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Meet Sola Imoleolu

"I had a form of godliness without the power and the life of God."

Sola Imoleolu (YFC Nigeria-National Director) and his wife.

From being a church boy with an orthodox background to becoming a teenager, exposed to different church denominations and involved in different ministries of the churches I attended, one would say “I had a form of godliness without the power and the life of God”. I was just religious, living in sin and without Christ.

The turnaround for me happened in November 1992 as I sought for new girlfriends at a church I attended, whilst seeking for admission into the University of Ilorin (Nigeria). It was convention week at this church and being captivated by the contemporary music and worship on that first visit, I decided to go again the following day. That was when I responded to the altar call and gave my life to Christ. So instead of finding that girl that fits my specifications, I found Christ! I was received and counselled as a new member of the Family of God.

That same day, I received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and so began my journey of Faith.

By the time I eventually got into the university, God gave me new godly friends both in my campus fellowship and in Youth for Christ (YFC), who helped me to grow in the Faith.

Though it seemed like this was my first interaction with YFC, this was not the case as I had known few friends in my previous secondary schools who were actively involved in YFC. I came into the ministry of Youth for Christ through the Young Life Club shortly before I turned 20 years in 1993. In 1994, I had become a part of the volunteering team who decided to start a YFC outreach in our university campus.

Although I started out as part of the Choreography Team, by 1996 (which was my 3rd Year in the University), I was appointed the Team Leader of the Ado-Ekiti YFC Campus Outreach. During my tenure, our school outreaches became more organized, consistent and intense, as we increased in the numbers of schools we reached. We also started three Young Life Clubs in the town and at the point of my graduation, we were already in the process of setting up a proper YFC Centre with an office and Board. To the glory of God, the campus Outreach is the only YFC campus Outreach still standing in Nigeria today.

After completing my National Service in 1999, I ended up in Lagos and couldn’t achieve my dream of working as a part time staff with YFC Kaduna because of religious unrest in the State. In the year 2000, during the YFC National Camp held at the Petroleum Training Institute, I accepted the call to serve full-time with Youth for Christ Nigeria, and after being appointed the YFC Coordinator for Lagos in July 2001, I served in this capacity till August 2011 as we ministered to young people in different parts of Lagos and Ogun State.

During this period, many Centres were pioneered in Lagos and Ogun State. Many schools were also reached. A board of Trustee was set up. Many staff and volunteers were recruited and deployed to different ministry arena. Many partners were raised. The ministry really prospered! Though I left YFC Nigeria in August 2011 for a period of 5 years, in 2016, I kept having a persistent directive from God to come back and serve in YFC despite my initial attempts to resist this call.

On heeding he call, I then realized the extent to which ministry had declined and the reason for God’s directive. At this time, I could testify without any shadow of doubt that God has greatly proved Himself over the past two years as YFC Nigeria is now back to eight Centres (and still counting) with five offices across Nigeria. Also, there was no National Office at the time I took office, but today, we do not only have a National Office, we are now located at the Federal Capital in Abuja. ALL TO THE GLORY OF GOD!