How Pastor Adeboye influenced my life, Award-Winning Journalist

In an interview, Award-Winning Journalist Adeniyi Moses Ifetayo relates moment he had a life-changing encounter with Pastor Enoch Adeboye, a Nigerian pastor and General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, as he journeyed his way to stardom.

Ifetayo, a seasoned photojournalist, Media Consultant and publisher of Mega Star Magazine, recounted that while working for a photo studio in Lagos as a growing young man, he came across a certain job seeker who hadn’t enough money to pay for his passport photograph, Ifetayo consequently footed the bills.

This, he said, happened a day before he left his aunt’s house as a result of a misunderstanding that ensued.

Ifetayo, reaping from his good deeds, was accommodated by the same fellow he had footed bills for the previous day. In this narrative, Nigeria’s celebrity journalist narrated how rainy nights translated to sleepless nights as the leaking roof of the building poured heavy showers.

He recalled that in the first year he left Shagamu for Lagos, he had travelled home for Christmas when a certain “Big Bros” begged him for N200, expecting the supposed Lagos big boy (Ifetayo) to dished out the amount but in reality, Ifetayo was a Lagos boy with an empty purse.

“Why are you in Lagos? If Lagos no pay you, why not come back home?” the neighbour queried, expressing disappointment. This was the reason Ifetayo decided never to visit. “I said to myself that I will never return to that part of our home town until I have made it, legally.”

In search of greener pastures, he started nursing feelings to leave his current job. “Where I was working, sometimes if you don’t do some things, you can’t get money. I felt that this was not the way, remember I had a slap. Once in a while, it still rang in my head. I needed to change work, I knew there was no future in what I was doing.

“There was a monthly program, every 1st Friday tagged Holy Ghost Service, Pastor Adeboye was ministering so I decided to attend. As soon as I got there, the first thing he (Adeboye) said was as if he was hearing my confirmation. He said ” God said there’s someone here, you’re looking for a change of work, there’s a job coming your way now, on the surface it will look very rough but take it, ” Ifetayo shared.

According to the Journalist, Adeboye in his proclamation noted that things were rough on the surface, but there was a glory behind it.

“I looked around and I was like, I never had this conversation with anybody, I said this must be me so I got to the office (Photo Palace) the next day in Lagos and one of my colleagues, sister Bukky Adetula (of blessed memory) said they were looking for a photojournalist in one magazine company on the island, I quickly obliged, despite discouragement from her.”

For one month, celebrity Journalist Ifetayo said he resorted to borrowing transport fare to meet up with the responsibility of his new job but didn’t forget Pastor Adeboye’s words of knowledge in his proclamation.

3 months later, Ifetayo’s boss, the head of Photo department was sacked on grounds of misconduct. Another staff would be employed to take over the vacant position, but for his dedication and professionalism despite having no journalistic experience, Ifetayo was promoted to head the photo department.

“After 3 months, that was when I began to meet the famous, the rich, the influential; people I could not meet before then, talk more of having conversations with them.

“From there, I floated my own company in 2010 known as First lady Award Entertainment and I resigned. When I resigned I had no money in my account. I resigned because despite handling multiple roles; marketing, lobbying, accounting, customer service and all, I was being owed salary for One Year, oblivious to me that they were sharing money behind my back,” Ifetayo narrated.

On floating his magazine, Ifetayo’s hard work began paying off as his multiple roles in his former job, including the magazine production processes were only a preparation toward what was ahead for his celebrity magazine, Megastar Magazine which also has a YouTube channel, Megastar magazine tv.

He said, “Sometimes I had to sleep in an event centre. The first time at Ocean View I went to cover an event, I couldn’t even pay for a taxi because there was no money.

“But now, even in the best hotel, I can afford accommodation if I want to. To God be the glory, it’s been great.”