Pastor Solomon Olajide Odesanya, fondly known by many as “Ose Baba,” was a devoted servant of God, a passionate intercessor, a faithful minister in the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), and a man whose life was marked by humility, loyalty, service, and unwavering commitment to the work of the Kingdom. His journey through life was one of obedience to divine instruction, sacrificial service, and uncommon dedication to the vineyard of God. From humble beginnings to becoming one of the respected national prayer leaders in RCCG, his life remains a testimony of grace, faithfulness, and divine purpose.
He was born on March 4th, 1957, into a modest family with strong values that shaped his early years and laid the foundation for the disciplined and God-fearing life he later became known for. His childhood was spent in Ogun State, where he attended St. Peter’s School, Awado, Wasimi, Ogun State. His early education instilled in him a spirit of diligence, humility, and determination that would later become evident in his ministry and personal life.
After completing his primary education, he moved to Lagos in search of better opportunities and to learn vocational skills that would help him become self-reliant. Like many young men of his generation, he was determined to make a meaningful life for himself. He trained in various trades, including tailoring and battery charging, seeking practical means of livelihood while navigating the challenges of life in the bustling city of Lagos.
However, beyond vocational pursuits, God had a greater purpose for his life. In the process of seeking survival and direction, he encountered the saving grace of Jesus Christ. In 1977, at the National Headquarters of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Ebute-Metta, Lagos, he gave his life to Christ. This marked the beginning of a new life and a lifelong journey of total surrender to God.
Interestingly, Pastor Solomon had joined RCCG in 1976, but it was in 1977 that he experienced true salvation and became fully committed to the Christian faith. His conversion was genuine and transformative. From that moment, his heart burned with a desire to serve God wholeheartedly. It did not take long before the divine call upon his life became clear.
In 1978, he became a worker in the church and served faithfully in the choir department as well as in the Prayer Warriors department at the National Headquarters. He was also a committed House Fellowship Leader, nurturing believers at the grassroots level and helping to strengthen the spiritual lives of many. His zeal for prayer, worship, and church service became evident to all who encountered him.
In 1979, he became a full-time staff member with the mission. This transition was not merely occupational but deeply spiritual. God had spoken clearly to him to come and serve in His vineyard. In obedience to this divine instruction, he approached the founder of RCCG, Late Reverend Josiah Olufemi Akindayomi, affectionately known as Papa Alakoso. After sharing the burden of God’s call upon his life, Papa Akindayomi handed him over to Late Pa Olonade, who was then the General Secretary of the mission.
Immediately, instructions were given to Late Reverend Sholola to train him, and thus began his formal journey of full-time ministry service. He was assigned to the Transport Department, where he served diligently from 1979 until 1993. During those years, he worked closely with respected church leaders such as Daddy A.G.O. Akindele, A.G.O. Ojo, and several senior pastors who were foundational pillars of the mission. His loyalty, discipline, and faithfulness made him a trusted and dependable worker.
Despite his professional skills and opportunities for personal advancement, God instructed him to leave his vocational pursuits because his true purpose on earth was to serve as an intercessor under the leadership of RCCG. Again, in obedience, he submitted himself to spiritual authority. He approached Papa DGO, who in turn took him to Daddy G.O., Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye. Daddy G.O. instructed him to “pack his bag and baggage” and move to Redemption Camp as a full-time prayer minister.
That instruction changed the course of his ministry permanently. He embraced the calling with total surrender and became one of the pillars of prayer ministry in RCCG. His life became wholly dedicated to intercession, spiritual warfare, and the burden of standing in the gap for the Church and for individuals.
In recognition of his spiritual maturity and faithful service, Solomon Olajide Odesanya was ordained as an Assistant Pastor in 1990. Five years later, in 1995, he was ordained as a Full Pastor. These ordinations were not merely ceremonial promotions; they were acknowledgments of years of consistent labour, proven character, and divine grace upon his life.
His contribution to church planting was also significant. He led prayer teams from the National Headquarters to plant the first RCCG parish at Orile-Igbon after Ogbomosho. By the permission of Daddy G.O., he also joined hands with two dedicated sisters in ministry: Sister Elizabeth Obilana, who later became a zonal coordinator and a pastor’s wife now based in the United States, and Sister Rachel Benebor, an evangelist’s wife, to establish the first RCCG parish in Ilumoba Ekiti. This pioneering missionary effort remains a major landmark in his ministry.
As the years progressed, his leadership responsibilities increased. In the year 2000, he was promoted to the post of Assistant Prayer Superintendent. In 2005, he became Prayer Superintendent, and by 2010, he was elevated to the position of National Secretary in the mission. His diligence, loyalty and firm commitment to the vision of the Church earned him respect across various levels of leadership.
In 2013, because of his exceptional service and commitment, he was promoted by the mission authority to the position of RCCG Assistant National Prayer Coordinator. That same year, he was appointed as one of the Zonal Liaison Officers in charge of Redemption Camp Zone 6, a role he faithfully discharged until his final days.
One of the defining moments of his ministry came in 1996 when Daddy G.O. appointed him to lead and coordinate the monthly “Praise and Intercessory Night,” which preceded every Holy Ghost Service Friday. This assignment was deeply prophetic. On the very day the praise night began in October 1996, God blessed his family with the birth of a baby boy which was a personal confirmation that God Himself had ordained the assignment.
Pastor Odesanya’s ministry was characterised by humility. His heart of service attracted both the great and the ordinary. He related with people not for personal gain, but from the sincere burden of his calling as a man of prayer. Many high-profile individuals sought him out because of his spiritual depth and his unwavering commitment to prayer. Yet, he remained simple, approachable, and deeply grounded.
His consciousness of God’s presence and his identity in Christ were unmistakable. He carried himself with dignity, honour, and remarkable excellence in appearance, conduct, and conversation. He had a notable sense of style and personal presentation, which reflected both discipline and self-respect. This grace made him comfortable among people of influence while remaining humble enough to serve everyone without distinction.
He often spoke with gratitude and awe about how Daddy and Mummy G.O. entrusted him with assignments to pray for people of high status in society whenever urgent needs arose. He saw these moments not as privileges of status, but as sacred responsibilities. He counted it an honour to serve quietly behind the scenes where prayer was needed most.
In his role as a national officer across Lagos provinces and beyond, he taught doctrinal truths, led powerful sessions of heartfelt prayer, and ministered to countless people whose lives were transformed through divine encounters. One memorable moment in his ministry included leading worship during a church programme while standing beside Nigeria’s former Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, who was then serving as a Provincial Pastor. Such moments showed how God elevated him beyond the ordinary call of duty.
He served in several key capacities including Head of Department of Halleluyah House, Redemption City; RCCG Assistant National Prayer Coordinator; National Secretary in charge of Lagos Province 34 and Lagos Province 48; National Elder; and a committed member of the Prayer Rain Online Programme under the Directorate of Prayer. Everywhere he served, his mark was excellence, order, spiritual fervency and genuine love for people.
In 2024, Pastor Solomon Olajide Odesanya received a Long Service Award of 45 years in ministry service from the General Overseer, Daddy E.A. Adeboye. This recognition was a fitting tribute to decades of untiring labour in God’s vineyard. It was not merely an award, but a testimony of consistency, sacrifice and faithfulness.
On the home front, he was a devoted husband and father. He got married to Elizabeth Titilayo Odesanya in June 1983 at the National Headquarters, Ebute-Metta. Their union was blessed with children and grandchildren, and together they built a godly home rooted in faith, love, prayer and service to God. His family life reflected the same devotion and integrity that defined his public ministry.
Even until the very end, Pastor Odesanya remained actively committed to service. After performing his last official duty at a wedding ceremony, he peacefully slept in the Lord on Sunday, 19th April 2026. It was a deeply symbolic departure, a faithful servant completing his final assignment at a wedding, just as Jesus performed His first miracle at the wedding in Cana of Galilee (John 2:1-11). He served until his last breath and did not retire from service; he finished his race in active duty, standing faithfully where God had placed him. His passing marked the end of an era, but his legacy of prayer, humility, service and faithfulness lives on.
Pastor Solomon Olajide Odesanya, “Ose Baba,” lived a life worthy of remembrance. He was a man of prayer, a faithful soldier of Christ, a trusted servant of the Church, and a vessel through whom countless lives were touched. His story is not one of titles and positions but of obedience to God, steadfast commitment to divine purpose, and a life poured out for the Kingdom.
To God be all the glory forever, in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen.
Egbohun S'oke, OseBaba!