I celebrate Baba, Very Rev Moses Akanmu Ajao, who served God and humanity as a compassionate father and leader. I honour his calling, shaped by the heart of a Shepherd, as a reflection and extension of divine love. He poured out his life through prayer, preparation, counselling, and the burden he carried for the church and his community. As a vicar of love, Baba Ajao was a steady presence of grace, forgiveness, and listening ears when the world felt heavy.
The death of a cleric is unlike any other: we feel it deeply. In losing him, we lose not only the man but also his unique way of manifesting God. The voice that spoke of God has been silenced; hands that once blessed are now still. Since clergy take on the person of Jesus Christ, his departure leaves us with a loss in our communication with the Lord. No one will again exemplify Christ for us in the singular way Baba, Very Rev Moses Akanmu Ajao (1940-2026), did. He was hardly attached to worldly possessions. He had little and seemed to need little. But he was generous.
Baba, Very Rev Ajao, modelled selfless clergy generation and ministry, encompassing theological, missional, and generational frameworks used to cultivate and sustain sacrificial, community-focused church leadership. In modern ecclesiology and pastoral theology, Very Rev. Ajao’s selfless generation exemplified and combined the traditional model of Christlike servanthood with intentional generational planning. At the heart of selfless clergy development is imitating Jesus Christ as the ultimate servant-leader. The “Christ Module” focuses on ministry centred entirely on the congregation, characterised by empathy, stewardship, and the willing negation of personal ambition.
Very Rev Ajao’s model of selfless clergy generation is about the Priesthood of All Believers. This counters an increasingly prevalent “dependency model” in which a single clergy member performs all ministry. Instead, selfless clergy focus on “giving ministry away” by equipping, empowering, and validating lay members. Very Rev. Ajao models sacrificial integrity. His selfless generation prioritised moral persuasion, humility, and burden-bearing over organisational power or hierarchical domination.
The contrast between Saint Colum Cille’s (Columba) noble birth and humble calling resonates with Very Rev. Ajao. Baba Ajao was not just a traditional Chief by descent, but a priest by choice and a saint by grace. He continued the work our early Methodist fathers of faith in Nigeria began. Baba Ajao, High Chief and the Oloya of Iwo Land, was born on June 30, 1940, in Iwo Town, Osun State, Nigeria. Tall, well-featured, and commanding in presence, Baba Ajao, who passed away on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, in Iwo, was full of restless energy, passionate and impetuous, with a voice that carried clearly from a distance.
For me, eulogising or honouring my beloved father, Baba Ajao, a faithful and committed Methodist presbyter and community leader —whom communities often refer to as a “prince among men” or a “shepherd of Christ” — my tributes focus on his selflessness, contentment, spiritual counselling, and absolute devotion. I am a beneficiary of Baba Ajao’s legacy as a shepherd. He was more than a shepherd. Baba, you were family. You carried your flock’s burdens as though they were your own, never turning away anyone in need. Your spiritual guidance lit our path when it seemed lost in sorrow. When I worked as Methodist Conference Editor, I lived at Broad Street, Lagos, while Baba served as Presbyter at Methodist Church, Ikoyi, Obalende. At that time, he lived with his family very close to a primary school in Obalende. I could easily walk to him when I faced the heat of ministry. He gave me a platform, alongside other Evangelical brethren like Bro Folabi Williams, to organise revival at Obalende.
Baba Ajao was a vicar of love. As a faithful presbyter, he left behind more than sermons and committee membership. He left a legacy of compassion, practical guidance, unwavering faith, and continuity of ministry through his children in the ministry. Yes, Heaven gains, but in losing him, Nigeria Methodism loses a unique witness of God’s love on earth.
Baba Ajao, thank you for answering the call. May the Lord whom you served so faithfully welcome you into eternal rest: ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant’ (Matthew 25:23). Please remember the family in prayer.
Rt. Rev Dr Ayodeji Okegbile, Wesley 100 International – WIN
