DAY ONE (EVENING SESSION)
SUMMARY
It’s been a year already, and just like that, GOFAMINT Convention 2026 is here!
If you were on the ground tonight, you already know; if you weren’t, pull up a chair, because you are about to get the full gist of how this evening went, and trust me, it was one for the books.
We kicked off with the energy that only convention can bring: seven powerful Halleluyahs! If you didn’t shout yours along with us, what are you waiting for? Start now.
And while you’re at it, take note of this: anywhere, anytime you hear “To God be the Glory!”, the only acceptable response from this point forward is: “For the Great Things He has done for GOFAMINT, for me and for us!!” Don’t say you weren’t told.
Pastor Engr. (Dr.) Tunde Ojo served as the General Moderator for the opening evening and will continue in that role through August 6. He led us in the opening prayers. We came before God with gratitude; we made our expectations known, and we asked that He glorify Himself through this convention. He referenced Revelation 4:11 as the anchor for the night.
He then introduced the moderator for the opening session, Pastor Segun Ojo, District Pastor of Mount Zion, Abeokuta, after which the evening’s proceedings officially got underway.
Then, of course, the best Praise Team of this dispensation stepped and ushered us into a glorious session of worship that left no heart untouched. The atmosphere was saturated with God’s presence, and whether you were on-site or connected online, the glory of God was undeniably felt.
What followed was the rendition of Hymns 420 and 297 from the Gospel Hymn Book, after which the wife of the General Secretary, Deaconess Oluwakemi Omowumi, came to the podium to read the evening’s Bible passages from Psalms 96 and 98.
After that, the Regional Pastor of Region 12, Pastor Dr. Peter Ewenla, led us into the first official prayer session of the convention. We went on our knees, giving thanks to God for the vision of GOFAMINT, anchored in Revelation 4:9-11. It was the praying that reminds you why you came.
The atmosphere shifted the moment our Father, Grandfather and General Overseer, Pastor (Dr.) E.O. Abina was welcomed into the hall. The joy, the noise, the sheer celebration of his presence- it gave us just a glimpse of what heaven’s going to feel like. We sang Glory, Glory, Hallelujah! and meant every word.
Baba, looking elegant as ever in his white “Agbada” gave his keynote address. He is 91 years old, and I want you to know his voice was clear and full when he sang “All Glory must be to the Lord.” He took us back to GOFAMINT’s humble beginnings of love at 9 Omotola Street, Iwaya.
He charged us strongly: do not embrace hatred or rebellion, he said. He reminded us, from 1 Samuel, that God regards rebellion as witchcraft. He then warmly welcomed all special guests, urged everyone to keep to the convention guidelines, and expressed deep appreciation to every committee member, group, and individual who made this convention possible.
He closed by praying for the church, for greater exploits, and that the next generation would inherit not just a large church but one full of love and unity. Amen and Amen.
Now, if you thought that was all the beauty the evening had to offer, the Children Evangelism Unit (CEU) had something to say about that.
Under the leadership of Evang. Emmanuel Alabi, those children came and gave everything. Onward Christian Soldiers, the voices, the flags, the military parade- it was awe-inspiring and sweet to the ear.
They then broke into the Sunday School Anthem to celebrate 70 years of the Sunday school blessing lives in and beyond GOFAMINT.
Children are truly the heritage of God, and tonight, they proved it thoroughly. The collection of the thanksgiving offering was then led by Pastor Paul Williams, after which the choir gave their rendition.
Before the ministry of the Word, the Media Team presented a special media introduction, formally ushering in the evening’s minister, Pastor Theophilus Ajadi, the National Overseer of GOFAMINT Australia.
He delivered an insightful and powerful opening message on Celebrating God’s Faithfulness, and it set the tone for everything this convention will be.
Pastor Theophilus opened with something that drew a lot of attention: “Good people don’t go to heaven; only the saved do.” Let that land for a moment.
He then unpacked God’s faithfulness in a way that reframed how many of us think about it. Faithfulness, he said, is not just about God’s ability, but it is about His loyalty, His reliability, His dependability.
And here’s the thing that hit differently: it’s not God’s ability that men tend to doubt. It is His reliability. We know He can, but the question people wrestle with is whether He will, every time, for them.
He also sounded a charge that we cannot afford to overlook: there can be no revival without intense, committed prayer.
And then he put action to his words. Pastor Adu was invited to the altar to pray specifically for those between the ages of 18 and 40, that their visions would not die, that their prayers would be answered, Grace, to see, Grace, to hear, Grace, to obey, and Grace to be holy. Those were the specific things prayed over that generation, and if you fall in that bracket, receive it; it was for you too.
To close, the National Overseer for North America, Pastor Taiwo Fagbuyi, was invited to pray for the minister.
The session was wrapped up as our General Overseer, Pastor (Dr.) E.O. Abina shared the grace, and the announcements were displayed.
Day One, evening session, done! And if this is just the beginning, I can only imagine where we go from here.