Despite his reluctance, Pastor Ghandi Olaoye was recently crowned as the Soun of Ogbomosoland.
The role hit home recently, the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde approved the exalted role.
Afolabi Ghandi Olaoye, a pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Jesus House Washington DC, United States (US) is the new monarch of the ancient town.
The Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Afolabi Ghandi Laoye Orumogege III, revealed how he was going to tell those pestering him to ascend the throne of his fathers to stop disturbing him.
The new king said personally that he had no intention of becoming a traditional ruler after being a pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) for 30 years in Washington, USA.
According to him, though born into a royal family, he was not interested in becoming a king because he believed life had taken him on a completely different path. He added that his father never sat him down to say, Ghandi, if you want to become Soun of Ogbomoso, you can be.
Just like him, there are others before him who passed similar ordeals to be kings today.
Meet four other kings who were once pentecostal pastors.
Pastor Gabriel Ayodele Adejuwon.
Reports say that Oba Gabriel Ayodele Adejuwon was anointed king of Isan-Ekiti (the hometown of Governor Kayode Fayemi) in 2017.
Before ascending the throne of his forefathers, he was once also a pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) and a public servant.
Pastor Kehinde Gbadewole Olugbenle
Before he became a monarch, Pastor Kehinde Gbadewole Olugbenle was also a pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) in Lagos.
In 2012, he became the new Olu of Ilaro and supreme ruler of Ogun state’s Yewa-Awori area. Olugbenle defeated his close competitor, Adedeji Olugbenle, by a vote to emerge the winner.
Pastor John Elaigwu Odogbo
Much recently, Pastor John Elaigwu Odogbo, a Deeper Life Pastor, became the paramount ruler-elect of Idomaland.
Odogbo, in December 2021, was presented to former Benue state governor Samuel Ortom by the Idoma traditional council as the Och’Idoma-elect.
He polled 19 votes at the end of the voting by the kingmakers to defeat three others, identified as Andrew Idakwu, John Bamaiyi, and Sunday Echono, for the stool.
Pastor Matthew Jegede
Oba Matthew Durojaye Jegede was formerly a pastor of Deeper Life Bible Church.
He was anointed as the first Alahan of Ahan Ayegunle Ekiti in the Ekiti East local government area in 2020.
The monarch, in an interview with BBC News Yoruba interview, said just his church members, he, too, had doubts since he believed that being a king as a Christian was against God’s design.