The Alara of Ara, Oba (Dr) Olubayo Adesola Windapo, has described his 65th birthday as a celebration of God’s faithfulness, protection and the “second chance” he believes he was given to fulfil his purpose on earth.
The traditional ruler gave the testimony during a thanksgiving service held on Sunday at the First Baptist Church, Ara, Osun State, as part of activities marking his 65th birthday anniversary.
Speaking on the significance of the celebration, which was held under the theme, “Praise the Lord of Second Chance,” Oba Windapo recalled how he survived what he described as a potentially fatal road accident while travelling abroad.
According to him, the accident could have ended his life, but God preserved him without leaving a single injury on his body.
“God gave me a second chance,” the monarch testified. “I had a fatal accident, but God, in His faithful manner, spared my life without any scratch on my body. It was not because I am the best, but because I believe I still have many things to do on earth.
“That is why I am here today, giving thanks to God. When I look back at what happened, I cannot attribute my survival to anything other than the grace and mercy of God.”
Oba Windapo said his experience had strengthened his conviction that his life had been preserved for a purpose, adding that his survival was not limited to the accident but reflected what he described as God’s protection throughout his life.
“I have had several encounters with danger from my childhood, but each time, God has always made a way for me to survive,” he said.
“When I was growing up, when I was in school and even when I was pursuing my education, I saw the hand of God in my life. From Lagelu Grammar School to the School of Medicine, University of Lagos, God was there for me.
“Even when I eventually became king, I continued to see God’s protection and guidance. So, when I clocked 65, I felt there was no better way to celebrate than to return to God and say, ‘Thank you, Lord, for giving me another chance.’”
The monarch said the birthday was therefore more than a celebration of age, describing it as an opportunity to appreciate God for preserving his life and enabling him to serve both God and humanity.
“I am not celebrating 65 years simply because I have attained the age. I am celebrating because God has kept me alive and I will continue to glorified him,” he said.
“I have gone through situations that could have taken my life, but God kept me. He has brought me this far, and I am grateful.
“The theme, ‘Praise the Lord of Second Chance,’ is very significant to me because I know that God has given me more than one opportunity to live and fulfil my responsibilities.
“I believe I am still alive because there is still work for me to do. There are still people to serve, there are still things to contribute to my community, and there is still a purpose that God wants me to fulfil.”
The Alara also expressed gratitude to his family, the people of Ara, traditional rulers, friends and well-wishers who joined him in celebrating the milestone.
He said his reign as a king had further strengthened his understanding of leadership as a responsibility and a call to service.
“I thank God for giving me the privilege to serve as the Alara of Ara. Being a king is not about the crown; it is about service,” Oba Windapo said.
“Whatever position God gives you, you must use it to serve the people and to glorify Him. That is what I have tried to do, and I pray that God will continue to give me the wisdom, strength and good health to do more.”
He urged those present to recognise the importance of appreciating God for life, regardless of the challenges they might be facing.
“My message to everyone is that we should never take life for granted,” he said.
“There are many things we go through that we may not understand, but God sees what we do not see. Sometimes, what we consider a setback may be God preserving us for another opportunity.
“I am a living testimony of that. I survived when I could have died. God gave me a second chance, and I will continue to praise Him for it.”
Delivering the sermon at the thanksgiving service, Reverend Kayode Olanrewaju of First Baptist Church, Ara, urged traditional rulers and other leaders to prioritise their relationship with God.
Drawing inspiration from Psalm 90:12, he prayed for God to preserve the monarch and strengthen him for the responsibilities ahead.
“Our king is celebrating his 65th anniversary, and I appreciate all the traditional rulers who came to honour him on this august occasion,” Olanrewaju said.
“My advice for everyone is that what we need most is God in our lives. I am appealing to our fathers who are traditional rulers to give their lives to Jesus.”
Also speaking, the Head of the Alara-in-Council and Bara of Ara, Chief Akinjide Isola, described Oba Windapo as a God-fearing monarch whose reign had contributed significantly to the development of Ara.
“We thank God for the 65th birthday of our father. He is a man with the utmost fear of God, and since he became king in our amiable town, he has consistently spearheaded the developmental agenda of Ara,” Isola said.
He prayed for continued good health, wisdom and longevity for the monarch.
The President of the Rotary Club of Gbagada, Mr Adeyemi Lawal, also thanked God for preserving the monarch’s life and praised his contributions to humanity.
Lawal recalled Oba Windapo’s tenure as president of the Rotary Club of Gbagada, describing his impact as significant.
“Kabiyesi served as Rotary president of Gbagada and left a giant stride of development. He facilitated many projects for the town, including social amenities and different intervention programmes,” Lawal said.
“My prayer is that God Almighty will give him the privilege to do more.”
The thanksgiving service attracted traditional rulers, community leaders, family members, friends and well-wishers who gathered to celebrate the Alara and join him in thanking God for what he described as a life preserved by divine grace.
For Oba Windapo, however, the celebration was ultimately not about the number of years he had lived, but about the God he believes gave him the opportunity to live them.
“At 65, I can only say thank you, Lord,” the monarch said.
“You have kept me, you have protected me and you have given me another chance. My prayer is that whatever years I have left, I will use them to serve God, serve my people and make a positive difference.”
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