Evangelist (Mrs) Esther Adejoke Akande, is the wife of Prophet Timothy Funso Akande, the presiding Pastor of Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Ori Oke Baba Abiye, Ede, Osun State. In this interview with OLAIDE SOKOYA, she speaks on the role and responsibility of women in the church as she celebrates her 55th birthday. Excerpts:
How I met my husband
I met my husband through my cousin, Yemi Adewolu, when I was in modern school at Irese, Osun State. Mr Adewolu was one of my teachers and my college father. I knew him then as Brother Funsho. He was very jovial. He left Otan-Aiyegbaju the same time I left modern school. He proceeded to The Polytechnic Ibadan, while I also went to a high school in Osogbo. We met gain after so many years and, by then, he was at the University of Ibadan. From there, we started our relationship. Our marriage clocked 35 years this year. I never thought of becoming a pastor’s wife, I had dreamt of marrying a lawyer.
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My responsibility as pastor’s wife
My experience about the church is not really that palatable, but God’s mercy is sufficient. If you are in-charge of so many people, you will fight the battle of those people with yours. So, there are lots of responsibilities as a pastor’s wife, but we should not be tired of it. We have to keep moving because we are not the one fighting the battle. We should also avoid sins which are the things that can make the enemies to overcome us.
Women into politics
I really support women going into politics. I would have loved to join, but my husband is not in support of it. There should be no reason women shouldn’t be involved in politics. Men don’t know the value of women in politics. Women are not meant to be in kitchen alone. If you see a man that is well-dressed and responsible, he has a good wife. If you see a man that does not eat food outside, such a man has a good wife. Women are also meant to go out and partake in social activities. Women can do a lot of things better than men. And I do tell people that there is power within women. Women know the time of danger more than men. Women are mothers and are passionate a lot. Women can’t embezzle money that is not meant for them because they will be scared of the shame and consequence; unlike men. Due to the fact that we call them the head especially in Africa, they don’t believe women can perform better. I am in support of women going into politics. Any woman that has interest in politics should go for it and if we can’t do it, we will support them with prayers. But, if I had the chance, I would do it.
Indecent dressing among women
With what is trending now, Muslim ladies dress better than the Christians. An average Muslim woman will dress moderately with her head covered. But, we Christians call a lot of things civilisation, which I pray we will not regret, when we get to heaven. We now see a minister of God wear a mini skirt with huge hair open to ministers. As Christians, most unbelievers read us before they read the bible. Satan has used some people through dressing to bring the people of God down. So, I do tell youths, including my children, that there is no room for indecent dressing in my house. And with the help of God, they listen. The dressing of our youths is not glorifying. We have a lot of work to do in the Christendom. And I pray God help us all.
How Fruitfulness Programme started
I am not the founder of the programme. My own Ministry was Family Empowerment. I organised the ministry for women alone, it is based on how women can take care of their husbands, children and grow financially and become good wivies. My husband started the ‘Fruitfulness’ programme but, when it got to certain period, when some women came around, they began to behave in a funny ways, including opening their bellies to my husband, showing him where they did one operation or the other. Some will open to expose their stomachs for my husband to lay his hand on them for prayer.
When it was getting out of hand, he called me and told me I will have to combine the fruitfulness programme together with the family empowerment programme. So, he laid his hands on me and prayed for me. I started the programme 17 years ago. To the glory of God, there have been a lot of testimonies. We have seen a barren woman of 35 years giving birth. We have seen a 12-years old barren that gave birth to twins. We have seen a woman without womb that gave birth to four children. God really manifests himself in through programme.
Role of pastor’s wife
Pastors should not overlook their wives. Most pastors’ wives have something on their minds but they don’t know how to showcase them because of the disposition of their husbands. Pastors with good ministries should put their wives in a good position in the church. If a woman is in a such position, she won’t look for the downfall of her husband. Men should also take care of their wives. It is not only about giving them money but there are some positions you should put your wives so as to make them happy. This is also applicable to the Muslims and traditional worshippers. Women should equally move closer to their husbands and support and take care of their husbands as well as pray for them.
What I do apart from being pastor’s wife
I have a lot of other things. I have a very big boutique. And by the grace of God, I have a petrol station very close to the mountain. I have a ‘pure’ water company. I operate a food canteen, and a block industry. It is not that I like money, but I can’t just remain idle. My husband does not stress me at all. Once we complete a programme, I do urge him to let us travel outside Nigeria to have some rest and as soon as we get there, I look for sales. I also go to Dubai for shopping; I also have people in charge of the other businesses. But I don’t monitor most of the business again because there is no time, coupled with my age.
Woman as church founder
I was brought up in a Baptist church and there, there is a limit to the level a woman can get to. She cannot become a reverend, but women have a certain role to play. In my husband’s church, which also happens to be my own church by marriage, there is no limit for a women. We have women founders in the Christ Apostolic Church. In the CAC, a woman can lead the prayer section, lead the song, read the bible, and contribute money for offering. For me, there is nobody God cannot call, be it man or woman; there is no one God cannot give assignment to. We are all God’s instruments. So, if it is a female that is ready, God can use her and if it male God wants to use, He can use him as well. And if God gives a woman the permission to do something and she does it well, I feel He will give such person the chance to continue.
What I love most about my husband
Sincerely, you can’t be with him and experience sadness. I have known him since when I was 14 years old. There is always happiness wherever he is. I do tell people that the best thing that has ever happened to me is that I am the wife of Funsho Akande. He is everything to me. He is accommodating and loving. If he offends me, I report him to himself. I love being around him always because he is someone God has created to give people joy. If there is anybody that does not like him or is avoiding him, then the person must be a bad person.There can never be a dull moment with him.
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