Biography of Apostle Emmanuel Omotunde Omoniyi

Prophet Emmanuel Omotunde was a powerful, anointed vessel of God who contributed immensely to the history of the Apostolic movement in Nigeria today. Popularly known as the Prophet of Ajaye, Prophet Emmanuel Omotunde was the founder of African Apostolic Church. 

 

A prophet of the most high God, an Apostolic messenger and a carrier of unusual power and supernatural energy, eye witness accounts report that Apostle Emmanuel Omotunde's kingdom exploits are mind breaking that even the revered Apostle Joseph Ayodele Babalola attested to the fact that the anointing upon himself was likened to liquid in a bottle while that of Omotunde was like that in a Calabash. Reports also claim that Apostle Babalola often called Apostle Emmanuel as "Oga" (meaning boss) to revere him as an Apostle with a more unique anointing.

 

Apostle Omotunde was so full of the glory of God in his days so much that people traced his movements and locations by any village that is being turned upside down in roars and noise of miracles and wonders at every moment in time. Apostle Omotunde will pull out a living lizard from the body of a mad man and instantly the mad man will be made whole.

He is known for lining the people up in his meetings by their diseases and ailments ; hunchbacks, blind, lame etc ,Then he blesses the name of God and declares in yoruba in one utterance "Baba, ya won si mimo" (meaning father, sanctify them), by the time his hands are down they are all wiped clean of whatever ailment they came with.

He was known both for his extreme temperament and also prompt obedience to every simple instruction from God. There were instances where he suspend in the air prophesying whenever the Spirit of Prophecy rests upon them.

An event occurred when a villager insulted the man of God out of misunderstanding, the people who were present were surprised that Prophet Omotunde didn't say a word and that was unusual. Just the day after, the man who openly insulted the man of God was rushed in for prayers as he was found almost lifeless. He asked them to stop begging him for forgiveness since he did not uttered any word to him .But when the pleadings were getting too much, he got up, commanded whatever came on the man to leave him immediately and to enter into a nearby tree. Right before them the entire tree from roots became dry and lifeless,this sent fear to the entire community and they were in awe of his God.

When he was about to leave the earth. He was coming from a journey with his men and suddenly he stopped and said, "i hear Babalola accusing me of what i didn't do right now in heaven.."he said, wait! I am coming"... , he left their midst, rest gently on the ground, died and that was it. He died February 1960.

Read: Biography of Kenneth Max Copeland

The story of Omotunde has never been told until now. Omotunde was an outlier in the kind of power that he carried, a peculiar power that has rarely been seen even in the history of the saints, if the reports of the men and women who knew him could be believed one of which, incidentally, was Joseph Babalola himself. Omotunde had a kind of spiritual power that was unusual in its manifestation and uncommon in the results that it produced. He was a marvel in his days. He never wore a collar or cassock, never took an offering or tithe from his crusades or revival. The story of this man offers a basis for us to reassess our emphases, conventions, foundations; and even more, to see again the immutability of God. 

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Apostle Emmanuel Omoniyi Omotunde was the founder and first President of TAAC, Worldwide. He was  born in February 1864  in an area  known  as Anaye  in Aramoko Ekiti.  His father,  Adeyefa  was an important figure in Aramoko while his mother Aribo  hailed from Erijiyan  Ekiti. The family of Adeyefa  was an unbelieving one, devoted to the worship of masquerades. He grew up as a pagan alongside farming which his father Adeyefa taught him. Though he was born into Idol worshipping, from his childhood, the Holy Spirit of the Most High has greatly manifested in his life. He used to dream that he was administering a lot of people. From childhood, he used to see strange persons (Angel) around him who normally came with a Bible to teach him but he did not understand all these. His parents were usually bothered about this, wondering what kind of child he would be. The hand of the Lord was mightily upon him.

When he grew up, aside from farming, he learnt the art of embroidery for kings and chiefs,  bricklaying and trading of cocoa, coffee, kolanut, etc. (produce trader). He had standard one education, which helped him, to work as a clerk with the Foreign Evangelist in C.M.S. (Christian Missionaries). His stay with the missionaries got him converted to Christ.  He then joined C.M.S. church Aramoko Ekiti.  He was baptized with the name Emmanuel Omoniyi Omotunde Adeyefa.  His conversion was a sad news for his parents but enormous Joy to the kingdom of God. The great zeal he used in celebrating masquerade festival was now used for worshiping Jesus the Saviour when he became a Christian. This was when the Holy Spirit had full expression in the life of Apostle Emmanuel Omotunde.

A lot of revelations, dreams and experiences he had while growing, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, became meaningful in his life. This made him to continue in more fasting and prayer as he remained steadfast in the work of God.  He was a true worshipper, filled with Faith, Prayer and good deeds. When C.A.C started through Prophet Joseph Babalola in Ilesha, he came to conduct a revival in Aramoko. It was in this revival that Emmanuel  Omotunde left C.M.S. Church and he became one of the founders of Aladura Church (C.A.C) in Aramoko. He was a brave elder in the church.

He started prayer meeting for men of the church in his house at Oke Anaye Aramoko. He coordinated this prayer for the establishment of God's work and His church in Aramoko and its environment. The meeting came up monthly.  Among those in this prayer meeting, were Michael  Ojo Ajagunigbala, Joshua  Adeyemi,  Ore-Ewi,  Hezekiah  Olu Alademoni, Olusanmi and others. They were about thirteen in number. Those that attended this prayer meeting were devote men from Aladura Church (C.A.C) and C.M.S. Church in Aramoko Ekiti. Under the coordination of the leadership of Emmanuel Omotunde, the prayer meeting was stronger for the establishment of Christianity  in Aramoko. Just like the commencement of Christian Church in the New Testament, we could view this prayer meeting  as a church in embryo though those who met for this prayer, together with their leaders had no knowledge of what God intended to do because His ways are unsearchable.

In April 1937, two among the-people-who met for this prayer – Michael  Ajagunigbala and Joshua Adeyemi – both went to saw Iroko tree in the forest of Ajalu. From Ajalu, Ajagunigbala came to call Omotunde in Aramoko to come and organize them as the Holy Spirit directed Him.  Omotunde went with him and he organized  for them how to saw in a profitable  way. After he departed  to Aramoko,  twice  the Holy Spirit invited Omotunde to Ajalu to fast and pray for three (3) days and seven (7) days concurrently which he did as commandment. After the fasting and prayer of the seven  days, God  told him through  Joshua Adeyemi to go to Ilorin to heal a sick person there. From Ilorin he should move to Ilesha because God has won a building construction contract for him. At this point, it began to dawn on them what God intended to do and this made them to make a covenant  before God that, if God eventually  empowered any of them with the power of the Holy-Spirit, they will not forget one another.

After this covenant, Omotunde went to Ilorin and he healed the sick according to what God said. When he got to Ilesha, he got the contract because he was a bricklayer.  While he was doing this job, he had a dream one night, a giant stood in front of him. His head touched heaven and His two hands touched the two ends of the world and heaven. The giant said unto him

I am the HIGHEST that lives in Heaven. I am sending you into the world to liberate those in captivity to loose those in bondage and to illuminate the World. You will not get assistance from people so you will sell coconut oil to fend for yourself."

This was why Apostle Emmanuel Omotunde, in his lifetime, used to worship God and referred to Him as: "HIGHEST" and he was also referred to as the son of the HIGHEST. On a particular day, where he was building the house contract he got in Ilesha, a woman came to him with a stomach  upset for over twelve years who entreated him to pray for her because she knew he is a true worshipper. Emmanuel Omotunde then asked  her to go and  bring water  in a white  bottle,  from  where  he was working,  he said "sanctify this water in Jesus name". This woman drank the water and instantly the stomach upset vanished. This woman went to propagate this healing, which made many sick folks to be brought to him and with authority from above, he prayed "sanctify in Jesus name or in Jesus name be healed". Series of healing and miracles were done. This in turn stopped the building job he was doing and a great revival started in Ilesha. The blind received their sight, the deaf heard, lame walked, delayed pregnancy turned to testimony, the sick received healing and idolaters were converted to Christ  and bowed to the authority  of Jesus Christ the Saviour and his minister, Prophet Emmanuel  Omotunde. A lot of people came to the revival. This set the tone for the commencement of the work of God in Ilesha through Prophet Omotunde.

To keep the covenant he held at Ajalu with his other brethren, he sent for Ajagunigbala and Adeyemi to come to Ilesha for God had started His work in Ilesha. They met Prophet Omotunde with a lot of people in a revival where great miracles were happening. He introduced Ajagunigbala and Adeyemi  as ministers of God. He told them how the work of God started and instructed them to go and wait for him at Ajalu for God had told him (Omotunde) to go to Ajalu from Ilesha and that, the place will not be called Ajalu again but Ajaye and that God called him a Prophet because of Ajalu. Among those that had the goodnews about  the elevation  of Omotunde was James Fasakin Olanrewaju who went to visit him. Olanrewaju was a minister in Salvation Army Church in Aramoko at that time. He went to visit Prophet Omotunde one morning, at the entrance to Omotunde's house, Prophet Omotunde who was in the house made a declaration, "welcome thou minister of the living God, carry your cross and follow me says the Lord". Hence Olanrewaju followed Omotunde, and he never went back to his house in Ilesha till he went to be with the Lord in 1972. Apart from Fasakin Olanrewaju, others that went with him to Ajaye where Pa Gabriel Olowookere,  who was an important elder at Ebute Igbo-oro then.

Prophet Omotunde and lots of people left Ilesha for Ajalu according to the commandment of the Lord. When they got to Aramoko, they met Ajagunigbala and Adeyemi, where they were waiting for him. The whole community heard of the great revival and miracles wrought by God through Prophet Omotunde. Though Alara of Aramoko wanted him to stay in Aramoko, king Atewogboye used all his power to stop him from proceeding to Ajalu but Omotunde insisted God sent him to Ajalu. He proceeded with the church to Ajalu. Ajalu then became a dwelling place for the worship of the HIGHEST ("Atobiju")  till today. According to the word of God, the place was changed from Ajalu to mount of Ajaye. This was how the work continued at Oke Ajaye where diverse miracles were wrought and Ajaye became the place of abode of many people.

From Oke-Ajaye, the work of God started spreading through Africa with a powerful hand manifested  by God. The work of God alongside Church  planting  came to Lagos  in Obuneko, Oju Olobun, Inabiri,  Oko Biriki, Olowogbowo, Ebute-metta (Odaliki family compound, in right Street) Yaba, Agege, etc. The church spread to Ibadan  (Oje, Oke-Bola and its environment) Ebutte Igbo-Oro, Ilaro, Ohumbe,  Kobejo,  Oja Odan  down  to Ifoyintedo, Isagbo oke, Isagbo Ere back in Ekiti,  Akure, Ikare, Owo, Ita ogbolu,  Omuo,  Ado, Ikole, Otun, Iyin , Igede, Aramoko, Ijero, Ilawe,  Ikere, Oke-mesi,  Iro-pora,  Emure,  Ise, etc. to Oyo State, Saki, Ighoho, lgbeti, Igbajo, Iresi, Otan Aiyegbaju  down to Offa, Ajase-ipo, Omupo and Okeya in Kwara State. Prophet Omotunde also planted branches in Okiti-pupa, Igbo-nla, Ode-Aye, Ayila, Akotogbo, Odo Irele and in Ilaje-ese odo and different location down to dahomey.

Prophet Omotunde and Ajagunigbala joined hands for spreading the gospel with love, faithfulness, Faith and unity. At this time, Joshua Aribatise Aiyegunle (who moved in finally to Ajaye in 1940) held forth as the minister and administrator at Ajaye till his death. He would give detailed accounts of the church and the town to these ministers of God when they were back from their various places of assignment. From 1939 till 1948, the parishes planted were under C.A.C and Cherubim and Seraphim. In 1948, God told Prophet Omotunde to stand  as a ministry  on his own  with other disciples. The church was named   African Apostolic Church (according to what Pa Jonathan George declared). The prophet registered TAAC under the Federal Government of Nigeria in 1956 with over 100 parishes.

In 1959, the first hymn book in the name of the Church was written and given to a printer in Oke-Ikere, Ikere Ekiti in Ondo State. Immediately the printing started, the Prophet rested in the Lord and nobody cared about the hymn book again. The Apostle and founder went to be with the Lord on the 11th February, 1960 at the age of 96 years. Before he died, he appointed Apostle Michael Ojo Ajagunigbala as his successor being the co-founder. He was survived by children and grandchildren. Among them was Madam Ibidapo Omotunde, Apostle Samuel Omotunde, Revd. Dr. Joshua Omotunde, who was the first seminarian in TAAC and other children doing exploits for Christ.

More than 50 years after Apostle Emmanuel Omotunde slept in the Lord, the Lord raised a Minister of the Gospel, Pastor Moses Oludele Idowu, to research into his life and ministry. The account of his (Moses Idowu) research was detailed in a book titled: THE PORTRAIT OF A LEGEND under the African God's General series. This book is recommended every believer and the church members of TAAC as it details and dimensions the unusual manifestations of the power of the Holy Spirit in the life of Apostle Emmanuel Omoniyi Omotunde. The book confirmed the Truth of the words of our Lord Jesus Christ in John 14:12;

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father."

Portrait of a Legend – Emmanuel Omoniyi Omotunde

By:  Moses Oludele Idowu

ISBN:  

376 Pages

Copyright 2014 Moses Oludele Idowu

Republished 2020 - by Emmanuel Multimedia house,  Houston TX, USA

During my investigation of Joseph Ayo Babalola, one particular name kept coming up in the research. My informants, largely old men and retired pastors would tell me of another man more powerful than even Joseph Babalola. The story of Omotunde has never been told until now. Omotunde was an outlier in the kind of power that he carried, a peculiar power that has rarely been seen even in the history of the saints, if the reports of the men and women who knew him could be believed one of which, incidentally, was Joseph Babalola himself. Omotunde had a kind of spiritual power that was unusual in its manifestation and uncommon in the results that it produced. He was a marvel in his days. He never wore a collar or cassock, never took an offering or tithe from his crusades or revival. The story of this man offers a basis for us to reassess our emphases, conventions, foundations; and even more, to see again the immutability of God.