07/05/2026
Brief Profile of:
His Holiness,
The Most Reverend
DR. RUFUS OKIKIOLAOLU OLUBIYI OSITELU
(PhD Computer Science; PhD Religious Studies);
Primate of The Church of the Lord (TCL) Worldwide;
President of the World Council of Churches (WCC) from Africa
A VISIONARY, TRANSFORMATIONAL, INSPIRATIONAL, CREATIVE, HONEST, COURAGEOUS, RESPONSIBLE, PASSIONATE, RESPECTFUL, SELFLESS, TRANSPARENT, ACCOUNTABLE AND FAITHFUL LEADER - His Holiness, The Most Reverend Dr. Rufus Okikiolaolu Olubiyi OSITELU (Ph.D Religious Studies; Ph.D Comp.Sc., FnbR, FnaCHaM, FGAMS/MDGMW, FIMC) is the The Aladura Patriarch & Primate of THE CHURCH OF THE LORD (TCL) Worldwide. The patriarch is more than the head of the Church. He is the Spiritual Father of the flock, symbol of the Faith and Head of the spiritual community. His Holiness, The Most Rev. Dr. Rufus Okikiolaolu Olubiyi Ositelu is the son of late Prophet General The Most Rev. Dr. Josiah Olunowo Ositelu [The first Primate and Founder of The Church of the Lord Worldwide, and late Archbishop (Mrs.) Susannah Adewunmi Ositelu, popularly called âMama Aladura or Mama Kekereâ.
He held several Management and Leadership positions during his sojourn in Europe, which unknown to him then, were used by God to prepare him for the task ahead. He was the first Chairman of the Foreigners Elected Parliament in âKreis-Offenbachâ, the Local Government Area, Offenbach in Germany.
He was the first elected African Vice President of the Hessen State Executive Council of the âLandesbeiratâ, of the State Elected Foreigners Parliament also in Germany, as well as the first President of the Nigerian German Association (NGA).
He was born on the 24th February 1952 in Ogere-Remo, Ogun State in Nigeria. He started his Primary School education at Christ Church School (Anglican), Ogere in 1958. After the successful completion of the Primary School Leaving Certificate course in 1964, he attended the Institute of Professional Studies, Apata-Ganga, Ibadan in 1965. From
1966 through 1970, he attended the Prospect High School, Abanla, Ibadan where he successfully completed the West African School Certificate (WASC) examination.
After working with Nigerian Bottling Company Limited (now PLC) from 1971 to 1974, he left Nigeria for Germany to study in Europe and the United States of America. He commenced his professional studies (Data Processing) at Control Data Institute, Frankfurt am Main in 1974. He completed the Diploma courses with flying colours as the best student in both Computer Technology and Systems Analysis and Design.
From 1976 to 1979, Rufus Ositelu thereafter undertook further studies at the Institute of Data Processing Management in the United Kingdom. From 1980 to 1981, he worked as a Data Processing Practitioner with System-Haus GmbH, Waldacker, Germany. From 1982 to 1983, he attended the Institute of Economics (Wirtschaftsfachschule), Darmstadt in
Germany. From 1983 through 1986, he further went on a combined Masterâs and Doctorateâs programme in Computer Science at the Department of Engineering of the WK University, Agoura-Hills. This programme, he successfully completed with a dissertation titled: âResystemization Life-Cycle â Computer Economics,â which earned him his Ph.D. in Computer Science. In 1991, he undertook the Pastoral Studies course with the University of Hagen in Germany.
In 1993, he pioneered the first branch of The Church of the Lord Worldwide in Germany and was ordained a Reverend same year. He saw to it that The Church of the Lord Worldwide was formally established and registered in Germany in 1994. He was elevated to the rank of an Archdeacon in 1996 and anointed by Late Primate Olusegun Ositelu in 1997. From 1993 through 1996, he undertook a Bachelor of Theology course at Covington Theological Seminary, Rossville in the United States of America. On successful completion, he was awarded the B.Th. degree. From 1997 to 2000, he further undertook a Doctorate degree Programme at the same institution, and this Programme he completed also in flying colours with a dissertation titled: âAfrican Instituted Churchesâ. He was awarded Ph.D. in Religion following a brilliant performance. Between 1986 and 1999, he worked in the Computer sector in diverse capacities. He is a prolific writer.
Our Primate, His Holiness, The Most Rev. Rufus Okikiola Olubiyi Ositelu is a visionary Leader with high integrity with prudence and moderation. His simplicity of life, administration of justice, foresight, probity and prudence made him a great Leader of high repute.
His Motto has been:
TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY AND GODLINESS.
Because of his high level of integrity, His Holiness, the Primate held several Managerial and Leadership positions, which unknown to him then were used by God to prepare him for the task ahead:
He was the first African Chairman of the Foreigners Elected
Parliament in Germany;
-He was the first African Vice President of the Hessen State
-Executive Council of the Foreigners Elected Parliament also in Germany;
-He was the first President of Nigeria-German Association.
Papa is a world renown and distinguished personality. The first African to be an Executive Member of the Global Forum for Theological Educators (GFTE).
Executive Member of the Africans and the Africans in Diaspora (AAD).
Member of the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches (WCC-CC).
AWARDS:
Best Student Award in Programming Technology, 1974.
Control Data Institute, Frankfurt, Germany.
Best Student Award in System Analysis, 1976.
Control Data Institute, Frankfurt, Germany.
A Fellow of the Nigerian Book of Records Research Institute, 2018.
Nigeria Books of Records, Abuja, Nigeria.
A Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Church History and Missiology (FnaCHaM), 2019, University of Ibadan.
A Fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants (IMC-Nigeria), 2020, Institute of Management Studies, Lagos.
Brief highlights of the Achievements from 1998 to 2022 are as follows:
His proclamation as the new Primate in 1998 gave birth to a Visionary, Transformational, Compassionate, Caring, Patient, Fair, Approachable, Appreciable, Committed and Dedicated Leader coming with guidelines of Vision, master-change plan, communication plan, roadmap-training plan and resistance management intended to cause growth and positive increase.
With the vision to ADVOCATE, ACCENTUATE, ACTUALIZE, and applying the policy: Transparency, Accountability and Godliness in addition to His great mission of repairing the broken wall and restoring the glory of the church, His Holiness, the Most Rev. Dr. Rufus Okikiola Ositelu has been able to motivate and inspire the follower-ship and since he became the Primate of the Church in 1998, THE CHURCH OF THE LORD Worldwide has witnessed significant, tremendous, remarkable and unprecedented progress spiritually, physically and materially.
Publications
His holiness, the Most Rev. Dr. Rufus Okikiola Olubiyi Ositelu is a prolific writer and researcher, and there are quite a number of publications to his credit. He has written over 40 books, including:
2002 âAfrican Instituted Churches (AICs)â, Ositelu Rufus, (Hamburg, LIT, 2002). ISBN: 3-8258-6087-6.
âCHRISTIANITY: Inside Story from an African perspectiveâ, Ositelu Rufus, (Ogere: TCLAW Publications, 2016). ISBN: 978-978-936-158-8.
âOrder of Cincture/Girdle/Tasselâ, Ositelu Rufus, (TCLAW Publications, Ogere, 2017). ISSN: 2408-6053.
2023
âThe Oracle of God - JOSIAH OLUNOWO OSITELU: An African
Prophet and Servant Leader Extraordinaireâ, Ositelu Rufus, (Ogere: TCLAW Publications, 2023). ISBN:978-978-960-407-4.
2025 âAFRICAN CHRISTIANITY And PROPHETIC MINISTRY: The Church of the Lord (TCL) Worldwide. ISBN: 978-978-773-342-4.
To the Glory of God, as it has been presented here, His Holiness The Most Revd. Dr. Rufus Okikiola Olubiyi Ositeluâs Spiritual, Physical and Material achievements are unprecedented (first of its kind) in the history of The Church of the Lord (TCL) Worldwide. Primate Dr. Rufus Ositelu is indeed a born leader, called, ordained and destined to lead this glorious and covenant Church.
His honesty, justice, prudence, fairness, hard work, selfless service, transparent accountability and commitment to the service of God and humanity, and peace among the people of the world has endeared him to be successful in taking the church to its Promised land and to be appreciated by the adherents of the Church. He led the Church to a grand celebration of its Hundred Years (100th) Anniversary on the 17th May, 2025 and will be leading the grand celebration of the 90th Anniversary of the Tabieorar Festival on the 22nd August, 2026 by the grace of God.
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