In the course of my work I have met a lot of women but there are some I am not quick to forget and my date for this week is one of such women. I find her story very inspiring but most especially, I find her character worthy of emulation. She defies age with her looks, a grandmother who looks like she’s in her forty’s. She naturally oozes grace and her demeanour is indeed commendable.
Blessed with the necessities of life and the love of an awesome family yet humble enough to relate with everyone without airs. A mother, mentor and confidant to many but most of all graced with a large heart to be a blessing to humanity. Reverend Funke Felix Adejumo is my date for this week and she graces this page.
She is the president of Funke Felix-Adejumo Foundation, an accomplished Woman of God, blessed with the gift of seasoned words of wisdom, an attribute that has inspired millions of people that have listened to her at conferences and seminars around the world.
She has a great passion for womanhood with a divine purpose on earth “Honouring God and Blessing Humanity”. This vision has transformed into many works such as the established Grace Orphanage, the construction of the Children’s Hospital and other great works that God is doing through her.
Her foundation is dedicated to making worldwide impact with a special call to restoring dignity to womanhood and equipping women from all over the world.
Her annual International Outreach known as “Mothers Summit” has brought thousands of mothers and mothers-to-be from across the globe together to pray, where lives and homes have been molded with profound testimonies. Her second annual international conference “Winning Edge“ is set to gather over 10,000 women with a main focus to discuss women issues, its maiden edition holds January 2015.
She has authored over 50 book titles such as “Fifty Lessons Life Taught Me“. “My Seed is Designed for the Palace“, “Mothers Summit Prayer Points” and many others.
She is married to Bishop Felix Adejumo and their most blissful home is blessed with two men, two women, one grandson and some adopted children. She is the mother of the Agape Family Worldwide, hers is a story of a woman helped by God.
Life is indeed filled with stories of great people with humble beginnings and Funke is one of such. From birth none even believed in her. Right there on the day she was born, they told her father “In case you even send her to school, she is going to change her name. So don’t even bother to send her to school.”. But that’s not all that happened, hear Funke tell you more. “My father was supposed to build a house back then, he sold all he could and the materials to be used, it got so bad that we did not have enough plates to eat in the house. My mother would pound cocoyam; we couldn’t afford meat in our soup. We had to settle for mushroom. That’s why I don’t like mushroom to date.”
“I have had enough of it in my life. She would pound and put the cocoyam in this particular left palm and we would be eating from it. At about 3pm one Sunday after we had sold everything, my brother died and we became very poor, so poor the poor started calling us poor.
I was in primary school and when I now got admission into secondary school, situation had become so bad my dad couldn’t afford my school fees. The rest they say is history” she says.
A bitter childhood you would say but interestingly, Funke has never allowed that to deter her, she is constantly at the fore, ensuring the lives of children are better for it and one of such ways she does that is through her orphanage.
Speaking on the challenges with running the orphanage, Funke has this to say “money is never enough. We have have reunited several children to their families and they have been absorbed. Currently, we have 29 children and we just finished a property that ran into millions-where the children now live. Each child has his own space. Funding has been challenging but amazingly, God, my husband, I and then one or two people God has blessed my life with have been supportive.” says Funke.
Though Funke’s father is no more, her memories of him are ever green “My father would hold my hands and teach me how to write. He would tell me, ‘These lines are not for decorations, write on them.’ I miss him but I know he was proud of me even till he died a death so peaceful!” Funke tells me.
Funke is particularly committed to anything that affects the woman “I am raised and called to help the woman spiritually to help her know that her life should be sound spiritually; she must have a sound relationship with the Lord. Number two, if she is not married, that does not mean her life is not complete; she must enjoy where she is, on her way to where she is going. In marriage, being the right person is more important than marrying the right person. She must prepare her life in such a way that every morning, her husband will wake up and bless God seeing her as an asset.” Funke admonishes.
You would think Funke loves to have copious attires and also a designer freak right? Get ready for this shocker, the answer is simply NO! Again, she speaks “Kemi, the truth is I wear whatever suits me. I’m sorry to say I don’t believe in the craziness of spending a fortune on what you wear. If I have the money I will rather spend it on widows and orphans. Recently I gave just N10,000 to a woman one day and she was rolling on the floor in front of my car to pay her children’s school fees and I will now take N1 million to buy a bag? God forbid, I won’t do it!” she bluntly responds.
Right in Funke’s front burner is a program I am so glad and honoured to be part of. It is called ‘Women on the Winning Edge’ program. It is a calling to all women to inspire them to be self-confident, raise them to be women who will build good homes, raise Godly children, be wealthy, and stand toe –to-toe with other women of various cadres without denying the faith. It is an international conference, scheduled to hold on the 16th to 18th of January, 2015 at Tafa Balewa Square in Lagos. I am indeed looking forward to it as it promises to be thrilling and inspiring!
“This vision is about God’s move on earth and because it is for the woman, it is a large umbrella which includes the single parent, married, divorced, career woman, politician, matured single, widow, etc. Whatever category she falls, as long as she is a woman, the Winning Edge family will be there for her. This 3-day programme has been divided into various segments which includes: Preaching/teaching of the word, panel sessions (where questions from women, that have been collated before, and during the course of the programme will be answered), shop for Free (An avenue to give back to the woman in need) and the African Praise Night (a time to return praises to God)” Funke reveals.
It is indeed time for women to arise, take their God-given place, and begin to fulfill their God-given mandate on this side of the divide. See you there!
Giving her parting shots, Funke says “I want to look back and see that my ministry has touched and helped many women to be free to be themselves, to be better and extraordinary women, to be celebrated mothers, to be award-winning wives and successful career women. Many children and highly placed people testify to God’s goodness and say ‘Thank God we met Funke Felix Adejumo’; then I will rejoice!” she concludes.
Kemi Ajumobi
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