Our Founder

Elder (Dr) Godfrey Itse Mene Otubu was born on February 24th, 1924 to Chief Otubu Uweva of Oghara in Ethiope West L. G. A. and Madam Kpeke Otubu (nee Uduaghan) of Abeugbodo/Koko of Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State of Nigeria.

He had his primary Education in Oghara and Secondary Education at Abbot Institute Sapele. He did his Accountancy Training with School of Accountancy London and had an early working experience with Beta Shoe Company from 1914 – 1951 starting from Benin City. He joined the Loans Board of the Ministry of Commerce in 1954 which later became part of the then Eastern Region Development Cooperation (ERDC). He served with the E.R.D.C. from 1955 – 1959 in several capacities rising to the post of Group Accountant.

He joined the Federal Civil Service on 7th July, 1959 as Accountant in the Treasury. He had a distinguished career in the Service, serving in various Federal Ministries and finally retired in 1979 as Controller of Finance and Account in the Federal Ministry of Defence. After retirement, he set up a Consultancy Company “Senforce Limited”. This has since diversified into several other companies now under the Senforce Group of Companies. He was the founding Chairman of Zenith International Bank Limited. Baba Aladura (Dr) G. I. M. Otubu was married and blessed with many children and grandchildren.

Born to parents who were Baptist, he started off as a member of Baptist Church but was later baptized and confirmed in the Anglican Communion. He joined the Cherubim and Seraphim Organisation in 1943 at Benin City. He was ordained Prophet in 1947 at Bar Beach, Lagos. In 1954, when he took up appointment in Enugu, he started worshipping at the Eternal Sacred Order of the Cherubim and Seraphim at Chief Agbor Street, Asata, Enugu. He started all over again from the beginning as Aladura and rose through the ranks and he was ordained Apostle in 1959. In the East, he worked tirelessly with others to propagate the gospel of Jesus Christ and to spread the doctrine of Holy Order. These include - converting new members to the Holy Order, building Prayer Houses and opening new branches.

When wearing of garments was seen by other people as an anathema, he was not ashamed to carry the cross in his sparkling white to propagate the gospel of Christ.

Noticing a striking lack of uniformity in the way Officers of the Holy Order were conducting Church services, Elder Otubu wrote and caused to be published, a booklet titled “Explanatory Note” which sought to standardize the Order of worship and it is still in use till today. He also published a guide titled “Duties of Workers for all Officers of the Holy Order” on matters of conduct in and out of office and on questions of propriety and decorum in behaviours.

When he arrived in Lagos in 1959, he worshiped at Rufia Street, Surulere with Elder E. Olu-Coker who had been their leader in the Eastern Region and from there he was introduced to Baba Aladura Olugbusi at Mount Zion General Headquarters, Ebute-Metta. In 1961, he was admitted as member of the Executive Committee by the Baba Aladura after the decision of the High Court in Suit No. 194/59. The Advisory Board was reconstituted by all the surviving subscribers. Mount Zion General Headquarters and Idi-Oro Court came together to form a formidable Advisory Board.

During the 1969 crisis at Ebute-Metta, Elder Otubu along with Elders Ojo, Uwanikone, Badejo and Ayo Olugbusi were arrested and charged with murder. We thank God that they were all discharged and acquainted. Elder Otubu, under the direction of late Baba Aladura Olugbusi contributed immensely to the relocation of the National Headquarters to Surulere and almost single handedly built the Cathedral at 38 Tejuosho Road, Surulere. Elder Otubu was also instrumental in the establishment of the Holy Order in London, New York and several States in United States of America and the spread of the Holy Order throughout the world.

Elder Otubu also took upon himself to translate and modernize ESOCS hymns from their traditional Yoruba into English and the compilation of such Hymns (Together with other popular Church Hymns) into a single convenient volume.

As a result of his hard work and loyalty to the Church and the then Baba Aladura Olugbusi, he was ordained as the first Chancellor to the Baba Aladura. In 1961, he was appointed Secretary to the Holy Order and later ordained Senior Apostle General (SAG) in 1973, a post he held till 1985 when he was appointed Baba Aladura by the Advisory Board. After the death of Baba Aladura Ogunyadi, Elder (Dr) G. I. M. Otubu, then Senior Apostle General was appointed and inducted as the Baba Aladura on 12th September 1986 at the Mount Zion National Headquarters, Surulere, Lagos.

Baba Aladura Otubu introduced the ranks of Special Senior Apostle, Apostle General and Supervising Apostle General as well as Senior Mother-In-Israel. He also established the King David Association, The Eternal Torch Bearers Association, Mount Zion Youth Society and the Eternal Sisters Association. He created the Central Management Committee (CMC) as well as Finance Committee to ensure probity, accountability and good governance in all the provinces of the Holy Order. Baba Aladura Otubu greatly enhanced the image of the Holy Order in Nigeria and abroad. He was a member of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN); National President of the Organization of African Instituted Churches (OAIC); the International President of the Organization of African Instituted Churches with headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya and member of Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) among others.

Elder G. I. M. Otubu slept in the Lord on the 17th of November, 2004 and was buried at Oghara, Delta State.