• Interment holds September 4, 2026

As family members and the congregation of Harvest Point Ministries, United States (US), conclude plans to commit their President, Pastor Henry AbayomiOdeneye, who also doubled as the head of Yoruba Christian Fellowship widely known as Dagunduro Prayer Family to mother earth on Friday, September 4, 2026, sympathisers have described the late cleric as a man whose ministry transcended geographical boundaries.

According them, the late Odeneye impacted lives, spreading the gospel through Yoruba language and the Christian fellowship.

Ceremonies marking his burial will hold in both Nigeria and the United States (US).

The late cleric died in Houston, Texas, on August 8, 2026, at the age of 73, after a brief illness. He was a distinguished minister, evangelist, philanthropist, churchplanter and prayer revivalist.

A statement jointly issued by the Pastor Henry Odeneye Legacy Group and Communication Director/Nigeria representative of Harvest Point Ministries, Pastor TundeAdebisi, said the late cleric was the Executive Council member of The Apostolic Church, LAWNA, United States (US); and the South Kirkwood District Apostle of LAWNA, United States, the missionary outreach of the Nigeria-based denomination.

A commendation Service of Songs, according to the statement, will hold in Lagos on September 2, 2026, thereafter, there will be wake-keep, while outing service will hold on September 3, 2026 and Thanksgiving Service would hold in Houston, Texas, on September 4, 2026.

The statement added that the platforms built by the late Odeneye before his death impacted positively on churches, ministers and individuals around the world. The statement said he migrated from Nigeria to the United States, where he pioneered the preaching of the gospel in Yoruba language and promoted its visibility within the American Christian landscape.

The statement noted that Odeneye’s notable contributions include the establishment of Harvest Point Ministries with branches and centres in several countries, including Tanzania, Uganda, Senegal, Benin Republic, Togo and Nigeria, with additional centres in Brazil and Mexico, as well as the theological instruction in African languages.

“He was particularly proud of the development of theological education conducted in languages such as Swahili, Ewe and Yoruba, describing the initiative as a significant development in the history of Christian ministry on the continent,” the statement said.

It also added that Odeneye’s advocacy for Yoruba culture also earned him recognition beyond the church. He was honoured with a Presidential Gold Medal for community service and cultural integration. His ministry’s work of promoting Yoruba language and Christianity also attracted congressional recognition in the United States in October 2022. It said his cultural advocacy produced another landmark achievement in Houston and for that reason on December 6, Dagunduro Yoruba Day was recognised as the contribution of the Yoruba Christian Fellowship and promotion of Yoruba culture and community life. The initiative prompted the Mayor of Houston to recognise his contribution.

The statement also acknowledged Odeneye’s other contributions such as Faith Without Boundaries Pastor Odeneye, the vision, which extended beyond preaching from the pulpit. It said that through the Dagunduro Yoruba Christian Fellowship, his ministry has helped Yoruba-speaking immigrants to prepare for American citizenship civic tests.

His ministry also took pilgrims to the Holy Land. Jerusalem Pilgrimage began in 2019, with a second journey successfully undertaken in August 2022. His contribution to tourism and relations with Israel earned him an award as a Friend of Israel and Ambassador of Israel for Tourism from Israel Ministry of Trade and Tourism.

The late Odeneye was quoted as saying that ministry was not a retreat from achievement, but a response to a higher calling, adding that God could use human limitations to accomplish divine purposes. That he once recalled that he was neither fluent nor proficient in Yoruba when he was called to organise Yoruba-language programmes in America.

“If it were Nigeria, my country of origin, it would not be unique,” Odeneye reflected, noting that there were many others who could speak Yoruba more fluently. But in America, he found, Yoruba became a bridge between faith, heritage and identity.

Pastor Odeneye was described as a man with a Script, who saw life and ministry as a divinely written drama in which every person has a role to play. He believed he had been entrusted with a script and was determined to remain faithful to it until the end.

He is survived by his wife, Clara, three children, and the many fellow yoke bearers who shared in the journey of his ministry.