What Do Pastors Adeboye, Kumuyi & Olukoya Have In Common? (Pics)

Christians in Nigeria are either Pentecostals or Protestants.

Protestants dominated Christendom in the beginning, most especially when the missionaries from abroad landed on our coast. Back then Methodists, Anglicans, Catholics were common among Nigerian Christian faithful .

Pentecostals broke out of Protestant churches in the 80s, made popular by late Archbishop Benson Idahosa. Since its propagation, it spreads like wildfire across the nation. Nigeria has invariably become the epicenter of Protestant churches in the world. Many notable men of God all over the world have come to Nigeria for conventions, conferences or crusades. The Pentecostal churches have grown exponentially, the world has no choice but to pay attention to its evolution.

Today, the leading Pentecostal churches are the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Living Faith Ministry (Winners Chapel of Nigeria), Deeper Life Ministry, Mountains Of Fire Ministries (MFM) and Lord Chosen Charismatic Ministry, to mention a few.

Enoch Adeboye is the General Overseer of RCCG, Bishop David Oyedepo is the head of Living Faith Ministry (popularly known as Winners Chapel), while W F Kumuyi is the General Superintendent of Deeper Life. D K Olukoya heads MFM and Lazarus Muoka is the Presiding Leader of the Lord Chosen Ministry.

Pastor Adeboye

RCCG was founded in 1952 by Rev Josiah Akindayomi, Adeboye succeeded him as the head in 1980, after the glorious transition of Akindayomi

Under Adeboye’s tutelage, the church had grown exponentially spreading all over the world.

Pastor Enoch Adeboye of RCCG commands sizable large congregants followed by Bishop Oyedepo of the Living Faith Ministry. RCCG is a mega church, has presence in 196 countries of the world with about 5 million worshippers.

Pastor W F Kumuyi

In 1973 while serving as a Mathematics lecturer at the university of Lagos, W F Kumuyi started a bible study group with 15 university students, who had come to him requesting training in the scriptures. The study group later grew with thousand members. Kumuyi then a member of Apostolic Faith Church, was expelled from the church for preaching without credentials.
This study group grew to become Deeper Life Bible Church. It recently upgraded it’s headquarters in Gbagada, with state of the art facilities. The church has spread throughout African countries, then to the rest of the world in Europe, Asia, India and North America.

Dr. D K Olukoya

MFM was founded by Daniel Kolawole Olukoya at a prayer meeting in his living room in 1989. As the members continue to increase, this prayer group purchased a large site at an abandoned slum near the University of Lagos and converted it into visitors’ destination housing the international headquarters of MFM

Dr. Olukoya, an ardent football fan, established a football club that has gone professional. The club is in division one of Nigeria’s professional football league.
At the camp along Lagos Ibadan expressway it hosts a licensed University.

These are common denominators among Pastors Adeboye, Kumuyi and Olukoya:

1. They are Yoruba

These three men of God are Yoruba, one of the major ethnic tribes located in the southwest part of Nigeria. Both Adeboye and Kumuyi are Ijesha from Osun state while Odukoya is from neighboring Ondo state. Adeboye was born in Ifewara, Kumuyi in Erin Ijesa while Olukoya was born in Akure.

2. They are first class brains

Adeboye graduated from University of Nigeria Nsukka with first class honors in Mathematics, Kumuyi also had first class in Mathematics from University of Ibadan. Dr Olukoya graduated with first class in Microbiology from University of Lagos and proceeded on a scholarship to the University of Reading for his Doctorate degree in molecular genetics.

3. Their Worship Camps are located along Lagos Ibadan Expressway

Lagos Ibadan expressway has become an international link road known all over the world, just because of the religious activities of these great men of God. The three churches have sprawling camps along this ever busy road that links Lagos the commercial city of Nigeria to other parts of the country
RCCG is adjudged to be one of the largest Christian dominated estates in the world!
MFM and Deeper life Ministry have swathe expanse of lands along this link road.

4. They are home grown churches known internationally

Protestants churches originated abroad and were domiciled in Nigeria. Reverse is the case with many Pentecostal churches. The churches controlled by these men were founded locally, home grown, then spread all over the world.

5. They had association with the University of Lagos (Unilag)

University of Lagos has shaped the lives of these men and prepared them for the future. The foremost university has contributed positively to their lives. Olukoya had his first degree from Unilag while Adeboye and Kumuyi were lecturers at the department of Mathematics. According to Adeboye in his memoirs, his aspiration was to become the youngest Vice Chancellor of a University in Africa. God had better plans for him, he has become one of the few men that had shaped his world beyond his dreams and expectations. Time magazine once rated him among the most 100 influential men of the century

6. They are scientists

We know scientists are those who study expertise in science. Science tries to understand how our world or other things work by observing, researching, and finding answers to many questions others may not know about.
They are meant to question God’s existence. But by divine fate, they had to use their knowledge of science to edify Him and proclaim His greatness and goodness.

Adeboye and Kumuyi are mathematicians while Olukoya is a trained microbiologist.