By Esther Onyegbula

General Overseer of Trust in the Lord Jesus Ministries, Prophet Ezekiel Olaniyi Adeoti, has marked more than two decades in full-time ministry, chronicling a compelling journey from traditional worship roots to a life of prophetic calling and spiritual leadership.

Born in 1948 in Agbonda, Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, Prophet Adeoti’s transformation from the grandson of a herbalist to a revered Christian minister is being described by followers and observers as a testament to divine purpose and obedience. His life, now drawing renewed public interest, reflects Nigeria’s enduring spiritual landscape where personal faith journeys often intersect with national conversations about religion, power, and legitimacy.

Adeoti, who founded the Trust in the Lord Jesus Ministries in Lagos, began his spiritual journey amid resistance from his own family’s deep-seated traditional beliefs. Raised by his grandmother in his formative years, the young Ezekiel was surrounded by ancestral practices yet shielded from their full demands. His father, the family’s first Christian convert and later a Lagos-based businessman, introduced him to the Christian faith and instilled in him a strong value for education.

Though an early career in banking, including rapid promotion at African Continental Bank (ACB), appeared promising, the death of his father triggered a series of personal and spiritual crises that ultimately pushed him into ministry. His conversion experience deepened within the Christ Gospel Apostolic Church (CGAC), where his prayer life became notable for spiritual manifestations, including healing and deliverance. However, envy and internal opposition from church leadership forced him to seek spiritual clarity elsewhere.

His time at the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM) further cemented his prophetic identity, though visions and trances eventually led him to start an independent ministry. A notable vision, where he received a divine note reading “Get ready to serve”, confirmed his calling.

In 1998, following intense fasting and prayer on a holy mountain in Ibadan, Prophet Adeoti established the Trust in the Lord Jesus Ministries, beginning from a small compound in Yaba, Lagos. He claims the ministry’s foundation was marked by a divine covenant on May 26 of that year, described as “as enduring as the sweetness of honey.”

Despite lacking formal theological education, the ministry has grown into a center for deliverance and prophetic healing. Known for his revelations and spiritual guidance, Prophet Adeoti has maintained that his mission is deeply rooted in obedience to divine instruction rather than religious tradition.

His ministry is now undergoing expansion, with a relocation plan to Bariga and the relaunch of a prayer school aimed at spiritual and educational development. Although two early church branches closed down, Adeoti views them as part of a broader divine refinement process.

A family man, he married Mrs. Dorcas Oluwakemi Adeoti in 1979. They have seven children, six surviving, and thirteen grandchildren. Several of his children are actively involved in the ministry, including Pastor Tunde and Barrister Tolu, alongside others flourishing in their respective fields.

Prophet Adeoti remains a vocal proponent of legitimate spiritual leadership and often references spiritual mentors such as Pastor E.A. Adeboye, Dr. D.K. Olukoya, and Pastor W.F. Kumuyi. He has expressed concern over moral decay among some clerics, emphasizing that wearing the cloth is not equivalent to walking the righteous path.

As Trust in the Lord Jesus Ministries enters a new phase, the life of Prophet Ezekiel Adeoti stands as both a spiritual narrative and a leadership case study, one that blends the complexities of faith, personal transformation, and the pursuit of divine assignment in contemporary Nigeria.