Posted by By Moshood Adebayo, Abeokuta on
Pastor Peter Oloruntoye until recently was in charge of the Christ Pattern Pentecostal Church in Isale-Abetu area of Abeokuta , Ogun State capital.
Pastor Peter Oloruntoye until recently was in charge of the Christ Pattern Pentecostal Church in Isale-Abetu area of Abeokuta , Ogun State capital.
He was a warrior who led his flock with prayers and fasting.
When recently the cold hands of death dealt a big blow on him along with two others in an auto crash, it was a dream shattered for the famous pastor, and entire congregation who continue to ask rhetorically: 'Why Pastor. Why must he die through such a painful death in an accident"?
According to them, Pastor Oluruntoye had saved many people through prayers and fasting so much that: 'We did not expect death to come near him in the next 50 years.
Why must a kind-hearted man like Pastor Oloruntoye die? Why him. Why not the wicked ones? Why must death kill the righteous and leave behind the wicked? 'A member of the church, situated on a hill in the ancient city, Mrs. Ayorinde asked amid tears, at the mortuary of the state's General Hospital, Ijaiye, Abeokuta.
Mrs. Ayorinde was so jolted by the pastor's death that she added: 'He dreamt big and struggled through prayers and fasting to better the lot of members. Who else can do it?. He has left a big vacuum that will be difficult to fill. Why must pastor die through such a painful death and through an accident?"
Daily Sun learnt that before death came on the early morning of Monday, November 6, 2006, Oloruntoye, who was popular among the members of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN)was full of life.
One of his close friends, Pastor Olusesi Obateye described Oloruntoye's death as a mystery and great shock to the PFN.
'As Christians we believe only God giveth and taketh, but why death should take the lives of three of our members at a go is still what we don't understand, but God knows best".
At the church last Sunday, Pastor Daniel Olatoye, admonished members of the church who were grieved and sadden by the death of their pastor, and asked: 'Why are you wearing frowning faces? Why are you sad? Nobody was there when Pastor Oloruntoye was born, none of you was there when he was called and baptized by God. The owner of all mortals has taken him and there is nothing we can do, because we are not the owner of ourselves."
Citing Mathew Chapter 20, in the Bible, Pastor Olatoye said: 'I agree with you that we would have been happier if he had traveled to the Great Britain or America where we would expect him to return with hard currency or even vehicles, but unfortunately, he had made a journey of no return. It is a journey that all of us would make one day.
'For now we have to cheer up because there is nothing we can do. We can't query God, but to continue to shower praises on to Him"
Meanwhile the occupant of the car, Peugeot 406 which hit Pastor Oloruntoye's red Audi car, Mr. Adeyanju Makinde, has every reason to thank God, having survived the fatal accident.
Adeyanju, a banker with the Intercontinental Bank, Ibara, Abeokuta was returning from Ibadan where he had spent the weekend when, at Eweje village, the accident, which almost claimed his life occurred.
'I don't know what happened. I cannot remember how it happened. I just found myself in the hospital, but I was coming from Ibadan," he said.
Truly, the lucky banker may not know how the auto-crash happened, but police sources told Daily Sun that Adeyanju escaped death by the whiskers.
'He's a lucky man. He escaped miraculously even though he had some head injuries and small frastcture. Aside from the Grace of God that saved him, the brand of car that he drove also saved him. He's alive today because of technology wonders. If not that his car was equipped with an air bag facility, he would have been dead", a traffic police officer who preferred anonymity told Daily Sun.
Even as Adeyanju survived, Pastor Oloruntoye and two other pastors died. They are pastors Jesuwole Matthew and Paul Olanjo. The late three pastors who were said to be on their way to Ile-Ife, Osun State for an evangelical crusade were driving in, an Audi car with registration number plate, Abuja AT 789 BWR.
'I can't say exactly when the accident occurred, but I was already preparing for farm when I was attracted to the accident scene by a loud bang. Other courageous motorists stopped to assist while many refused to stop for whatever reason", Ezekiel, a villager told Daily Sun.