Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria has reaffirmed Rev (Dr) Sam Aboyeji as its General Overseer.
Recall Aboyeji took over from Rev. Felix Meduoye, who served the church for nine years in 2019.
Prior to his emergence as GO, Rev. Aboyeji was the church’s Midwest regional Coordinator.
At the church’s Ajebo Lagos-Ibadan Campground, where the election held, Rev. Aboyeji received an overwhelming vote of 1,931 (i.e. 97.6%) from the 1,979 votes cast by delegates, to lead the church for another term of five years beginning from November 2024.
The chairman of the electoral (Affirmation) committee, who is the Northern Regional Coordinator of the church, Rev. Prof. James Nda Jacob announced the re-election of Rev. Aboyeji on Monday, April 8.
This special convention, according to the Church, comes on the eve of the church’s International Conference for Ministers and Leaders with the theme: Making Disciples.
The church’s constitution, TRIBUNE ONLINE gathered, requires that the General Overseer secures simple majority votes cast by delegates for the renewal of his mandate at the expiration of his first tenure of five years in office.
Part IV, Section 2 (h) states thus:
“The General Overseer shall serve for a term of five (5) years in the first instance. Thereafter, renewable for another final term of five (5) years through secret ballot of “yes” or “no” which shall hold in the month of April at a Special Convention.”
Rev. Aboyeji is the 5th indigenous General Overseer of the Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria, a church with its roots from the United States of America, founded in 1923 by a Canadian-America Lady Evangelist, Aimee Semple McPherson.
The church was established in Nigeria in 1955 and currently has over 4,700 branches spread across the 36 states of the Federation and the FCT.
The last five years have witnessed the General Overseer focusing the attention of his administration on training and development of ministers, upscaling their healthcare/welfare and that of members, intentional youth engagement and empowerment, as well as outreaches to both hinterlands and major cities.
Prior to his assumption of office as the General Overseer of the Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria in November 2019, Rev. Aboyeji had a successful career with the Anglo-Dutch oil giant, Shell, where he served for nearly 20 years.
In 2010, he left the corporate world to pursue full-time ministry. Before joining Shell, he worked at the premier stockbroking firm, Nigerian Stock Brokers Limited, a subsidiary of NAL Merchant Bank, now known as Sterling Bank Plc.
In his remarks after the exercise, Rev. Aboyeji appreciated the delegates for the peaceful conduct of the Affirmation election, while also coveting the cooperation and participation of all the members in fulfilling the mandate of the church.
“Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria will not relent in playing its God-given pivotal role as a frontline evangelical and Pentecostal Movement in our country.
“Our Inreach, Outreach, and Nextgen focus will continue to guide and shape our policies and procedures in meeting the demands of ministry. The welfare of all our ministers will be further enriched as we accelerate the pursuit of our evangelistic and mission thrust,” he said.
HIS ACCEPTANCE SPEECH BELOW;
ACCEPTANCE
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ for the salvation of my soul and that of my entire family, and for counting us worthy to be in the ministry. “My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the king; my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.” (Psalm 45:1 NIV). I consider it an honour and a great privilege to be asked of God to continue to lead His precious people at a time like this in the annals of our Movement – The Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria. The scripture says that no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God (Hebrews 5:4). It is with humility and great sense of responsibility that I accept this spiritual task conferred on me through you by God’s divine arrangement. I feel greatly humbled by the event that has just taken place – giving me the renewed mandate to continue to lead this Movement for another term of five years. I, therefore, accept the AFFIRMATION conferred on my leadership of this great organization as the will of God for this dispensation.
APPRECIATION
All the glory, honour, power, dominion and majesty be unto the King of kings and the Lord of lords for the peaceful and orderly conduct of this year’s affirmation election and for its outcome. I appreciate every one of you for reposing confidence in me and my leadership as demonstrated by this renewed mandate. What has happened here today is in keeping with the statutory requirement for occupying the Office of the General Overseer as spelt out in our Constitution and Statement of Faith, to which we are bonded by as a spiritually responsible and law-abiding organization.
Permit me to specially recognize and sincerely appreciate my esteemed colleagues on the Board of Directors, my elders on the Board of Trustees, the cooperative and dynamic members of the National Executive Council, National Ministerial Council, all our resourceful Zonal Superintendents, Pastors, Members and Worshippers for your unwavering support, goodwill, benevolence and prayers for us over the past five years of our stewardship and most recently, for the success of this process.
The Church Council, Leaders, Members and Worshippers of the National Headquarters Church, Yaba are highly commended and appreciated for their warmth, hospitality, cooperation, spirit of unity and oneness with which they have continued to receive us as General Overseer and Senior Pastor of the National Headquarters Church.
My special thanks and appreciation go to my dearest wife, friend, sister, mother, confidante and my prayer champion, Rev. Mrs. Olabisi Aboyeji, who has stood by me in ministry for close to forty-five years and over thirty-five years of blissful, peaceful and beautiful marital life to the glory of God. Our wonderful and Godfearing children are also appreciated for their cooperation, support and uncommon sense of understanding of the assignment committed into our care by the Almighty God.
I acknowledge the efforts of the Affirmation Committee ably led by our respected Regional Coordinator for the Northern Region and the District Overseer of Kubwa District, Rev. Prof. James Nda Jacobs. I must commend you all for your dedication to this assignment, for the sacrifice of your time, talent, treasure and your faithful discharge of this task. May the Almighty God adequately reward you and your families in Jesus’ name.
I wish to also recognize and appreciate the leadership of the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, dynamically led by our International President, Rev. Dr. Randy Remington and the Vice President of Global Operations, Rev. Dr. Ted Veil for their friendship, partnership and cordial disposition to my person and the leadership of the Nigerian Church.
ALL HANDS-ON DECK
As we herald the second half of our Decade of Soaring, I earnestly covet the fullest cooperation and participation of all ministers, leaders, workers, members and well-wishers, even as we trust God to reinvigorate our enthusiasm towards fulfilling His mandate for His Church. Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria will not relent in playing its God-given pivotal role as a frontline evangelical and Pentecostal Movement in our country. Our Inreach, Outreach and Nextgen focus will continue to guide and shape our policies and procedures in meeting the demands of ministry. The welfare of all our ministers will be further enriched as we accelerate the pursuit of our evangelistic and mission thrust.
CONCLUSION
Once again, my appreciation goes to every one of you for being part of this epoch-making event.
Long live the Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria
Long live the Federal Republic of NigeriaPsalm 45:6 Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.
Shalom!
and then