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Chronicles of Greatness (6) Benson Idahosa
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Benson Andrew Idahosa (1938 –1998 )
“it is better to live for posterity than for prosperity”
- Benson Idahosa
He is popularly known and referred to as Archbishop Benson Idahosa, the father of Pentecostalism and one of the pioneers of Neo Pentecostalism in Africa.
He was born September 11, 1938 in Benin (now Edo State) as a sickly child to poor pagan parents. He was so unhealthy that his father told his mother to throw him away to die in the forest. His mother obeyed but she could not throw him away for too long, she had to go back to pick him up. This caused a temporary separation between husband and wife which was resolved later. After a few years, he was miraculously healed and was never sick again till he died.
Due to the chronic financial constraint of his family, he could only make it through secondary school. At 18years, he bought his first pair of shoes.
In 1952, he became a born again christian in the Assemblies of God Church.
After he got born again, he took a step further to receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues. In the mornings, he worked for a shoe company, in the evenings, he did his open air meetings which replicated what Jesus Christ did in His time: different healings such as leprosy and many other sicknesses. To further the Gospel, Idahosa bought a motorcycle to help him go the distance for God.
In June 1967, Idahosa's father died in the Civil War Riots.
In 1968, God met with Idahosa in his room, one night and gave him his assignment on earth. He served under Pastor Okpo (The then Pastor of Assemblies of God Church where he got converted). He later went to fulfil the assignment God had given him.
He started a Bible School that grew into a big church with great support of church members who contributed in every area.
He later met S.G Elton (One of the Apostolic Church missionaries), who became his friend and mentor. Elton connected him to Gordon and Freda Lindsey (One of the healing evangelists of the Latter Rain Movement).
In 1971, Elton and Lindsey ordained Idahosa into ministry. After which, Idahosa was granted scholarship to study at Gordon Lindsey’s Bible College, Christ for the Nations Institute in Texas United States. Gordon Lindsey also helped Idahosa financially to build his Church.
While Idahosa studied Diploma in Divinity, he read T.L.Osbourne’s book on evangelism and he felt a need for evangelism in his home town – Benin. He followed this nudge and requested to go back to Nigeria.
In 1972, he was back in Nigeria for evangelism.
In 1973 Idahosa claimed he received this message from God concerning poverty and his promise to eradicate this through Idahosa.
In 1981, he was ordained as the first Pentecostal Bishop in Nigeria by David Du plesis (known as Mr. Pentecost) and two other Bishops. Idahosa also pioneered a television ministry, ‘Redemption Hour’ which made him to become the first TV evangelist in Africa.
Before his death in 1998, Idahosa had visited and preached in 125 countries including Britain, Sweden, Switzerland, Mexico, USA, Ghana, Cameroun, South African, Australia and Kenya.
When he was asked if he was preparing anyone to take over from him he said “the anointing breaks the yoke, anybody who had the anointing would definitely be put in place. I think my wife will fit into my shoes.”
According to his wife “When God called him, for 14 days he went round Benin City praying and asking God to take the city for the gospel.”
His wife mentioned that he passed on thanking Jesus when he was having lunch with a Bible School Team from Oral Roberts University. He gave instruction to all the members of the team and they were all glued to him! After a while a gentle breeze was blowing and everybody set their gaze on him.
His last message was “The Benefits of Death” He died 12th March, 1998.
Archbishop is survived by his wife (Who is now presiding over ministry and also the first female Archbishop in Africa) and four children.
Messages: Raise the Dead, Speak the way God speaks, The benefits of death etc
Most Popular Book: Fire in His Bones (Benson Idahosa's Autobiography).
Mentees: Bishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams of Christ Action Faith Ministries, Bishop Charles Agyin-Asare of Word Miracle Church International, Bishop James Saah, Bishop Christianah Doe Tetteh of Solid Rock Chapel International Bishop David Oyedepo of Winners Chapel, Bishop Francis Wale Oke of Sword of the Spirit Ministries, Bishop Mike Okonkwo (former president of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria), Ayo Oritsejafor, current president of PFN and many more.
Outstanding Attributes: His Boldness and radicality for God
Supporting Attributes: Passion and focus
Compiled from Benson Idahosa's Biography (2013). Innocentministries.blogspot.com. Retrieved 18:00, March 20, 2015, from
http://innocentministries.blogspot.com/2013/01/biography-of-archibishop-benson-idahosa.html.
Copyright © 2015 [Adebola A. Ayoade]. All Rights Reserved.
This post was edited by Adebola Ayoade at March 21, 2015 9:51 AM CET -
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