Pulpit to palace

The Documentary Podcast

BBC

Society & Culture, Documentary, Personal Journals

4.3 • 2.6K Ratings

🗓️ 13 June 2025

⏱️ 27 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In March 2022, the senior pastor of The Redeemed Christian Church of God - Jesus House Parish, Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye, resigned from his position at a church in Washington D.C., to ascend a traditional throne as Soun of Ogbomoso kingdom of Oyo state, in south-west Nigeria. His decision sent shock waves in the community as the role is considered part of traditional African spirituality - something an evangelical pastor is not expected to be linked with. But Ghandi insists that the same God who called him as a young man to become a pastor has called him now to become a king. Since ascending the throne, he has been drawn into a legal process by some of his cousins, who argue the throne is not for a pastor. There’s also pressure from local traditionalists, who are asking that the new king converts from Christianity to their traditional African religion. This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from Heart and Soul, exploring personal approaches to spirituality from around the world.

Transcript

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0:00.0	What you're hearing is the traditional crowning ceremony of the new king of Ubo Moshe,
0:14.0	an ancient kingdom in the suburb of Oyo state, southwest Nigeria.
0:19.0	And the chance is an eology for the new ruler.
0:23.0	Long live the king.
0:24.9	May your reign be peaceful.
0:32.9	And the person they are paying obeisance to is this man.
0:37.1	Let us pray. Heavenly Father once again, we thank you.
0:40.2	Thank you for who you are.
0:42.4	You are God and God by yourself.
0:45.5	We honor you today, Lord.
0:48.1	That was Pastor Olao Yegandy of the Jesus House Church, Washington, D.C.
0:53.7	And you may wonder why a group of traditionalists
0:56.1	are singing the praises of a church pastor
0:58.2	and calling him king.
1:00.8	Well, that's because two years ago,
1:03.1	Pastor Gandhi's life changed dramatically
1:05.0	when he received a call from his native Nigeria,
1:08.5	telling him to return as he is due to ascend the throne.
1:15.1	But how does an evangelical Christian pastor assume a role so steeped in African spirituality
1:21.0	and certain practices that he would have been preaching against?
1:26.2	I'm Peter Mac Job.
1:27.7	This is the documentary on the BBC World Service.
	...

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