That Testimony Bishop Oyedepo Always Talks About: The Inside Story

Deacon Niyi

Adeyemi Adeniyi is a member of the Living Faith Church also known as Winners’ Chapel. He worships at Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland Ota, the ministry’s headquarters where he serves with the Language Translation Unit. During his National Youth Service, the compulsory one-year service by every graduate in Nigeria, certain events happened in his life that culminated in what is now a reference point among members of the church. First he was to be deployed to far-away Yobe State but he redeployed to Lagos, only to be rejected by the company where he was posted to for primary assignment. Not deterred, he sought the face of the Lord in prayers. What played out afterwards was a practical demonstration of the scripture that says, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.” According to his testimony which is often mentioned by the senior pastor of the church, Bishop David Oyedepo, God told him specifically to go to a particular company where he met people who already knew him as an interpreter in church. But Niyi didn't meet a blossoming company. In fact the company was in a bad shape financially when he joined but it turned out that he was sent there for a purpose. 

Though he has shared this testimony in one of the services in church, as it is the custom of Winners Chapel, the time allotted for testimonies is always not enough for the entire details. Hence, FT News caught up with him recently for an interview and he shared with Bros. Gabriel Onyema and Frederick Onwuka the Inside Story, revealing what happened, what he did, what God did, and what the situation is now.

After his testimony on the altar, the question on the lips of many was ‘How did it really happen? Here is the Inside Story. 

“I joined my organization - Property Max Investment Limited - in the year 2008 as a Youth Corps member. The office is on Akiode in Ojodu, Berger, Lagos. I actually prayed first before I joined the company but at that time, I would have falsified the age on my C.V so as to be able to do my Youth Service in a bank as most people will always prefer, but I chose not to and I said just like Bishop Oyedepo would always say “Whatever God can never give me may I never have it.” Since I was redeployed to Lagos, I had to look for where to do my Youth Service and so I chose to wait upon the Lord for Him to settle me,” he told our reporter.

But the first company he visited didn’t look like God was going to ‘settle him’ as he prayed.

“They told me that the last copper they needed had been taken. However, they were not direct about it; they asked me to come again,” he continued. 

As a man who understands spiritual warfare, Niyi knew what to do when everything else fails.

“So I embarked on a three-day prayer and fasting, believing God that the next time I appear there they will accept me,” he said with a note of conviction. 

But at first, it looked as if his prayers were not answered as he only got a rejection letter. But Niyi seemed to have an answer to issues like this. In his words, God had a better place for him. Indeed he was convinced it was a blessing in disguise. He also was smart enough to understand that faith without work is dead, so he, as it were, ‘watched and prayed’:

“One day I went to meet an NYSC Official that God has divinely arranged. He was one of the people in charge of posting in Lagos so I decided to visit him in his house and when I was there he was telling me that there were some organizations seeking to get corps members. In the process I met a young guy who was working with Property Max Investment Limited. He had been working there before he went for Youth Service.”

And if you thought he just walked into a bed of roses, you were wrong. In fact, Deacon Niyi got a blend of discouragement and hope. But was he discouraged? 

“The NYSC official introduced me to the young man and the young man said, ‘Guy, if you want to serve in our company there is nothing there o but there is a future there.’ I said ‘Future,’ that is the key and not about the size of the company but the future in the place.” 

As a 'Son of the Prophet,' he took definite steps:

“I got the name of the company, and I also took the names of other organizations that were looking for coppers, and I prayed about them and God told me to choose Property Max. I decided to go there and when I got there, God said 'yes, this is the place, stay here.'They were having a meeting when I got there. When they finished the meeting, something unusual happened; that was when I got to know that God really ordered my footsteps there.” 

His labour in God’s vineyard as an interpreter began to yield some earthly results. And as it turned out, people that matter in the organization knew him as a lover of God, and they put in some good words for him to his prospective boss.

“Later, the M.D sent for me and said, “You know what, I have heard a lot about you so there is nothing you have to tell me. Are you here just to be collecting clearance letters every month because I heard you have your own business too or you want to work, let me know?” 

Then it was time for Niyi to reveal to the boss God’s marching orders to him:

“I said ‘God asked me to come here and work so I can learn.’ So he said ‘if that is the case, there’s work to do. That office, you will be resuming there from tomorrow and you will be kick-starting the Accounting department of this organization. Now you can start. That was how I started,” he said with a glow on his face.

He was there for a purpose and in less than a week, it was time to fulfill that purpose as obedience is not complete until it is immediate. Something novel but highly profitable was about to be introduced into the management via this young Copper!

“God told me there was a problem in the financial department and that I should inform the M.D that He has instructed us to go on a three-day fasting and prayer.” 

Mr Niyi got a mandate from God, and he got to work immediately.

“So, I got to the office the next day and I told my M.D and he said, “You and the other workers can fast but as for me I will not because I have ulcer.” 

Then he exhibited the traits that genuine Winners are known for, i.e. a display of uncommon faith and positive confessions:

“And I told him, Sir, if you have such a problem, as far as I am here that trouble will stop.” 

And God is still a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him because while “they were yet praying and fasting,” answer was on the way.

“Before the end of the fasting and prayers, things started changing for good,” he enthused with an expected lighted facial expression. 

FT News dug a little further to find out how things changed in specific terms and what we discovered will blow your mind! For instance, before the fasting intervention, many companies owed Property Max huge sums running into millions. After the intervention, cheques of repayment started pouring in! It also robbed off on the members of staff. But another spectacular thing happened that reflected one of Bishop Oyedepo’s favorite sayings, “It is foolish to be shameful of what is gainful.” It looked like management had entrenched fasting and prayers into the company’s policy. 

“After the first 3-day prayer and fasting exercise and the speedy results that followed, management decided to raise the bar; we embarked on a 7-day fasting and prayers, and then graduated to 21days of prayers fasting. After then, there was an explosion!” 

The company got its first-owned estate; and about 13 new estates during the period; salaries of staff became regular, the sales staff members witnessed an upsurge in their personal sales which also meant fat commissions, and so on. To say the least, things changed in all ramifications. 

Today, Deacon Niyi is a living testimony to that prayer-and-fasting intervention. But that was just a sign of what was coming. After service, he hung around for a few years and then it was time to leave. Then another mild drama ensued. Suddenly, his boss wanted him to go! On the face of it, it looked worrisome, but it was yet another divine orchestration by The Almighty. 

“One day, my boss called me and said ‘Niyi, you have served me well and God has laid it in my heart that it’s time for you to move on’. I was surprised so I asked if I had offended him. He answered in the negative but asked me to pray about it”

But first, he had to bounce it off his spiritual parents just in case he was missing it this time. He had to draw on the relationship he had (and still has) with them when he was still in Abuja (the reason it pays to serve God well, wherever one is). Once again, this was indeed the handiwork of God!

“I spoke with Bishop David Abioye and Bishop Aremu together with Mummy Abioye and they said if it was God then He had a special plan for me’. I went to my boss and I agreed to resign.”

Then the bombshell came, albeit a cheering one! Niyi got a parting gift that surpassed his expectations. There’s no better way to say this than in his own words: 

“He handed over to me an estate and gave me two partners to work with me. He also gave me the Range Rover Sports car I had been using as my official car.” 

Take a look at the picture below and you’d appreciate what he meant by a car! 

The Parting Gift From His Boss

During this period that eventually ended in testimonies, his fiancee who later became his wife, stood by him all through. And he is always ready to tell whoever cares to listen how instrumental and sacrificial his wife has been in his life’s journey. He is still serving God in the Yoruba division of the ministry’s Language Translation Team (LTT) at Faith Tabernacle, Ota. After working for his former boss for 5years, he now has his own company – Tromville Investment Limited - on Salvation Road, Opebi, Ikeja. Deacon Adeyemi Adeniyi is married to Mrs Omobolanle. They are blessed with three lovely children: two girls and a boy.

Niyi, Wife & Children

Niyi Loves To Read

Indeed, any faith that makes God absolutely responsible for the affairs of our lives is an irresponsible faith. He is the same God yesterday, today and forever, or has God changed?

If you have been blessed by this Inside Story, please share it with your friends. There might just be an organisation out there that needs to take a cue from this to move to the next level. Like us on Facebook (Faith Tabernacle News). Watch out for more Inside Story on this blog.