Most Rev. (Dr.) Joseph Sunday Ajayi was born on Sunday April 07, 1946, at Oye Ekiti into
the family of Mr. Ezekiel Ajayi and Mrs. Juliana Ajayi, both of blessed memory.
Most Rev. (Dr.) J. S. Ajayi was brought up in a family of six children. As a young boy, he had
a strong sense of God’s calling in his life, he was always enthusiastic about church
attendance .
Rev. (Dr.) J. S. Ajayi attended the United Primary School, Oye from 1954 to 1961, and Saint
Patrick’s Secondary Modern School, Oye Ekiti, from 1962 to 1964. He trained as Grade II
Teacher at Government Teachers’ Training College, Cappa, Ilasa, from 1967 to 1969 and later taught in AUD primary school Igbogila between 1969 and 1970,and ICC Practicing School Oke Bola Ibadan from 1970 to 1973. He resigned from active teaching in December 1973 and took up the local agent work at Methodist Church Ado-Ekiti from January to August 1974, from where he moved into Ministerial Training at Immanuel College under the guidance of Late Archbishop T.A
Akinnigbagbe, Very Rev. D O Omotunde and retired Archbishop C.O. Makindipe. As an external student he earned his bachelor degree from International University, Independence, Missouri, USA, in 1984, and also studied at Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas, USA, from 1981 to 1986.
As a youth, he participated in various art exhibitions.
In 1965 he presented the Portraits of
Lieutenant Colonel Adekunle Fajuyi and Brigadier Aguiyi Ironsi to the Ministry of Education
Secretariat, Ibadan. His grace also mounted a one man Art Exhibition at British Council hall,
Dugbe, Ibadan from April 30 to May 12, 1973. It was within these years that Joseph having
his AL, GCE (passed) result in his pocket, received the call to the gospel ministry in the
afternoon of May 12, 1973, “Joseph, if art has caused you all T-H-E-S-E ...what will the
TRUTH cost you?”
Despite all odds, his zeal for the work of God was very profound in the area of Evangelism,
he witnessed in villages, prisons, and schools in Ibadan with so much power and grace.
He gave leadership to the vision of Methodist Evangelical Movement. In August 1990 he was
appointed the first full-time director of Evangelism with responsibility of discerning, defining
and implementing a programme of Evangelism and developing a department of Evangelism
for the Church from 1990 to 1996.
Most Rev. (Dr.) J. S. Ajayi served as the first Chairman of Ogbomoso Christians Ministers’s
Fellowship (OCMF) from 2004 to 2006, he also served the church as chairman, Governing
Body, Immanuel College of Theology and Christian Education Ibadan from 2003 to 2006. He
is currently serving as Chairman, Management Board, Institute of Church and Society,
Ibadan, and member of the Governing Council, West Africa Theological Seminary, Ipaja
Archbishop continues to receive laurels and awards. Amongst these were Christian Virtue
Award 2007 and NUT Award for Exemplary Commitment to Human Development 2009
Most Rev. (Dr.) J. S. Ajayi was elected Bishop of Ogbomoso in 1996, and in August 2006
elected as Archbishop of Lagos at the Methodist church Nigeria Conference at Uyo.
Most Rev. (Dr.) J. S. Ajayi is the Vice chairman of the Board of Directors of Joint Christian
Cemetery Company Ltd/Gte
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