Dr. Solomon Adeniyi Babalola (April 20, 1929 – November 3, 2021) was a Nigerian Baptist pastor who lived and served in Nigeria, Ghana, Canada, and the United States.
At the time of his death aged 92 years, Babalola and his wife had five children (three sons and two daughters),[1] sixteen grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren.
While with her husband in Ogbomosho, Mrs. Babalola trained at the seminary for the three-year Certificate in Religious Education (CRE) in 1965 and she won the Top Student Award in her combined class of C.Th.
Babalola worked as a Field Worker of the Nigerian Women's Missionary Union and ministered across the rural towns and villages of the Yoruba states of southern Nigeria.
Inter-denominationally and ecumenically, Babalola served at various times in positions such as Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Fiditi Zone, Oyo State; Member of the Christian Council of Nigeria, (Western Region); and Member of the National Steering Committee.
The second was when he was a sponsored candidate to Switzerland (one of only two Nigerian Baptist pastors) attending ICOWE in July 1974, the First International Congress on World Evangelization which was held in Lausanne.
He attended Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia (Canada)[1] and earned his Master of Divinity (with an additional bachelor's degree) in 1984.
Prior to this, he took training as a Mental Health Specialist which qualified him to work in that capacity for the State of South Carolina, and enabled him to pay his way for his Doctor of Ministries studies.
Dr. Babalola also ministered among immigrant African communities (with prayers & confidential family/youth counseling) in Wolfville (Canada), Columbia (South Carolina), Buffalo, (New York) & Houston (Texas).
On his return to Nigeria, Babalola was appointed (after formal age-mandatory retirement from pastorate of the Nigerian Baptist Convention) by his 'alma mater', the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary, Ogbomosho, as Director of Academic Affairs,[5] (also termed in other jurisdictions variously as Provost, Dean, Deputy Vice-Chancellor or Pro Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs).
As Director of Academic Affairs, he led the process for starting a series of new postgraduate programs at Master and Doctorate levels, and as professor, taught a number of graduate and undergraduate courses.
and Mrs. Babalola fully retired from official and unofficial pastoral/academic activities to Oke-Ila Orangun, capital of Ifedayo Local Government, in Osun State.
More formally, Babalola served (since his election at the beginning of the 21st century) for almost ten years as President and Chairman of the Board of Oke-Ila Orangun Parapo, his home-town's umbrella association for community development.
The election of a formal Executive separate from the Board in December 2009, finally gave some respite and allowed Rev.
Dr. Solomon Adeniyi Babalola, died on November 3, 2021, enjoying the care of his 5 biological children, his 5 children-in-law and his 16 grandchildren, in addition to the awe and admiration of his 11 great-grandchildren to which a 12th was born shortly after his passing.
Mrs. Babalola both died in the United States but as they requested, they were both buried in Oke-Ila, Nigeria, side-by-side in a mausoleum adjoining their home.