Pastor Idowu Iluyomade and his adorable wife, Pastor (Mrs) Siju Iluyomade need no introduction. They remain without a doubt, one of the celebrated Evangelical couples in the country today. They are a respected couple who have built an enviable reputation for themselves as two powerful ministers of God who remain unyielding in their desire to build an empire filled with nothing but possibly the largest assemblage of God's anointed men and women who are overjoyed to be in the presence of the Lord.
Following their highly publicised departure from the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor ID as he's fondly referred to, alongside his wife who has stood solidly behind him, have gone on to start their own ministry called The Family Fellowship (TFF) which now holds regularly at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos. And in just a couple of months, the church has grown from a sizeable handful to an impressive looking congregation. The TFF is now referred to as one of the fastest growing churches in the land today. Those who know the Iluyomades closely have attributed the significant rise in the church's membership to the fantastic job the duo did while in charge of the RCCG's City of David parish. Pastor ID was also the head of the Apapa Family, a position which saw him flourish as a leader and administrator and earned him the respect of all and sundry. But beyond their commitment and dedication to the work of God, what has also helped this amazing couple attract new membership to their church is their undeniably likeable personalities and tenacity, factors that have enabled them overcome the seemingly insurmountable odds stacked against them at the height of their controversial exit from RCCG. Little wonder why a lot of people, including prominent members of the society gravitate towards them. Everyone loves the Iluyomades. The humility and warmth they exude when people meet them is simply undeniable.
Many have agreed that Pastor ID and wife, Siju Iluyomade, appear to have been perfectly made for each other. This is because they complement each other ever so well. The bond between them is unbreakable. They are clearly a pair no one can come in between
They have built such a formidable fortress around themselves that many naysayers and diabolical elements have found it impenetrable. And though the pair have been married for many years, they still share a chemistry between them that many have described as uncommon. The love between them just seems to be waxing stronger by the minute.
How did this lovely couple meet each other? Where did they meet? What sort of fire works erupted when the pair met?
Two Sundays ago, while giving a sermon on how to be focused on achieving one's goals and applying a different approach to situations when previous efforts have yielded no results, Pastor ID jokingly recalled how he had to deploy a different approach to 'toasting' his wife and breaking the ice with her when they first met.
They met at a party back then at the University of Ife where they were both undergraduates. Pastor Siju, was a strikingly beautiful 16 year old then. But she had the confidence of a 30 year old lady and an intelligence way beyond her years. Everyone wanted to be her friend on campus. And at the party, she was the cynosure of all eyes.
"Every guy at the party wanted to have a dance with her," Pastor ID recalled proudly. "They took turns to approach her for a dance but she turned them down one after the other. I was watching everything from a distance and I realised that, if I was going to approach this young lady and get a response different from what the others have been getting, then I needed to do things differently. I needed to deploy a different approach or strategy."
"Back then in Ife, when you get to parties, the only word reigning was, "Excuse me dance!" That was what you will be hearing everywhere. So, I figured that everyone going to meet her kept saying, "Excuse me dance" and she kept turning them down. When I approached her, I did things differently from the others. And all I simply said was, "Want to thank you in advance for giving me this dance, trust me, it will be an opportunity of a lifetime."
"Immediately she heard those words, she looked up and was like, 'Who said that? It's not possible! In this Ife? And I could see from the reaction on her face that she was impressed."
According to Pastor ID, the young, pretty Siju did not offer her the dance he requested for but she was not cold towards him either, like she was with the others. And so be used the opportunity to ask her if he could sit down beside her.
"Back then in Ife, when a girl nails you and turns down your request, you dared not go back to where you came from, you would be mocked to death! So, I sat beside her and we began to talk. By the time I got up, I could hear people hailing me. And, like they say, the rest is history. The lesson here is that, I was able to get her attention because I chose to come up with a different kind of approach. "
Pastor ID's narration of how he swept his wife off her feet drew laughter and applause from the congregation. But the essence of the message was not lost on them. They understood clearly the import of the story. Pastor Idowu and his wife, Siju, continue to inspire young couples with their rock solid marriage and their incredible chemistry both in and outside the church.
Wale Lawal (08037209290)
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