Encomium
The number of worshippers at late Ajanaku’s church has dropped to less than 100. ENCOMIUM Weekly worshipped at the church on Sunday, March 9, 2014, and discovered that the place has become a shadow of itself.
Christ Revival International Chapel is in Ipaja-Ayobo a suburb of Lagos. The church, fenced with a gate at the entrance, has a big sign post with the name of the church boldly written on it and also the photograph of Pastor Ajanaku. The compound has three buildings in it which are: the church auditorium, the children’s church, while the other serves as the pastor’s office. The buildings are painted in white.
There are few cars and buses in the compound. The buses belong to the church as it has pictures of late Ajanaku and the name of the church on them. The other few cars belong to some of the members. The environment was calm. At the entrance of the church auditorium were two female ushers, who ushered in worshippers and also offer them envelopes for offerings and tithes. There are other ushers scattered amidst the congregation attending to people who need their services and directing in-coming worshippers to their seats. The ushers were 10, all clad in black shirts and trousers with a white tie, both male and female. There were also four bodyguards around the pulpit where the wife of the late pastor was seated. The other ministers were seated adjacent the pulpit in the front row. The choir also were seated in one corner of the church.
The building is rectangular as the pulpit is at the centre of the church. There is an inscription somewhere around the altar, which says, “God can…yes God of Ajanaku can”. There are two leather seats reserved for the Late pastor and his wife. The two seats were not too far from the pulpit. The widow occupied one while the other was empty.
It is so obvious that most worshippers had deserted the church, as there were many chairs, but only a few were occupied.
The service kick-started around 9am with a short prayer and exhortation by one of the ministers. The choir rendered praises and worship songs afterwards.
The widow (Mrs. Joy Ajanaku) mounted the pulpit at about 10am. She was clad in black trousers, a white and black shirt and black shoes. Her hair neatly packed to the back. She looked young and beautiful. The late pastor’s wife declared that the service was going to be a marriage seminar and she requested questions from the congregation. The congregation was asked to write out issues bothering their marriages. A member called Gbenga collected and read out the questions and the widow supplied answers to them. The late pastor’s wife had a lady with her on the pulpit who interpreted whatever she said in Yoruba.
The seminar was rounded off with a prayer by the widow around 11am. The collection of offering and tithes was conducted by the interpreter, followed by announcement which was conducted by the same brother, Gbenga. A woman identified as Mrs. Musa gave a testimony afterwards. She knelt in front of the altar in direction of the widow and she greeted the widow and late pastor Ajanaku as if he was present there. Mrs. Musa showered praises on the God of Ajanaku and also confirmed that the God of Ajanaku is alive and a good God. She narrated how her daughter was protected by the God of Ajanaku from armed robbers. After the testimony, the service came to an end with a closing prayer and benediction by the widow of the late pastor. The number of worshippers was between 80 and 100 including children.
– FEMI OYEWALE and OMOTOLA AFE
