Josiah Olunowo Oshitelu

Nigerian religious leader

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July 2, 2026

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Josiah Olunowo Oshitelu was a Nigerian religious leader and Anglican catechist who founded The Church of the Lord (Aladura) in 1930. Dissatisfied with Western religious practices and a lack of spiritual power, Oshitelu, influenced by divine healing literature, began preaching against idolatry and native charms. He emphasized prayer, fasting, and holy water for healing and prophecy. His church, which began in Ogere, Nigeria, expanded significantly, with congregations spreading across Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and even to New York City and London. The Aladura movement, meaning "Owners of Prayer," is a significant religious movement among the Yoruba people of West Africa, characterized by divine healing and a puritanical moral code.1

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Aladura
…Lord (Aladura) was started by Josiah Olunowo Oshitelu, an Anglican catechist and schoolteacher, whose unusual visions, fastings, and devotions led to his dismissal in 1926. By 1929 he was preaching judgment on idolatry and native charms and medicines, uttering prophecies, and healing through prayer, fasting, and holy water. The Church…
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…Lord (Aladura) was started by Josiah Olunowo Oshitelu, an Anglican catechist and schoolteacher, whose unusual visions, fastings, and devotions led to his dismissal in 1926. By 1929 he was preaching judgment on idolatry and native charms and medicines, uttering prophecies, and healing through prayer, fasting, and holy water. The Church…
Read More