Pastor Olufemi Durotoye is a graduate of Management and Accounting from the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife (Osun State). A one-time career professional, who once turned a commercial bus driver in Lagos State in the bid to make ends-meet for his family. In this interview with our team, he shared his strategy to survive as undergraduate (doing odd jobs for other students) including how God used him to lead the largest departmental Christian students’ fellowship as well as his dramatic call into ministry while touching on how God turned his finances around upon acceptance of the call-to-ministry.
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Kindly take us through the journey of your life till date.
Hmm… I was born on April 29th, 1978 to the family of Elder and Mrs. Durotoye. On the journey so far, there were happy moments and there were rough moments in our lives but we give God all the praise for where we are right now.
Growing up did you ever envisage yourself in present situation and worked towards it or there was a time you learnt to follow the plans of God for your life?
No, I didn’t. I actually just wanted to be a career person all my life and that was what made me to go study accounting during my 1st degree.
I never thought that I would be in the ministry even though I was very active as a youth in the fellowship in those days but it was just passion for the things of God until the call came and I needed to follow God’s plans.
There was a time you narrated some unique experiences during your 1st degree years. Can you tell us those experiences and how they shape you?
Yeah… I got admitted into the University of Ife to study Management and Accounting and I could remember that then – I had a lot of encounters with God.
From there I saw that God was using me in different areas to be able to function in His vineyard. I never knew that he was actually preparing me for something.
I came to a point where I became the president of the Christian Accounting Students’ Fellowship on campus and that became the largest departmental fellowship then.
I used to be in an Orthodox denomination and also became president of the fellowship. From that moment I knew that God was actually shaping me up for something but it was very challenging but we praise God for His grace that was available.
What were the unique challenges you faced while growing up?
At a point my parents had serious financial issues and it looked as if it was going to hamper my education, it looked as if I would not be able to further on, but I got inspiration from God; I got inspiration from other people too and I was able to see myself through school. That was a very major challenge for me but today all that is history.
Would you like to share with us on how you’re able to scale through the studies successfully despite financial challenges?
Very unique. A lot of youths have this complaint that ‘I’ve no one’ but if you have God; you have everything and that is why it is very important that you should know God from your youth.
I got motivated, when I finished from secondary school I made my results (SSCE) in one sitting and I was working in a place called Aluminum Village just like an apprentice. From there I was able to have some stipends and that was enough to transport me to school.
Getting to school I just felt what can I do? How do I sustain myself? How do I pay school fees? I started getting odd jobs: I could help you wash plates, I could help you wash clothes, I could help you fetch water – anything that could actually bring out money.
I got my hands into all of those things, I started doing some private tutorials in school and I discovered that year-in; year-out my needs were being met without depending on anybody and that is a motivation for other people who feel that there is nobody there for them – there are a lot of things you can do by yourself to be able to sustain yourself even if you don’t have any support.
What would you say that God has helped you to achieve in your career, family, business and ministry?
The Lord has been faithful.
I’m married to my wife, Sis. Ireti Durotoye. We met in an amazing way. God has blessed us with three boys, and they are also bubbling in the Lord.
God has been faithful in our business, the church of God. I could remember it was tough when I was called into ministry, I just wanted to be a businessman.
I just wanted to be a good man who can take care of a family and I was given a parish in Redeemed without worker or support but today the Lord has really taken us higher.
How did you realise and accept the call of God into ministry?
Two ways: my late mother-in-law, the Lord used her to be able to affirm the calling of God over my life. She was on her sick bed (I hope my wife is not too close, that’s just a memory), in her last stage of cancer but she spoke the mind of God concerning my life – people were surprised.
Prior to her was a man of God while I was facing some life challenges. My mum took me there but I was very reluctant and just wanted her to leave me alone.
Getting to his office, the man of God wanted to start praying but stopped and told my mother ‘I won’t pray for this one because he will be praying for people and God will be honouring his prayers’.
Not far from that time, I got a call from the zone that a parish was coming up and I’ll be pastoring that parish. I went before the Lord and the Lord told me by Himself, that was where the conviction came from and He has never stopped backing me up.
You’re the Lead Pastor of RCCG David Generation Centre please tell us what you find amazing about this role?
The people. The people have been amazing, in fact that is the slogan of the church. Amazing church; amazing people.
The people are wonderful, they are from different walks of life, they are from different classes: the youths, the married and there is this connection as if we’ve known one other for a very long time.
Could you recall some happy moments in your life since you started following this path of service to God and humanity?
Yeah, happy moments in my life. He gave me a wonderful wife – very supportive. You know when you’re in ministry and you don’t have the support of your spouse you’re heading towards the ditch.
When we got this call and we got the confirmation, there were things that happened – I can’t go into that history like that but, you know, even in ministry you still have people who don’t get your back; there are people who are not interested in your success. I could remember my wife said something that morning,
she said ‘the Lord called us; they didn’t call us so we’re answering to this call’ because it was enough to discourage us.
God gave me a wonderful wife to support me in ministry, and I tell men of God who are going into ministry to carry their wives along.
If you’re in a relationship and you’re already envisaging that Lord will be using you – carry your spouse along, you’ll need her.
As much as she will need you, you’ll need her. You must come to an agreement, the Bible says ‘can two walk together except they agree’. You must agree together so that you’ll be able to get to your destiny in ministry.
Could you tell us a unique turning point in your life?
Yeah, before I came into ministry things were bad. We were running bankrupt, we’re barely living from hand-to-mouth. For record’s sake, I was already a kabukabu driver (commercial bus driver). You know, a graduate who was driving public transport: it was tough then but when I answered the call God turned my finances around. I stopped being a kabukabu driver, my business was revived: I became a support to a lot of people even till present.
What is your advice to young people and believers who are going through challenges at the moment?
Draw near to God, he is the source of our lives; he is the source of our being. In fact, the Bible says our lives is hidden in Christ and Christ’s in God.
You should understand that you cannot do without Him. Listen, He is the source of our inspiration. Bishop Oyedepo says ‘inspiration is in-spirit in motion’.
For you to be able to move in life the spirit of God must be active, must be in motion in your life. Stop depending on the knowledge of men, come to the Lord’s side – He will help you. The Bible says ‘the righteous may fall seven times but he will surely rise again’.
You may be facing challenges now, don’t back down; don’t give up. You can’t give up on God, when you give up on Him you lose out.
So be on the Lord’s side; seek His face, stay with Him in the place of prayer.
I was coming with a brother this afternoon and I told him that it took me 21 days to be able to hear from God, that is the number. Stay in His presence for 21 days you will hear him clearly. He says “and I heard a voice behind me saying ‘this is the path, therefore, walk in it'”.
Stay in His presence, He says ‘they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength’, you think you’re weak now? Go and derive strength from Him.
He says ‘they shall mount up with wings as Eagles, they shall run and not faint’ – you can be revived again. Your fallen state, your down state is not the end of the road for you. Get up again, stay with the Lord; seek His face, seek His counsel and you’ll just discover that your heaven is about to open.
So I just want to encourage you that whatever you’re going through right now is not the end of your life: you can start up again because the Lord has got your back.
