31st 2022. The final 13 days preceding the grand finale featured humanitarian and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities by the man of God to schools, police stations, Federal Road Safety Corps offices, hospitals as well as medical outreach to neighbouring communities and other philanthropic activities.
The 2022 edition of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church’s annual thanksgiving event was not only rich in activities, it was equally colorful in attendance as it attracted eminent Nigerians from both far and near. Notable among those who graced the occasion include: The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi who was represented at the colourful celebration. Others are Honourable Lola Abiola Edewor, Representative of Minister of Interior, Raufu Aregbesola; Bishop Tom Samson, top politicians and other prominent Nigerians.
Guests at the event were serenaded with songs from Nigeria’s Juju maestro, King Sunny Ade and popular Yoruba gospel singer, Dare Melody. Other major side attractions at the event include a cultural display by a Yoruba cultural troupe and the conferment of Award of Excellence on Primate Ayodele by a Scotland based organization, International Recognition and Appreciation Awards, IRAs, in recognition of his contribution to the body of Christ and humanity. Speaking during the presentation of the award, the founder of IRAS, Princess Elizabeth Olubisi Oyenikan said the decision by the organisation to confer the award on the revered man of God was reached during one of the organisation’s meetings. “We decided to look at some of the renowned clerics in the world during one of our meetings and discovered that Primate Ayodele met all our set standards. We follow virtually all his prophetic utterances and discovered that all his prophecies came out exactly the way he predicted them. He is truly a servant of God. We thank God for using him,” she enthused.
