The Grass To Grace Story Of Prophet OJO
Prophet Samuel Adebayo Ojo needs little introduction in the Christian circle in Ibadan and beyond.
Baba Authority, as the charismatic man of God is popularly known, is the General Overseer of the Freedom Apostolic Revival Ministry (FARIM) and founder of the famous prayer mountain, Glory Mountain in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Prophet Ojo is not only popular for his prophetic programs across different media platforms but also for his philanthropic activities. He has a massive followership across social media platforms.
Thousands of people always join his live programs online-Hour of Mercy, Early Morning Prophecy, Night of Glory, Hour of Testimony, to name but a few of his many programs that are massively subscribed to on a daily basis.
While Prophet Samuel Ojo is arguably one of the prominent and strong revivalists around. What many people may not know, however, is the ultimate price he paid in building his ministry from the scratch. Not many people also know that Prophet Ojo was once an okada rider (commercial motorcyclist) as means of survival back then.
He revealed all these and many other shocking things about himself recently.
Speaking at the New Generation C&S International (Mountain of Authority)’s 2024 Annual Ark of Covenant Celebration, Prophet Samuel Ojo described poverty as his greatest fear in life.
The prophet, who was a guest minister at Ile Youth Ogijo, Ikorodu, Lagos State headquarters of the New Generation C&S International, hinted about his very humble beginning.
Ojo, in his message in the course of the program, urged the congregation not only to pray but also take actions against poverty. Saying that his father, a consultant prophet of God, who knew God and believed in Him, died due to poverty and lack of proper information.
“I hate poverty with passion,” he said, noting that he has had a lot of bad life experiences due to poverty.
His father, according to him, died because he and his siblings couldn’t afford a #100 vicks inhaler at that time.
Prophet Ojo added that his father suffered tuberculosis as result of exposure to excessive cold.
In his words “I hate poverty with passion. I’m full of life experience. My father who had tuberculosis as result of too much cold died because we couldn’t afford a #100 at that time.
“In fact, it was so bad that we couldn’t also afford his burial. It was my mother’s elder brother who bought cow to bury my father.
“So, for my father who was a dedicated servant of God to have died of poverty and heaven didn’t fall, it means there are great battles to fight in other to be free from poverty.”
Prophet Ojo however identified failure to do the right thing as major obstacle for prayers in most cases..
He highlighted 3 key principles to follow in other to experience total breakthrough.
He said, “to really move to the next level, one must not only know God wholeheartedly and be born again but also obey His commandments as well as be connected to a prophet and be ready to sacrifice.”
But how did Prophet Ojo break away from poverty and become prominent? It was indeed a bittersweet experience on the way up.
“I saw hell. There was a woman I prayed for over a 40 million naira contract in 2003. She won the contract and later invited me to Lagos to give me 4 million naira out of the money. On getting there she requested that I should accompany her to her church, a branch of Mountain of Fire, for thanksgiving. Surprisingly, she paid the tithe to the church. She even paid 5 million naira and gave me 400 hundred naira. That was after I had gone to Oke-Ado to price Volkswagen Bora. I went back to the mountain empty handed.
“In fact, I had to join one of the vehicles that normally bring cows to Lagos. But as God will have it, the area where I took ‘Soole’ that day is where I built my house at Magodo.
“Because when it is time God himself will intervene. I could remember how God told me to leave Ikoyi Mountain for Lagos with only 500 naira with me. On getting to Lagos, I tried to locate another person who had promised a long time ago. I had to trek to Iyapaja. But when I eventually called the woman on phone to ask for direction to her place, she switched off her phone. I trekked to Abule Egba. The Bus/stop from where I called the woman is where I now have my radio station, Melody 107.7FM.
“That day I find myself at Oke Aro. I got there at 8pm. I laid down to sleep because I have been walking all day. At that point my phone rang, it was a man from Cotonou.
“He said God said I should call to help you as I was about to sleep. We have never met before. You have never prayed for me but God said I should help you. It was that day I know that God is more than what I am.
“The man came the next day by 3pm. That was in 2005. He took me to Ahoyaya in Aja, where he gave me two plots of land.
“He said I want to stand by you.”
-Dare Adeniran
Peoplesmind
