The day was Sunday, March 17, 2019, a little while after noon; precisely 12:37 p.m. The scene was Glory Tabernacle Ministry, Bodija, Ibadan, Oyo Sate.
The church service had just ended and then the news filtered in about the home call of a great general, a warrior for Christ—Dr Uzodinma Obed, founder and pioneer pastor of the ministry. The world stood still for a moment, the church premises was filled with hush.
The news of the passing of this great servant of God was, no doubt, received with shock. But a recall of his latter years, his last moments—the drive and the zeal he dispensed in addition to the urgency he displayed in carrying out his God-given mandate within the church, nationally and globally, were, to the discerning, indicators that his time was near. This could also be seen in the context of the many revelations in the church at the tail end of his sojourn on earth, about his glorious exit.
BREAKING: Brig-Gen Ibrahim emerges new NYSC DG
Uzodinma Obed meant different things to different people. To some, he was a father—a pillar of strength and courage; to some others, he was a teacher who readily imparted knowledge, both secular and spiritual, holding back nothing. Yet to others, he was a mentor, whose lifestyle, fashioned after Christ, was worthy of emulation and his counsels, apt and cherished more than gold. But to all who crossed his path, and to all who got connected to him directly or indirectly, Obed was God’s gift to his generation.
Born on September 27, 1946, the story of Obed’s life had always been that of a testimony of a man who had the hand of God upon him and was therefore destined to be great.
Despite all odds, and with the assistance of destiny helpers, Obed was able to acquire elementary education. But he did not rest on his oars. Focused, determined and solely dependent on God, he made a feat in his academic pursuit when he bagged his first and second degrees from the University of Ibadan. A feather was again added to his cap when he acquired a doctorate degree in Physics Education, also from the same university. All these achievements, this great man of God jettisoned when he answered God’s call to work in His vineyard.
To this servant of God, the date April 5, 1970 always remained significant. It was no doubt a turning point in his life. On this very day, Obed became a born again Christian. And from that moment the foundation of a new trajectory in his walk with God was firmly laid.
Gradually his destiny became harnessed as the zeal to serve God consumed him. Gifted in the art of music, he redirected his skill from that of writing and composing secular songs to that of divinely inspired and soul lifting gospel songs. In addition to this was his ability to play the guitar. Attributed to him today are songs such as In Thy Presence There Is Fullest Of Joy; Be Thou Exalted O Lord Above The Heavens, God Has Made A Great Difference In My Life among others.
One of his remarkable attributes as a student of the University of Ibadan where he played active roles as a member and one of the executives of the Ibadan Varsity Christian Fellowship (IVCU), was his passion for evangelism. This he carried out on campus and in villages in the company of co-students who today are great men of God.
A feat he accomplished as a lecturer at the University of Ibadan was his establishment of the University of Ibadan Staff Fellowship which took off in his house. The fellowship aside creating a bond among its members, imparted in members a Christ-like lifestyle and disposition which led many unbelievers to Christ.
Speaking on his marriage, Obed was often quoted as saying; “I prayed to God that I wanted Him to use my life and that I was ready to serve Him. In His response, I heard Him instruct me on whom to marry. So I believe God gave her to me in the context of life service.”
Dr Obed got married to his heart throb, Dr (Mrs) Chinyere Obed in 1979 and both relentlessly served God for the almost forty years of their wedlock. A former pastor at the New Covenant Church, Samonda, Ibadan, while still a lecturer at the University of Ibadan, he received God’s call to run a church. By acting in obedience to God’s instructions and directions, the Glory Tabernacle Ministry, Bodija, Ibadan was birthed on January 7, 1990.
As the founder of the ministry and his wife who is also a pastor, both understood their calling to imply raising believers of high spiritual quality and integrity who are heaven focused. Little wonder Pastor Obed always told his congregation,” for any one lagging behind spiritually, I will drag him or her along with me to heaven.”
In achieving the mandate of life-transforming discipleship, the first 21 years of the Obeds as pastors in the ministry among other things were spent developing and introducing spiritual growth courses and training. This later gave rise to the vision of the Apostolic Discipleship Movement (ADM) International, a global ministry focused on the restoration of apostolic-styled transformational discipleship. In addition to these is The Believers Spiritual Growth Programme which is aired every Saturday.
Other areas the ministry is passionately involved in are evangelism, mission support and Christian Leadership Training (CLTS).
Uzodinma Obed will always be remembered for his rare leadership quality and unreserved and total obedience to God’s instructions as displayed when he passed the baton of leadership of the church to another in the person of Professor Gabriel Akinbola, as the General Pastor, after 21years of dedicated service.
His sacrificial lifestyle cannot be overemphasised. It is on record that he sold his only car to aid the smooth running of the church. It is also noteworthy that he and his wife did not receive salary from the church for the first 11 years even though they had resigned from the universities where they worked.
Unlike many contemporary ministers of God who go about with hefty-looking bodyguards and shield themselves in a maze of protocol, Obed was accessible to all and treated every case with utmost dispatch. Little wonder he was familiar with almost all faces in his congregation and knew almost everyone by their names.
He will be greatly missed especially by the little ones who always wanted to get to him whenever they sighted him. They always flocked around him after each service.
A prolific writer, Obed wrote books like Growing the Total Christian, Freedom From Curses, Easy Steps To Holy Spirit Baptism among others.
Pastor Chinyere Obed, fondly called Mummy Chy said of her husband, “Darlyn, sure you know I miss you. We have spent these forty years very meaningfully. You know you are my love, my heart, my great and very friend and companion with whom I have served God without any reservation. Sleep on.”
In his tribute, The General Overseer of The Redeemed Church of Christ, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, a prominent member of The Board of Trustees, Glory Tabernacle Ministry and close friend of the Obeds wrote, “I have known Pastor Uzodinma Adeogo Obed for almost four decades and I have found him to be a true soldier of Christ. His passion to make disciples drew him closer to my wife and I. We deeply miss him, but we know he is resting with the Lord already. We are saying goodbye but not good night.”
According to the President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) , who is also President, Nigerian Baptist Convention (NBC), Rev. (Dr) ‘Supo Ayokunle: ”A great soldier of Christ has been called home. He had no dent to his name, was never involved in any controversial issue. His death was painful to us, but joy to the heavens for he fought well the battle of faith.”
In his words, the Chairman, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Oyo State chapter, Bishop Taiwo Adelakun stated, “Pastor Obed, you have fought a good fight and finished your course well. We shall keep the flag of Christ flying till the end.”
“We would greatly miss our GEM. Pastor Obed impacted lives. He ran the spiritual race with focus and zeal and ended well,“wrote Apostle Sunday Popoola, founder of World Communication Ministries (WOCOM) and immediate past Chairman, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Oyo State chapter with whom Pastor Obed served as vice chairman.
As the remains of this great general of God will be interred on Saturday, May 4, all members of Glory Tabernacle Ministry and the body of Christ in general say adieu till we meet in the resurrection morning.
and then