By Gbadebo Akinyemi
A rivulet of tears flowed at the Wake held in honour of Pastor Ifeoluwa Akindayomi, late last child of the founder of the Redeemed Christian Church Of Church, RCCG, Reverend Josiah Akindayomi.
The event which took place inside the magnificent auditorium of RCCG, House of Favour Parish at the Redemption City on Thursday November 27,2025 had taken off on a solemn note as most of the guests wore mournful looks,apparently struggling to clamp down bottled up emotions.
Pastor Adeolu Adeboye’s tribute
But uncontrollable tears began to flow when Pastor Adeolu Adeboye, son of the Church’s General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adeboye stood before the congregation to pay tributes to the deceased whom he described as a childhood friend.
Adeolu who spoke with a throbbing voice until he could no longer hold back the tears said he and Ife grew up together, cultivating a bond that naturally stemmed from the father and son relationship between Reverend Akindayomi and his successor, Pastor Adeboye.
According to him life was challenging for them, especially at the early years of the church but as little children he and Ife, as the deceased was fondly called, still found a lot of excitement around the Mission house with virtually no luxury at their disposal.
Adeolu said the bond grew stronger as they both grew up to become family men and pastors in the Mission, adding” we did things together.Many times when there were occasions for us to attend together, Ife would call me so we could decide what dresses to wear.And whenever we were together, our discussions usually centered on welfare of our families and the growth of the church.We were very close.”
He said he had recently told Ife to be ready to play the character of his father in a proposed documentary on Reverend Akindayomi as the similar physical features he shared with the church founder were becoming more pronounced by the day. ” I told him that with his all grey hair, height and gracious deportment he looked exactly like his father and would be able to perfectly play the man’s character in a documentary that might be in works soon” Adeolu noted.
In a similarly emotive tribute, another of Ife’s bosom friend, Pastor Wale Adeduro described the deceased as a friend of all “seasons and weather” who stood by him at his most difficult moments.
Adeduro who is a Provincial Pastor in the Church, recalled how Ife stood as a pillar of support when he had started planning his own burial after being diagnosed with what doctors believed to be a terminal ailment some years ago.
He said he had gone to show the doctor’s report to Ife who immediately arranged for him to see Pastor Adeboye for prayers, stressing ” I got a divine healing and that is why I am alive today. I owe it to God and my good friend Pastor Ife who assured me that all hope was not lost.
The remains of late Pastor Ife Akindayomi were committed to the mother earth at the Memorial Garden, Redemption City on Friday, November 28, 2025.