Tribute To Pastor Samson Bamigbayan @ 60 : The Man;The Dream; The Testament

“Pastor Samson Bamigbayan is an open book with nothing to hide. I’ve never seen a man so accessible like Jesus.. So loving like John… So humble like Joseph… So grounded in scriptures like Apostle Paul… And yet so down to earth and human like Pastor Samson Bamigbayan”

By Albert Oikelome

It was in the 1985. I was recuperating from a high fever and ordered to stay with him for close monitoring. He was our Bible Study coordinator, and my Senior in College. I had just got into the campus while he was on his way out. It was such a wonderful privilege staying with our leader back then. I spent a whole week in his room being pampered and fed for free by my leader! He was actually the ‘Daddy wey dey pamper’ (and he still is to this day).

Pastor Bamigbayan was not only grounded in scriptures. He was a ‘prayer machine’. The New Testament Assembly was birthed in the place of prayer. One night on campus, I paid him a courstey call and deliberately passed the night… (for another koinonia. You are assured of free meal ticket throughout your stay with him). That night was unforgettable for me. He travailed on his knees while I was busy snoring. Suddenly he tapped me and bid me sit. Then, he bought out a diary and showed me some things the Lord had told him.

“The Lord said he will use me for this generation. I know the name. The place. And then, the Camp!’

In my heart I laughed! How can God show you a name, place not to talk of the Camp when you are still in college drinking garri and roasted groundnut? Well, that is now history. He has the name… God gave him the place… and there is an established Camp… ” Success Camp”.

Pastor Samson Bamigbayan is an open book with nothing to hide. I’ve never seen a man so accessible like Jesus.. So loving like John… So humble like Joseph… So grounded in scriptures like Apostle Paul… And yet so down to earth and human like Pastor Samson Bamigbayan.

He relates with the high and mighty. Yet you won’t know… Reason? His heart is so engrossed with the low and downtrodden. His level of humility to me is something worth doing a PhD research on. Yet, that doesn’t stop him from being blunt. If ‘You are not ready to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, dont bother seeing him. He will get you to confess anyway. That’s pastor Bamigbayan for you.

Today, we celebrate your 60 years of love and service to God and humanity.

Happy birthday sir! Many thanks for heeding Gods call.

That dream and vision of that night has become a reality and flourishing in leaps and bounds .

Prof Albert Oikelome is a lecturer at the department of creative arts University of Lagos