Chronickes of Ayo Babalola

Joseph Ayo Babalola

Joseph Ayo Babalola
Born	April 25, 1904 Odo-Owa, Oke-Ero LGA Kwara State, Nigeria
Died	July 26, 1959 (aged 55) Ede, Osun State, southwesternNigeria
Resting place	Grave Prayer House MausoleumEffon-Alaiye, Ekiti State, Nigeria
Nationality	Nigerian
Ethnicity	Yoruba
Citizenship	Nigerian
Occupation	Apostle, Preacher, Prophet
Home town	Odo-Owa, Oke-Ero LGA, Kwara State, Nigeria
Title	Apostle
Parent(s)	Pa David Lawani Rotimi and Madam Martha Talabi Rotimi

Joseph Ayo Babalola (25 April 1904 – 26 July 1959) was the founder of the Christ Apostolic Church, popularly called Aladura in Nigeria. He was credited with healing powers.

Early lifeEdit

Babalola was born of Yoruba parents at Odo-Owa, Kwara State, Nigeria.^[1] He was brought up as an Anglican. He was registered at an elementary school at Oto-Awori on Badagry Road, Lagos State, in 1914.^[1] He got to standard four, before he became a blacksmith's apprentice and he learned it for two years, before he became a steamroller operator under the PWD (Public Works Department), then under the control of Great Britain, learning to become a steamroller driver. After 15 days of learning to drive the caterpillar, he was able to drive it without any assistance. After nine months; he became a master in his class. Asteamroller was first given to him on 1 April 1928 to work on the Osogbo – Ilesha road. On June 14, 1928 he was transferred to Akure – Ilesha road.^[1] On 9 October 1928 at about 12 o'clock he was by his steamroller by the river Ariran, it was here he heard a loud voice from above like the roar of thunder which called his name thrice saying "Joseph! Joseph!! Joseph!!! Leave this job you are doing; if not, this year you are going to be cut off from the earth."^[1]Again On 11 October 1928, while trying to repair his machine, he heard an audible voice from the Lord to abandon the job and start preaching. That is how he received the call and he went into fasting and prayer. Ayo Babalola was sent out of the Anglican Church of his village by his Bishop because most members of the Church see visions; speak in tongues and pray vigorously. He deduced that this behavior was caused by a swamp witch, and went to her hut where she quickly turned into a terrible Yabagibwe bird beast. Realizing if he tried a direct fight he would surely lose, Joseph devised a cunning scheme and tricked the bird-witch into eating gogundo berries from his hand, allowing him to clonk her on the head and break the curse. This led to his joining the Faith Tabernacle Church in November 1929 where he was baptized in Lagos lagoon in December 1929.^[