By Bianca Iboma-Emefu
The shepherd in charge of Celestial Church of Christ, Genesis Global, Prophet Israel Oladele Ogundipe, has charged and encouraged Nigerian youths to be more focused on their future, irrespective of age, background and experience.
He gave this charge at a press briefing heralding the fourth edition of Stand Out conference, a platform that motivates and empowers youths to discover their God-given talent. The 2023 edition of the programme had motivational speakers in attendance.
Ogundipe further urged them not to see themselves as being down, but rather build up capacity for the future and take up opportunities to move up.
Revealing his vision to empower youths, the cleric narrated his story growing up as a child from a poor background where he struggled hard to succeed in life. He said: “Things were so difficult for my parents. My mother was a pepper seller and dad a daily hustler who also struggled to make ends meet.
“I saw my father struggle with poverty till the day he died. Although my parents were poor then, they were so rich in the world of God, which prepared and shaped me into the man I am today.
“I could not go to school because we couldn’t afford it. I and my six siblings lived in a one-bedroom apartment in Oshodi then in Lagos State. Oftentimes, I slept at the market. “Poverty was what actually drove me away from my parents’ house to start hustling for myself. I did so many menial jobs, which included running errands for people in the market just to eat, hawking bread, sachet water and so on, before I got to where I am today.
“My mother was mocked because of her situation and I cried bitterly. Then we were attending Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) where her mother also worshiped.
“I left the CAC due to poverty and how my mother was insulted and bullied because she always wore one cloth and pair of shoes to programmes.”
He added that his church came as an inspiration to him after he left CAC. And since then, he has liberated himself and his family from poverty. I wept bitterly until my encounter with a Celestial Church, where the challenge of what to wear to church ended because Sutana (garment) is worn.
“The Celestial Church of Christ, Genesis Global, which is located in Igando axis in Lagos State, has over 10,000 registered active members world wide,” he disclosed, adding that his members loved him so much that the elderly ones nicknamed him Woli Dele.
He encouraged Nigerian youths to be focused and determined in spite of economic hardship.
“Apart from propagating the gospel, I equally farm. I am into agro-allied business and real estate, to mention a few. We need to be innovative as youths,” he said.
Emphasising the need to stand out in different aspects of life, Ogundipe urged Nigerian youths to persevere and focus on their dreams.
“This is a programme that has metamorphosed to this stage. It started as Excel but then there was a need for transitioning and growth so we have metamorphosed from the stage of Excel because already excellence is speaking in our ministry in Genesis Global and now we have metamorphosed to the level of standing out.
“There should be something that should make you stand out of the crowd when you don’t move like every other person is moving. When you are peculiar to yourself, you understand who God has created you to be, what He has called you for, and how He has programmed you to journey in your life.
“So, that is what we’re trying to help to transfer into not just our members but also our well-wishers. I needed to be peculiar and kept asking what’s going to be different about me. What am I going to do that’ll change people’s perceptions about Celestial or white garment churches? So when we started, it was Excel and later we moved from Excel to Stand Out, first, second, and third editions. Speakers last year included Dr. Oni Adesanya, Dr. Steve Akintayo, and Hon. Dayo Israel to talk to our youths. It’s not about church, it’s not about prayers and fasting alone.”