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Church leaders meet with traditional leaders in Ondo State, Nigeria. Left to Right: Princess Abimbola Eyiwumi Adepoju, Queen Ibitola Janet Akinsowon, HRH McDonald Oladipo Akinsowon, The Lisa of the Alade Idanre Kingdom. 21 May 20242024 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.President Frederick Olusegun Akinbo and Sister Mirian Akinbo, Mission Leaders in the Ibadan Nigeria Mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, recently visited, and shared gifts with traditional leaders in the Ondo State, Nigeria. The Ondo State is located in the southwest of Nigeria.
On 21 May, the mission leaders met with His Royal Highness McDonald Oladipo Akinsowon, the Lisa of the Alade Idanre Kingdom. They were joined by local Church leaders including President Joseph Mbah, Donald Iroham, and Samuel Nduka.
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President Frederick Akinbo of the Ibadan Nigeria Mission presents Christus statuette to His Imperial Majesty Oba, Dr Victor Ademefun Kiladejo, Jilo III, Osemawe of the Ondo Kingdom. 6 June 20242024 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.The traditional ruler was accompanied by Queen Ibitola Janet Akinsowon, and many local chiefs, as they welcomed the Church leaders to his native home palace. They were led into the building by Princess Abimbola Eyiwumi Adepoju. President Akinbo thanked the Oba (meaning ruler in the local Yaruba language) for allowing them to meet and shared with the King the need for the people of Alde Idanre to receive the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The Church leaders presented the King with a marble Christus statuette and a copy of the Bible and the Book of Mormon.
The Oba, who has a Catholic background, was delighted with the gifts, particularly the Christus statuette. He expressed his gratitude for the visit and for the President’s words. The King, inspired by the light of truth, promised to gift a plot of land to the Church to build a chapel.
On 6 June, President and Sister Akinbo travelled to visit His Imperial Majesty Oba, Dr Victor Ademefun Kiladejo, Jilo III, Osemawe of the Ondo Kingdom. The mission leaders were joined by the Ondo Nigeria Stake presidency, President Richard L. Olagunju, and his counselors Okoh E. Uche, and Toluwalope I. Akinbodunse.
The Church leaders presented His Majesty with a marble Christus statuette, a Bible, and a Book of Mormon. President Akinbo informed the King that the Book of Mormon is a Holy Book and quoted the Prophet Joseph Smith saying, “The Book of Mormon is the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.”
President Akinbo invited the King to study the Book of Mormon and informed him that local church leaders and missionaries would be available to answer any questions he might have about the Book of Mormon and the restored gospel.
His Royal Majesty received the gifts with genuine gratitude, recognizing their symbolic importance. In return, the Oba reciprocated with the gift of a book that celebrated the 500-year anniversary compendium of the Kingdom.
The King spoke highly of the spiritual strength of the saints in Ondo and offered to help further spread the restored gospel in his Kingdom.