Benson Andrew Idahosa (11 September 1938 – 12 March 1998) affectionately called PAPA or BA by many Christians, was a Charismatic Pentecostal preacher, and founder of the Church of God Mission International with headquarters in Benin City, Nigeria. As the first Pentecostal Archbishop in Nigeria, he was renowned for his robust faith. T. L. Osborn called him the greatest African Ambassador of the apostolic Christian faith to the world.
His Personal Life
Born to non-Christian parents in a predominantly non-Christian community, he was rejected by his father, John, for being frail and sickly. He constantly had fainting spells as a child, and on one of his spells, his mother, Sarah, was instructed by his father to abandon him at a rubbish heap presuming him dead. Hours later, he came to and began wailing and was rescued by his mother. He grew up in a poor household. Like most of the surrounding houses, his family home was a mud house. This reality denied him access to education until he was fourteen years old when he was able to attend a local government school.
Early Ministry
As a youth, he got converted to Christianity by a certain Pastor Okpo and joined his fledgling congregation as one of its first members. He was very active in proselytizing and converting many to Christianity. After experiencing a revelation from God calling him into ministry, he began to conduct outreaches from village to village, before establishing his church in a store in Benin City.
By 1971, he had established churches all over Nigeria and Ghana. Known for his boldness, power, and prosperity-based preaching, as well as an enormous faith in the supernatural, he was instrumental to the strong wave of revival in Christianity and marked conversions from animism that occurred between the 1970s and 1990s in Nigeria. He is regarded by Christian folks as the father of Pentecostalism in Nigeria and was the founding President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN). Many prominent Nigerian pastors like Ayo Oritsejafor (current President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN)), David Oyedepo, Felix Omobude, Fred Addo, Bishop Mike Okonkwo, and Chris Oyakhilome were his protégés.
Ministry Growth
The headquarters of his ministry, Faith Miracle Center, is a cathedral that seats up to 10,000 people. Church of God Mission has branches the world over, from Europe to Africa to Asia to America. With his main task being evangelism, he launched Idahosa World Outreach television ministry (IWO TV), which was a broadcast reaching a potential viewing audience of 50 million people.
He was used by God to perform many miracles, including healing the blind and raising up to twenty-eight people from the dead at different times in his ministry.
He was known for many notable quotes including “My God is not a poor God”, “your attitude determines your altitude”, “it is more risky, not to take a risk”, “I am a possibilitarian”, “A big head without a big brain is a big load to the neck”, “If your faith says yes, God cannot say no”, amongst others. Many of his messages on faith, miracles, and prosperity remain a classic among Pentecostals.
He had strong links with international gospel ministers like Billy Graham, T. L. Osborn, Kenneth Hagin, Benny Hinn, Reinhard Bonnke, Morris Cerullo, and Oral Roberts, amongst others; and took the gospel to 145 nations in his lifetime. At the time of his death in 1998, he had preached to more whites than any black man, and to more blacks than any white man.
His desire to meet the needs of the total man led him to establish several other arms of the ministry apart from the church. They include the Faith Mediplex, All Nations for Christ Bible Institute, Word of Faith Group of Schools, and Benson Idahosa University which is currently under the leadership of his son, Rev. F. E. B. Idahosa. His wife, Margaret Idahosa is the current Archbishop of the church.
Bishop FEB Idahosa obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration from Oral Roberts University, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA in 1994. In 1995, he obtained a Masters's Degree in Public Health from the George Washington University Graduate School, Washington D. C. He is currently a Doctoral candidate for Educational Leadership at Oral Roberts University, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA.
Bishop FEB Idahosa has been in the education field for the past 12 (twelve) years and has been the President of Benson Idahosa University since March 15th, 1998. He demonstrates excellent leadership qualities in a multi-generational environment and helps nurture the students of the university into developing their leadership potential. Along with his duties as President of BIU, he is also the President of Big Ben’s Children's Hospital, Vice President of Faith Mediplex group of hospitals, Vice President of All Nations for Christ Bible Institute Intl., Vice President of the Archbishop Idahosa Foundation and Idahosa World Outreach. He is a member of the Church of God Mission International (CGMi) Council of Bishops, its Board of Administration, Board of Education, the International Communion of Charismatic Churches, Victory Christian Fellowship Newcastle DE, and the Edo National Association, USA. In all of these responsibilities, Bishop FEB functions in excellence and Godly professionalism.
Bishop FEB serves as the Bishop of the headquarters branch of Church of God Mission International, overseeing the spiritual affairs of the church and the branches under it. He also supervises the campus fellowship arm of the church (Christian Fellowship International) and the church's newest innovation, the Next Generation Leadership (NGL) Churches. With about 9 (nine) of these churches started across Nigeria, the Church of God Mission is reaching the vital 18 – 35-year-old demographic of youth that is poised to change Nigeria.
As an entrepreneur and respectable businessman Bishop FEB amongst other exploits is the CEO of BIU Integrated Services Ltd., Chosen Properties, Pear Systems Development Company, DFI Nigeria, DFI U.S.A., and BIU Property Development Company. These reputable establishments are thriving in their various areas of expertise and are providing exquisite services to their clients within and outside the country. In shouldering major decision making Bishop FEB has always been able to combine intelligence and the wisdom of God with a listening ear for beneficiaries, staff, and management of the various establishments under his leadership; this has brought about the exceptional progress and development these establishments have experienced over the years.
Bishop FEB Idahosa is a born trans-generational leader who showcases godliness and excellence wherever he goes and in whatever he does amongst his peers. He has continuously been honored with various awards by both religious and non-religious bodies for his entrepreneurial, goodwill, developmental, and leadership endeavors ranging from the Oral Roberts University Academic Peer Advisor program award of as far back as 1994 to the most recent Grand Fellowship Award by the Institute of Strategic Management Nigeria.
Bishop FEB Idahosa has a passion to see a change in Nigeria and through Benson Idahosa University is raising a generation of young people who will. He has a keen interest in the advancement of technology, the growth of our country, and the betterment of its Leadership. He has recently unveiled his brainchild, The Leadership 300. This is a search for young potential future leaders into Undergraduate Programmes in BIU, who will tread what he calls ‘The Leadership Path’ designed to nurture them into leadership and success in their various fields.
As an author of two books, loving husband of Rev. Laurie Whetstone-Idahosa, father of Three(Feb Jnr, Nathan, and Judah) and an elite minister of God, Bishop Faith Emmanuel Benson Idahosa II remains an epitome of vast knowledge, a man of humility, integrity and a multi-faceted leader.
Credit: https://www.biu.edu.ng/
