HOW WAEC NEARLY RUINED MY LIFE -PASTOR ADEKOYA

One was caused by the West African Examinations Council (WEAC) in 1970. The other was at the School of Nursing, Idi-Araba, Lagos. Excerpts:

Set backs
I lost my mother when I was five years and my father at 16 plus. In 1970, I sat for my school certificate examination. When my result was released, I was dissatisfied with it. As the Lord would have it, I got a job at the WAEC Office, Yaba, Lagos, where I discovered that I was given a wrong result. The officer in charge told me it could be rectified though, only if the Principal of my school wrote to the Council because I sat for it as an internal candidate.

I ran to the school, Methodist High School, Yaba, to see the principal. T my utter dismay, the principal refused outrightly for the mere reason that some others too might protest and this might be cumbersome for the school. This woman refused to be entreated not even by the then Presbyter of the Methodist Mission who was invited to intervene by my eldest sister and her husband.

As a result of this, I became so bitter and vowed never to see the four walls of a classroom again. I worked at the WAEC as a clerical officer, till 1973. Before leaving school I had applied to a few higher institutions namely The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Kaduna Polytechnic and school of Nursing LUTH, Idi-Araba, Lagos. That year, Ibadan Polytechnic results were withheld.

After my admission to the School of Nursing, my name was published in the newspaper by The Polytechnic, Kaduna, offering me admission to read Civil Engineering and Building. I turned it down due because I had already developed interest in Nursing and couple with the fact that I knew nobody in Kaduna and for fear of compromising my new found faith in Christ. I turned this offer down even though I had many offers of sponsorship.

I heard the voice in my dream in the hostael to go back and re-take my WASC exams three times in my final year at the School of Nursing. At first, I was reluctant to obey but subsequently, I obliged. I did the exams the same year with School of Nursing and made all the papers.

However, in 1976, while taking my final practical examination, marks sheet in which my marks were recorded was said to be missing by the woman examiner. At every point, when she was examining me, she was saying very good to the answers I gave to her questions. She would record her remarks all through.

But at the oral interview, the woman was part of the panel and she denied seeing me. She said she never conducted any practical test for me. I started crying. I said my name is Esther Eniola Winfunke. She said she could not find my file. She asked: 'Are you sure I saw you this morning?' I told her to call the Ward Sister who was present then.

The principal of the school and her deputy came down to meet us. The Ward Sister confirmed that I did the practical test in her ward. This woman still insisted that she never saw me. This culminated into some argument between the school and the Nursing Council for a considerable length of time. They resolved that I should come back to retake the practical. That was the following year and I had already fixed my wedding. I passed and obtained a certificate in SRN/NRN (Nigerian Registered Nurse).

Last year, I lost my immediate younger brother. The only male child of my parents, Otunba Winfunke of Water Parks, Ikeja. It was another setback.

No age limit to learning
There is no age limit. Whatever the plan of God for your life, if you believe it will come to pass. No limitation, that destiny will be fulfilled. You just have to move closer to God and work with Him.

I determined to serve Him with all my life. Whatever He gives me in the ministry, I will do it with all my heart and to the best of my ability.

Areas of my ministry
I am an assistant minister. You need to seek God's face to know what to tell the people as a pastor. Then there is the revelation aspect, asking what do you want me to say Lord? What is the message you want me to pass across? Reveal to me, your message, Lord. I am inclined to do what God says, and that makes the difference. So, my areas are pastoral, teaching, counselling and revelation.

Landmarks
When I got married in 1977 and started having children, it was a landmark in my life. When I got my first degree in Business Administration at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), in 1989. Because of what had happened to me, I never knew I could go back to school again. I also got my MSc. in Business Administration specializing in Management in 1992. At another time, I got inspired. I got my LLB at UNILAG in 1999, and was called to Bar in 2004. I got a Bachelor of Theology in Theological Studies and Pastoral Work in 2004. Then the ministry. When you pray for people and see things coming to pass. You see the fruits and results of your trust in the Lord on the people.

Challenges
When I heard that my school certificate result was not favourable, I had already given my life to Christ. I gave my life to Christ in 1969 when my father died. When these challenges and setbacks came, all I was able to do was to pray. Apart from the help I got from my elder sister, no other help came. Losing my parents, my father in particular, drew me to Christ. It was like my life was empty, there was a vacuum. That gave me the inspiration that I still could read, even with no enough time to study. That was a turning point in my life.

Multi-skilled person
For a multi-skilled person, you put everything to play at the same time. When I am preaching as a pastor, I can talk about Law, Nursing and Management. At home, I bring my nursing experience into play. I cannot stand failure. If anything has to be done, it has to be done well. I put in my organisational skill to ensure things work perfectly well.

Receiving the call
When I gave my life to Christ in 1969, I did not know I would be a pastor. But I knew I love the Lord and that He used to talk to me. I had a revelation. I saw myself in dreams. I would see myself running. After sometime, I would find myself on a stage with a microphone, speaking to a large crowd. I would be preaching. I got first and second calls, yet, I did not understand. That was in 1983/84.

There was a visitor to LIFE Ministry from Benin. He was saying 'the call of God is upon your life. You have been called. God wants you to be a pastor. God told me that He had told you.' I told the man about my dreams.

In 1996, my husband was asked to pray about going to pastor a church in Anthony, Lagos. We were then in Yaba. In spite of the revelations, I told him I did not want to get involved in pastor work. When he accepted, we were both called out and prayed for. That was when we came over to Anthony church. That was the beginning.

Meeting my husband
I met my husband in 1974. I was in the School of Nursing, Idi-Araba then. I used to fellowship at ECWA Church, Ayilara, Surulere, Lagos. It started in the church that day. When I looked straight ahead, God told me 'that is the person you are going to marry.' I did not see his face. I was scared. He was sitting in front. I was in about 10th or 11th row to him. I was only looking at his back. Continued

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