Joseph Ayodele Babalola (25 April 1904 – 26 July 1959) stands as one of the most influential figures in Nigeria’s Christian history. His role in the 1930 Oke-Oye Revival in Ilesa marked a turning point for the Aladura (praying people) movement and the eventual establishment of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC). Unlike most missionary-born denominations of the era, Babalola’s movement grew from indigenous revivalism and spiritual conviction rooted in Yoruba Christian experience.
EXPLORE NOW: Biographies & Cultural Icons of Nigeria
Early Life and Background of Babalola.
Babalola was born on 25 April 1904 in Odo-Owa, in the present-day Oke-Ero Local Government Area of Kwara State, into the family of David Rotimi Talabi and Martha Talabi, who were Anglicans. He attended elementary school briefly in Ilofa and nearby towns but did not complete formal education.
In the 1920s, he joined the Public Works Department (PWD) as part of the road construction teams operating between Igbara-Oke and Ilesa. Archival and oral records consistently describe him as a steamroller attendant or operator, reflecting the colonial public works structure of the period.
The 1928 Religious Calling.
The turning point in Babalola’s life came in October 1928, when, according to both church and oral traditions, he reportedly experienced a divine encounter while working near the Ariran River close to Ilesa. The commonly cited dates, 9 and 11 October 1928, appear in multiple denominational records, including the CAC General History (1968 edition) and the Dictionary of African Christian Biography (DACB).
While the details of the event (such as hearing a divine voice or seeing a vision) belong to the realm of devotional testimony, the historical outcome, that he resigned from his job soon afterwards to begin evangelistic work, is well documented. By early 1929, he had joined the Faith Tabernacle group, a Nigerian movement affiliated with a holiness church in Philadelphia, USA, marking the beginning of his leadership among the Aladura believers.
The Oke-Oye Revival of 1930 by Babalola.
The Oke-Oye Revival at Ilesa in July 1930 remains a landmark in Nigerian religious history. It is verifiable through multiple church and missionary reports that large crowds gathered, drawn by Babalola’s preaching and the movement’s emphasis on faith healing and prayer.
Accounts from the Faith Tabernacle archives and CAC records confirm the revival’s timing and its spiritual impact on Yoruba Christianity. Reports of healings, conversions, and public repentance dominate the testimonies of participants. However, specific numerical claims, such as the number of people healed or the exact size of the crowds, come from oral and church traditions and lack independent verification from colonial or medical records.
The revival established Babalola as a central charismatic leader and gave coherence to the loosely connected Aladura prayer groups across southwestern Nigeria. It also signalled a form of indigenous Christian independence, as worship and doctrine began to reflect local spirituality rather than strict missionary orthodoxy.
Organisational Growth and Formation of the Christ Apostolic Church.
Following the revival, theological disagreements emerged between the Nigerian Faith Tabernacle and its foreign counterparts. The Nigerian leaders sought greater autonomy and emphasis on Spirit-led worship, prophecy, and divine healing.
By 1941, after correspondence and separation from the British Apostolic Church Mission, the group formally adopted the name Christ Apostolic Church (CAC).
Archival minutes and denominational records confirm this as the period when the CAC constitution and leadership structure were established.
Babalola played a pivotal evangelistic and revivalist role in this transition, though the CAC’s foundation was collective, involving leaders such as Oba I.B. Akinyele, Pastor D.O. Odubanjo, and Pastor J.B. Sadare. His influence ensured that prayer, holiness, and spiritual gifts remained central to the church’s identity.
READ MORE: Ancient & Pre-Colonial Nigeria
Evangelistic Ministry and Later Years.
Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, Babalola travelled extensively, leading revivals across southwestern and central Nigeria. Eyewitness testimonies and church minutes record large gatherings in places such as Efon-Alaye, Odo-Owa, and Ikeji-Arakeji. His preaching combined scriptural interpretation with calls to repentance, faith, and prayer, marking him as a preacher of both revival and reform.
He continued his ministry until 26 July 1959, when he died at Ede, Osun State. Although the precise details of his final illness vary slightly in denominational accounts, his death is well documented, and he was buried at Efon-Alaye.
Historical Perspective on Miracles and Testimonies.
The widespread reports of healings, prophecies, and supernatural events associated with Babalola’s ministry form a significant part of his legacy.
While no independent colonial or medical documentation exists to substantiate these claims quantitatively, they are essential to understanding the religious imagination and social transformation his revivals inspired.
From a historian’s standpoint, such testimonies are treated as expressions of belief and faith culture, not verifiable data. Their value lies in illustrating how indigenous Christians interpreted divine power within a colonial context of hardship, disease, and limited access to Western medicine.
Legacy and Influence of Joseph Ayodele Babalola.
Joseph Ayodele Babalola’s influence endures through the Christ Apostolic Church, one of the largest indigenous Pentecostal denominations in Nigeria. His emphasis on prayer, holiness, and revival continues to shape Nigerian Pentecostal spirituality.
His memory is honoured through various institutions, notably the Joseph Ayo Babalola University (JABU) at Ikeji-Arakeji, founded by the CAC in 2006.
Scholars widely acknowledge him as a foundational figure of indigenous Pentecostalism in Africa, whose ministry demonstrated that Christianity could flourish through African leadership and local inspiration rather than foreign missionary control.
Historically, Joseph Ayodele Babalola’s life illustrates the emergence of an indigenous, Spirit-centred Christianity within colonial Nigeria. His ministry catalysed the Aladura revival, institutionalised through the Christ Apostolic Church, and inspired the growth of faith healing and prophetic worship in Nigerian Christianity.
Author’s Note
While many miracle reports remain within the sphere of oral faith testimony, the core historical facts of his life, birth, PWD service, 1928 calling, 1930 revival, CAC formation, and 1959 death, are well supported by credible records. Babalola’s story remains one of conviction, leadership, and the enduring power of African spirituality in reshaping global Christianity.
References:
Dictionary of African Christian Biography (DACB) – “Joseph Ayodele Babalola.”
Peel, J.D.Y. Aladura: A Religious Movement among the Yoruba (Oxford University Press, 1968).
Ogbu Kalu, African Pentecostalism: An Introduction (Oxford University Press, 2008).
Christ Apostolic Church General History, 1968 Edition.
OpenBU Digital Repository, “Joseph Ayo Babalola and the Aladura Revival.”
