Reverend Samuel Aboyeji was on Saturday installed as the new General Overseer of the Foursquare Gospel Church, Punch has reported.
The new GO was inaugurated at the Church’s campground in Ajebo, Ogun State during its 64th convention.
Aboyeji, 59, who was elected in July, succeeded Reverend Felix Meduoye who rounded off his tenure after nine years.
He becomes the 5th General Overseer of the Church, which began in Nigeria in 1955.
President of the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, Reverend Glenn Burris Jr, conducted the Service of Grace to mark the end of the convention.
The outgoing National Secretary of the Church, Reverend Ikechukwu Ugbaja, said Aboyeji would build on the achievements of the past leaders.
“Today, the church has made great strides. Some of these include its foray into the provision of tertiary education with the licensing of McPherson University and the full accreditation of its courses by the National Universities Commission (NUC),” he said.
“The church floated Microfinance Bank and recently established Foursquare Hospital with the aim and goal of providing quality primary health care to citizens.
“These are among numerous achievements of Rev. Felix Meduoye, who is handing over the mantle of authority after a meritorious service in the work of the kingdom and expansion of the gospel to the new General Overseer.”
Aboyeji, according to a statement by the church, holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the University of Ilorin and an MBA from the University of Ibadan. He also has a degree in Theology from LIFE Seminary, Ikorodu, Lagos.
Below is the full statement:
“The new General Overseer has been the Senior Pastor of the church’s Olu of Warri’s Palace since 2001 and the Warri District Overseer/Mid-West Region Coordinator since 2006 and 2011 respectively where he was rated the best District Overseer of the church for three consecutive years.
“He is also a member of the Board of both the Home and Foreign Missions and the National Executive Council of the church. He joined the Foursquare Church in 1988 and served the movement in various leadership capacities before he was ordained a minister of the church in 2001.
“Rev. Samuel Aboyeji started his working career with the premier stockbroking firm in Nigeria, the Nigerian Stockbrokers Limited (NSL), a subsidiary of NAL Merchant Bank Plc (now Sterling Bank Plc) from 1987 to 1992 where he trained as a stockbroker and licensed as an authorized dealing clerk of the Nigerian Stock Exchange in 1989.
“He left Nigerian Stockbrokers Ltd (NSL) to join Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd (SPDC) (Corporate Treasury) in 1992 as an Investment Analyst with responsibility for money and capital market investments of the Pension Fund.
“He was a pioneer staff of Shell Trustees Nigeria Limited where he had responsibility for building and managing its capital market portfolio until his transfer to the Community Relations department of SPDC in Warri in year 2000.
“Rev. Sam Aboyeji holds a Bachelor’s degree in Theology from LIFE Theological Seminary, Ikorodu; B.sc. (Hons) in Economics from the University of Ilorin; and an MBA in Financial Management and Accounting from the University of Lagos. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers and a member of the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators (ICMC).
“He is married to Rev. (Mrs.) Olabisi T. Aboyeji, a qualified Medical Laboratory Scientist, who has been in full time ministry with him since 1993 and they are blessed with four grown – up children – Iyanuoluwa, Iyinoluwa, Ifeoluwa and Ireoluwa.”