The death has occurred in Ilesa, Osun State of the former Provost of St. John’s Cathedral, Iloro, The Very Rev. Samson Oladokun Babalola.
Rev. Babalola passed on at the age of 82 years in the early hours of Saturday 14th August, 2021.
A distinguished preacher and foremost teacher, the deceased worked and served actively under the Anglican Communion in Esa Oke, Ibokun, Ifewara and Ilesa, under the old Ilesa Anglican Diocease. He also taught in a number of some theological institutions under the Anglican Church before he retired at the mandatory age of 70 years.
Meanwhile, many sons and daughters of Ijesaland have been paying condolence visits to the Ireti Ayo, Ilesa home of the deceased.
The Ikeji Ile Ijesa born cleric would be remembered for his productive strictness, integrity, wisdom and good knowledge of the scriptures, and a disciplined and impactful life. He was to many, a well respected community leader, lover of children and an inspirational man of God, and to several others, a role model, father figure and a spiritual icon.
He is survived by wife, sisters, children and grand children.
From the family sources funeral ceremonies commence on Thursday with Commendation Service at St. John’s Cathedral, Iloro Ilesa where he served as the Provost for about 11 years. The funeral train moves to Ikeji Ile, his home town on Friday, 19th November, 2021 where Christian wake keep and service of songs would hold at 5.00pm at St. Jude’s Anglican Primary School.
Funeral service holds at St. Jude’s Anglican Church, Ikeji Ile on Saturday, 20th November, 2021, at 10 am, and the interment follows immediately. The entire event would be rounded off with a reception later at St. Jude’s Anglican Primary School Playing field.
The Very Rev. Samson Oladokun Babalola (JP) was born in Ikeji-Ile Ijesa on the 28th day of July, 1939.
He was ordained a priest of the Anglican Church in 1970 after serving as Catechist in a number of Churches.
At various times in the early stage of his ministry, he served in Offa, Esie, Omu-Aran, Omupo, in the present Kwara and Kogi States of Nigeria.
He travelled to the United States of America in December of 1975 in pursuit of higher education in 1976.
While in the United States, he was first admitted into the Absalom Jones Interdenominational Seminary in Athens, Georgia, where he had his Master of Divinity.
He later proceeded to the University of Georgia where he graduated with a Master of Arts degree in Philosophy.
He arrived back in Nigeria in 1980 to rejoin the service of the Ilesa Anglican Communion as priest at the Cathedral Church of St. John, Iloro, Ilesa between 1980 and 1981.
In 1981, he was transferred to Ibokun to serve as Canon at St. Peter’s Church, Ibokun where he served between 1981 and 1985. During his time in Ibokun he masterminded the building of the Church Vicarage.
Between 1985 and 1986, he was Vicar of St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Esa Oke from where he was transferred on promotion as Archdeacon to St. Stephen’s Anglican Church, Ifewara.
In 1989, after three years of pastoral service in Ifewara, he was transferred to the Cathedral Church of St. John, Iloro, Ilesa as Provost of the Cathedral where he served for 11 years from where he was transferred to Bishop Crowther College of Theology, Okene where he was Dean for three years until 2004 before he was again transferred to head Ezekiel College of Theology, Ekpoma, as Dean from where he retired at the mandatory age of 70 in the year 2009.
He retired to his Ilesa home where he lived the remaining part of his life with his amiable wife, Mrs Comfort .A. Babalola until he answered the call to the great beyond in the early hours of the 14th day of August, 2021.
May his soul Rest In Peace.
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