Service of Songs for Bishop Gideon Kolawole Onaolapo

Friday, November 02, 2012 0
Service of songs in honor of, and celebration of life of Bishop Kola Onaolapo the General Overseer of Abundant Life Gospel Church held at the church’s Headquarters in Agege, Lagos on Thursday 1st November 2012.

The service was anchored by Dotun Adeniyi an Executive Director of Skye Bank Plc. and a member of the Abundant Life Gospel Church.

Opening prayer commenced by 5pm followed by, “All Hail the Power of Jesus” a hymn. A scripture was taken from 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, followed by another hymn, “I have found a friend in Jesus. Other scriptures taken are; Revelations 7:9-17, I Corinthians 15: 51-58. “It’s so sweet to trust in Jesus” and “Solid Rock” were the last hymns sang.

Various speakers who were fellow bishops and friend of Bishop Onaolapo spoke one after the other about their encounters with Kola Onaolapo and how he impacted their lives.


Tom Samson: said that about 17 years ago Bishop Kola Onaolapo prophesied to him that he would build his own church cathedral, this was at a time when he pastored a church congregation in a building potholes and smoky generator. But that Bishop Onaolapo blessed him and encouraged him.

Two years after Bishop Onaolapo prophesied on him, he dedicated his own church cathedral.

He describes Bishop Onaolapo as a humble man while recounting how he built his university, Tom Samson said the late bishop after inspecting the site asked him what he needed to start work on it, and he told him that he needed tractors on the site. Bishop Onaolapo prayed for him that day and less than two weeks after he got 8 tractors.

“Bishop Kola Onaolapo was an encourager who saw potholes in my church, with smoke from generator that goes off at least 15 times during a service, but told me that I could make it”

He donated N1 million for the completion of the Abundant Life Gospel Church Auditorium with 25,000 sitting capacity due for commissioning in August 2013.

Rev John from United States

Reverend John who came from the United States started his speech with Bishop Onaolapo’s last message to his church before he passed on. The message was taken from Joshua 1: 2 a message by God to Joshua after Moses died. As if the late bishop knew he was going to die and had handed the church spiritually to his successor.

He said, “His message never stops” speaking to the wife of Bishop Kola Onaolapo, Rev. Mrs. Onaolapo, he said she had sown the greatest seed and is about to reap a great harvest.

Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi, Member of the National Assembly

The distinguished member of the National Assembly was the third speaker during the service of songs in honor of Bishop Kola Onaolapo. He describes Kola Onaolapo as a good man and prays that God bless his soul.

“I couldn’t believe it until I got to this ground and saw it with my own eyes”

He said he had been a member of the Abundant Life Gospel Church for over 15 years as young a boy. He said

Bishop Onaolapo taught him a lot of things and that he nourished him in faith in the Lord.

“He took a special interest in me; he spoke to me like a son. The singular most significant process of my personal self actualization started under the prophetic declaration by the bishop. On that day he gave me a prophetic message about the commencement of my political odyssey, I received the laying of hands by this awesome man of God and the solid foundations of his teachings on faith and righteousness taught me. That was 12 years ago. The culmination of the prophecy was my election into the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“If he hadn’t walked through my life, I probably wouldn’t have been here today”. The senator who said he was grateful to Kola Onaolapo added that he dedicates his office to the service of God. Saying, “Bishop your seed is working!”

Bishop Olu Oladurotimi

Describes the late bishop as his friend, father, brother and fellow general, he said Bishop Onaolapo is being celebrated. “I lose a friend; I didn’t lose him because you can only lose what you can’t find again. I know that one day we shall all be together in the presence of the Lord”

He told the congregation how their friendship began in 2009. He said Bishop Kola Onaolapo called him and said he would like them to be covenant friends and since then they had been friends.


“Kola Onaolapo is a man that wants to win the whole world for God. I know where Kola Onaolapo is, I didn’t lose him but I miss him”

He describes the death of Bishop Onaolapo:

“Bishop Onaolapo went to the United Kingdom to minster in a crusade then to United States where he went to rest before he took ill. When he was ill I had a vision and I saw two angels wheeling him away. Immediately I called his wife, and told her my vision. She said I should tell God to return him and so we prayed that evening before I went back home to rest. At around 5am the next morning, Rev. Mrs. Janet Onaolapo called to inform me that she didn’t understand the way bishop was feeling and that I should rush down. On getting there I met doctors in the ward and we prayed as they checked him, but I saw the same angels wheeling him away and I paused to tell his wife, she said we should pray to God to stop them, but as we were praying on, calling on God to stop them, less than 2 minutes after, the doctors stopped us to inform us that he was no longer here with us, that he was gone!”

“Bishop Kola Onaolapo was an achiever, who opened 16 branches of Abundant Life Gospel Church in Nigeria and Overseas before he died”

Olu Oladurotimi called on other men of God to ensure that Kola Onaolapo’s dream and legacy does not die.

He concluded his speech by saying, “we miss a father, brother, product but Kola we love you… sleep… sleep… and sleep until we meet at the Master’s feet”

The fifth speaker was a representative of Bishop Okonkwo

The Redeemed Evangelical Mission was responsible for the transporting of the late bishop’s corpse from the hospital where he died in the United States back to Lagos.

He describes the late bishop as a soldier who fought to the end. He said. “We are here to celebrate life. Kola Onaolapo’s passion lives on beyond him. He quoted Ecclesiastes 7:1, “A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth”

Professor (Rev.) Babalola

Professor Babalola the last speaker is a member of the board of trustees of the Abundant Life Gospel Church and a University of Ilorin don.

He said 16 years ago he was picked up by the late bishop when he was in a great distress and bishop led him to Christ. He said he made him what he is today.

“He taught me how to pray, how to believe in God and understand the word of God. He was an evangelist to the core. An encourager who believes God has deposited a lot into human. He was a transformer of lives”

“Bishop would always tell you the truth and when God is speaking through him, hold on to it for your good”

Professor Babalola thanked everyone for their love and assured everyone that the bishop’s vision will not die. He quoted Joshua 1:9 to end his speech.

Bishop Kolawole Gideon Onaolapo died on October 14 2012 after a brief illness when he went to the U.K to minister at a crusade.

He is survived by his wife, Rev. Mrs. Janet Onaolapo and three children. His body will be laid to rest at the Abundant Life Gospel Church Headquarters on Friday 2nd November 2012.

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