2025 BAME AWARD NOMINEE: Oladapo John Olubowale was born on the 5th of June, 1970 to the family of Chief Jonathan Olanipekun and Chief Mrs. Charity Titilayo Oladapo in Ejigbo, Osun State, Nigeria in a family of four men and a woman. He is happily married to Oyebimpe Ajayi and they are blessed with four children.

EDUCATION

Oladapo John Olubowale had his primary education in Baptist Primary Day School Ejigbo (1976-1981). He later proceeded to Ejigbo Baptist High for his secondary education (1982-1987) before he pursued and obtained a National Diploma in Fine & Applied Art at The Polytechnic, Ibadan 1992/93 session.

TURNING POINT

In the course of his educational pursuit Oladapo John Olubowale encountered the saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ on the 17th of November, 1993, which he describes as the turning point in the story of his life as a time he was able to turn his back against cultism, smoking, nefarious activities, debauchery etc and got his life and attention back through the love of Christ. This changed the course of his life as the burden and the vision for the work of the ministry was becoming evident upon his life.

WORK EXPERIENCE

After his graduation, Oladapo John Olubowale took a teaching appointment and taught in Unity School Ejigbo (a boarding school) as an Art Teacher from 1995-2002. The School became his training and mission field. It was while serving there as a Teacher that The Salvation Soldiers Ministry (TSSM) was birthed as an evangelistic Mission to the school students and the community. He had his first ordination as a Mission Evangelist on the 5th of May, 1997 under the leadership of Apostle Philip Okelade of Life Line Christ Church.

THE END OF AN ERA

Oladapo John Olubowale voluntarily tendered his official resignation letter as a Teacher in 2002 by a divine instruction from God. He bade teaching a joyful bye-bye, which he remarked was a moment of fulfillment.

NEXT STEP

Oladapo John Olubowale became an entrepreneur. He started JohnBim Agro Ventures producing and selling chicken feeds. It was while managing this enterprise that he got married to Oyebimpe Ajayi on the 10th of May, 2003 at Idi Ape Baptist Church Ejigbo.

TSSM OFFICIAL COMMISSIONING

The Salvation Soldiers Ministries was officially commissioned on December 27th, 2003. Thereafter Olubowale and his beautiful wife, Oyebimpe, welcomed their first child on the February 24th, 2004 and he became a father for the first time in his life. He described the moment as beautiful time to him and his family the table turned when the Lord sent him to Cotonou, Benin Republic, in fulfillment of the vision the Lord gave him while in the teaching service on the 24th of April, 1998.

He recalls: “I was on a brisk walk when I heard the Lord saying to me “You’re standing in a point”. Immediately, I realized it’s a set time to move on with something. I immediately responded and asked, is it time for me to run with any of the visions I wrote down? He pointed me to the one for Cotonou, I ran upstairs to check my diary for that year and here we are, a Vision born. It’s time to run with something. A Vision written down on the 24th of April,1998 now speaking in 2004.”

Pronto, Olubowale left his wife and little daughter and headed for Cotonou in obedience to God’s call. He began his first missionary journey and work on the 7th of May, 2004. His daughter was barely two months and eleven days old when he left for Republic of Benin. He finally relocated with his family to Republic of Benin in 2005.

HIS INDUCTION

Olubowale was consecrated into the office of a Bishop on 1st of November, 2008 by the World Ministerial Council under the auspices of World Vision Theological Seminary (WOVITHESM) in conjunction with Shalom Christian University USA and Jubilee international Ministries USA, where he obtained his ministerial license and certificate of ordination and runs with a mandate to preach, teach the gospel and raise Soldiers for Jesus Christ. St. Matthew 28:19. Ever since, Benin has been his base and a launching pad to other fields.

Bishop Oladapo John Olubowale is being honored today with the 2025 Benefits Awards for Missionary Excellence (BAME Award) for Christian Mission in recognition of his outstanding missionary exploits in Republic of Benin, and also for his immense support to Christian Benefits magazine these past 25 years.