History and Ministerial Life of Apostle Joseph Ayo Babalola (1904-1959) – Paperback – Africa’s Great Evangelist and Revivalist by Clement Ekundayo

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History and Ministerial Life of Apostle Joseph Ayo Babalola (1904-1959) – Paperback – Africa’s Great Evangelist and Revivalist by Clement Ekundayo

Joseph Ayo Babalola was born Odo-Owa (Kwara State) on the 25th day of April 1904. His father was Late Pa David Rotimi, the first Baba Ijo (Lay President) of St. Peter’s Anglican Church at Odo-Owa in the present day Kwara State. His mother was Madam Marta Talabi.

In the case of Africa’s great evangelist and revivalist, Apostle Joseph Ayodele Babalola, the miraculous activity of God was clearly manifested. If Babalola had been a white missionary, the black people, nay, Africans would probably have regarded Holy Ghost power as exclusive preserve of the white men. Glory be unto God for bestowing on a proper black man extraordinary power.

The child Ayo was a gift of God to these Godly parents. The Father was a devout Christian who introduced Christianity to Odo-Owa and some other surrounding villages, The birth of Ayo Babalola was remark- able. According to reliable source, something unusual happened the very day the man of God was born, a sound was heard from above like a thunder and shook the cloud.

Right from his childhood, days, he had displayed the signs of a special servant of God. Investigations revealed that at childhood he used to utter certain things which were above the wisdom and knowledge of his peers. He was a generous giver to his childhood friends.

By January 18, 1918, Babalola accompanied his first cousin, Mr. M. O. Rotimi to Lagos. The cousin was a Catechist under the Church Missionary Society(CMS) at Ifo, near Lagos. While there, Babalola started elementary education before he was later transferred to the Methodist School, Ago Ijaye at Ebute Meta, Lagos. Babalola suffered setbacks in school attendance and academic sessions due to constant and frequent transfers of his mentor from one location to another. He later proceeded to the All Saints Anglican School, Oshogbo where he stopped schooling at Nigeria Reader IV. (Standard IV).

Babalola first non-academic pursuit was his training as a drug dispenser at African Hospital Oshogbo. Later, he learnt the art of blacksmithing and mechanic. Thereafter, Babalola began to learn streamroller driving under the Public Works Department (PWD). He was able to distinguish himself in the course of the training at the end of which he was posted to Ilesha for the maintenance of Ilesha-Akure Federal road.