
Pastor Daniel Kayode Omoleye.
Photo courtesy of Justice R. O. Olomojobi.
Omoleye, Daniel Kayode (1901–2005)
By R. O. Olomojobi
R. O. Olomojobi
First Published: January 29, 2020
Daniel Kayode Omoleye was a pastor, church planter, evangelist, and church administrator from Nigeria.
Early Life and Conversion
Daniel Kayode Omoleye was born in 1901 to High Chief Awolusi Eruku II and Madam Elizabeth Awolusi. Chief Eruku was the custodian of the customs and traditions of his people and, accordingly, his eldest son, Kayode Omoleye, was initiated into the system of idol worship.1
Omeleye’s first encounter with Adventism was at the age of 14 when he followed his uncle to the Seventh-day Adventist church in Ipoti-Ekiti on a Sabbath day. This was his first contact with the Christian message in general. It was also his first time to see and hear a congregation of more than 200 worshippers singing songs of adoration to God.
One of the songs particularly touched the young Omoleye and made him to decide to accept Jesus as his Redeemer. That day, while sitting on a mat close to the pulpit, he listened and keenly observed Elder David Babcock (the American missionary who brought the Adventist message to Nigeria in 1914) as he preached, with his uncle by his side as the interpreter. Omoleye was inspired and said to himself that one day he would preach the gospel in English like Elder Babcock, with an interpreter standing by his side like his uncle.
Education, Family, and Ministry
Omoleye attended the Seventh-day Adventist School, Sao, now in Kwara state of Nigeria, where he obtained his government Standard Seven Certificate in 1926. In 1927 he was employed as a teacher/evangelist.
He married Comfort Ajayi in 1928. In 1948 Omoleye left the teaching profession and became a full-time minister of the gospel, following his training at the Seventh-day Adventist Seminary at Ihie in the old Eastern region of Nigeria.
Subsequent to becoming a full-time minister, Omoleye was ordained as a pastor of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. He served in about 15 towns and villages as a pastor or district pastor, supervising many churches and pastors.
Pastor Omoleye lost his wife in 1954. He later married Abigail Makanjuola.
In 1960 he was sent to Lagos, the capital city of Nigeria. During this period, he established many churches and branch Sabbath School, which have now grown into large churches. In 1969 he was elected president of the West Nigeria Mission, which included eight states.
Later Years and Demise
Daniel Kayode Omoleye retired from active service in 1972. However, because he remained very active in ministry, the mission requested that he continue to pastor several churches at his last post of duty. He finally retired to his beloved place of birth in Odo-Owa Ekiti in 1981, after spending more than 50 years living in various places in the service of our Lord. Daniel Kayode Omoleye passed on peacefully on March 15, 2005, at the age of 104 years.
Note
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The information in this article comes from the author’s personal knowledge as the daughter of Pastor David K. Omoleye and Pastor Omeleye’s notes that are kept in the personal collection of the author.↩