By Jimmy
Afolabi Ghandi Olaoye’s journey to become the new Soun of Ogbomoso Land came to reality when recently, the Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, approved him as the new monarch of the ancient town.
A former pastor, the newly-installed Oba Afolabi Ghandi Laoye Orumogege III recently revealed how he was going to tell those pestering him to ascend the throne of his fathers to stop disturbing him.
In light of this, Ikejabird brings you a list of five Nigerian kings who were once pastors.
Afolabi Ghandi Laoye, the Soun of Ogbomosho
The new Soun of Ogbomosho was a former pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) for 30 years in Washington, United States of America.
According to him, though born into a royal family, he was not interested in becoming a king at all because he believed life had taken him on a completely different path. He added that his father never sat him down to say, Ghandi, if you want to become Soun of Ogbomoso, you can be.
His installation generated ripples because it came in spite of a restraining court order. Some members of his royal family had opposed his approval as the new Soun of Ogbomoso, and headed to court, arguing that he was not part of the process right from the beginning.
The Soun of Ogbomoso stool became vacant after Oba Jimoh Oyewumi transited to the Great Beyond on December 12, 2021.
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John Elaigwu Odogbo, the the Och’Idoma-elect
Pastor John Elaigwu Odogbo, a Deeper Life Pastor, recently became the paramount ruler-elect of Idomaland and is another one of the Nigerian kings who were once pastors.
Odogbo, in December 2021, was presented to former Benue state governor Samuel Ortom by the Idoma traditional council as the Och’Idoma-elect. He polled 19 votes at the end of the voting by the kingmakers to defeat three others, identified as Andrew Idakwu, John Bamaiyi, and Sunday Echono, for the stool.
Matthew Jegede, the Alahan of Ahan Ayegunle
Oba Matthew Durojaye Jegede was also a former pastor of Deeper Life Bible Church. He was anointed as the first Alahan of Ahan Ayegunle Ekiti in the Ekiti East local government area in 2020.
The monarch, in an interview with BBC News Yoruba, revealed that he too had doubts since he believed that being a king as a Christian was against God’s design.
Kehinde Gbadewole Olugbenle, the Olu of Ilaro
Before he became a king, Pastor Kehinde Gbadewole Olugbenle was also a pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) in Lagos.
In 2012, he became the new Olu of Ilaro and supreme ruler of Ogun state’s Yewa-Awori area. Olugbenle defeated his close competitor, Adedeji Olugbenle, by a vote to emerge the winner.
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Gabriel Ayodele Adejuwon, king of Isan-Ekiti
Oba Gabriel Ayodele Adejuwon was anointed king of Isan-Ekiti (the hometown of Governor Kayode Fayemi) in 2017. He is another one of the Nigerian kings who were once pastors.
Before ascending the throne of his forefathers, he was once also a pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) and a public servant.
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