Emmanuel Segun Awojide
Emmanuel Segun Awojide is a Nigerian Christian clergyman and the current Vice president of the Apostolic Church Nigeria and chairman of the LAWNA territory in The Apostolic Church Nigeria. Born April 1, 1935. He is married to Deaconess Emily Olalonpe Awojide and together they have seven children and 16 grandchildren.[1]
Emmanuel Segun Awojide | |
---|---|
Nationality | Nigerian |
Occupation | Clergy |
He was born on 1 April 1935 to the family of Late Mr. Joseph Oye Awojide and Mrs. Alice Adetoun Awojide in a small community known as Ogbaagba near Gbongan in Ayedaade Local Government Area of Osun State. On 8 April 1935 he was named Emmanuel Segun Awojide according to Christian tradition. He was the first to be born into The Apostolic Church in the family. The father had pledged him for the service of God before his birth.
EDUCATION He was enrolled for Primary School Education at St. Stephen’s School Ogbaagba in 1943 and moved to Standard I in 1944. He continued his education as St. John’s African School, Gbongan from 1948 to 1950. He moved to St. Paul’s Anglican School Gbongan from 1951 to 1952 where he passed the First School Standard Six Leaving Certificate in December 1952. His father had died on 21 March 1952 before completing his primary school.
He attended Osun Divisional Teacher Training College Ejigbo from Grade II Teachers' Certificate between 1957 and 1958. He attended The Apostolic Church Teacher Training College for Teachers Grade II Certificate between 1961 and 1962, after private study, he gained admission to the University of Ife, now known as Obafemi Awolowo University in 1966 and graduated in 1969 having studied English and Religious Studies. He entered the University of Lagos for Postgraduate Diploma in Education in 1973/1974 session.
WORK EXPERIENCE
He was engaged as a clerk as S.C.O.A. Stores Modakeke from April to December 1953. He went back to the father’s farm in 1954 after several attempts failed in getting a better job. However in 1955, with the introduction of Free Primary Education in the Old Western Region, he was employed a teacher in Baptist Day School, Ode-Omu between 1955 and 1956. The teaching career covered the period 1955 to 1985 and taught in primary schools, secondary modern and secondary schools and rose to the position of Principal Grade I but had to call it quit to enter the Christian Ministry in the Apostolic Church in September 1985 to date. He won the Lagos State Principal award of the year 1983.
SPIRITUAL LIFE
He was born into The Apostolic Church and became born again in the church and served in the Church in various capacities. He was baptized by immersion on 30 September 1950 by Late Pastor J. F. Esan and was admitted to full membership of the church with the offer of Right hand of fellowship by Pastor G. B. Ogunji of blessed memory on 7 October 1950. He served as a member of the choir and witnesses and later as leader. He was ordained an Elder on 6 April 1975, an assembly Overseer on 9 May 1982, a Pastor on 4 December 1986 and as an Apostle in the body of Christ on 23 October 1994. He was appointed as Area Superintendent of The Apostolic Church Ogbomoso Area and inducted in May 1999. He was ordained a teacher of the Word on 4 August 2013.
SERVICE AND APPOINTMENTS
After ordination as a Pastor in 1986, he was posted to LAWNA Bible College, Ilesa now LAWNA Theological Seminary from 9 January 1987 to 6 April 1999 as a Senior Tutor, House Master and later the Vice Principal while at the same time he was pastoring. He was posted out of LAWNA Bible College to become the 4th Superintendent of Ogbomoso Area from 6 April to 6 November 2002. He was moved from Surulere Area on 10 May 2011 to Lagos Area. Assumed office as the Lagos Area Superintendent on 10 May 2011 till 14 October 2013. He was posted to the United States of America and was based in Houston Texas from 15 October 2013 to October 2014 as Missionary field Superintendent.
On return from the United States of America, he was posted to Oyo Area as Area Superintendent between October 2014 and January 2015. He was posted to Ibadan Area as Area Superintendent and became Ibadan Metropolitan Areas Chairman between 21 January 2015 and April 2017.
He was appointed Vice President, The Apostolic Church Nigeria at the National Executive Council meeting on Tuesday 16 February 2017. The appointment was ratified by the General Executive Council of The Apostolic Church Nigeria on 17 February 2017.
He was appointed the 5th LAWNA Territorial Chairman by the LAWNA Executive Council and LAWNA General Executive Council.
Served as member of LAWNA Finance Committee from 2003 to 2007. Served as member of LAWNA Missionary Committee from 2002 to 2008. Served as Chairman of LAWNA Constitution Review Committee; Served as Chairman, LAWNA Salary Review Committee from 2009 to 2013. Served as one of the Teachers, Facilitators in LAWNA Wide Ministers Improvement Seminar from 2001 to 2010; An Adviser of Board of Bible College Republic of Bene from 2003 to 2010; Appointed National Deputy Secretary of The Apostolic Church Nigeria in October, 2006; Appointed a member of LAWNA Executive Council in February 2007; served as the Director of Education in LAWNA Territory from 2008 to 2017; served as the National Acting Secretary from February 2009 to February 2011; Re-appointed as National Deputy Secretary in February 2011 to 2017. He was appointed General Secretary Christian Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (CPFN) on 11 April 2011 till 2017.
MARRIAGE
He married Deaconess Emily Olalonpe Awojide in January 1961 and the marriage is blessed with three sons and four daughters and a good number of grandchildren.
TRAVELS
1. The Apostolic Church International Convention, Pennygroes, South Wales, August 1982
2. The Apostolic Church World Convention held in Jerusalem in 1983
3. The Apostolic Church Republic of Benin Convention in 2003, 2005,2007
4. The Apostolic Church Republic of Togo Convention 2009
5. The Apostolic Church Republic of Cameroon in December 2011
6. The Apostolic Church Ghana for induction of National President in 2012 and 2019
7. The Apostolic Church Convention, Baltimore Maryland , USA 2013
8. The Apostolic Church USA Convention 2014, 2018, 2019
PUBLICATIONS
1. The Art of Going in the Church, 2012
2. Living the Life of Christ, 2018
3. A man of Unclean Lips, 2019
References
- Polycarp, Nwafor. "Awojide takes over from Olutola as head of Apostolic Church". Vanguard. Vanguard newspaper. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
2. https://guardian.ng/tag/emmanuel-segun-awojide/. Guardian. Guardian newspaper. Published 6 August 2018.
3. TACN LAWNA ICT Department. https://tacnlawna.org/staff/pastor-e-s-awojide/ TACN LAWNA official website. Retrieved January 10, 2019