Elder Omotade Gabriel Ajayi

Birth:
Elder Gabriel Ajayi Omotade (aged 63) a.k.a Gonno, Lashilaro, Senior Pastor, was born to the family of Pa (Chief) David Ojo Omotade at Arigid-Ekiti, now Ayebgaju-Ekiti, on 10th April, 1957.

Education:

In 1965, at the age of eight, he began his academic journey at Emmanuel African Church School and passed out in 1971 after which he proceeded to Modern School for three years (1972-1975).
Then in 1976, he gained admission to Ifaki Grammar school, Ekiti.

At Ifaki Grammar School, he was faced with financial constraints and could not afford to stay in boarding house. As a result of this, he lived together with his younger ones; Mr Tunji Oluwaniyi, Mr Moses Ogunleye and Folorunso Ajayi (his son “not biologically”).  Every day, Monday to Friday, they travelled about twelve kilometers on foot, to and from their home; Oke Egun, to Ifaki Grammar school along Iworoko-Ado road.

In 1980, his mother, Madam Rachael Omogbemile Omotade, died at a critical period in his life (he was about to take promotional exams from form 4 to 5).

In 1981, he graduated from Ifaki Grammer school and proceeded to the Polytechnic Owo, now Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, to study Business administration. There, he bagged his OND and HND with a 2nd Class Upper Credit. During his HND programme, he met the woman who came to become his wife in 1986 – Evangelist Alice Bamitale Omotade.

Although he had so much passion for education, there was no sponsor other than his old man LATE Pa {CHIEF} DAVID OJO OMOTADE, who struggled out of nothing to see him through with lots of sacrifices in the form of food fasting and self-denial. However, through it all, he endured.

Later on, in his life, at Owo Polytechnic, elder Gabriel Ajayi Omotade met with his bosom friend, Mr Tunde Owanikin who fondly addressed him by his alias, “LASHILARO”, and they both decided to further their education from the meager salary they earned at the time. According to him, it was a really challenging period for him but his passion for education geared him on against all odds. His friend would say in Yorùbá, “BÍ aà bẹ̀rẹ̀, a kìí parí”, which means if we don’t start, we don’t finish. Thus, they started and got their Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from UNAD, UNIVERSITY OF ADO EKITI now Ekiti State University Ado-Ekiti.

Work:

He worked as a human resource manager . This gave him the opportunity to help humanity by securing employments for lots of people from different walks of life. He worked with the likes of Late Chief Ghani Fawehinmi (SAN) as his Personal Assistant, after which he became a member of CIPM-Chartered Institute of Personnel Management. He worked as the head of Human Resource departments in companies like: ALIBERT MANUFACTURING LIMITED, PAPILON PLASTICS NIGERIA LIMITED, TIGER VENTURES, KAHAO INDUSTRIAL LIMITED, and OK FOODS, OLAM-NIGERIA before he retired in 2015. Worthy of mention, elder Omotade could speak all the three major languages in Nigeria; Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa.

Religion:

He was a devoted Christian.
In 1999, he was ordained as an Elder in Christ Apostolic Church, C.A.C, Oke Isegun, Aguda, Ogba District Headquarters under the leadership of Late Pastor E.A Adedoyin (AGS). He was the church’s assistant General Secretary until he moved to Ijoko, Ogun state in 2005. He was a man of integrity, good principles and discipline. Following his commitment and steadfastness to the work of God, he was made “Bàbá Èwe” at CAC conference in Ijoko and “Bàbá Ìjọ” at C.A.C Onipetes, Ijoko.

Up till his death, he was a core member of Club-009, also a senior Pastor at C.A.C HABITATION OF SALVATION founded in his house at Sango-Otta, Ijoko, Ogun state alongside his wife – Lady Evangelist Alice OMOTADE.

Philosophy:
As a man of integrity, he hated “LIES” and, over the years, he has lived an exemplary life worthy of emulation.

Family:

His father was the great Oniran, Pa (Chief) David Ojo Omotade: 1892 – 2017. (Click here to read his biography)      
His mother was Madam Rachael Omogbemile Omotade: 1922-1980. (Click here to read her biography)

He was married to Lady Evangelist Alice Bamitale Omotade and their marriage is blessed with six children namely:

Omotade Isaac Adekunle
Omotade Victoria Adewunmi
Omotade Victor Adedayo
Omotade Oluwanifemi Adedapo
Omotade Comfort Taiye
Omotade Samson Kehinde
Click here to see their pictures

Death:

At exactly 9pm, on Tuesday, 7^th July, 2020, his life was cut short by heart failure after having struggled with its complications for several years.
Till he breathed his last, Elder Omotade Gabriel held unto Jesus.
Burial:
His lifeless body was put in the ground the day after he died; 8th July, 2020. Final burial ceremony scheduled for 20^th August, 2020, around 10am at number 10, Ganiyu Adejare street, Onipetes, Sango-Otta, Ijoko, Ogun State. However, it is strongly believed that the good man’s spirit lives on and his legacy exists forever.

Family Pictures of Elder Omotade Gabriel Ajayi (click to view)

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MISTIRAL; be remembered.