Share Your Testimonies
Bishop Sowale’s ministry has touched many lives over the years. We invite you, as an eye witness, to share the impact of this ministry on your lives. May God use your testimonies to shine forth HIS light into the world. God bless you!
10 Responses
Baba & Mama sowale,
You have served the LORD and the Church
with gladness and singleness of heart.
You have planted seeds of hope, courage & love.
You have truly made a big difference.
You have shown hospitality to all.
You have challenged and deepened the faith of many.
You have raised God’s army for this and generations yet unborn.
The vacancy you leave behind may be filled.
Others may hold the position you had,
but in our hearts, you’re simply irreplaceable.
Now, as retire to enjoy the fruits of your labours,
We pray that the God of grace will richly bless and watch over you.
May the God of peace grant you peace always, and
May the God of abundant joy shower you daily.
May you enjoy your retirement with peace of mind and in robust health.
“Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do. Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil. Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun. for this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.” ~ Ecclesiastes 9:7-10 NIV
With great affection
The Voice Global Family
Celebrating a Formidable Christian Soldier at 70!
It is with great pleasure and gratitude to God that I pen these words to celebrate a great man of valour, our dear Father in God Rt. Revd. Dr. Samuel Olubayo Sowale, on the occasion of his 70th birthday anniversary and retirement from active church service.
My first meeting with Baba Sowale was in September, 1988 while he was a lecturer and College Chaplain at Immanuel College of Theology and Christian Education, Ibadan. It was for me an unforgettable encounter and a curtain-raiser for my relationship with him ever since. In him we saw a disciplined, no-nonsense, committed and forthright leader. A teacher of teachers, a wonderful preacher, a highly cerebral and humane leader; a passionate Christian and a man ever ready to serve. Bishop Sowale is not given to pettiness, a dogged fighter of just causes and a straight forward man in whom there is no guile.
As our Baba, Bishop S.O. Sowale gracefully attains the platinum age of 70years, it is tempting to overlook the fact that he is a formidable Christian combatant. Even if the scars are not visible, Bishop Olubayo Sowale has survived many battles in the course life and ministry. The loss of his father at a very young age puts the challenge of making it in life, taking care of his mother and younger siblings on the young Samuel. But rather that indulge in suffocating self-pity, young Olubayo opted to be a combatant in the battle to life and in the ministry of the church; rising through the ranks, young catechist, Deacon, Priest, Canon, Archdeacon, Provost and eventually Bishop of Ilesa Anglican Diocese.
The period of time, Bishop Sowale was Provost of the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Sagamu Ogun State, was an exciting time in the history of Remo Anglican Diocese. It was a time of giant breakthroughs in Evangelism, Church planting, and serious investment drive to sustain the Diocese at a critical time of crisis. Baba Sowale gave us the young Priests then, good leadership and confidence to move on, even when the future looks blur; we were revitalized and given new orientation and vision of a brighter future. It was challenging for me to serve under him as Secretary of the Board of Evangelism then and it also gave me confidence to step into his “big shoes” as I succeeded him as Provost of the Cathedral in July, 2000.
I commend Baba Sowale for his granite steadfastness and exceptional faithfulness to the Cross of Christ and His Church, which he has consistently demonstrated in sustaining the inimitable legacy of selfless service and indomitable spirit of our forebears in the ministry of the church. Yours has been a divinely blessed, inspiring and selfless life, characterized by brilliant academic and service to God and humanity.
My Lord and beloved Baba Sowale, on this occasion of your 70th Birthday and Retirement, we can only say Happy Birthday to you Daddy! And a very big THANK YOU for all what you have been to us, what you have done in the past and to promise that we shall keep the flag flying.
Congratulations and Happy Birthday to you Baba!
With all our best wishes,
+Dr. Babatunde & Olatundun Ogunbanwo
Bishop of Ijebu South-West.
(Anglican Communion)
I am using this occasion to appreciate my father in the Lord the Rt Rev Samuel Olubayo Sowale. Your love,commitment, tutelage, endurance with us then as youth can never be taken for granted.
Your house was our second home at the Cathedral Church of St Paul, Sagamu.
Your food was what we depends on almost all the time and you and mummy never complained. We are a times afraid but you always put on a smile to assured us of safety
You are a disciplinarian to the core who has time to play with us, make us appreciate God better especially when you started the youth chapel at the great Cathedral of Remo. We learn how to sow into kingdom business with faith which has been a strong part of our success in the Ministry till today.
We never thought of becoming a priest or priest wife then but finding ourselves in the Ministry make us appreciate more your upbringing, you never give excuse at any time, you are a loyal child and minister of God. You never allow persecution or crisis sweep you off your calling.
I can never forget that early morning in 1999 when I wanted to serve the nation and I have no dine neither my parent and I was in your office to express my self you gave me money and said go and collect your call up letter first and you champion my having a stress free life in Umunya Camp, Anambra State. I will forever be grateful. It is our prayer that your retirement will be an advancement to greater heights, it shall be a stress free season for you and mummy.
On this occasion of your 70th birthday and retirement, grandpa we will forever remember and keep the wonderful legacy you are leaving behind and promise to keep the flag. A very big congratulations sir.
Kudos To An Icon and God’s General @ 70 and Retirement!
To God be the glory, for great things He has done!
On this joyous occasion, I join others to celebrate the unique double occasions of the 70th birthday anniversary and retirement of our Father in the Lord, The Rt. Rev. Dr. Samuel Olubayo Sowale. Uncle Shooww (as we fondly used to call him), yours is an uncommon Divine favour which has eluded many with whom your paths crossed in the adventures of this life.
The memories of my close association with Papa Sowale continue to linger on in my mind as I personally experienced his sense of humour, forthrightness, doggedness, dedication to ministry, humility, simplicity, and tolerance of others around him. Since meeting Baba Sowale back in 1988 when I began my ministerial training at Immanuel College of Theology and Christian Education, Ibadan, where he was already a Sr. Lecturer, I found him to be a committed and great family man, whose moral probity has always placed him ahead of his contemporaries. An astute theologian, seasoned preacher, prolific writer, administrator per excellence, spiritual care giver, disciplinarian, and a man of reputable characters, Bishop Sowale taught all of us who passed through his tutelage and mentorship to be determined and focused in whatever you believe in. Those who were unfortunately impatient to understand the personal ethos of this great servant of God swiftly stigmatized him with unprintable appellations, only for many of them to later discover him to be a principled personality. I commend his zero tolerance for nonsense, indolence, moral laxity, tardiness, procrastination, uncouth behaviour, and cheating of any form.
Bishop Dr. Sowale’s sojourn into the world of academia has gainfully earned him the reputation of being a teacher and producer of many clergymen and women (active and retired), of whom today include Deacons, Priests, Canons, Archdeacons, Presbyters, General Overseers, University Professors in Nigeria and in the diaspora, Bishops and Archbishops.
For the blessings of yesteryears, today, and many more years ahead, we thank God for Baba and Mama Sowale, and pray that their many years ahead be filled with sustained togetherness, sound health, and uncountably abundant blessings.
Seventy (70) hearty cheers to God’s anointed servant, an achiever and trailblazer, Bishop Dr. Samuel Olubayo Sowale (Uncle Shooww)!
Congratulations Sir! Here’s is wishing you many happy returns of the special day, sound health, long life and prosperity in retirement!
THE VERY REV. DR. & MRS. MICHAEL ‘NIYI & ‘SOLA ADEDOKUN
SR. MINISTER,
UNITED METHODIST CHURCH,
USA.
I am using this opportunity to celebrate Baba Olubayo Sowale at 70, my own Bishop, my bosom friend’s brother, a great scholar and church father of faith. I met him when he was the Provost of Cathedral at Shagamu in 1999. His prophetic words to me that ” my son, though you will face battle in life as minister of the gospel, but you will be victorious” is one of my anchor words of courage till today.
Indeed, Baba Sowale, as I heard and read from pages of various write ups had faced a lots of battle in the course of serving, yet God has made him more than a conqueror.
Baba Sowale, a simple and easy going man, that speaks so softly to calm one’s tension.
Your retirement is a blessing from God, whom you serve. Surely, God’s mercy will prevail over all forms of judgements to grant your long life of sound health, increasing grace and unending joy to enjoy the fruits of your labour.
I celebrate you on this landmark 70th birthday celebration and glorious retirement from active ministry of the church.
THE RT DR SAMUEL OLUBAYO SOWALE AS I KNOW HIM – CELEBRATING A WORTHY PARISHIONER AT 70
It is a great privilege to write a few words about a man I have know for 40 years (1981-2021); and this I will do from three angles. First, as my Lecturer. My first contact with The Rt Rev Dr Samuel Olubayo Sowale dated back to 1981, when he joined the Faculty of Immanuel College of Theology, Ibadan as a Lecturer, at a time I was in my second year in the College, and he became my Tutorial Master. The then Rev Sowale succeeded The Rev Canon Dr. E.B. Gbonigi who had just been appointed Provost of the Cathedral Church of St. James the Great, Oke Bola, Ibadan (and later Bishop E.B. Gbonigi, the first Bishop of the Diocese of Akure).
Rev Sowale was an adequate replacement for Canon Dr Gbonigi as my Tutorial Master in terms of academic soundness, moral probity, boldness, courage and love for the growth of upcoming youths. In a way, what I missed in Dr. Gbonigi, I found in Rev Sowale. All these qualities, Bishop Sowale still exudes till date. As a student under Bishop Sowale, he was my Homiletics Lecturer, and taught me the act of good sermon preparation and delivery. Therefore, whatever I am today, God used Bishop Sowale as one of my mentors in the ministry.
The second level of my interaction with The Rt. Rev Dr S.O. Sowale began in September 1990, after my postgraduate studies in the United States of America, and on my return, I was seconded to Immanuel College as Lecturer, where Bishop Sowale was still lecturing then. He then became my senior colleague, a mentor from whom I continued to learn! Of course, seeing him around on the campus and at staff meetings was a great shelter for three of us who were his former students: The Rev Emmanuel Abejide (later Bishop Abejide of the Methodist Diocese of Ayedun Diocese in Ekiti State), The Rev E.R. Komolafe (later Very Rev Komolafe, Provost of the Cathedral Church of St. John, Iloro, Ilesa), and my humble self. Added to the fact that we saw him as a defence, also meant that we must behave ourselves before our lecturer.
The third level of my interaction with Bishop Sowale began in 2003, when I was elected, confirmed, consecrated and enthroned as the second Bishop of the Diocese of Remo. Of course, Bishop Sowale was a destiny helper in this regard, to the glory of God. Having become the Bishop of Remo means, The Rt. Rev Dr S. Olubayo Sowale is now my Parishioner; and I am his Bishop.
In the last 18 years of our Episcopacy in the Diocese of Remo, Bishop Sowale has supported our ministry as a worthy Teacher, Mentor and Parishioner. Every year, as I have always mentioned in my Presidential Address at the Synod, he has supported the production of the Presential Address financially, and would also give us personal cash gift.
This short write-up will be incomplete without thanking God for the life of Mrs Morenike Bolanle Sowale (Mama Ilesa) who is a worthy partner with Bishop Samuel Olubayo Sowale in this ministry. They have both laboured to pastor the flock of God committed to their charge at different levels in the ministry of the Church of God.
As my Lord Bishop celebrates his 70th Birthday and retires from active service in the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion on the attainment of the mandatory 70 years, together with Mama; my wife Oluwatoyin joins me as we congratulate The Rt. Rev Dr. & Mrs S.O. Sowale, praying that they will both live long in sound and robust health to eat the fruits of their labours.
The Most Rev Rev Dr M. Olusina & Mrs Toyin Fape
The Anglican Bishop of Remo
MESSAGE OF GOODWILL AND TESTIMONY ON THE RT. REV. DR. SAMUEL OLUBAYO SOWALE AT HIS 70TH BIRTHDAY AND RETIREMENT THANKSGIVING
Life does not always allow everything that man desires; like- longevity, continues health, smooth experiences and many good fortunes. To anyone that is lucky to have them, it is solely by GRACE, from the Divine. The celebration of today is attributed to grace and grace alone.
Although, we see, talk and relate at a distance; as a Church father-to-son relationship, and I have known you to be a revered Father in God, dynamic, exquisite, flawless, and thorough in your ministry and family.
Succinctly, I have studied keenly with a chest of a mark sign of distinct attributes of selflessness, purposefulness, and submissiveness, with a fear of God, from my discussion with one of your sons; Rev. Dr. Moses Sowale, a friend and brother.
Today, I celebrate a gallant soldier of Christ; a bold Samuel of our time that dispels any action of sin; a principled man on everything that has to do with him and his God; a man that does his things differently; a prayer guru; an expositor of the word of God; a lover of justice and hater of injustice; a man that doesn’t like shortcut but cherishes to be divinely directed and positioned; a man that loves God and ready to obey him with a heart of evangelism, which led to the conversion of all his family members to Christianity.
A happy birthday and retirement to you, Dad. May you continue to remain a shinning examples to this generation as you engraft yourself in Christ.
I admonish you to keep focused, relentless, heavenly minded and live righteously till Jesus’ appearance.
Happy 70th birthday and retirement to you in everything good, sustainable, and heavenly, in Jesus name.
From:
The Ven. Dr Yomi and Mrs. Oluwayemisi Oluajo.
Diocese of Ibadan North
On behalf of my family, The Rt. Revd Dr. & Mrs Oluwaseun A. Aderogba, we heartily congratulate Baba & Mama, The Rt. Revd Dr. Olubayo & Mama Morenike Sowale for the 70th birthday and retirement from active service in the ministry. We pray that you will not retire to sickness nor death in Jesus name. Your love, care and concern will never be forgotten. Your hospitality is highly commendable. You are an epitome of liturgy and anglicanism; a scholar and teacher of many bishops. My contact with you as the then parishioner in Ilesa Diocese is highly remarkable. You will not miss your reward in Jesus name.
The Rt. Rev. Dr. Samuel Olubayo Sowale: An Epitome of Christian Virtues.
The Rt. Rev. Samuel Olubayo Sowale, who by the divine authority today is the bishop of Ilesa Diocese. To get to this status is not an easy journey. It is full of ups and downs. However, in summary it shows the virtues of a child of God. To come to the top of the ladder of one’s career, it entails some business virtues. In his life style. I want to share with you some virtues of a successful child of God discovered in Bishop Sowale . These are the virtues one needs to possess before becoming a successful career person in his calling. As a diligent minister of God, a man endowed with wisdom, in his philosophical characteristics as Solomon says about such a man in Proverb 22:29 “see a man diligent in his business, he shall stand before kings, he shall not stand before mean man”. Diligence is a great virtue of a great man. To be great, the first thing to have is diligence. Solomon again says to be rich, not only in money, that is not to become poor in all things you must be diligent Prov. 10.4. Diligent is an opposite word for sluggard. Sluggard person cannot stand before diligent person Prov. 13.4.
I first met the Rt. Rev. Dr. S.O Sowale at the pre-ordination Retreat Centre in 1978 in Ibadan. He and other three colleagues were to be ordained into the priesthood order while I was to be made a deacon with other three brothers.
Bishop Sowale who by the divine authority today, he is the Lord Bishop of Ilesa Diocese had served at various offices in the church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion. He was a lecturer at Emmanuel College of Theology Ibadan and the Provost of the Cathedral church of Remo Diocese. To get to this status is not an easy journey. It is full of ups and downs. However, in summary is shows the Bishop as an epitome of Christian virtues as a child of God. To come to the top of the ladder of one’s career like him entails some business virtues.
Bishop Sowale touched many lives. He taught his ministers the rules of behaviour as a teacher and the art of spiritual comportment. He taught them to do things to perfection, with dignity and integrity. I think this has stuck like a leach. So, I believe his training is to make the people live within the larger society as first class in spirituality and first class in characters.
The bishop and his wife Mrs. Morenike Bolanle Sowale are conscientious and indefatigable, diligent, fidelious, honest and industrious couple. The couple who was never a politician but has a charisma to lead their people at one time or the other, using even their own personal resources to promote the missionary work of the people as a whole. They can be described as one of few highly talented who have the nerves to bear the brunt of office that requires honesty and justice. Their qualities are exceptional and numerous to list.
Some people demand honour from their fellowmen, and sometimes, by sundry devices, succeed in forcing and enforcing it. Others who are very rare in their breed and number, command honour; they evoke it; they deserve it; and they do so because of their profound, worthy and abiding contributions to the welfare and happiness of their fellowmen, and the greatness of their church belongs to this latter breed of mankind.
For upward of forty years, Bishop’s outstanding achievements in grassroots evangelical activities and self-help projects have engaged the personal attention of many, including my humble self. I was able to watch from all sides of the area and finally in the last twenty three years, I gained a closer acquaintance with him as a Bishop, which eventually blossomed into unique mutual admiration and respect. Of course, the Bishop’s public image and his selfless activities have cast him into a role-model in my mind and those of others.
Bishop Sowale like old missionary, shares the same passion in the love of Evangelism and the development of the intellect, especially among youths. He is a realist who believes that any man who pursues happiness exclusively may die an unhappy man. However, he is of the opinion that if a man ensures that the community in which he finds himself is happy, then it will be absurb for him to be unhappy in a happy community. Bishop, this is your lifestyle.
The Bishop is an epitome of tolerance and mirth. Wherever he is, he diffuses geniality and peace. Honestly, I never know him – the four decades I have had cause to be associated with him – to be angry even once or to speak one harsh or offensive word to any man. Time is very short to do justice to the behind the scene activities of this advocate of noble cause.
This very short memorabilia will not be complete without mentioning the fact that one of his undisclosed activities was the role he played as the Chairman of the Board of Governors, Archbishop Vining College of Theology, Akure, where he was trained as a catechist. I am sure by now, we are all, convinced that the Bishop has touched many lives positively through his numerous activities (solicited or unsolicited). These activities now constitute a reference point that is now a source of inspiration to both his contemporaries as well as the younger generations. In concluding this short memorabilia, let me remind the readers that we are in an environment filled with mediocre, sycophants, and ciphers, but bereft of creative ideas and lofty principles. However, the Bishop radiates such strength of inner character that is now needed in great measure to preserve the remnants of the heroic standards and values which this generation inherited, but which are now getting increasingly endangered. Let charity begin and end at home. In this connection, l am calling on church Fathers to please set necessary machinery in motion, to restore Anglican church to her pristine glory, so that in due course, as it was in the past, wherever an Anglican Priest goes and is identified as such, he is at once accorded the respect due to him. On this note, l say congratulations to the Right Rev. Dr. S.O Sowale and wish him and his wife peaceful retirement.
Solomon O. Amusan
(The Rt. Rev. Dr)