Selfless giver and global evangelist, Reverend Mother Esther Ajayi, earned the sobriquet “Iya Adura” from the wife of the general overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Mother-in-Isreal Foluke Adeboye.
This, however, is not unconnected to her uncommon habit of uttering words of prayer upon coming in contact with anyone.
But what not so many seem to know is the fact that the trait had become a better part of her since childhood.
Oblivious of the potency of her prayers, she innocently prayed for people around her. She would later realize that there was more to what she does as those she prayed for later turned Oliver Twist – asking for more. This happened a couple of years back in the neigbourhood she once lived, as traders in the area crave her prayers, earnestly, just as they had results to show for it.
In what was contained in a book written by Bode Odeseye and titled: “Reverend Mother Esther Ajayi – Exceptionally Outstanding” which chronicles her success story, the ambassador plenipotentiary of the white garment church speaks on how she eventually got used to praying for people.
As stated in the book obtained by Acts of Seraphs, early indication that she is gifted in prayers started manifesting when people began to seek her out early in the morning to pray for them when she was barely eight years old.
Unknown to her, the neighbourhood traders had noticed that their goods sold swiftly after she might have patronized them, so they made it a point of duty to seek her out early in the morning for her to buy any of their goods and prayer for them that they would be successful in their trade on that day.
Mother Ajayi who claimed to have found it strange said she did not understand what they meant but would nevertheless oblige them.
According to her, their usual comment was, “I know if you buy from me today, I will sell my goods swiftly.” I did not realize that they had started talking about me in the neighborhood as a source of blessings to them. Often times, when I had no money to buy things from them, they would give me some money from their pouches and tell me to give it back to them. They just wanted the money to feel my touch,” she recalled.
Obviously, she was too young to understand the peculiar characteristics they claimed she possessed. She however noticed the quest by people to encourage her to buy things from them and pray for them increasing by the day. She was also cognizant of their attendant appreciation and praises, hours after she must have done so. They would regale her with her credit for it. “I found this very amusing. I would just laugh making no comments,” she said.
Then the traders started giving her presents as a sign of their appreciation. Gradually, it dawn on her that she was indeed specially gifted.
This was also the case with a prominent man identified as Chief Irawo. According to the author, “As matured and influential as Chief Irawo was, he believed in “Little” Abimbola’s prayes and relied on them when he had issues to contend with in the law court. As expected of a man in his position who was heavily involved in politics and landed property in Nigeria, he had various cases in court. Whenever he was going for a hearing, or judgement was to be delivered on any of his case, he would call the young Abimbola to pray for him, with the belief that her prayer would make the judgment favourable for him.
“I didn’t know what the cases were about as I was very young, I could not even comprehend it if he took his time to explain any of the cases to me, I just did as directed, praying for him to be victorious in the court judgment,” she explained.
It was surprising to her that it would be a highly-elated Chief Irawo who would come back from the court, having gotten a favourable judgment. He was always giving her gifts, proving to her that indeed, she was a divinely blessed and prophetic child, destined for great things in life.
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