Irohinoodua To Honour Kumuyi, Adeboye With Persons Of The Year Award

Irohinoodua, the first pan-Yoruba news online is set to honour Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi, the Founder of Deeper Life Ministry,  and Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye the General Overseer of Redeemed Christian Church of God,(RCCG),  with the 2025 Persons of the Year Award.

 The award according  to the online platform was given every year to the most distinguished Yoruba personality.

A statement issued by the editorial board of Irohinoodua  and signed by Feyisike Adeoye, stated that Pastors Kumuyi and Adeboye have distinguished themselves in the service of God and mankind.

“The world and Nigeria are riddled with violence, hate, vengeance and human mystery, and these two individuals with their words and deeds have continued to profess love, peace and brotherhood, not only in Nigeria, but across the world.

“In the year 2024, Nigeria in particular, witnessed an upsurge of violence, hate and disaffection, driven by faith and ethnicity, these two individuals, stirred the whirlwind of harmony in every part of the world where their religious institutions have strongholds.

“While others used religion to advance hatred and parochial political and ethnic goals, Pastors Kumuyi and Adeboye converted their multiple platforms to the advancement of peace and good neighbourliness.

Adeoye also noted that though the two individuals came under vicious and violent attacks from their opponents, but their responses were measured, cultured and propelled by godliness; even though local authorities have not given them recognition.

“Their stars continue to shine all over the world to the glory of the Yoruba nation.”

Adeoye further pointed out that among over 60 million Yoruba people all over the world, these two individuals remain some of the very few that, though hold no political positions, can knock and open the doors of any president or prime minister all over the world.

“The two leaders run faith industries that heal millions of human souls, bring comfort, uplift the spirit and bring hope to multitude of the hopeless. Apart from spiritual healings, it is important to know that millions of people, including non-Christians derive their livelihood from their tabernacle.

“It is also important to know that these two individuals are well educated and will be well to do without taking up the pastoral office. Pastor Kumuyi in 1967 graduated with a first-class honours degree in Mathematics from University of Ibadan, and subsequently took a postgraduate education course in University of Lagos, while Pastor Adeboye also graduated with a  B. Sc. in Mathematics in 1967 from the University of Ife (OAU), and in 1969, he obtained his master’s degree in Hydrodynamics from the University of Lagos and obtained a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics from the University of Lagos in 1975.

“In 1973, while being a lecturer of Mathematics at the University of Lagos, Kumuyi began a Bible study group with 15 students who had come to him for Bible training. The Bible training birthed the foundation of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry. In 1975, Kumuyi was expelled from the Apostolic Faith Church for preaching the baptism of the Holy Spirit. He continued his independent ministry, which in 1982 became the Deeper Life Bible Church, the ministry now has over 5,500 churches in Nigeria and over 3,000 churches in more than 40 other countries.

In 1973  Adeboye joined the Redeemed Christian Church of God and served as an interpreter before he was ordained a pastor in the church by Pa. Josiah Akindayomi in 1975. He became the General Overseer of the church in 1981. For three years, he filled the role of part-time lecturer at Unilorin before giving up his university position to preach full-time. The ministry has over 35,000 parishes in more than 197 countries and territories. The ministry is one of the world’s largest church denominations.

Winners of Irohinodua Awards in the past included Prof. Wole Soyinka, Dr. Adeniyan Abraham and the Olu of Warri amongst others.