By Mike Adeyemi
There are birthdays that merely mark the passage of time, and there are birthdays that invite reflection on a life that has become a testimony. There are also men whose birthdays deserve more than the conventional exchange of greetings because their journey through life has left footprints in the sands of faith, character and service to humanity. It is in this latter category that I place Rev. Iliya Ogbay Enupe.
The Psalmist, in his profound meditation on the brevity of human existence, prayed: “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” — Psalm 90:12. The wisdom in numbering our days is not merely in counting the years that have passed, but in examining what those years have produced.
It is to ask: What has one’s life stood for? Whose lives have been touched? What eternal values have been defended? And, above all, has one’s pilgrimage reflected the One in whose name one professes to serve?
It is against this solemn biblical backdrop that I join the league of those celebrating Rev. Iliya Ogbay Enupe on the occasion of his birthday. I do so not merely to add another voice to the chorus of felicitations, but to pen what I may describe as a libretto of appreciation—a modest tribute from a journalist and student of theology to a man whose ministry has, over the years, continued to bear the fragrance of an authentic calling.
For now, I may not have diamonds or gold with which to adorn your birthday celebration. But I have a pen, and sometimes, the most precious gift one can offer a worthy man is the testimony of another heart that has observed his journey. I therefore consider it fitting to deploy the power of words to acknowledge what I regard as your unwavering stance for the undiluted teachings and principles of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
I was born and bred within the doctrinal tradition of SIM/ECWA, a heritage deeply rooted in the authority of Scripture, and my academic exposure to Historical Theology has further sharpened my appreciation of the history, doctrines and theological foundations of the Christian faith. I therefore approach the question of ministry with a consciousness that the pulpit is not a platform for theatrical exhibition, nor is the title of a minister a mere ecclesiastical ornament.
The calling is sacred. The ministry, in its truest biblical sense, is a stewardship before God and not merely an occupation before men. Paul captured this solemnity when he described ministers as “stewards of the mysteries of God.” A steward does not own the Master’s treasure; he is entrusted with it. His responsibility is therefore to preserve it, proclaim it and pass it on faithfully. This is why I find Rev. Enupe worthy of celebration.
Christ Himself gave us a profound principle of discernment when He said, “By their fruits ye shall know them.” The authenticity of a ministry is ultimately tested not by the volume of applause surrounding it, the sophistication of its presentation, the size of its audience or the grandeur of its platform, but by the fruit it produces.And fruit takes time to reveal itself.
In an age where the Christian landscape is increasingly crowded with competing voices, theological interpretations and varying expressions of spirituality, there is a compelling need to distinguish between the substance of the Gospel and the cosmetics of religion. The true minister of God must remain anchored to the Word, even when the prevailing winds of popular opinion blow in another direction. This, to me, is where Rev. Enupe’s ministry commands attention.
His disposition to ministry over the years, his character and his commitment to biblical truth have consistently suggested a man who understands that the pulpit is first an altar of responsibility before it becomes a theatre of influence.
His sermons are not merely exercises in oratory; they carry the weight of an insistence that the Scriptures must remain the final compass of Christian conduct.There is, indeed, something refreshing about a preacher who does not have to embellish truth before proclaiming it.The Gospel, after all, does not need cosmetic surgery.
The message of Christ remains powerful in its simplicity: sin must be confronted, repentance must be preached, righteousness must be pursued, grace must be embraced, and Christ must remain at the centre. Where the cross is removed from Christianity, what remains may still wear the garments of religion, but it loses the very substance of the Christian faith. Rev. Enupe, in his own way, has continued to remind his listeners of this sacred simplicity.
His character, too, speaks alongside his sermons. For a minister, character is the silent sermon preached when the microphone is switched off. It is what remains when the congregation has dispersed, when the pulpit is empty and when there is no audience to applaud. The shepherd’s true test is not merely how well he addresses the flock, but whether he genuinely cares for it.
The biblical imagery of the shepherd is therefore particularly instructive. Christ described Himself as the Good Shepherd who knows His sheep and is prepared to lay down His life for them. The shepherd does not abandon the wandering sheep; he seeks it. He does not merely count the ninety-nine; he is concerned about the one that has strayed.
In this regard, Rev. Enupe represents, to many of us, that pastoral ideal of a shepherd who looks beyond the crowd to the individual soul, who understands that ministry is ultimately about people and their eternal relationship with God.
Personally, I remain an avid admirer of your raw, unvarnished and uncompromising sermons. I have always found something profoundly instructive in a preacher who speaks the truth of Scripture without dressing it in unnecessary theatrics or surrendering it to the conveniences of the moment.
Your ministry reminds me that Christianity is not merely a collection of religious rituals; it is a life submitted to Christ. The Apostle Paul said, “For me to live is Christ.” That short declaration contains perhaps one of the most profound summaries of Christian discipleship. It means that Christ is not merely an addition to one’s identity; He becomes the centre around which life revolves.
That is the standard by which every Christian minister must ultimately be measured—not by human applause, but by fidelity to Christ. And so, as you number another year today, Reverend Sir, may this birthday become another chapter in the unfolding testimony of God’s faithfulness in your life. May the years ahead not merely add numbers to your age, but depth to your wisdom, strength to your ministry and greater fruitfulness to your labour in the vineyard of the Lord.
May God preserve your voice in an age desperately in need of voices that will still speak truth.May He preserve your courage in an age when conviction is often sacrificed at the altar of convenience.May He preserve your humility in an age that frequently mistakes visibility for relevance.
And may He preserve your faithfulness until the day when earthly service gives way to heavenly reward. The Apostle Paul spoke of the minister’s labour in terms of running the race and keeping the faith. May your race continue with renewed strength, may your faith remain steadfast, and may your labour in the Lord never be in vain.
As you celebrate this new chapter, I pray for sound health, uncommon wisdom, renewed grace, divine strength, greater anointing and many more fruitful years in the vineyard of God.
May the Lord continue to make you a vessel unto honour, a voice of truth, a shepherd to the wandering, a teacher to the searching and a faithful servant of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. On behalf of myself, my wife, Olori Wendy Adeyemi and the children, we celebrate you, Sir.
Happy Birthday, Rev. Iliya Ogba Enupe.. You have preached the Word; may your life continue to preach it even louder. Ad multos annos in the vineyard of the Lord.
Prince Mike Adeyemi is a journalist. He writes from Ilorin -Kwara State