Ghandi Olaoye, a U.S.-based Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) pastor, says he accepted to be king of Ogbomoso because God told him to do so.

Peoples Gazette had reported how Mr Olaoye resigned from the Redeemed Church to become the next Soun of Ogbomoso.

Explaining his decision to his congregation in a video seen on Facebook, Mr Olaoye said he came under pressure since the demise of the former Soun of Ogbomoso, who died in December.

“On January 2, the first Sunday of the year, I had told people calling me. I had said that day I will tell all of them I am not doing (interested in becoming the Soun of Ogbomoso). I woke up about 6:30 a.m to pee,” he narrated in the video. “After peeing, I was lying down on the bed just thinking about what the service was going to be. Then, I said, ‘Lord, I’m at a crossroads of life. These people who are calling me, today is the day I said I’m going to give them the final answer that I’m not doing.”

Mr Olaoye claimed he was worried about leaving the vineyard for the palace.

“That’s the truth. Because I was thinking, how do I leave Jesus House, leave Washington and go to live in Ogbomoso? The next thing I heard clearly was, ‘You are born for this. This is the reason for your birth’,” he told the congregants. “That was all I heard. Of course, that was not what I wanted to hear. But let me tell you this when I hear I am 10/10. I never miss it when I say God told me, never in 30 years of ministry. Those close to me know this,” Mr Olaoye said.

Mr Olaoye also revealed he discussed the issue with the General Overseer of RCCG, Enoch Adeboye, who gave him the go-ahead, though he said he was not interested in becoming the Soun.

“‘Dont say you are not interested’. He said, ‘Of course, you are born into a royal family. You brought it from heaven. So don’t ever say you are not interested’,” Mr Olaoye quoted Mr Adeboye to have said.

Mr Olaoye worked as an entrepreneur before becoming a pastor in 1992. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English Language and a master’s in Industrial and Labour relations.

If he became the new Soun, Mr Olaoye would have toed the path of another Redeemed preacher, Kehinde Olugbenle, who resigned from his pastoral duties to become the Ila of Ilaro in Ogun.