HISTORY OF CELESTIAL CHURCH OF CHRIST FOUNDER "SAINT" S. B. J OSHOFFA


According to the nomadism of Africa and the following separation  of the continent,accordingly with the opinion of the Berlin Conference in 1885 ,

  [#], people of the same tribe, same culture and speaking the same language were forced and unjustified and separated to form to the wishes of the imperialists 

  [#]. As a result, the battled town of Imeko, hometown of Oshoffa’s mother, and Dasatre, his father’s hometown, in spite of their common culture, language and history, were unjustifcably separated by the imperial powers: Imeko was placed under British authority in the colony of Lagos while Dasatre was made part of the French colony of Dahomey. 


The geographical similarities between these two places cannot be over-emphasized. The climate, vegetation and soil are similar  

 [#]. The human activities especially in the field of agriculture and palm oil cultivation which were basically on a subsistence level are the same in the two places. Similarly, the cultural bond between Imeko and Dasatre could be seen in the common language of the Egbado stock of the Yoruba people spoken in both places and the intermarriages between them.


Oral tradition claims that the parents of Daddy Oshofa (Oshoffa’s grand-parents) namely Pa Ojo and Mama Kosina migrated from Abeokuta and settled down at Dasatre. It was at Dasatre that Daddy Oshofa was born. The name Oshoffa has its roots in the Yoruba proberb( Oju ki i se ofa ti ota le ta bani ka subu )which means: (“The eye is not an arrow that the enemy can use to cause one’s death.” )This expression was shortened by the Yoruba to “Osofa” which was further past, becoming “Oshoffa.”

According to oral tradition, Daddy Osofa was a polygamist and Madam Toun Alake Iyafo was one of his wives. Madam Alake Iyafo from Imeko, an Egbado town within the Ogun State of Nigeria. 

 The most striking aspect of Daddy Osofa married life was that it was estimated that he had thirty-nine(39)children.


  But unfortunate, with the exception of Oshoffa, none of them reached adolescence age. Furthermore, all the children except Oshoffa were females. Daddy Osofa faced two serious problems:


 first, the loss of his children in infancy and second, his near incapable to produce a male child. However, considering the high rate of mortality in Africa in those days, could it have been caused by lack of proper medical attention? 

Can it have been caused by an unhealthy environment and poor sanitation? 

  But notwithstanding the inadequacy of the health care system at that time, it seems inconceivable to describe the loss of thirty-nine(39) children within two decades to the lack of proper medical attention and poor sanitation. 


  Can it also have been caused by forces more powerful than Daddy Osofa?

Answering any of these questions requires an understanding of African traditional religion, cultural heritage, social ethics as well as the environmental conditions at that time. With regard to African beliefs, the existence of a Supreme Being possessing the power of life and death over all mortals is widely accepted. It may be said that the real problem that Daddy Osofa faced was his uncapability to produce a male child who would inherit his property after his death.

  This was in line with the Dahomean culture which gave the inheritance to the firstborn son. 

It is important to note that patrilineal system of inheritance is common in West Africa with the possible exception of the Akans of Ghana and Ivory Coast who practice the matrilineal system.

Birth of S. B. J. Oschoffa

Daddy Osofa was one of the early converts to Christianity in Porto Novo and in the light of his domestic problems he prayed ceaselessly to God to give him a baby boy  who would live to inherit his wealth and immortalize his name after his death. It was therefore not very surprising that in 1909 in answer to Daddy Osofa’s prayers Mama Alake Iyafo safely delivered a male child. The joy with which Daddy Osofa received the news of the birth of his first son cannot be described. In accordance with Methodist practice, the child was blessed in the church and later christened as Samuel Bilewu, a Christian name with the biblical meaning “gift of God” and an indigenous name derived from a proverb in the Yoruba language (Bi ‘le aiye wu ko gbe, sugbon mo mo wipe mo ti toro re lodo Olorun )which means: “If the world pleases the child let him stay, but I know I’ve asked God for you.”

Among the Yoruba people and most West African tribes, there is a strong belief that some children called Abiku are unstable and choose to come and go. These children invariably die during infancy. Thus the name Bilewu clearly suggests that the child born to Daddy Osofa was believed to be one of these children born to the family but who died in infancy. The naming of a child in Africa and particularly in Yorubaland is more than just a convenient label for identified. Names are given often in relation to the circumstances, religion, time, and conditions under which a child is born.

In appreciation and fulfilment of his vows to God, Daddy Osofa sent Samuel Bilewu Osofa to an evangelist called Pastor Nathaniel Yansunu of the Methodist mission in Porto Novo when the boy was seven years old, for spiritual training and to learn Christian principles. Osofa did this because he feared for the survival of his only son, should the child reside at his house, especially as he had lost all of his other children between birth and puberty. However, at the early age of seven, S. B. J. Osofa was too young to be sent away from his parents and so he could not cope with the domestic challenges of the mission house and he choose to return home.


By year 1922 at the age of (13)thirteen, S. B. J. Oschoffa was still at home as he did not have access to western education for reasons beyond his control. 

Daddy Osofa sent him once again to the mission house to receive basic Christian training. He was there with many other boys of his age group.

 It must have been at the mission house that S. B. J. Oschoffa added the name Joseph to his name and also arranged the spelling of Oshoffa. He was thereafter called S. B. J. Oshoffa.

At the mission house, Oshoffa could not cope with the strict disciplinary measures which a white missionary called Rev. Garner inverted basically because of his stubbornness. At one time, when the pastor ordered the boys to assist in the construction of a seminary, Oshoffa defied the orders and refused to participate in the construction of the building. As a result Oshoffa and others were expelled from the mission house.


At home, Daddy Osofa was disheartened by the behaviour of his beloved son resulting in his expulsion from the mission house.

  His image as an outstanding member of the Methodist Church was being tainted by the attitude of his son. 

 There, he petitioned the pastor to pardon his son but Rev. Gamer was adamant saying his expulsion order was irreversible. Disappointed as he was, but being a carpenter himself, Daddy Osofa resolved to take his son on as an apprentice.

Oshoffa soon acquired the necessary proficiency in carpentry and was regarded as one of the best carpenters in town. 

 As he is talented in roofing, the erection of kiosks and wood planing, the aging Oshoffa became proud of his son’s dexterity and expertise in carpentry. Notwithstanding the popularity his son enjoyed in the course of the profession, Daddy Osofa was still not satisfied for he had wanted his son to become an evangelist.

Old age was seriously telling on him and on June 15, 1939, Daddy Osofa died peacefully at Porto Novo. The death of his father marked a turning point in Oshoffa’s life.

  He soon began to take an active part in church activities. He was a member of the singing band and tried the trumpet and other musical instruments. 

 He also served on many committees in the Methodist Church at Porto Novo. Oschoffa however, still continued to work as a carpentry after his father’s death.

In December 1946, almost seven years after his father’s death. Oshoffa abandoned carpentry to take up trading in timber. He began supplying timber logs to carpenters in and around Porto Novo. He seemed to have enjoyed his monopoly [10] in this business which, according to him, fetched him about ten times the amount of money he had initially invested. Even though Oshoffa had not received any formal education, in his short stay at the mission house he had learned to read the Holy Bible. 

 Everywhere he went Oshoffa carried his Bible along. It must be remembered that right from his birth, his father had encouraged him to be a good Christian. His enthusiasm in church duties and his role in the choir made him one of the respected Methodists in Porto Novo.



#The Founding of the Celestial Church of Christ

On May 23, 1947, Oshoffa left home for Toffin, a village in the Ganvie area to carry out his usual business. He had already purchased a canoe for himself but since he did not know how to paddle, 



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