Reverend Josiah Olufemi Akindayomi was the founder and first General Superintendent of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), one of the largest Pentecostal churches in Nigeria and across the world.

Reverend Josiah Olufemi Akindayomi was the founder and first General Superintendent of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), one of the largest Pentecostal churches in Nigeria and across the world. He is widely regarded as a prophetic leader and a pioneer of indigenous Pentecostalism in Nigeria.

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Early Life and Background

Josiah Olufemi Akindayomi was born in July 1909 into a Yoruba family in Ondo Town, Ondo State, Nigeria. His parents were traditional worshippers, and as a child, he was exposed to the practices of the indigenous religion of his community. However, from an early age, Akindayomi showed signs of a special spiritual calling. It was said that he often had strange dreams and spiritual experiences that set him apart from his peers.

Despite his early contact with traditional religion, he began to sense a divine call to serve God. He eventually left idol worship and joined the Cherubim and Seraphim Church, one of the earliest African independent churches in Nigeria.

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Spiritual Journey and Call to Ministry

While in the Cherubim and Seraphim Church, Akindayomi was deeply involved in prayer, fasting, and the study of the Bible. However, as time passed, he began to feel a strong inner conviction that God was calling him to establish a new ministry that would be completely devoted to holiness and the authority of the Holy Spirit.

In the 1940s, after much prayer and spiritual struggle, he obeyed the divine instruction and separated himself to start a new fellowship. The early group met in a small building at 38, Lagos Street, Ebute-Metta, Lagos. This fellowship later grew and became a church known as The Glory of God Fellowship.

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Founding of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG)

In 1952, following divine direction, Josiah Akindayomi officially founded the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG). According to the church’s historical account, the name “Redeemed Christian Church of God” was revealed to him by divine revelation when he could not read or write English. God reportedly showed him the name in a vision, which he later wrote down supernaturally.

The church was built on key spiritual principles, including holiness, evangelism, prayer, and complete dependence on the Holy Spirit. Reverend Akindayomi preached repentance, sanctification, and the power of faith in Jesus Christ.

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Growth and Ministry

Under Akindayomi’s leadership, RCCG grew from a small house fellowship into a network of branches across Nigeria. The church’s services were characterized by deep prayer, prophecy, healing, and emphasis on holy living. Akindayomi was known for his prophetic insight and humility.

He lived a simple life, teaching his followers that true service to God required obedience, sacrifice, and purity of heart.

In 1973, God revealed to him that his successor would be a young educated man who was not yet a member of the church. This prophecy came to fulfillment when Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, a university lecturer, joined RCCG in 1973 and later became his interpreter.

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Prophecy and Succession

Before his death, Akindayomi reportedly received a divine covenant that RCCG would spread across the world, and that “wherever the soles of your feet shall tread, the church will be established.”

He formally handed over the leadership of the church to Pastor E. A. Adeboye in 1979, following God’s instruction, even though Adeboye was much younger and relatively new to the church.

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Death and Legacy

Reverend Josiah Olufemi Akindayomi passed away in November 1980 at the age of 71. His death marked the end of an era but the beginning of a global expansion of the RCCG under Pastor Adeboye’s leadership.

Today, RCCG has grown into a global church with thousands of parishes in over 190 countries, including Europe, North America, Asia, and Africa. The annual Holy Ghost Congress and Redemption Camp programs attract millions of worshippers.

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Character and Impact

Reverend Akindayomi was known for his:

Deep faith and prophetic calling

Humility and self-discipline

Strict adherence to holiness and righteousness

Passion for evangelism and prayer

He is celebrated as one of Nigeria’s greatest indigenous Christian leaders who laid the foundation for modern Pentecostal revival in Africa.

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Summary

Full Name: Reverend Josiah Olufemi Akindayomi

Birth: July 1909, Ondo Town, Ondo State, Nigeria

Death: November 1980

Occupation: Clergyman, Prophet, Founder of RCCG

Founded: Redeemed Christian Church of God (1952)

Successor: Pastor E. A. Adeboye

Legacy: Global Pentecostal influence, emphasis on holiness, faith, and evangelism