Prophet Fakeye passes away, aged 78

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By 'Femi Okutubo

The Nigerian-born and internationally renowned Prophet Gabriel Olubunmi Fakeye has passed away after a period of illness, aged 78 - two months away from his 79th Birthday.

Special Apostle Prophet Dr Fakeye was until his death, the Chairman of the Surulere District of the Cherubim & Seraphim Movement Church which had numerous branches in Nigeria and Overseas. He was also the General Leader at the Cherubim & Seraphim Movement Church (Surulere) with its Headquarters on the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway in Lagos.

Although his death had not been announced officially by church elders this morning, the news of his death filtered out and spread like a wild fire across the world where he had numerous adherents and admirers.

In recent years, Prophet Fakeye had battled ill-health surviving a near-death encounter some years ago. The celebration of his 70th Birthday in March 2006 was a great testimony to the greatness of God for sparing his life and the immense work of evangelism he had done over the years in Nigeria and Overseas.

A founding father of the Surulere branch of the Cherubim & Seraphim Movement Church (Ayo Ni O) in 1973, he contributed in no small measure in putting the church on the Christian world map. The highly-gifted Prophet was the popular preacher who evangelised via the church's Seal of Life Ministry on radio and television.

Prophet Fakeye was one of the founding fathers who exported the Cherubim & Seraphim Church to the United Kingdom almost fifty years ago.

Barely a year after arriving in London in 1964, Prophet Fakeye with a number of like-minded people, started the Cherubim & Seraphim Church, holding the first service in 1965, at the residence of Most Revd. Samuel Abidoye - the current Spiritual Head of the Cherubim & Seraphim Movement Church Worldwide. Probably unknown to them, it would appear they were divinely-driven by an earlier prophetic message that the Cherubim & Seraphim Church which was established in Nigeria in 1925 by St. Moses Orimolade Tunolase, would be exported out of Nigeria and be established abroad 40 years later. This prophecy came to fulfilment with the founding of the Cherubim & Seraphim Church in the United Kingdom in 1965.

Until his death, he was also the recently elected President of the Organisation of African Instituted Churches (OAIC).

He was also an active representative of the church in the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

His wife - Special Mother-in-Israel Prophetess G.A. Fakeye spoke glowingly about her husband during his 70th Birthday in 2006: "I am proud of who you are and the God you believe in. You are God's man, in God's place, at God's time, and for God's purpose. I honour you and the many wonderful qualities you are blessed with. You have led multitudes to God and you have shown many how to mend their broken fences.

"You teach people about love, to God, to one another, and to themselves. You have dedicated your life to the pursuit of service to mankind. Yet you maintain humility in all that you do. This, in itself is truly priceless. You are an inspiration to everyone you meet and remain a source of blessing to multitudes."

Most Reverend Dr Abidoye spoke in a similar vein in a goodwill message during the same occasion: "I have great pleasure in sending you this special goodwill message as you come out of seventy useful, productive, and rewarding years of your life. I acknowledge the grace and power of God in your life that has enabled you to come thus far.

"I see in you humility, I see in you the love of God, I see in you the spirit of God, I see in you the wisdom of God, I see in you an outstanding evangelist ordained by God, I see in you the hand of the Lord, Jesus Christ.

You show the exemplary qualities that make a man stand before kings and I recommend these attributes to the younger generation." 

Prophet Fakeye was born in the Orudi compound in Imesi-Ile, Obokun Local Government Area of  Osun State, Nigeria on March 11, 1936 to Pa Samuel Oke Fakeye and Ma Marian Olayemi Fakeye.