- 5 Years After His Death
- Reveals Her Many Battles
Pastor Joy Ajanaku is the widow of the late Lagos Prophet, Iretiola Ajanaku. Since his death 5 years ago, she has been running her husband’s church. In fact, many don’t know that the Christ Revival Victory Chapel International, the ministry established by the controversial Prophet Iretiola Ajanaku, is still in operation.
The church has been effectively managed by Pastor Joy since she took over the running of the church immediately after the death of her husband. Amid many battles, the church recently celebrated its 23rd Anniversary.
Last week, Pastor Joy Ajanaku granted an interview with City People’s Media Team led by the Publisher, SEYE KEHINDE. She spoke on the many battles she has been facing since the death of her husband.
What was the nature of the programme held to remember your husband?
There was a programme that took place in that regard. Co-incidentally, it fell on the same day with our monthly vigil, so we celebrated the 5th remembrance and our vigil and it was wonderful.
Each time you remember your late husband, what comes to your mind?
A lot of things, because he was such a loving, wonderful and caring man. A lot of thing come to my mind, but I thank God and God is unquestionable. No one can question God. No matter how much I love him, I know God loves him most and He alone knows the reason why He took him at that time.
What has been the most challenging experience since the death of your late husband?
Hmmm! We have had a lot of challenges, but the one that would have shut down the whole ministry happened two or three years ago through one of his daughters in the Lord.
It has been 5 years since your husband Pastor Ajanaku died. How have you been coping?
I thank God. God has been so faithful and some people have been there for us. The whole ministry, myself and the children are grateful for God’s faithfulness and His mercies. It has been God all the way.
How is the ministry faring now?
The ministry has been so much fruitful. Thank God, last year we opened our first branch after 21 years in Ado-Ado, Ogun State. We opened it in June but we held, the first service in November. Within three months, God completed the structure for us and that is a part of our achievement. We have recorded several testimonies and miracles here and there. God has been so faithful to us.
Did you celebrate the 5th remembrance of your late husband?
Yes we did and it was wonderful, but we just thanked God. It really shook the ministry and caused a lot of division, but I thank God everything is fine and normal now. I don’t really want to go deep into the details of what happened.
How did the ministry survive the experience?
God helped us and it was after the challenge that the new branch was built, a very big one at that. To God be the glroy.
If your husband was very much alive, what do you think he would have loved to do at this time?
You know man proposes, but God disposes, so if he was around and God said the branch would not be established, that is how it would be. Honestly, I am not saying I did it, God did it. If he was around, he might not even think of building a new branch because he invested so much in human beings. He believed so much in lives and he invested in them. It is not as if he did not have money to build a branch, but he invested in people. It is only God who can tell what he would have done.
Let’s talk about the church. How old is the church now?
The church celebrated its 23rd Anniversary on June 20th 2018. God has been so faithful, I don’t even understand how God is doing it. It is beyond my imagination and comprehension.
Did you think you were going to be able to manage the church when he died?
No. I am a realistic. I never thought of that and it was part of what weighed me down at that time. I did not have any experience, it was daddy who was doing everything except when he travelled out of the country for two Sundays and on his return, he would not allow me to mount the podium again. We have some groups in the church and anytime we have anniversary, they could say ok they want me to preach.
So, I was like where are we, start from? Daddy was the prophet and he was so powerful, but I know God called him and he is a real man of God. So, I said I know his God is alive even if he is not around. God is alive and He has already proposed and planned everything ahead because He is Alpha and Omega. The following week after Daddy slept in the Lord, I took the sermon and I listened to myself and was wondering if I was the one talking. I think his body was still at home then. After then, I never discovered where the words were coming from. Even till now I don’t plan what I preach because even if I planned, I might receive another thing so I just stopped it. The way God is doing it is mysterious. I never attended any Bible School, but God has empowered me with His grace and to Him be all the glory.
Who are your spiritual mentors?
I have a lot of Pastors as friends, but I cant say this is my mother or father in the Lord, but I learn from every one of them. Even those who are not pastors, I learn from anyone as long as you are wise and truthful. I have Pastor friends whom we invite anytime we have programmes and we talk and discuss on how the kingdom of God can be propagated.
Why was your husband corpse kept in the church for a long time before burying him?
It was in the house not in the church. I was the one who actually caused that, because I was thinking he was going to come back. Have I been praying that he should die? Why and how will I just agree or admit that he was gone? So I said no, that daddy was not dead because he had not finished his assignment on earth. I was wondering that someone with such great power and passion for God and people could not die like that. He could talk to people for a whole day without eating, so I said God could not allow such a person to die.
So, I said he was just sleeping and he is not dead. So I said they should take his corpse to the house and I took his body to his room prayed and put annointing oil on him. Even when his family came, they were thinking I was running mad because I told them he was not dead that he was just sleeping, so they left in anger. But after some days, because God is God and no matter how much we try His plans would still prevail.
Some people spoke to me that even if we embalmed daddy or kept him in the mortuary, God could still perform His miracle. When we are talking about faith, I still believe that God could still perform his miracles even with the fact that I know where he was buried. Don’t misquote me, he is late, but because of the faith, I have in God. I believe if God wants him to come back, that tomb could break and he would come with his body and there is a way God will tell everyone and they would believe he is the one and not another person.
So, I told myself that he was not dead and that he would come back to life. If it is about weeping ahh. So, I just concluded and said let your will be done oh God. That was my first sermon. God your wish is my command.
What is your typical day like?
I pray first thing in the morning because before talking to one’s spouse it is important to put God first. Praise Him because that is what He can not do for Himself and He would not send angels to receive His praise. No matter how busy He is, so there is no day without me thanking God for everything He has done and for life. Even if I can’t ask for something, I know he sees my heart. I go to our school too once in a while, not always and I do other things I would not like to disclose publicly.
Who are those spiritual sons and daughters who weathered the storm with you even after daddy’s death?
One of them was our guest minister for the anniversary we had last month. His name is Pastor Sayo Ajao. He really tried and he has been there so far. There is another one, but I have not seen him in a while.
So far, what has life taught you about people?
Life has taught me not to trust or please anyone. Please God and yourself. After you must have tried in pleasing your creator, please yourself. No one is reliable, or dependable. People are betrayers and traitors so trust no one.
Do you have personal experience on betrayal?
Ah! Jesus Christ. Then I believed that what they did to daddy has taught me a lot not knowing I have not learnt enough. People I did not expect betrayed me, but what could we do, even when Daddy was betrayed, He was the one encouraging and supporting them, but with all the betrayals, he never stopped doing good till he passed on.
That is one thing about him and I think he has transfered that to me. I can’t see anyone going through pains and not feel for them. With all what people have done to daddy and myself, they have not stopped me from doing good and whatever God has sent me to do to make people’s dream come through.
After Pastor Ajanaku’s death, news went round that he was diabolical, how did you react to that?
It happened to our Lord Jesus Christ. The Pharises said He was using Bezebel’s power because they were not able to discover Him and you are a mystery in God. Daddy used to say it when he was alive that when you tag good thing to satan, is it to say that satan is powerful than God? When you are rich, people would say you did money rituals, when you have fame, they would say you got it from the deveil, is that to say God can not give wealth, fame and all good things?
Even when daddy was around, people used to say that he was diabolical and when he discussed it with me, I would tell him not to worry that if I did not know him so much, I would have said the same thing because of how powerful God was using him. He was such a great man of God and he didn’t bother about what people said. Some other people also knew the truth that he was not diabolic even if they betrayed. That is why the ministry still stands, if he was diabolical, everything would have gone down because of the many challenges.
Have you tried mending the fence between you and his family?
You might not understand what happened, but I still encourage my children because they are still their daddy’s family. The children knew and saw what happened all through.
What does he call you when he was alive?
That is why I miss him so much. He had a sonorous voice and way of calling me. Let us not go into that.
Send Us News, Gist, more... to citypeopleng@gmail.com | Twitter: @CitypeopleMagz
