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'{{unreliable sources|date=December 2017}} {{Infobox person |name = Joseph Babalola |image = Babalola.jpg |caption = |birth_name = |birth_date = {{birth date|1904|4|25}} |birth_place = Odo-Owa, [[Kwara State|Oke-Ero]] [[Local Government Areas of Nigeria|LGA]] [[Kwara State]], [[Nigeria]] |death_date = {{death date and age|1959|7|26|1904|4|25}} |death_place = [[Ede, Nigeria|Ede]], [[Osun State]], southwestern [[Nigeria]] |resting_place = Grave Prayer House Mausoleum [[Effon-Alaiye]], [[Ekiti State]], [[Nigeria]] |nationality = Nigerian |citizenship = Nigerian |other_names = |known_for = |education = |alma_mater = |employer = |occupation =[[Apostle]], [[Preacher]], [[Prophet]] |years_active = 55 |home_town = Odo-Owa, [[Kwara State|Oke-Ero]] [[Local Government Areas of Nigeria|LGA]], [[Kwara State]], [[Nigeria]] |salary = |networth = |height = |weight = |title = [[Apostle, Prophet]] |term = |predecessor = |successor = |party = |opponents = |boards = |spouse = |partner = |children = |parents = Pa David Lawani Rotimi and Madam Martha Talabi Rotimi |relations = |callsign = |awards = |signature = |website = |footnotes = |box_width = }} '''Joseph Ayo Babalola''' (25 April 1904 – 26 July 1959) was the first General Evangelist of the [[Christ Apostolic Church]], popularly called CAC in [[Nigeria]]. He was credited with healing powers. ==Early life== Babalola was born of [[Yoruba people|Yoruba]] parents at Odo-Owa, [[Kwara State]], Nigeria.<ref name=History>{{cite web|url=http://www.joafosco.blogspot.com/2009/09/short-history-of-christ-apostolic.html |title=Short History of Christ Apostolic Church|website=joafosco.blogspot.com |accessdate=6 May 2014}}</ref> He was brought up as an [[Anglican]]. He was registered at an elementary school at Oto-Awori on [[Badagry]] Road, [[Lagos State]], in 1914.<ref name=History /> He got to standard four, before he became a blacksmith's apprentice and he learnt it for two years, before he became a [[steamroller]] operator under the [[Public Works Department (Nigeria)|PWD (Public Works Department)]], then under the control of [[Great Britain]], learning to become a steamroller driver. After 15 days of learning to drive the caterpillar, he was able to drive it without any assistance. After nine months; he became a master in his class. A [[steamroller]] was first given to him on 1 April 1928 to work on the Osogbo – Ilesha road. On June 14, 1928 he was transferred to Akure – Ilesha road.<ref name=History /> Babalola was baptized in Lagos lagoon in December 1929.<ref>Abi Olowe; [http://www.greatrevivals.com ''Great Revivals, Great Revivalist - Joseph Ayo Babalola''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090130043028/http://greatrevivals.com/ |date=2009-01-30 }}, Omega Publishers, 2007</ref><ref name=Heroes>{{cite web|url=http://www.memikoroduroad.org/heroesoffaith.htm|title=Special Feature on Heroes of Faith|website=memikoroduroad.org |accessdate=6 May 2014}}</ref> == Ministry and healing == In 1931 Faith Tabernacle affiliated with The Apostolic Church with general headquarters in the [[United Kingdom]] (and not British Apostolic Church, as erroneously called by some authors).<ref>(1). S.A. Fatokun(2006),"The Apostolic Church Nigeria: The ‘Metamorphosis’ of an Indigenous-Prophetic Healing Movement into a Classical Pentecostal Denomination" in Orita – Ibadan Journal of Religious Studies, Vol. 38, June & Dec., pp.49-70.http://www.oritajournal.org</ref> Then following a schism in The Apostolic Church about 1940, Babalola went with a group led by Pastors J.B. Akinyele and D.O. Odubanjo to form a new independent church,<ref>(2). S.A. Fatokun(2005), "Pentecostalism in Nigeria with Particular Emphasis on The Apostolic Church in Southwestern Nigeria", PhD Thesis, Department of Religious Studies, University of Ibadan, Nigeria</ref> [[Christ Apostolic Church]] (CAC), where he continued his healing and revivalistic activities until his death. The CAC regards Babalola as an apostle, while in actual sense by real church ordination he was not at any time historically ordained into that office. A CAC retreat center was built at Ikeji-Arakeji, [[Osun State]] where Babalola was first called in 1928. However, Babalola was not the sole founder of CAC as many claim today but one of the trio of CAC Founding Fathers.<ref>(3)S.E.A. Oludare (1999), "The Trio of CAC Founding Fathers", M.A. Dissertation, Department of Religious Studies, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.</ref> The Christ Apostolic Church has not died along with Apostle Joseph Ayo Babalola in 1959. In fact it has grown rapidly over the years, with many churches under the Christ Apostolic Church name but each church with a specific branch name. The [[Joseph Ayo Babalola University]] (JABU) a private [[List of Nigerian universities|Nigerian university]] located in [[Ikeji-Arakeji]] in [[Osun State]], established by the [[Christ Apostolic Church]] (CAC) Worldwide is named after him, located at the place where he says he was called by God in 1928. ==References== {{Reflist}} ==Further reading== *Abi Olowe; [http://www.greatrevivals.com ''Joseph Ayo Babalola Miracle Center''], Omega Publishers, 2007 *Toyin Falola; ''The History of Nigeria'', Greenwood Press, 1999 <!--*Victoria Taiwo--> {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Babalola, Joseph Ayo}} [[Category:1904 births]] [[Category:1959 deaths]] [[Category:Yoruba Christian clergy]] [[Category:Nigerian Anglicans]] [[Category:Nigerian Pentecostals]] [[Category:People from Kwara State]]'