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In NIGERIA, DUBAI & LONDON
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Apostle ISRAEL OLUBORI Tells City People
In the next few days, Pastor Israel Olubori will be 60. He is a respected man of God who is the husband of Prophetess Mary Olubori. Both run the popular Church called Our Rock of Salvation with branches in London, Ibadan, Lagos and the US. They also have a popular Ori Oke called Havilah Mountain of Fire Amunloko, along Olorunsogo, Akanran Road, in Ibadan.
Recently, City People got him to talk to us about how he plans to celebrate his 60th birthday which comes up on 18th of November, 2024. He told us how he plans to empower 60 people with 1 million each. He plans to have an event in Ibadan on the 17th of November. After that, there will be a party in London.
How does he feel right now, as he counts down to his 60th birthday party?
What is on his mind? What are his thoughts? “My own definition of birthday is not what others think it is.
I used to tell my people that, you add one, God substracts one. It is erroneous for you to say God has added one year. God will not add 1 year. God does the subtraction. But you do the addition. The most important thing in life is Life itself and good health. Once you have these 2, that’s all, all other things will be added. Its a matter of time.”
“As a matter of fact I was fortunate to have been born by a wealthy man, with a wealthy background, but my father died just 5 months after I was born. That brough a lot of chaos and commotion, because there was this scramble for property by the older children, far older than my mother. There was scrambling for property, inheritance and we were left with virtually nothing. So it has been a struggle all along. Sometimes I had to fend for myself at a very tender age before I moved to the North in 1974 when I was 10. My senior brother moved to the North and I went with him”.
Where was he based then? “I was born in Ibadan. I was born in a village. We used to come to the city. From the village I was taken to the North, Taraba State. I was born around Akinyele LG. We have so many villages there.
“We are part of Apapa Odan, along Oyo Road. I was born in Ikereku Maternity Hospital in 1964, November 18.
“I went to the North, I lived there and I came back. I went to the East.”
“I went to University of Nsukka in the East, I came back again”.
“But let me go back to the issue of birthday that you asked. You see before you decide to celebrate birthday you must be at peace with yourself. You must be at peace, you must have inner joy, you must have some fulfilment and some achievements.
The 1st person that celebrated my birthday for me was my wife. That was when I turned 40. I have never had the opportunity of celebrating my birthday probably because I never had a father. I never had the opportunity of celebrating one until I was 40. So, I celebrated my 40, my 50 and then now my 60. My wife has been the one celebrating my birthdays for me.”
She is the one celebrating my 60th for me now, looking for resources here and there.”
She says I deserve to be celebrated. Sometimes you command respect you don’t demand it”.
How does this makes him feel? “I feel good.
Personally, I am excited about it, but the truth is I am not a party person, I am not a party freak.
I had my own plans. The spirit of God ministered to me that instead of throwing a party, I should have a charity.
I have one in London. Kingdom Love Outreach, It Is A Charity and we have another one Dasmola, meaning Dasola & Demola Foundation here as well. That I should raise N60 mnillion and give 60 people, reach out to people, let them celebrate. I just love putting smiles and laughter on people’s faces. That is the most important thing to me. I just love making people happy. It is Live And Let Live. It is not just about me. Its about everyone around me. Let lives be touched. Let somebody go and thank God, let somebody go and give testimony.”
“It is an opportunity for me to atleast lift some people up and make their lives better because I said it soemtime ago, nobody works for God and experiences loss. When you say I am a man of God.
How do you work for God? Do you pray for God:
Do you fast for God? You don’t do anything for God except to serve Humanity.
Our church is about serving Divinity through Humanity.
You can’t serve God without serving Humanity.
Even Life itself is about service delivery.”
“So, I believe that in everything you do make sure you do it as a point to God; serving people making lives better, because that is all that counts when you Leave. But you have to Live before you Leave.