Blessed is the death of the righteous because their death should not be a thing of cry but rejoiced because they have gone to meet with God. Dust are we and unto dust we shall return.
Yesterday, the death of Renowned Nigerian televangelist and philanthropist, Temitope Balogun Joshua, passed away on Sunday, June 6, in a shocking episode that has plunged his teeming legions of followers and loyalists into mourning.
And barely few hours news about Stephen Akinola death came up.
3 Top Pastors who died in Just 2month
1. Dare Adeboye Dare Adeboye
The son of the general overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye gave up the ghost on Tuesday, May 4, in Eket, Akwa Ibom state. Moulded in the meek image of his father, the 42-year-old’s death came as a shock as he had ministered the previous day and later retired to his bed only not to wake up.
The body of Dare who was the third child of the RCCG founder was buried on Tuesday, May 11, amid tears and a tragic flow of emotions.
2. TB Joshua
A God-sent mercy to many, the founder of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) was confirmed dead on 6 June 2021 via a sorrow-filled statement on the verified and official Facebook page of his church. Joshua was to celebrate his 58th birthday anniversary on Saturday, June 12, but death came knocking in the early hours of Sunday, plunging his lovers and followers across the world into mourning.
The televangelist will be fondly remembered for his miracles and prophecies — and of course, philanthropy which has brought smiles back to the face of many people in Africa and in the world generally.
3. Stephen Akinola
The death Reverend Stephen Akinola, the general superintendent of the Redemption Ministries Worldwide, died on Sunday morning, June 6.
The news of Akinola’s death came in hours after the death of Prophet TB Joshua, the founder of the Synagogue Church of All Nations. Members of the Redemption Ministries thronged to the church which has its headquarters in Port Harcourt to mourn the famous cleric.
Bamidele Ademola-Olateju writes:
“So heartbreaking to hear TB Joshua’s death. I have confirmed the sad news from a source close to him. May his soul rest in peace.”
Eromosele Ebhomele writes:
“Dear TB Joshua, I slept very late last night hoping and praying it is not true. I almost called your phone to know if it was just rumour. “But like you were said to have preached yesterday just hours before your demise, there is a “Time for everything – time to come here for prayer and time to return home after the service.” “I can’t forget that first day you called me on the phone, how, with your soft voice, you appreciated me, and how we became close. Rest in peace, amen.”
Rev. Stephen O. Akinola Biography, Age and Ministry
Reverend Stephen Oluwole Akinola was born on March 4th 1953 in Tamale, Northern Ghana, to Late Samuel Otunla and Late Madam Marian Akanke Akinola. He was the last but one child of a family of 10 children. His early education began at age 4 after his family had relocated further North to the town of Damago (Ghana). There he attended the only Primary School in the town as the youngest to have ever been admitted into Primary 1.
He sat for the Primary Six First School Leaving Certificate at age 10; at a time when the average age of pupils in that class was about 18 years.
He moved on to the Middle school in 1963, in Damango, preparatory for enrollment into Secondary School.
After two years in the Middle School, Stephen sat for the Secondary School examination and passed with distinction. At age 12, he gained admission into the Government Secondary School, Tamale, his birth place. Most unexpectedly, calamity struck just a year later when his loving father died in an accident, at age 13.
The psychological trauma resulting from this most unfortunate and devastating event virtually truncated his orientation, but for the timely intervention of his uncle, Late Papa Isaac Adelakun who fittingly became a surrogate father taking full responsibility for his secondary education, which he successfully concluded in 1970.
Upon his return to Nigeria after his secondary education in Ghana, he gained employment in 1971 to teach in the Baptist Primary School, Igboho his hometown in present day Oyo State. Two years later (in 1973) he proceeded to the Yaba College of Technology for further studies, where he had a dramatic salvation encounter with the Lord, precisely on 15th January, 1974.
From that point, God rolled away the dark clouds of gloom and uncertainties resulting from the untimely death of his father and re-oriented his life, his focus and overall perspective to life; it became indeed the dawn of a new endless day! In his own words, “from 1966 when I lost my father, I never quite recovered from the shock of it until I got saved in 1974”.
Stephen’s passion for a deeper and experiential knowledge of God led him to join the regular Bible Study sessions then holding in Pastor W. F. Kumuyi’s residence in the University of Lagos. This group was to metamorphous into the mega-movement of God, known today as the DEEPER CHRISTIAN LIFE MINISTRY.
In 1975, he passed his OND with flying colours, excelling in all three major areas of Sculpture, Painting and Graphics, and had the honour of choosing his preferred specialty for his HND. His dream was to be of the class and likes of Michelango, and Leo Da Vinci. He enrolled for his HND and graduated in flying colours in 1977.
HIS CALL TO (NATIONAL AND HIGHER) SERVICE
Providence directed his NYSC posting to Rivers State in 1977. His passion for God and commitment to the furtherance of the gospel of Jesus Christ led him to start the Deeper Christian Life Ministry in 1977 with 13 faithful brethren. By 1978, after some trying encounters, the power of God broke through with outstanding miracles, signs and wonders; as the sick were healed, the word of God was preached with uncommon insight, and demons cast out from countless multitudes.
Those were very trying years even as Bible-style miracles followed the ministry. His mission field eventually covered the old Rivers State (now Rivers and Bayelsa), Imo, Anambra, Cross Rivers (including present day Akwa Ibom), Benue, recent day Ebonyi, Abia and Enugu States.
By 1986, membership at the Port Harcourt headquarters of the Deeper Life had soared above 5,000 adults with two services every Sunday.
In January 1987, Pastor Akinola resigned from the Pastorate of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry, and upon waiting on the Lord for direction, started the pioneering work of the Redemption Ministries with 13 faithful brethren at the Shiloh Hills Academy in Rumuibekwe Housing Estate, Port Harcourt. The ministry went through its trying times as expected even as God’s signature was boldly manifest at all times.
Redemption Ministries has ever since expanded in leaps and bounds with Assemblies and location Churches in several States of Nigeria, the United Kingdom, Canada and Brazil. Other thriving ministry arms of the Redemption Ministries today are the inter-denominational women’s outreach arm, the Divine Daughters of Destiny International, The Men Ablaze, The Thunderbolt Gospel Crusade – the evangelistic arm of the ministry, and several other outreach ministries which are impacting countless multitudes within and outside the shores of Nigeria.
The flag-ship programme of the Church is the WIND AND FIRE, an annual 8-day Camp Meeting / Conference on the Holy Spirit held from the third week of December every year. This event attracts thousands across denominations, from within and outside Nigeria, at its headquarters along Eastern By-pass, Port Harcourt.
Pastor Stephen Akinola, as he is fondly called, is a very well respected Christian father-figure, a Pastors Pastor, a distinguished preacher of the undiluted Word of God and a spiritual mentor to countless multitudes within and outside the vineyard of the Lord. He is married to Pastor (Mrs.) Matilda Ayebatonye Akinola. This marriage is blessed, to the glory of God, with a handful of children and grandchildren.
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