Written by Banji Ojewale
It has been suggested that if Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi hadn’t been the cleric who moved on to be rated among the world’s small circle of highly esteemed church-men, he would still have scaled the peak in any secular activity.
Those who hold this view say Kumuyi’s first class degree in Mathematics at the University of Lagos, and the early mentoring he received first at home and later at Mayflower College, Ikenne, under militant educationist, Dr. Tai Solarin would have guaranteed performances stellar in any field.
Observers add these initial endowments to what they describe as the clergyman’s later acquisitions, clock-work discipline, charisma, humility and a cast-iron disposition to succeed against all odds, conclude that Kumuyi had possessed a bottomless box of tricks that would have made him to strike gold wherever he chose to fulfill his destiny, temporal or religious.
Still, others undertaking a deeper study of the success story of Kumuyi these past 70 years argue that he wouldn’t have come this far without what they call, his “holy rebellion” against a host of trammels .
First, he had to abandon the Anglican Church of his father. Next he revolted against the uncompromising atheism forced upon him by Solarin at Mayflower. Pastor Kumuyi broke the last chain when he refused entreaties of the leaders of Apostolic Faith over his convictions on evangelism.
Referred to as “the young man who is going astray.” Kumuyi stood his ground and was eventually excommunicated in 1977.
Now, all this appears to be narrow secular interpretation, because Christian chroniclers say this revered General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry had only been fulfilling a destiny long mapped out by his Creator. He himself, they argue has been helpless in playing God’s script.
This is the way they put it: when Kumuyi was born on June 6, 1941, his parents put him in the custody of God and named him Folorunso to reflect his status. So, according to this school of thought, when on April 5, 1964 at the age of 23 , Kumuyi became born-again, God declared to him :well, son, I’ ll watch over you. But you must meet some conditions. You’ll submit to ME wholeheartedly. The gifts I’ve given you (your life, good education, discipline, charisma, tender heart, humility etc) you’d have to use them My way! The world uses them to acquire harmful wealth, fame and power. You’ll not do so. And the only way not to go the worldly way is to stay in My vineyard all your days. Outside it, you can’t escape falling into deadly worldly wealth, fame and power. I’m going to mould and tame you and sublimate your gifts.
Pastor Kumuyi agreed with this view of God being at work in his life. He once told the editor of a London-based magazine: “I began to notice it when I became a born-again Christian … it was then that I saw the destiny and the way the Lord had orchestrated everything.” (emphasis mine). And what extraordinary orchestration of evangelical work God has truly made of Project Kumuyi!
Starting with a 15-member Bible Study Group in August 1973 in his Flat 2 residence within the University of Lagos campus where he was a Mathematics lecturer, Kumuyi rapidly attracted droves that hungered for the unparallel teaching and exposition of the Holy Book he was offering. He gave more: a sincere commitment to spreading the gospel of Jesus which wasn’t available elsewhere. It’s still rare!
His tactics and strategy yielded mammoth harvests. For in only two years, this non-denominational assembly had not only 1500 devotees, but also it had the wherewithal and “audacity” to hold a retreat in December 1975 at the Federal College of Education Akoka, Lagos. Soon, Deeper Life Bible Study Groups were holding and staging retreats outside Lagos: Ilesa and Osogbo (1976), Omoku (1976), Ogun, Old Bendel, Imo and Anambra (1977). He also spread to the Muslim Kwara in the north.
In 1979, upon being invited to lead a crusade in Kumasi, Ghana’s second largest city, Kumuyi with about 30 members started a Bible Study Group. This sparked the fire of Deeper Life’s international evangelism work, as it transformed into a church in 1983 and has since touched nearly all of Africa, major parts of the deep recesses of Asia, America and Europe! Kumuyi has practically been everywhere the church has been planted, worldwide, stamping his Heaven-given vision on the leaders and congregations to ensure doctrinal and pedagogical uniformity.
In the process, a unique ecclesiastical brand has emerged, along with a breed (followership) distinct from what society was used to.
How did Kumuyi leaning only on his salary as a lecturer, with no affiliation to, funding from foreign church organisations or from the established orthodox Christian groups in Nigeria, record a thumping great success even when he was teaching such “heresies” as inflexible holiness, one-man-one-wife, no-smoking –no-drinking , no white lie etc in an age where all these were expedient baggage?
The answer is two-fold, first the God-force driving him; it’s impossible for such a man to work unless he drops that control! It’s akin to the contest in Acts5: puny apostles versus mighty priests and pharisaic council.
The second reason is Pastor Kumuyi himself. He is a sacrificial leader. He works tirelessly, selflessly and with unblinking commitment to achieve goals. He is a poor humble leader who hasn’t monetized fame nor personalized (appropriated) the popularity of Deeper Life Bible Church. He has logically, hatched a fellowship with the same virtues. They’re replicating the Deeper Life success.
Pastor Kumuyi’s colossal grasp of the scriptures has led to the submission that he “teaches the Bible as if he was there when it was written”.
A typical Kumuyi teaching is a beauty to behold. He brightens and deepens delivery with laborious scholarship and stylistic deployment of a vast range of figurative devices including alliteration.
It is music to your ears and a balm to the spirit as the pastor is not given to fleeting hysterics and drama.
There is one abiding lesson Pastor Kumuyi teaches Nigeria and its leaders, not from the pulpit, but from his life: A truly selfless leader will always breed selfless and dedicated followership. If the leader monetizes his position and all around him are totems of opulence, the citizens will, by hook or crook seek their own totems of opulence, no matter the volumes of homilies on patriotism and rebranding we dish out on radio, TV or newspapers!
Happy Birthday Pastor! God bless you Sir!
Ojewale is a media consultant at Onibuku, Ota, Ogun State.
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