Church Remembers Founding President, Odeleke

THE Late General Lasun Odeleke, a Pastor and life President of Christ Message Ministry left a legacy that will forever be remembered. He was the husband of Bishop Bola Odeleke. They wedded at the Christ Apostolic Church, Oke Anu in 1973.

Born in September, 1948, Odeleke’s military career was influenced by the colonial masters who embarked on a sensitisation campaign to different schools in the South, canvassing for pupils and students to join the Nigerian Army, because they observed that people from the South (both the Yorubas and Igbos) were not adequately represented in the force, unlike their Northern counterpart.

During that period, he was a pupil at Sanusi Primary School, Ibadan. He was persuaded by the white people to write the entrance examination into the Nigeria Military School, which he passed and was admitted into the Nigeria Military School, Zaria. He finally graduated from the Nigeria Defence Academy as a 2nd Lieutenant of the Nigerian Army.

Gen. Odeleke grew up in Ibadan, where he met Margaret Bolanle Aboderin who later became his wife. But before then, they were childhood friends.

His humility on encounter with the mother of Bolanle won the heart of “mummy” who on that day agreed to the proposal for both of them to come together as husband and wife.

General Odeleke, while in Igarra as a Commanding Officer met Christ through a peasant farmer, Baba Ochegbado, who came to preach to him. This Baba three times passed through nine soldiers guarding the General without being noticed or seen by the guards and this surprised General Odeleke, who decided to listen to the Baba on the third occasion. He was particularly surprised that the Baba was able to pass through his security guards without being noticed and this made him to give his life to Christ. He followed the Baba to the Church and was baptised. Prior to his transfer to Okpilla from Igarra, he was baptised with the Holy Spirit.

General Odeleke later met the world evangelist, Baba Obadare, who prior to his meeting him was given the prophecy that he would be coming. Baba Obadare in the vision was told who he was and the wife and where they came from, which tallied with the answers General Adeleke gave on inquiry. He, the General gave Baba Obadare money who told him that the General would henceforth be regarded as his son-in-law, while the wife would be his “first born”.

In 1972, General Odeleke was ordained an Elder at Christ Apostolic Church, Okpilla. After Pastoral training at CAC Theological Seminary Ile-Ife, in 1984, he was later ordained as a Pastor and the founding President of Christ Message Ministry.

His marriage to Bishop Bola Odeleke was blessed with seven children — Abiye Olubunmi, Segun, Kayode, Funlola, Joshua, Eniola and Damilola.

General Odeleke passed on in an accident, while he was travelling to Abuja in his official car on November 20, 1990.