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Monday 7 April 2014

"Why Celestial Church Is In Crisis" - SBJ Oshoffa's Daughter, Edith Reveals

Pastor SBJ Oshoffa, Founder, Celestial Church of Christ
Celestial Church of Christ is unarguably the leading and most populated white garment church in the world. It was founded by late Pastor Samuel Bilewu Joseph Oshoffa popularly known as SBJ Oshoffa in 1947 with 10 people. Penultimate week, one of his biological daughters, Edith Oshoffa had the launch and presentation of a book entitled ‘SBJ Oshoffa, The Enigmatic Spiritual Leader of Our Time’ at the  popular Tejuosho, Lagos Parish of the Church. City People's Assistant Editor, TAIWO OBATUSIN, who was as the event met the woman who gave a first-hand information about the late powerful Cele leader and why the church is battling with leadership crisis after his demise. 

What made you write a book on the founder of Celestial Church of Christ, late S.B.J Oshoffa?
Aside from the fact that he was my spiritual father, he was my biological father as well. I was close to him till he died. I think I owe Papa and there is the need to tell the world what I know about Prophet S.B.J.
Oshoffa, the real man. The is because the world does not really know him.  So the book entitled ‘S.B.J. Oshoffa The Enigmatic Spiritual Leader of Our Time’ gives a first-hand account about the life of Papa Oshoffa.

Are you writing the book in your capacity as his first child?
I am not his first born. I have 2 senior brothers before me; Emmanuel and Ebenezer Oshoffa. I also have 2 senior sisters before me; Elizabeth and Mary Oshoffa.  I am Papa’s 5th child. I was lucky to be with him. I was with him the last 10 days of his life. 

What are the things you learnt from him?
The first thing Papa taught me was to fear God, respect every human being, those in government. He summed it up always in Yoruba , “Ka te ori ba fun awon obi wa, ka te ori ba fun ijoba, ka bo owo fun Oluwa.” He taught me to tell the truth every time. He taught me to read the Yoruba Bible. Everything I know about the Bible, I learnt from him. We had a lot that made us bond. I was the first person Papa coordinated a Celestial Church wedding for. I got married at the Supreme Headquarters in Port Novo in 1975.  

People had different views about your Dad especially about his powers. How did you see him?
I was  lucky enough to have lived with him. I saw God use him raise the dead. He raised many that were certified dead by medical doctors. There are several accounts in the book I wrote. There were instances he threw his cap at the dead and they rose. I mean the dead that had maggots already feasting on them. I knew when my Dad was poor financially. Those were days when after preaching, people contributed money for our fare to get back home from the parishes.  

Living with Papa made me have so much believe in the Bible passage that says “God makes a way where there is no way.”  He was the son of a slave. He rose against all odds to become known all over the world. I took my Dad for granted to some extent.  The last few days before his transition,  we were having argument with members of the Board of Trustees and Baba Bada . They asked me if I were Papa’s only child and why I took him to take care of him. That was after the auto crash he was involved in on Sunday 1st September, 1985, I took him to the hospital on Monday, 2nd September, 1985. By Thursday, 5th September, 1985 people had started quarrelling with me why I took Papa to take care of him. There were many people who came prescribing all sorts and those who came to visit him. 

I felt he needed rest and so I took him away from the multitude of people to Top Shedrack Hospital at Ilupeju, Lagos. I told Papa everyone was fighting me that am not his only child, he told me, “Edith, ninu Ijo Mimo yi, Omo Oba ni e. Oun to be fe se, se ko so pe o ti se. Ko si oun ti enikan le se fun e.” which means (You are the daughter of the King in this Celestial Church of Christ. Whatever you want to do, do it with all authority. There is no one that can challenge you). I told him “Papa, Oba ilu wo ni yin? (Papa, you are king of which town?). I asked him this question because I took him for granted. I thank God today that many of us his children that were ashamed to be called Oshoffa’s children are now blessed by God. I saw him as a representative of God on earth.  When he was alive, he rode on the bicycle to preach the gospel.  We had a humble beginning in life.  

Can you compare your Dad’s lifestyle to the situation of things these days and Pastors who run parishes of the church?
If only we could remember how Celestial Church was started. It is only God that makes people rich. Papa was unique. He has a direct encounter with God  on 23rd May, 1947 in the forest when there was an eclipse of the sun. God told Papa, “I want to send you to the world.”  On the 29th of September of the same year, he got a vision to establish Celestial Church of Christ, a name he got by divine instruction. All these things happened in Port Novo, Republic of Benin. We have located the forest and bought a piece of land there. 

In 1954, Jesus came physically to visit Papa as a blind man.  He had a direct encounter with God, I think that is why he was humble.  He did not count worldly possessions as anything.  He was conscious of not allowing worldly possessions make him make heaven. People are no longer interested in eternal worship. The only thing we think about today is money.  It was when Papa died we knew he was paying rents for people, he paid the school fees of many children. A lot of people cried when he died. 

What was the reason the church became divided after Papa’s death?
It is because everyone wanted to do what he felt was right. Papa is not one of those church founders who will instruct that their son or family take over the church after his death. Papa, before he died said, “He whom has met me in the forest and sent me, will meet that person that will take over from me. You will all see the person. All of you will recognize the person and all the elders will bow for the person. He will have multiple of the power God gave me.” 

When he was alive he emphasized that Celestial Church is owned by Jesus Christ. That was why he did not impose anyone or appoint anyone to take over the church after him.  When he came to Nigeria in 1976, he told us his children that his remains should not be buried in the Republic of Benin. That he will return when God tells him to go back. But he never heard from God about his going back. 

Did the church wait for the divine sign of the one to take over from your Dad?
I don’t think we waited. If we had waited, the church would not have been in crisis. Late Oshoffa said the person coming after him will be mightier, more powerful and greater. What powers do we have in the church today? Have seen anybody who can do anything? We are all running after money and position. 

Did you go into the ministry immediately after your father’s death?
I have been a member of Celestial Church of Christ from birth. I was born into the Church 60 years ago. I have never left the church for one day. By the grace of God, I started Celestial Church of Christ, Beulah Parish, Greenland Estate, Ajah.  I hold on to the vision of Papa Oshoffa for the church. 

Do you miss anything about him?
I miss him  because he is the only one whom I can tell everything and he will tell the truth under any circumstance. He was a father, and a reliable friend. It took me 5 years to accept my father’s transition. He was always there for me. 

Is there hope for the Church to once again be  united?
Definitely, it will be united because Papa is so particular about the unity of the church.  I know one day the church will be united. I don’t know when but I pray it will be when I am alive.

Credit: Citypeople 

2 comments:

  1. The Lord in his mercy will bring Celestial bark to the normal shape that it was when Papa Oshoffa was alive.

    ReplyDelete
  2. GOD Almighty used him mightily because he lived a holy life.

    ReplyDelete