Albert Odulele
{{Short description|Nigerian pastor (born 1964)}}
{{EngvarB|date=April 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2014}}
Albert Taiwo Tokunbo Odulele (born 5 January 1964) is a Nigerian-British pastor.
Early life
Odulele was born as a twin{{cite news|url=https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2021/04/03/25-years-ago-ovation-international-was-born-in-london/|publisher=Thisday|title=25 Years Ago, Ovation International was Born in London|author=Dele Momodu|accessdate=January 5, 2022|year=2021}} in London at St. Mary’s Hospital, Whittington to Nigerian parents Abel Oyebajo and Patience Aotola. Odulele spent his formative years in Nigeria and emigrated to the United Kingdom in 1986.{{cite web|url=http://www.dralbert.org |accessdate=1 May 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130415103706/http://dralbert.org/ |archivedate=15 April 2013 |title=Dr. Albert Odulele }} He started [https://gloryhouse.org.uk/who-we-are/ Glory House] in 1993. Odulele married in 1995. He was convicted of two counts of sexual assault in 2011.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/pastor-jailed-for-fondling-boy-2258568.html |title=Pastor jailed for fondling boy |publisher=Independent.co.uk |date=2011-03-31 |accessdate=2015-04-01}}
Career
Odulele graduated from Ogun State University (now Olabisi Onabanjo University) in Nigeria with a Bachelor of Science in Medicine and Surgery in 1989.{{cite web|url=http://www.tribune.com.ng/sun/index.php/sunday-zest/3542-pastor-dr-albert-odulele-of-glory-house-homosexual-offences-the-full-story-so-far |accessdate=1 May 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140121145807/http://www.tribune.com.ng/sun/index.php/sunday-zest/3542-pastor-dr-albert-odulele-of-glory-house-homosexual-offences-the-full-story-so-far |archivedate=21 January 2014 |title=Sunday Tribune }}
Following his relocation to the United Kingdom, he worked for the British civil service for a short period of time.
Odulele founded a Charismatic church called Glory Bible church in 1993 at a former funeral home in Leyton, East London. It became [https://gloryhouse.org.uk/who-we-are/ Glory House] in 1999 and now meets at Tabernacle Avenue in Plaistow, London. The Church has branches in Nigeria, started by Albert Odulele in 2016; Kenya founded in 2014{{Cite web|title=Who Are we?|url=http://www.gloryhousekenya.org/who-are-we/|access-date=2021-10-12|website=Glory House Kenya|language=en-GB|archive-date=23 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211023193630/http://www.gloryhousekenya.org/who-are-we/|url-status=dead}} and Brazil.{{Cite web|title=Who We Are|url=https://gloryhouse.org.uk/who-we-are/|access-date=2021-10-12|website=Glory House Church - Pastor Albert Odulele|language=en-US}}
Criminal conviction
In February 2011, various media outlets reported that Albert Odulele was charged with two counts of sexual assault involving two male youths, one of whom was a boy under 16 years of age.{{cite news | url=http://www.channel4.com/news/evangelical-pastor-charged-with-sex-offences | title=Evangelical pastor charged with sex offences | first=Simon | last=Israel | date=25 February 2011 | publisher=Channel 4 | accessdate=20 January 2015}} Odulele pleaded guilty{{cite web |author= |url=http://contraculturemag.com/?p=179 |title=Church in the News: Pastor Odulele admits sex offenses |publisher=Contraculturemag.com |date=2011-03-03 |accessdate=2015-04-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141105023133/http://contraculturemag.com/?p=179 |archive-date=5 November 2014 |url-status=dead }} and confessed that he had been battling with his sexuality for many years.{{cite web |url=http://saharareporters.com/news-page/uk-based-nigerian-pastor-albert-odulele-pleads-guilty-sex-attack-boy |title=UK-Based Nigerian Pastor, Albert Odulele, Pleads Guilty To Sex Attack On Boy |publisher=Saharareporters.com |date=2011-03-03 |accessdate=2015-04-01 |archive-date=18 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140518212021/http://saharareporters.com/news-page/uk-based-nigerian-pastor-albert-odulele-pleads-guilty-sex-attack-boy |url-status=dead }} Odulele was sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court to eight months in prison{{cite news | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/pastor-jailed-for-fondling-boy-2258568.html | title=Pastor jailed for fondling boy | first=Matthew | last=Holehouse | newspaper=The Independent | date=31 May 2011 | accessdate=20 January 2015 }} and placed on the UK sex offenders' register for five years. His twin brother Vincent Odulele took over the church at that time. Facebook groups were established to [https://www.facebook.com/groups/westandbypastoralbert support] and to [https://www.facebook.com/groups/114685178609585 condemn] Albert Odulele.
Having served some of his sentence, Odulele was released early from jail on 29 July 2011.{{cite web|url=http://babajidesalu.wordpress.com/2011/07/30/pastor-albert-odulele-is-out-of-jail |title=Pastor Albert Odulele is out of jail… | Jide-Salu.com |publisher=Babajidesalu.wordpress.com |date=2011-07-30 |accessdate=2015-04-01}} He then resumed work as the pastor of Glory House.{{cite web | url=http://gloryhouse.org.uk/2014/dr-albert-odulele-to-minister-to-east-africa/ | title=Dr Albert Odulele to Minister in East Africa | date=8 November 2014 | publisher=Glory House | accessdate=20 January 2015 }} Warnings were issued by some media outlets{{Cite news|date=2016-10-16|title=Parents Beware: Gay Pastor Albert ODULELE on Rampage in Nigeria • Global News|language=en-US|work=Global News|url=http://www.globalnewsnig.com/beware-gay-pastor-rampage-nigeria/|access-date=2017-05-02|archive-date=26 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170426041131/http://www.globalnewsnig.com/beware-gay-pastor-rampage-nigeria/|url-status=dead}} upon his return to Nigeria in 2016 to start a Church branch there.
Bibliography
Odulele has written and published several Christian non-fiction titles including:
- "The Bible Made Simple" Published in 2001{{cite book|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Bible-Made-Simple-Odulele/dp/B001CM7FJY |title=The Bible Made Simple: Amazon.co.uk: Dr. Att Odulele: Books |publisher=Amazon.co.uk |date= January 2001|accessdate=2015-04-01}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=63psMwEACAAJ |title=The Bible Made Simple - Albert T. T. Odulele - Google Books |accessdate=2015-04-01|last1=Odulele |first1=Albert T. T. |year=2001 }} {{oclc|58998340}}
- "Understanding God's Voice" Published in 2003{{Cite book | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=RjtEAgAACAAJ | title = Understanding God's Voice | isbn = 9781902008066 | last1 = Odulele | first1 = Albert T. T. | date = 2003-01-01| publisher = OVMC, Publications, Limited }} {{ISBN|9781902008066}}
- "Divine Inspiration"
- "Eternity Unveiled"{{cite web|url=http://www.freecdtracts.com/testimony/dr_albert_odulele.htm |title=Dr Albert Odulele - Eternity Unveiled - Angel Encounter |publisher=Freecdtracts.com |date= |accessdate=2015-04-01}}
- "Divine Assignment Indicators"
- "This Crisis is for your Increase"{{cite book|author=Dr. Albert Odulele |url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/THIS-CRISIS-INCREASE-ALBERT-ODULELE/dp/B00AGWQMLS/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1366045490&sr=1-1 |title=This Crisis Is For Your Increase: Amazon.Co.Uk: Dr. Albert Odulele: Books |publisher=Amazon.co.uk |date= January 2008|accessdate=2015-04-01}}
He has published a blog on the Glory House Church website.{{Cite web|title=Glory House Church UK - Releasing Greatness Fufiling Destiny|url=https://gloryhouse.org.uk/|access-date=2021-10-12|website=Glory House Church - Pastor Albert Odulele|language=en-US}}
Personal life
Odulele married Mary Abosede in 1995.{{Cite web|title=Pastor Albert Odulele|url=https://gloryhouse.org.uk/pastor-albert-odulele/|access-date=2021-10-12|website=Glory House Church - Pastor Albert Odulele|language=en-US}} They have two children; Christopher Olufemi and Tiana Morojureoluwa.
References
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Category:British people convicted of child sexual abuse
Category:Religious figures convicted of child sexual abuse
Category:Protestant religious leaders convicted of crimes
Category:English people of Nigerian descent
Category:Charismatic and Pentecostal Christianity
Category:Olabisi Onabanjo University alumni