Archbishop Benson Andrew Idahosa.
Nigeria is the home of several notable men of God, but I do believe that none has made such an international impact as the late Benson Andrew Idahosa affectionately called PAPA or BA by his followers. Idahosa was a Charismatic Pentecostal preacher, and founder of the Church of God Mission International with headquarters in Benin City, Nigeria. He was the first Pentecostal Archbishop in Nigeria, and is often referred to as the father of Pentecostalism and televangelism in Nigeria.
Archbishop Benson Andrew Idahosa was one in a million. A rare gem! Possibly, that is why he is an enigma to all those who have known or heard about him. He was born on September 11, 1938 in Benin City to an Edo family, the Idahosa - Ezomo family.
He was the fourth of nine children of Late Pa John Idahosa. He was only a few months old, when on the order of his father, he was dumped on a rubbish heap because he was a sickly child. He was rejected by his father for being frail and sickly and constantly had fainting spells as a child. His mother abandoned him at a rubbish heap presuming him dead during one of his spells. However, because of the unfading love of his mother, the Spirit of God stirred her up to rescue him. Hours later, he came to, and began wailing and was rescued by his mother against his father’s wishes because of the unfading love of his mother. Penury denied him access to education until he was fourteen years old; he attended the Salvation Army and graduated in 1952, then went to Owo Methodist School in Ondo State where he lived with a relative. He was employed as a sales boy with the Bata Shoe Company and with his meagre salary, was able to obtain a Diploma in Business Administration and later a Higher Diploma in Office Management.
As a toddler, he often experienced fainting spells. This re-occurring phenomenon, in the thinking of his father had brought disgrace and dishonour to the family. This forced him to resolve that the infant Idahosa be dumped on a refuse heap just behind their little house and left to his own fate. His father gave a stern warning that he should not be rescued from the garbage but because he was destined for greatness he lived to become one of the kingdom of God’s greatest men.
As the years rolled by, the sickly lad noted for fainting spells grew in strength and wisdom. He chose to change. Like the plant Saxifrage, often noted for its rock breaking abilities, Archbishop Idahosa surmounted the many obstacles that lay precariously on the road to success.
Benson Idahosa had a penchant for education and a great desire to study. At the age of eight, he was enrolled into primary school. Through thick and thin, he managed to scale through an initial western education in the Salvation Army School, Benin City and the Methodist School, Owo, Ondo State.
However, this only whetted his appetite for more knowledge. Accordingly, through a correspondence programme with the London Benneth College, he obtained a Diploma in Business Administration, and a Higher Diploma in Office Management, while he worked in the Bata Shoe Company as a salesman.
As a result of his desire to excel and through hard work, coupled with God's favor upon his life, he soon ascended to a supervisory position at the company. Little did he know that his experience as a supervisor was part of God's way of preparing him for leadership in the ministry.
Quite a lot can be said about his pastoral life. At the very beginning of his evangelistic crusades, he used his cultural advantage as a Bini to gain access to the surrounding Bini villages. His evangelistic crusades consisted of taking his team to the villages where, with the permission of the heads of the communities, he would preach to the people and pray for the sick. His first crusade was at Ajagbodudu, near Sapele, in 1961. His crusades were followed by signs and wonders.
In 1962 after his first evangelistic crusades, he enrolled as a correspondent student of a Bible College at Illorin. That same year, he held a crusade at Abraka. Over the years, he continued his theological education, and the following is a list of some of his degrees.
In June 1967 Idahosa lost his father during the Civil War riots. A year later, during one night, his room was filled with God’s presence and he was awoken from sleep by a voice. It was the Lord speaking to him about his future mission; “I have called you that you might take the gospel around the world in my name, preach the gospel, and I will confirm my word with signs following. After this experience he began to do more evangelistic meetings and outreaches. He would ask the Chiefs who head the villages for permission to conduct an evangelistic meeting in their village. They responded and more people were saved through his ministry. He directed the converts to existing Pentecostal Churches such as the Assemblies of God. Due to his evangelistic activities Idahosa soon became a leader under Pastor Okpo (the pastor at the Assemblies of God Church where he became a Christian) who gave him directions in ministry. However this did not last long as Idahosa decided to follow his own vision and establish a Church. To this end Idahosa started a Bible study group in front of a store and within few years they outgrew the place bought a piece of land to build a bigger Church facility. In order to build this Church members of Idahosa’s Church contributed a lot of money, time and labour.
Later Idahosa met one of the Apostolic Church missionaries, S.G. Elton and they became good friends. Elton became Idahosa’s mentor and it was him that introduced Idahosa to Gordon and Freda Lindsey (one of the healing evangelist of the Latter Rain Movement). Both Elton and Lindsey ordained Idahosa into ministry in 1971
Idahosa was granted scholarship to study at Gordon Lindsey’s Bible College, Christ for the Nations Institute in Texas United States. Gordon Lindsey also helped Idahosa financially to build his Church. While Idahosa was studying for a Diploma in Divinity, he read T.L.Osbourne’s book on evangelism and he became very concerned about evangelizing Benin his home town. He later asked permission from Gordon Lindsey to go back to Nigeria. Permission was granted and he went back in 1972 not completing his Diploma in Divinity.
Idahosa, the elders of his Church and Elton began to organize Gospel meetings in stadiums. The first was the one at Ogbe stadium in Benin which attracted 10,000 people. They publicise the meeting on radio stations, print posters and leaflets. This was a pioneering effort by Idahosa as it was American evangelists who usually do this sort of thing. This type of gospel meetings (usually known as Gospel Crusades in Nigeria) became a defining feature of Idahosa’s ministry and would later attract hundreds of thousands of people. As Idahosa and his team did these Gospel Campaigns all over the country, converts were won and this eventually led to many Church plants. This Church planting concept was pioneering then as it was new to Nigerian Charismatics who were not sure whether to start founding Churches.
Through his personal experience of poverty, the effects of the Civil War riots on Nigeria, the global recession that deflated Nigerian economy and the influence of American evangelists, Idahosa started to articulate Prosperity Gospel making him a pioneer in Nigeria and other African countries. In 1973 Idahosa claimed he received this message from God.
The world and its people are complaining daily of poverty and want. I have given you the mouth of miracles and blessings to my people. I have asked the cashiers of heaven to be on duty as long as you have a need for my own honour and glory. I shall supply all your needs according to my riches in glory (Philippians 4:19).
Begin to bless your people with all blessing; ask them to ask me anything they need, and I shall provide it for them. If only they will honour me with their wealth, I shall make them to be prosperous in all areas of their lives. I shall bless your partners and co-workers.
Wake up, go to the Church in the morning, and tell them poverty died last night. What you bless on earth is blessed in heaven. Bless my people, says the Lord, who came to give the good life of abundance.
Papa (as he was popularly called) had a phenomenal popularity predicated on his achievements, and the seeds he has sown in the lives of the hopeless, and those who needed a touch from the Lord Jesus Christ. Little wonder then, that during his ministry he raised many persons from the dead, much to the consternation of many who doubted the efficacy and power of the word of God. With signs and wonders his popularity spread like wild fire.
Soul winning was Idahosa’s primary concern. With a motto “Evangelism our Supreme Task,” he worked towards this goal of reaching the unreached in Nigeria, Africa and the rest of the world with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. He ministered in over 143 countries all over the world. Idahosa is reported to have performed so many miracles, including healing the blind, and raising up to twenty-eight people from the dead at different times in his ministry. At the time of his death in 1998, he was reputed as having preached to more whites than any black man and to more blacks than any white man. He had strong links with international gospel ministers like Billy Graham, T.L. Osborn, Kenneth Hagin, Benny Hinn, Reinhard Bonnke, Morris Cerullo, Oral Roberts, amongst others. . Many notable pastors in Nigeria like Ayo Oritsejafor, Bishop David Oyedepo, Pastor Felix Omobude, Fred Addo and Chris Oyakhilome are his protégés. Many of his messages on faith, miracles and prosperity remain a classic among Pentecostals.
His desire to meet the needs of the total man led him to establish several other arms of the Ministry apart from the church. They include the Faith Mediplex, All Nations for Christ Bible Institute, Word of Faith Group of Schools and Benson Idahosa University which is currently under the leadership of his son, Rev. F.E.B. Idahosa. His wife, Margaret Idahosa is the current presiding bishop of the Church.
Some of his favourite quotes are:
My God is not a poor God”, “Your attitude determines your altitude”, “It is more risky, not to take a risk”, “I am a possibilitarian”, “If your faith says yes, God cannot say no”, “Living a daily life of absolute faith in God is the only secret to great success”, “If someone spends time studying the Bible and acting on it, people will come looking for that person for life solutions”, amongst others.
Evangelist T. L. Osborn, from Tulsa, Oklahoma remarked concerning Archbishop Idahosa:
Many who follow Idahosa’s teaching have been saved from poverty and have learned to plant out of their desperate need and to look to God as their divine source thereby becoming prosperous Christians in their own land. Idahosa rose from the rank of an ordinary man to world leadership as a pastor, builder, counsellor, prophet, teacher, apostle, evangelist,–a man of godly wisdom and of Christ-like compassion, whose ministry has blessed millions the world over. Idahosa was the greatest African ambassador of the apostolic Christian faith to the world.
People talk about leaving their footprints in the sands of time; I think sand will be washed away by floods. Idahosa has left an enduring legacy in the hearts of men; in the Christian landscape of Nigeria and beyond, and ultimately in heaven. Where are you leaving your prints?
His Bible College has trained the likes of Bishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams of Christ Action Faith Ministries, Bishop Charles Agyin-Asare of Word Miracle Church International, Bishop James Saah, Bishop Christianah Doe Tetteh of Solid Rock Chapel International and many others. Many of today’s Nigerian Pentecostal ministers can trace their roots directly or indirectly back to Idahosa. Men such as Bishop David Oyedepo of Winners Chapel, Bishop Francis Wale Oke of Sword of the Spirit Ministries, Bishop Mike Okonkwo (former president of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria), Ayo Oritsejafor, current president of PFN and many more. Before his death in 1998, Idahosa had visited and preached in 125 countries including Britain, Sweden, Switzerland, Mexico, USA, Ghana, Cameroun, South African, Australia and Kenya. He will be remembered as an African apostle to the nations.
The Church And You Talks about The People And The History Of The Church.
God's General: "Arch Bishop Benson Andrew Idahosa".
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