BIOGRAPHY OF LATE PASTOR GABRIEL OPE-OLUWA ALAYANDE (1944-2021)
Pastor Gabriel Ope-Oluwa Alayande was born on the February 22nd, 1944 to Pa. Isayinka James and Madam Moradeun Aduke Alayande. He is last of three surviving children. His pa-rents were plagued-ed with child mortality: four out of the seven children died at tender ages. Life was really tough, growing up in Mosafejo Village near Ilogbo-Otta in Ogun State, abject poverty was a firsthand experience.
However, despite the circumstances surrounding his birth and childhood, Gabriel Ope-Oluwa Alayande decided early to make better choices in order to experience a much better life.
Some of the key choices he made were to get an education, accept Jesus Christ and commit the rest of his life to serving Him; God also responded with His Great Faithfulness.
EDUCATION
Ope-Oluwa Alayande began his primary education at the African Church School, Balogun village, near Ilogbo-Otta, Ogun state in 1950. He later moved to St. Simon’s Anglican Church School, Elere, where he was admitted into standard 2, and completed his Primary School Education in 1958. He was Punctuality Prefect for four years in that school.
Later, he proceeded to Alabama Baptist Secondary Modern School Oke-Saje in Abeokuta, from 1959-1961.
FURTHER EDUCATION AND CAREER
In 1962, he enrolled as a radio mechanic at Abebi, Ibadan where he trained for four years. Afterwards, he got a job as a Sales Representative at CFAO, so as to earn enough money to get his own radio mechanic business up and running, but the enterprise failed due to low patronage.
Later in 1971, through his direct pastor and spiritual mentor, Late Pastor Samuel Olusanya Shodeinde, he was employed as a Laboratory Attendant at the Department of Physiology, University of Ibadan. He soon enrolled for evening classes at the Department’s Laboratory Technology Training School (LTTS). After the 2-year basic course, he immediately enrolled for another five-year course of The Institute of Science Technology, London Correspondence Course. With that, he bagged a Final City and Guilds of London Institute Certificate in Physiology and Pharmacology Techniques, an Equivalent of Higher National Diploma (HND) in Nigeria. It was a huge boost to his career.
Immediately after his Laboratory Technology Training School (LTTS), he proceeded to participate in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in 1981. He later retired as a Chief Technologist (the peak of his career) in 2004.
Gabriel Ope-Oluwa Alayande was circumspect about embracing several opportunities to boost his career especially, abroad, because he preferred to stick close to his wife and children, so he could nurture his family, while he remained deeply devoted to God and His service.
MINISTRY
After his Secondary School education, Pastor Gabriel Ope-Oluwa Alayande joined the Owu Baptist Church, Abeokuta, where he was introduced to the Broadman Hymnal as well as the Sunday Bible School. He later gave his life to Christ, was water-baptized and cultivated devotion to ministry.
Upon relocating to Ibadan, he joined the Gospel Faith Mission, through a colleague, late Elder Gabriel Ishola Akinyele whom he had met at the Radio Mechanic workshop. He found the Broadman Hymnal, choir and musical transcription exercises irresistible attractions. He eventually joined the choir as an instrumentalist (Trumpeter) and later the church work force in September, 1966.
Among those who received him warmly into the fold were Evan-gelist T. A. Ajadi, Pas-tor R. T. Omotosho (of blessed memory), Elder E. D. K. Orunbato (of blessed memory), Elder M.A. Adebayo (of blessed memory), and Pastor A. A. Johnson (of blessed memory). In a short while, he became established.
After an accidental opportunity to teach during a morning devotion exercise, the leadership of the church soon noticed he was a gifted teacher of the word, and began entrusting bigger responsibilities to him. He served as the General Sunday School Superintendent of GOFAMINT Salvation Army Road Assembly from 1970-1982.
He was appointed an Elder in 1978 and was deployed to Pastor a new branch of the mission at Oke-Itunu, Mokola, Ibadan in 1982. He was ordained as a Pastor in 1990. In 1996, he was transferred from Oke-Itunu to Oke-Ibadan Assembly.
He was appointed Pastor over a newly carved out Area called Olorungbeja, to oversee 13 churches. The area was later upgraded to a District in 2003, and by February, 2004 he was transferred to Eleyele to serve as the District Pastor, where he retired from active service.
Aside from these, he has also served the mission in different capacities at the regional and national levels, some of which include:
Ø Chairman, Food Sub-Committee Convention Working Committee (1997-2010)
Ø Vice-Chairman, Convention Working Committee (2001-2010)
Ø Member, GOFAMINT Clinic Establishment Committee
Ø Member, GOFAMINT Heritage Nursery and Primary School Board
Ø Vice-Chairman, Preaching Point, Tithe Management Committee --Region 2
Ø Chairman, Preaching Point, Tithe Management Committee – Region 2.
MARRIAGE AND FAMILY LIFE
Pastor G.O. Alayande met his wife Esther, Oluranti Moses and proposed to her in 1967, They courted for five years. She later joined the Gospel Faith Mission, Salvation Army Road Assembly, Ibadan where they got married on Saturday, 30th December, 1972.
Together, they have not only raised 6 children, they are blessed with 13 grandchildren, with a very strong spiritually heritage.
Until his passing on Saturday, 13th March, 2021 after a brief illness, he continued to serve humanity as father, counselor, teacher, mentor, advocate and friend.
We will forever miss him.
