JOSIAH OLUFEMI AKINDAYOMI (Redeemed Christian Church of God, Lagos Nigeria)
Josiah Olufemi Akindayomi was the founder and first general overseer of what is today known as the Redeemed Christian Church of God. The church, today acclaimed as the fastest growing Pentecostal church in the world, started in 1947 as an independent prayer fellowship, the Glory of God Fellowship. This group blossomed into the Redeemed Christian Church of God in 1952.
Josiah was born in 1909 into the Akindayomi family in Ondo State, Nigeria and died in 1980 at the age of 71. Thereafter Pastor Adeboye's appointment was formalized and he has since been the general overseer of the church.
Today God is still doing powerful work through the Redeemed Christian Church of God worldwide. In 1981 there was an explosion of growth in the number of parishes. At the last count there were about 2,000 parishes of the church in Nigeria. The church is also present in other African nations, Europe the Americas, and in the Caribbean.