C&S @ 100: We’re Celebrating Spiritual Growth, Renewing Unity in Holy Order – Adenaike
The Eternal Sacred Order of the Morning Star (ESOMS), of the Cherubim and Seraphim (C&S) Church, has marked the church’s hundred (100) years anniversary with a call for unity, holiness, and renewed dedication to its founding vision.
The celebration, which would run from August 30th to October 26th, features series of life-impacting activities including seminar, lecture, children and women programmes, commemorative walk, leader’s 94th birthday prayers as well as 68th annual general congress.
Speaking at the commemorative seminar on Tuesday at the C&S Festac Parish, in Lagos, the 94-year-old Baba Aladura Worldwide, Joseph Olatunji Adenaike, reflected on the life of the founder, Saint Moses Orimolade Tunolase, and urged members to embrace unity. He also expressed gratitude for the huge growth recorded in the last century.
“I am grateful for the great work that God is doing in His church. I see this centenary as a way of bringing all the white garment churches together and uniting,” he said.
“Moses Orimolade is a saint from the womb, an anointed prophet. The day he was born, he was speaking. This celebration will unite all white garment churches the world over. My expectation is to awaken people, to engineer them to do more than before. The message is that God will turn sorrow into joy.”
Adenaike added that the occasion was unprecedented in scope: “This is the largest celebration we have ever had. Members came from across the country to see what God is doing in our headquarters.”
“We thank God for this milestone but our journey is not finished. The unity we celebrate today is just the beginning,” Baba Aladura Adenaike concluded.
Similarly, Senior Apostle General David Aderemi Fatoba, representing diaspora members from the United Kingdom, described the growth of the C&S abroad as huge, and urged young people to value their heritage.
“In London, people are surprised when they attend our services and see them conducted in English. They thought everything was only in our local languages. This breaks stereotypes and draws more people into the church. We have so many branches in London, and the work of God is flourishing,” he noted.
Fatoba, who has served in the UK for nearly four decades, appealed to youths not to abandon the white garment. “Even in the eternal kingdom, we will be robed in white. Be proud of it anywhere you are—in the UK, America, or Nigeria. It is a biblical symbol of purity and holiness,” he added.
He also praised the church’s spiritual leader: “At 94, Baba Aladura still bends in prayer, strong and without glasses. He is an amazing human being that God has given us to lead this church worldwide.”
Also, Most Apostle General Innocent Dialekwe of the Fountain of Life, Mount Zion, representing the northern bloc, described the spread of the C&S across northern Nigeria as evidence of resilience.
“The church is spreading in the north. In some areas, the indigenes have accepted it and are doing well. Though there are challenges, there is nowhere in the north where you don’t find a white garment church,” he stated.
He admitted that hostility and misconceptions persist. “Some people castigate our religion. But when they encounter problems, they come secretly for prayers. When they receive healing, they themselves spread the gospel to others. This is how the church grows even in difficult terrain.”
Dialekwe urged members to stand firm: “As we celebrate this 100 years, my message is that God is eternal. Everyone whom God has given the opportunity to witness this occasion must remain steadfast in the service of Christ.”
Founded in 1925 by Saint Moses Orimolade Tunolase, the C&S movement began in Lagos and spread rapidly across Nigeria and beyond, offering a uniquely African expression of Christianity rooted in biblical purity.
One hundred years later, the church has grown into a global institution, with vibrant branches across Europe, North America, and Africa. For its leaders, the centenary is both thanksgiving and a call to prepare for the future.
