A prophet’s strange world

Joseph Adeyemi Bojesomo of Cherubim and Seraphim Church is believed to be over 100 years of age. He climbs over 400 steps weekly and still religiously observes fasting. He said God instructed him in 1945 to spend only seven days on the Ori Oke Erinmo (Erinmo Mountain) and since then he has not completed the seven days. Taiwo Abiodun visited the prophet on the mountain

Going to the top of Ori Oke Erinmo Mountain reminds one of the late Daniel Fagunwa’s novels, Ireke Onibudo, which revolves round some hunters’ expedition to the legendary Oke Langbodo (Langbodo Hill). So tasking and discomfiting is the exercise of climbing up to the zenith of the mountain that some of the climbers could not make it. Again, like Sisyphus in the Sisyphean myth, all their galvanised efforts to role their human boulders up the summit of the mountain prove disappointingly abortive. For a few of the numerous climbers of Ori Oke Erinmo, their experience was not too different. Many who came for prayer and spiritual incubation [abe aabo] were seen struggling to climb the concrete steps. This reporter, strenuously climbing too, was panting like a dog and nearly fainted. It took almost one hour to successfully climb from the base of the mountain to its top. Situated somewhere in Erinmo, near Ilesha, Osun State, some men and women were seen in their white sultana (garment) on this rocky mountain maintaining a recumbent position praying. Some were calling the name of Prophet Bojesomo and Jesus to intercede for them. Not only this, there are about five to six mud houses with a small brick-decorated temple built on the rock. That is Joseph Adeyemi Bojesomo’s abode. Bojesomo’s head is as white as snow. The whiteness of beards is interspersed with some strands of black hairs. His voice cracks as he speaks. He does not use a walking stick and is not bent double as is characteristic of those of his age. Stout of stature, hardly would one believe he is truly of the age credited to him. Speculation has it that he could be over 100 years of age. He could not tell exactly his age because, according to him, he did not know when he was born. But he believes he is a little bit advanced in age. He, however, attributes his agility and strength to climb the over 400 steps to God’s glory. He said, “It is true that I often climb the mountain. At times I would have to rest twice or thrice and then continue with the journey to the mountain top. In fact, whenever I go to this bush for hunting expedition, I do descend the mountain with the bush meat I caught carried on my head. I don’t know where the strength comes from.” The prayer mountain is in the forest which it borders Ekiti State. It is about one hour’s trek to the base of the mountain – a ride on okada would take about 20 minutes (and for only 400 naira) to the base of the mountain. The Okada rider that took this reporter to the base of the mountain confided in him that important personalities like senior police officers, senior military officers, politicians and people from all walks of life come from far and near to visit the place. They would pack their cars nearby and then ride on okada to the base of the mountain in the forest. “The moment we sight them we would charge them higher than ordinary person and we make good money. It is a good source of revenue for us”, the commercial biker said, beaming with smiles. On the choice of the location of the mountain, which is far away from the town, the heavily bearded man of God declared: “This place is a special place. It is owned by my father and he used to worship the gods on this mountain. Then it was occupied by the gods and I thought I would join him later in life worshipping along with him but God claimed the mountain at 11pm in the night of 1925 and told me that He would turn this place into a place where He would be worshipped. He said He would turn this place into a town. While on the mountain, three angels were praying along with me and they are angels Michael, Raphael and Uriel.” According to Bojesomo, he was called by God in 1945 to turn the place from one being used for idol worshipping to that which is dedicated to the worship of God. God instructed him to spend only seven days and after which he would leave the place. “Since 1945 when God asked me to spend seven days here, I have been here and I am yet to complete the seven days .Until I complete the seven days, I am not leaving. That is the covenant I made with God. I have not completed the seven days and when I complete it, I will come down,” he disclosed. Bojesomo finally made up his mind to be living on the mountain in 1945. “My wife, child and I were the first to come to this mountain to stay in 1945. Later, God increased the number to four, with additional five later. God did not stop His good works here on this mountain, for He heals and saves lost souls. Those seeking the fruit of the womb came here to pray and got children. People visit this place from far and near. God promised to bring His people here and He has been doing His work. You only need to bring water here and it will be prayed on. Thereafter, it becomes holy and you are richly blessed,” he said. With the growth and expansion of the church came controversy about the land on which the church is situated. The conflict raged on and the land was almost confiscated. Narrating the ordeals he went through before he could repossess the land, Bojesomo said, “Before I could recover my land back I faced a lot of challenges and evil forces in the 1970s. The then monarch of Erinmo town, the Elerinmo of Erinmo, almost took possession of the land and the mountain from me. The land belonged to my late father, Bojesomo. The mountain and the land‘s location is controversial as many call it Oke Erinmo thinking it is situated in Erinmo near Ilesha in Osun State. This is because people take the route to the mountain top but it is in Efon Alaye, in Ekiti State. Soon, when the road from Efon Alaye to the place was constructed worshippers no longer take the Erinmo/ Ilesha route. This is the mountain on which my father worshipped idols and gods and it is the family land. They waged war against me because of the mountain and the land as we (Elerinmo and I myself) dragged ourselves to the Owa of Ilesha. The case took over one month. We almost shot ourselves as the police came from Akure, Aramoko, Ado-Ekiti and Efon Alaaye. I have all the files. I called on all the chiefs from Ilesha to call their ancestral gods and I would call mine and we would swear on who owns the land. But they later pleaded with me and begged me. Later the Elerinmo was warned not to bother me again. That was how I repossessed my land.” The prophet’s life has not been free from the threat of death and near-death experiences. He recalled how he miraculously escaped from being killed several times. According to him, on the numerous occasions when his attackers came with cudgels and cutlasses, he would walk in their midst and escape without being seen, leaving them arguing one with another on whether he was the one who had just passed by them. He spoke about his grey beard. As he was speaking he removed the cap from his head and said, “It is not only my beard that is white; my head is pure white. It is the Holy Spirit that instructed me to keep the beard. Razor has not touched it for the past 50 years.” Incredibly, the man of God also doubles as a traditional chief. Some Christians frown at this. Asked what he is doing with the irukere (whisk) hanging on the wall of the sitting room of his private house at Efon Alaaye, the man of God responded, “Jesus is king. God is reigning in our lives. I am a king. I am a chief. The church committee told me sometime ago that I should stop bringing the whisk to church conferences, saying it was against the tenets of Christianity. But I laughed and replied that it did not matter. I am from a royal family and it cannot be stopped in my family. Whoever stopped using the whisk in our family is a bastard.” The mountain-dwelling prophet always dons white garments – the white for him represents purity. “I have over 40 sultanas and do not know the number of waist girdles I have,” he maintained. On the meaning of his name, Bojesomo revealed, “I was told that my grandfather gave birth to many children but they always die at infancy. And when my father was born he was called Bojesomo meaning: ‘let us watch whether this one would be the child’. Since then it became the family name, and my father lived.” This God’s messenger is not in want of feminine pleasure and comfort. He is the husband of four wives! He is often being “policed” by two of his wives. One of them said, “Papa is old and we don’t want him always to be stressed. That is why we always go with him whenever he comes to the mountain”. Papa, as he is called, has one wish: he wants the government to construct the road leading to the mountain. Said he: “Many have come here and have seen how difficult it is to get here. So, the road should be constructed and we need a helicopter to be landing here.” Aside his wish is the pang of disappointment that weighs heavily on his mind. He is pained that those whose prayer requests were answered have neglected and totally forgotten about him. Many of them don’t come back to redeem their pledges or fulfil their vows. He raised his hands and said wryly, “Many people do come here; all the past and present heads of state visited here for spiritual assistance. Ministers, commissioners, and governors do come here for anointing oil and when they got what they wanted they forget this mountain. This is what pains me most. It is not too much for helicopters to be landing here all the time”.