+Life As CAC General Evangelist Worldwide
A few days ago, City People met the CAC General Evangelist Worldwide, Prophet Hezekiah Oladeji, in Lagos. It was a very fulfilling encounter as he spoke about his life and Ministry.
To get a date for an interview with Prophet Hezekiah Oladeji was not an easy task at all. It is not that he doesn’t want to talk. He surely does. But he is a busy man, saddled with the responsibility of travelling around the world evangelising. He hardly stays in one place. He is in Ibadan today, Osogbo tomorrow or Lagos the day after. He keeps moving from one place to another to evangelise, as the spirit leads.
So, when City People requested for an interview, we knew we had to be patient to get a date with this highly respected man of God who is always on the move.
And when the message came on Sunday, 23rd February 2003 that Prophet Oladeji was ready for us, we were very, very excited. We promptly raced to the appointed venue somewhere in Ikeja, Lagos, Lo and behold!. This experienced Prophet was waiting for us.
After exchanging pleasantries, we sat down to talk about his life and career as a Prophet. He has an interesting story to tell.
He is the Founder of C.A.C CANAAN LAND WORLDWIDE. HEADQUARTERS Km.2 Omifunfun Road, Garage Olode, Ile-Ife, Osun state.
Let’s tell you more. Prophet Hezekiah Oluboye Oladeji was born into a Baptist family at Edunabon, near Ile Ife in Osun state. Though, a religious Christian family, father also indulged in traditional religion by way of performing rituals and the likes; hence the family was not saved. Prophet Hezekiah developed an ailment in his leg which prevented him from going to school, therefore, he decided to learn a vocation and his choice was automobile mechanic.
In 1980, his mother died and 4 years later, he left home for Oshogbo; a day which he incidentally met Jesus. Alighting from a bus at Oshogbo Bus Park, he heard some people singing a song which translates to “Jesus is calling you friend, come, this world is vanity everything will soon end”. The trail of the source of this song led him to a church not far off – Christ Apostolic Church, CAC Araromi; a church where his guardian coincidentally attended. It was at this church he received healing for his leg at a crusade Prophet Obadare held there.
Alone in the church one night about 2.00 am, God appeared to Prophet Hezekiah in company of Prophet Ayo Babalola (the founder of Christ Apostolic Church) and told him they had a mission for him to the church and also the world. Asked if he would do the work, Prophet Hezekiah said ‘YES’ to the call after which God instructed Prophet Babalola to anoint him with oil. The oil was physically on his head when he woke up the next morning. It was indeed, there for another 5 to 6 days. The oil still ooze out of his forehead today anytime he engages in some fervent prayers. Efforts to enrol in a seminary in 1991 and 1992 failed as God was nudging him to be taught directly by Him, however he later attended a seminary, but found it unfulfilling.
Though, he had been anointed for ministry work, Prophet Hezekiah started a transport business, while also working as an automobile mechanic with his partner and friend. However in the bid to bring him back in line with his calling, God orchestrated an event in which one of the vehicles Prophet Hezekiah used for the transport business had an accident at Olode garage where he had come to settle and live. That was in 1996 and 2 passagers in the vehicle died and that was also confirmed by the hospital as Prophet Hezekiah was asked to take the corpses to the mortuary. Saddened and weeping because of the event and on the way to the mortuary, God asked him if he was ready for the assignment and Prophet Hezekiah succumbed and said ‘I am’. Immediately, God asked him to go back and lay hands on the corpses and they both came alive after the touch. That miracle served as the confirmation of the call of God on Prophet Hezekiah. From that point on, he gave out all the vehicles for the transportation business, became more active in the ministry and eventually started CAC Canaan Land in 2000.
When Prophet Samuel Abiara of Christ Apostolic Church Worldwide (CAC), celebrated his 75th birthday, he retired and appointed Evangelist Hezekiah Oladeji the new General Evangelist.
Many don’t know he was called in 1984 to serve God although, he had refused till seven years later when he had been involved in an accident that had led to the death of two persons. The erstwhile dead victims of the accident had later regained consciousness after being touched by Prophet Oladeji, which was the first of his many miraculous acts.
He was anointed minister of God by the famous Apostle Babalola in a dream.
He is the founder of Christ Apostolic Church Canaanland Worldwide in Omifunfun road, garage Olode, Ile Ife, Osun State.
He fully started CAC Canaanland in his parlour at Olode Garage. He started with Akinjare Jacob, the Executive Officer of Akinjare Nigeria Limited.
He is not a Pastor, but a Prophet and an Evangelist, since his goal is to win souls for Christ. Therefore, like a religious hermit, he goes from place to place, to establish the gospel.
So, what you are about to read is the life story of the General Evangelist Worldwide of the CAC, Prophet Hezekiah Oladeji. He spoke to City People Magazine Publisher, SEYE KEHINDE about how he rose to become one of the leaders in CAC.
Below, he revealed all the challenges he faced to get to where he is today. This is the first part of a 2 part interview with this respected man of God.
You occupy a key position in the Christ Apostolic Church. How has it been occupying the position of General Evangelist of Christ Apostolic Church Worldwide, which takes you all over the world? How do you cope with the challenges?
Challenges? We don’t see it as challenges. The job of an Evangelist is an interesting one. Once it’s your calling and it’s from God, you will be successful at it. Once it’s God’s work and once He is the one who called you, there is no problem or challenge that you will face there, that God does not know, and He will see you through.
What the people look at is not what God looks at. When you are called a Prophet, it is not taught in school or seminary. Only God calls one to be a Prophet. You can be living with a Prophet and then come across the calling to be a Prophet. If the Prophet takes you everywhere, all around and you begin to pray and fast and you go to mountains, you can get the calling; you can be called. In my own case, I got into trouble at an early age and I got saved. Since I got born again, since I accepted Christ as my Lord and Saviour, in 1983 I have been in the Baptist Church (Ijo Onitnbomi) for years. That was where I was born. The day I was going to give my life to Christ was when I left my hometown, Edunabon, the town where I was born. I left in pains. I lost my mum in 1980 with a lot of problems. My 2 legs were paining me. The 2 legs didn’t let me cope with my schooling. I just decided one day to leave the town. My father loves me a lot. I told him Baba, I want to leave this town; I want to go and learn a trade. I don’t want to stay idle.
I like trailers a lot, whenever trailers were passing I used to look at them. I now decided that irrespective of whatever happens to me, whether I am handicapped or not, I will go and learn how to be a mechanic. With that pains I was going through with both legs, I left my home town. I come from a town called Edunabon in Ife North LG, Osun State. I left my town to Osogbo to learn mechanic job. The first day I got to Osogbo was when I heard God’s 1st calling and I heard that, some people were singing. I like singing a lot, because powerful words and messages come out of songs. The moment I heard the song “Jesu npe o, ore ma bo asan la dun aiye, ohun gbogbo a dopin”. I now asked the person I was with that, I want to go to that place where they were singing. The moment I put down my load, I carried my 2 walking sticks and I left for this crusade (Isoji). When I got there after the message, came the preaching and the Officiating Minister asked for who will give his life to Jesus. I said I am ready to give my life to Jesus. It is a different thing to go to church, it is another thing to be saved. So I gave my life to Christ. Four of us gave our lives to Christ on that day. After they prayed for us, I forgot I was an handicap, I forgot my crutches there and walked home unaided. That was how I stopped using crutches since then. Jesus saved me that day.
The 2nd day was when I suddenly remembered that I forgot my crutches at the revival. I slept soundly that day. I have never slept like that before in my life. I now decided to start going to this new church. That was how I became a member of the CAC up till today.
I was to do baptism in my new church. I did that before in my old church, at Baptist. They did incision on my body, and bathed me with black soap to see if it will cure my illness. They also killed a chicken to treat the leg that was paining me. They turned me into a little god that they are worshipping. (Laughs). So, I decided to clean my life. So I did another Baptism.
The day I did that 2nd baptism was when the Holy Spirit came into my life. I was struggling with God. I was praying. I was fasting. There were so many things God showed me. God was talking to me, but I was still learning the job of a mechanic. I went through a lot to learn how to be a mechanic. It was tough, but I didn’t see it as tough. I didn’t see it as a challenge or problem because the happiness of the Holy Spirit in me took away the difficulties I went through. Happiness replaced my frustrations. I learnt the lesson that the challenges one often meets at times on this job of being a prophet catapults you up. It is like a stepping stone to greater heights. And that is also applicable to all challenges, whether it is the challenge you face in your workplace, or in your business, or schooling. I beg you. I plead with you. There is something hidden there that will help you move to the next level. Challenges and difficulties always help to throw us up. You will definitely be better for it. There is always something hidden inside problems and challenges that you don’t know. It is until you wade into it that you will see the hidden gifts in it.
That is why I believe so much in going to Prayer Mountains (Ori Oke Gi Gun). I climb the Prayer Mountains a lot. I go to Prayer Mountains to pray. Apart from going there to pray, I believe that going to the Prayer Mountains will teach you a lot. There are a lot of lessons to be learnt by climbing Prayer Mountains. Once I start climbing Prayer Mountains, I will always finish it.
I can’t climb it and stop halfway or go back. No way. I will finish it to the end. I believe so much in going to Spiritual Mountains. We should all start doing that. There is a lot of blessings that will come your way. I have faith in Prayer Mountains. I can say with all sense of modesty that there is no Ori-Oke (Prayer Mountain) that I have not been to in Nigeria. I doubt if there is one. If there is anyone, only a few. I normally climb Mount Sinai. I have climbed Mount Sinai about 11 times. Mount Sinai is in Jerusalem, as tall as it is. Someone climbed it once and said he couldn’t climb it any more. But I go there all the time to climb the mountain. So, that is why I say Problems & Challenges should be taken in good faith. It often leads to Strength. Problems strengthen you at times. It brings out the best in you. God called me in the midst of serious challenges, that is where I got sympathy from God.
At the time you joined C.A.C., did you think you will rise through the ranks to the top, to the position you now occupy as General Evangelist?
No. I didn’t even think I would be working for God. I didn’t know I will end up serving God. All I wanted to do was to just preach to people to give their lives to Jesus. That’s all. So that they won’t go through the many battles I encountered. That was why I became born again, so, I can go to heaven. I pray that those who are going through the same battle I went through in my village should also be saved from it and they should also get out of it. That was my mission. I never thought of becoming a Minister of God, or Prophet, or Pastor. No, I didn’t.
When someone got me a form to go to the seminary, the first time, the 2nd time and 3rd time, I didn’t listen. I wasn’t interested. I didn’t take it seriously. But my own is to be God’s friend. I wanted to be counted as God’s friend so that I can be in front of Him at all times. I never thought I could become God’s Minister, but when I found myself in it, I had no option than to accept it. I answered God’s call by force. It was by force! I answered God by force. I rejected it at first until I finally accepted. After I graduated and had my freedom as a mechanic, I spent 2 years with my boss. God said I should not leave there.
Then, after 2 years God said you can leave now. I went to pray, I asked God if I can go to the North. He said I can go and I went. When I got there I faced serious challenges, travails and problems God said I should go back home. He said he just wanted me to see what it was like staying in the North as I earlier requested. I went back. Then, I went to pray. I was going to the farm one day and God said to me you will settle at Garage Olode and that place will now be your base.
Haa! A lot of Hausas usually bring their trailers and trucks to the Olode garage. So, I established my Mechanic business there with a partner of mine Elder Akinjare who is my friend. We both learnt a mechanic job. We are still together till today. He was Akinjare Jacobs. Today, he has become Pastor Akinjare now. We have always been together like siblings. We have always behaved like 2 sons of the same father and mother. Nobody can know that we are not from the same parents. That is how we started our mechanic business. And we thank God. God helped us a great deal. The 2 of us started off the business with nothing but God now helped us we both made good money. We have built houses. We have brought cars. We got married. We have kids. We have beautiful families.
That is how I started living at Garage Olode.
After I got to Garage Olode and started my Mechanic job, I discovered that my calling began to manifest more and it was fast affecting my mechanic job. I said Haa. This shouldn’t happen. So I told my partner to continue the mechanic business whilst I will take up Gods call. That was how I started and I was doing it gradually.
There was a question you asked a few minutes ago about my travails in life. They are plenty. I remember one incident. I went for one early morning meeting in our church, I believe the calling I have is to develop many churches in CAC. That is what I was doing all over my area. All the money I was making from my Mechanic workshop I was spending on church work, to do Gods work.
The church was now faced with a problem. Some people came and said You can’t continue this church here. Their reason is that this early morning meeting usually attracts a huge crowd. Many people don’t miss it. When God decides to use you for his work you might also face problems and challenges from people who will feel threatened by your evangelism. That was what was happening. As I came out of the church and I got on the road to walk home, I heard the voice of God. He said, my son. It’s time to take you to the land of Cannan. That is where the idea of CAC Cannaland came from. So, I started this Ministry. We started the 2nd one. We started one abroad. Then it spread all over. By Gods grace it became big.
What year was this?
The 1st time I started a Church is long, since the year 2000. That was when the CAC Canaanland Church started. We started small by small till what you see today.
(Part 2 Next Week)
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