The Story of I.B Akinyele, The King of Ibadan (Olubadan) Who Was Also A Preacher, A Revivalist, and An Historian

In view of the recent crowning of Pastor Laoye Ghandi as the Soun of Ogbomoso, we bring you the fascinating story of Isaac Babalola Akinyele, Nigeria’s pioneer Pentecostal pastor/ traditional ruler.

Akinyele was born in Ibadan in 1882, and attended CMS schools, including the CMS Grammar School, Lagos. His civil service career, with the Ibadan Native Administration, spanned 1903 to 1923, during which he worked as a customs clerk, court clerk, treasurer and finally as chief census clerk. He went into cocoa farming afterwards.

In the 1920s, he came across literature from the Faith Tabernacle Congregation in the United States, a church founded by a protégé of the healing revivalist John Alexander Dowie. Akinyele was deeply impressed by Faith Tabernacle teachings on holiness and divine healing, and wholeheartedly committed his life to Christ and began practising these teachings.

According to biographer Ayo Ogunranti and other sources, from 1925 until his death in 1964, Akinyele trusted God solely for healing, never again using medicine of any kind, even when that meant enduring periods of immense physical suffering.

In 1925, he linked up with some other people who had been receiving Faith Tabernacle literature to start a branch of the church in Ibadan. The first service was held in January 1925 in Akinyele’s house. From this time onwards he would be the most influential leader of the Faith Tabernacle in Ibadan, and one of the main leaders of the holiness and healing movement in the country. When the Faith Tabernacle church merged with the Apostolic Church of Britain in 1931, he was one of the seven pastors ordained to lead the newly formed church. Isaac Akinyele and his close friend, David Odubanjo, provided crucial support—financial and theological—and lent their credibility to Joseph Ayo Babalola’s ministry in its early days. When the Christ Apostolic Church was formed in 1941 after the split with the Apostolic Church, Akinyele was the unanimous choice for president; David Odubanjo was made the general superintendent; and Joseph Ayo Babalola, the general evangelist. He was also senior pastor of the Christ Apostolic Church Olugbode Assembly in Ibadan for more than thirty years.

While promoting Pentecostal revivals across Nigeria, he was equally passionate about Ibadan’s progress. He was a founding member, in 1914, of “Egbe Agbaotan,” the pioneer elite organization in Ibadan, whose goal was the city’s progress. His book on the history of Ibadan is still regarded as the most authoritative history of the city. From the 1930s to the 1950s, he was at various times councillor of the Ibadan Native Authority Council and assessor and chief judge of the Ibadan Native Authority Appeal Court.

He was made the Ikolaba of Ibadan in 1935—his first chieftaincy title—for his leading role in Ibadan’s designation as an independent native authority the previous year. Afterwards he steadily climbed the chieftaincy hierarchy, becoming the Balogun in 1953 and eventually the Olubadan (king of Ibadan) in 1955, a position he held until his death in 1964. He was knighted by the Queen of England in 1963.

He never participated in any of the pagan rites associated with these offices, either in person or by proxy. He initially rejected the invitation to be promoted from Otun Balogun to Balogun because of the rites involved. When he was told that he could pay for it to be done on his behalf, he replied saying, “I have rejected satan and his works; I shall not go back.” In fact, according to Ogunranti, “Each installation was preceded by seven days of prayer and fasting.” As an example, in place of the traditional Balogun staff of office which had to be washed every week with sheep’s blood, “he was allowed to have a new, Christian staff made, surmounted by a silver cross; it was dedicated by days of fasting and praying.” He accepted to become the Olubadan on the condition that there would be no traditional ceremonies and sacrifices.

Akinyele was passionate about revival and the Pentecostal experience. According to Ogunranti, “In the 1940s, and through much of the 1950s, Akinyele would lead church members on exciting and fruitful revivalist campaigns throughout the city. He saw the Great Revivals as an unmistakable sign of God’s blessing; he taught that a church must live in a constant state of Revival or die spiritually.”

Throughout the 1950s, he played the role of chief host and coordinator for virtually every Pentecostal crusade in Ibadan. He was active in the Latter Rain revivals of the 1950s which was spearheaded by Thomas Wyatt and Sydney Elton. In fact, he travelled to Ilesa with his entourage to request that a crusade be held in his city. According to T. L. Osborn, his massive crusades in Ibadan in 1957 was at the “personal invitation of His Highness, King Akinyele. . . . Every day, the king left his official responsibilities to direct the meetings.” In 1958, at the invitation of the pioneer missionaries of the Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria, Akinyele was the guest speaker at the first anniversary service of their Ikorodu church.

He was the second most prolific author in the Pentecostal movement in Nigeria in its first thirty years and wrote about sixteen published books/pamphlets, with the major themes being revival, discipleship, repentance, salvation, healing and victorious Christian living. Divine Truths from Great Spiritual Teachers, published in 1958 when he was already the Olubadan, included quotes from Christian writers on different topics, and it gives us some insight into his spirituality. He quoted F. B. Meyer and Andrew Murray on the surrendered life; he quoted A. B. Simpson on prayer; he quoted E. W. Kenyon on faith, miracles, righteousness and the integrity of God’s Word; and he quoted Charles Spurgeon on holiness and victorious Christian living.

The following is a list of his books/pamphlets. Most of them were written in Yoruba. Section A is a list of those he published before becoming king, and Section B are those he published while he was king.

Section A
1. Ohun ti o Tobi Julo ni Aiye (The Greatest thing on Earth). Ibadan: Lisabi Press, 1939.
2. Bi ati se Njewo Ese Tokantokan ati Adura fun Isoji Emi (How to Confess Sins Wholeheartedly and Pray for Spiritual Revival). Ibadan: Oluseyi Press c. 1941.
3. The Outlines of Ibadan History. Lagos: Alebiosu Printing Press, 1946.
4. Akanse awon Eko ati Alaiye Kikun lori awon Ofin Mewa. (Lectures on the Ten Commandments). Owo: Iranlowo-Olu Press, 1953.
5. Awon Ijinle Eko Kristi: “Igbala Ofe” ati “Elo ni o fi Pamo si Banki Orun?” (Deep Teachings of Christ) Ibadan: Lisabi Press, 1953.
6. Awon Oro Imu OKan Soji si Ironupiwada ati Iwa Mimo (Exhortations on Repentance and Holiness). Owo: Iranlowo-Olu Press, 1953; 1958.
7. Eko ati Oro Ikiya lati ni Isegun lori Idanwo (Exhortations on Overcoming Temptation). Ibadan: Lisabi Press, 1954.

Section B
1. Onilaja Nla ati Ise Ilaja Nla (The Great Mediator and the Great Work of Mediation). Ibadan: Temitope Press, 1955.
2. Kokoro Ilekun Igbala ati Idaniloju Igbala (The Key to Salvation and the Assurance of Salvation). Ibadan: Lisabi Press, 1955.
3. Eko ati Oro Iyanju lori Adura Oluwa (Lessons and Exhortations on the Lord’s Prayer). Ibadan: Union Press, 1957.
4. Divine Truths from Great Spiritual Teachers. Ibadan: Union Press, 1958.
5. To O Wo Ko si ri pe Oyinkan ni Oro Jesu (Taste and See that Jesus’ Word is Sweet). Ibadan: Iranlowo- Olu Press, 1959.
6. Eko fun Idurosinsin ati Idagbasoke nipa ti Emi (Exhortations on Steadfastness and Spiritual Growth). Ibadan: Iranlowo-Olu Press, 1961.
7. The Place of Divine Healing in the Church. Ibadan: Government Printers, 1962.
8. Ebun Ododo abi Ododo Olorun ninu Kristi (The Gift of Righteousness or the Righteousness of God in Christ) Ibadan: Baptist Press, 1962.
9. Litani: Eto Adura Agbapo fun Oniruru Igba ati Akoko (Litany: Instructions on Prayers for Various Occasions). Ibadan: Union Press, 1963.

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