ASSEMBLIES OF GOD ISOLO 1

Rev Dr Godson Chukwuma Samuel Iroatu
Sectional Leader/Senior Pastor

Rev Dr Evangelist Godson Chukwuma Samuel Iroatu JP (DFILMMD) was born in his home town in Umu-Uba Villa, Ezeleke Umuopara in Umuahia South L. G. A. Of Abia State, Nigeria to the humble family of Late Mr. & Mrs Chijioke Samuel Iroatu on Sunday 20th January 1974. The arrival of the baby boy elicited great joy in the heart of Dee Chijioke that he named him Chukwumaobim (God knows my Heart). His birth brought settlement in the heart of a man who has been in search for a baby after some years of marriage with his first wife. He resolved that he will do all within his powers to give the young lad the best education and kept whispering it to his ear. HIS EARLY LIFE EXPERIENCE AND EXPOSURE Rev Godson Iroatu began his early life with the excitement of the promises of his father. There was unusual zeal for him to fulfil that desire of the father. At age 4 in 1978, he resolved to start Primary School but was rejected because of his tender age and for the fact that his right hand couldn't touch the left ear from across the head as was the manner of determining those qualified for admission. He cried till the Headmaster promised to admit him the following year. At age 5 in 1979, the same process was repeated but at this time his hand touched the ear but the new Headmaster rejected him on account of his age. The young Godson cried till he changed his mind but with a warning that if he fails the first term he will be withdrawn from school. The boy became very committed and came third on the first term. That was how he kept performing better each term till he completed his primary education. Unfortunately, that dream of the father's promise was cut short at the age 8 when he lost his father to the cold hands of death. HIS QUEST FOR KNOWLEDGE Evang Godson Iroatu loves knowledge. After the father's death, he resolved to fulfill the promises to his father of going to school. As the first Son and Child among other five siblings, At a tender age of 12 years in Class 1 in Secondary school, he began to do menial jobs of cultivation of land for old women who will pay him cash which he uses to support the step mother who was responsible for his education in the payment of school fees. This he did till he graduated from Secondary school and relocated to Lagos to meet his uncle. He received the call into full-time ministry and couldn't proceed to secular school. After his Bible School Diploma graduation at Western Bible College Iperu now South West Advanced School of Theology in November 1998, he proceeded to Christac Bible Institute where he studied Missions and graduated in 2000. He then got admission to study Mass Communication at Wolex Polytechnic Lagos where he graduated in 2002. He further enrolled at Nigerian Institute of Public Relations where he got a Professional Certificate in Public Relations in 2004. In 2012 he was admitted to Nigeria Institute of Journalism Ogba Lagos where he bagged his HND in Mass Communication with an Entrepreneurial award from the school in 2014. He proceeded to Global University USA where he bagged his BA in Bible and Theology in 2022. In 2023 he enrolled in Evangel Theological Seminary Jos where he is currently writing his Thesis for an award of Masters of Church Administration possibly November 2024. In August 2023, he received an investiture of Doctoral Fellow Award of the Institute of Leadership Manpower and Management Development (DFILMMD) in Victoria Island Lagos. He has attended many Conferences home and abroad in bid to improve himself ministerially. He is still zealous of studying to show himself approved as workman that needed not to be ashamed but rightly dividing the word of truth. HIS DIVINE ENCOUNTER Rev Dr IROATU Godson Chukwuma Samuel had an encounter with God as a teenager in 1991 August 13th. There was a remarkable change around his life that everyone in the Village witnessed. On February 4th 1992 he relocated to Lagos to further his education as promised by his uncle only to be told that schooling was no longer feasible for him as the first son. Although he worked first as a factory worker in Debo Soap Industry and rose to an Assistant Supervisor, he resigned to do a Secretary work to enable him be in the church program early every day. That encounter opened him up to so many other encounters with God. On 5th January 2017, he had a very serious encounter where the Lord appeared to him and encouraged him and reinstated His desire to see him fulfil his calling. All the promises given to him during that encounter are all manifesting today. Again on 30th September 2020, he had another visitation of God in his house. This time everyone in his house including the children that have gone to bed all felt the presence of God and began speaking in tongues from their sleep even when some of them never had the baptism of the Holy Spirit encounter before then. His life since then has been full of fulfillment of God's promises to him. This God is real and it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God who shows Mercy. Mercy speaks louder than judgement. Mercy is speaking in his life today. HIS CALL TO MINISTRY AND EXPERIENCE The gifts and calling of God is without repentance. The hand of God became heavy on the young boy after he heard the call of God in March 1993. He wanted to proceed to the Bible School immediately but his then Pastor, Rev Johnson Agonmo Achu asked him to wait for the Late Rev Eric Inyese who just gained admission in 1992 to graduate before entering school. This calling led him to resign his appointment with Olive and Delly Nigerian Ltd where he was serving as a PA to the MD and took up a job with Scripture Union Nigeria Shomolu Kosofe Zone in fulfilment of his calling into full-time gospel ministry. He became the first School visitor of Scripture Union Nigeria Shomolu Kosofe Zone in Lagos Area covering and supervising all school outreaches within the Local government. This he did till he resumed into the full-time ministry of Assemblies of God Nigeria Lagos District in 1996 at the age of 22. HIS PASTORAL MINISTRY He started his pastoral ministry in February 1999 with no member at Iyana-Ipaja Church. He got his first eight members in one day having pastored and preached to only chairs for two weeks. On the third week he got eight members and today despite all the battles that the church has gone through, it is still standing with landed property. The enemy struck him in that church which he raised to about 70 members in one year. His next Pastoral station was Abule Egba Church in Orile Agege Section in February 2002. He restructured the church and moved it to a higher level before he was transferred to Okeira Church in Ogba Section in February 2004. He worked so hard in Okeira that the current face of the church frontage was singlehandedly done by him between January to March 2009 before he was transferred to Ifako Central still in Ogba Section to pioneer the current new Ifako Central Church after the Church moved to their permanent site in Ifako Estate. He worked with the members to purchase the current land where the church is situated now about N11.6Million with the help of both the District and Section. That church building structure was started and completed within 6 months including the plastering and fixing of windows. He was transferred to Alimosho in Akowonjo Section in January 2015. The current face lift of Alimosho and their Mega Worship Centre status originated as his Vision support By the Deacon board and members. Within one and half years, he has renovated the Patronage and a befitting Guest House, built a new security house, new fence and restructured the church building separating the Media and Audio Studio and Pastors Office. He denied himself about five months salary to invest in God's kingdom business among other financial sacrifices. He was struck again by the forces that wouldn't want him to fulfil his calling and this time more deadly than he could imagine. Glory to God that he is alive today. A child of destiny will never die before his time. He survived all the arrows of darkness and bounced back to his feet. In his mistake he even attempted taking his own life if not for God's timely intervention. Thank God he survived and in August 2018, he was transferred to Egan 2 Church in Egan Section where he sacrificed about 1.8M of his personal money to rebuild the fence, built an Altar for the church and erected Pastors and Deacons office structure single handedly. He ensured he fixed the windows in that church. He personally fixed five out of the eight windows in that church. In January 2021, he resumed at Okooba Central in Orile Agege Section and the church grew in both attendance and income. In April 2022, he single handedly painted the church with the paint that the church is wearing till today. Just before his transfer last year, he invested more than 3/4 of the cost of flooring the church compound before going on transfer to Ijegun in July 2023. This year, just last week, he organised a Free Health Check and sponsored about 50 free Eye glasses for members of the public amongst other numerous philanthropic work he is doing. He has also embarked on a personal project of improving the frontage of the church. HIS LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND PROWESS Rev Iroatu Godson is a skillful and servant leader. He loves raising the hands of others especially younger ministers. He is the convener of the Pastors Prayer Partners Network. A gathering of young ministers in search of God. They Hunger for God's Presence monthly from different districts and denominations. In his first pastorate alone, more than 12 Pastors were raised from his ministry both within Lagos District, Abuja District and others as General Overseers of their own ministries just like in other places he has pastored. As a new Sectional Leader, his Pastors can testify of his leadership qualities in challenging them for greater performance. The District leadership can attest to positive changes in all areas in the Ijegun Section. Rev Iroatu Godson is a generous pastor and Leader. He can give out the last kobo in his hands just to satisfy another person. He leads by example in all church fund raising and offerings. Hardly any member gives more than him both in Enlargement Campaign, ThanksGiving, Church Building and Projects Launchings even though he is not the richest in the church. POSITIONS HELD Evangelist Godson Chukwuma Samuel Iroatu is a full time ordained minister of the Assemblies Of God Nigeria, Lagos District. He has served as a Sectional Youth coordinator in Orile Agege Section and Sunday School Coordinator in Ogba Section as well as a District Media Coordinator, Zonal Media Representative for South West Zone 2 and National Media Secretary of General Council Assemblies Of God Nigeria. He also served as the first Secretary Lagos District Assemblies of God Bethel Prayer Conference among other capacities of service and leadership. He is currently the Sectional Leader of Assemblies of God Ijegun Section in Lagos District. HIS INTERNATIONAL MINISTRY Rev Iroatu Godson is an International Evangelist. He is being sought after both locally and internationally. He began his international ministry in 1998 By embarking on a Mission outreach to Niger Republic. In 2012, the gospel messages took him to Benin Republic, Togo and Ghana. He has been with this gospel ministry to Ivory Coast, Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso twice with remarkable testimonies, South Africa, Nairobi and Mombasa in Kenya, Entebbe in Uganda both in East Africa and North Africa country of Casablanca in Morocco as well as Frankfurt city of Germany. He has ministered and visited USA cities of Dallas, Midland and Huston Texas, Newark in New Jersey, Manhattan, Queens in New York City, Philadelphia in Pennslyvania, Springfield Missouri, St Louis, Columbus , Indianapolis, Charlotte in South Carolina and finally just recently he was among the delegation that visited Israel and Jordan on Pilgrimage making him among the latest JPs. HIS TRIALS Rev Iroatu Godson has learned how to rise from his encounters with failures in life and ministry. Surviving the last encounter with failure was a great lesson on dependency on God and truthfulness to men. In his weakness he received the strength of God. But for divine intervention, he would have been a dead man by now. Thanks to God for that divine appearance that revived him to what he is today. HIS RESEARCH WORKS AND LITERARY PUBLICATIONS Rev Iroatu Godson Chukwuma Samuel has authored Two published books Titled: My Hair Is Growing Again formerly The Resurgence Of The Star In You and I Give You Seven Days. Other Unpublished books includes How To Succeed Even If You Were Caused and Success In The Valley of Limitations He has some academic research works to his credit including Media Coverage Of The Dividend Of Democracy (A Case Study Of The Human Rights Violation Investigation Commission) The Impact Of Media In The Crusade Against Religious Intolerance In Nigeria (A Case Study Of Residents Of Agege Lagos State) The 21st Century Media Friendly Church An Administrative Analysis of Leadership Styles and Their Impact on Church Growth in Assemblies of God Lagos District, Lagos State. HIS FAMILY LIFE Rev Iroatu Godson got married to Mummy Regina Iroatu on the 13th November 2004. The marriage is blessed with two Girls -Godsown Chimamaka and Godscare Chimnonso and two Boys- Godson Chukwumaobim Jnr and Godsent Chukwumezurum. He is a loving father and a great disciplinarian. The wife Mummy Regina is a real Pastor's wife and has been of immense support to the ministry and family front. Rev Iroatu has been supportive of his younger siblings in many ways acting as their father. THE BLESSINGS OF GOD The Blessings of God they make rich and add no sorrow to it. The Lord has blessed Rev Iroatu with a Special Grace that no other person has. It has made him to be in hot demand within and outside the Assemblies of God circle and internationally. He is a Teacher, Pastor, Evangelist with a Prophetic Grace characterized with signs and wonders. Miracles are common to his ministry since he preaches Jesus centered messages.