Bolaji Idowu, the lead pastor of Harvesters International Christian Centre, has shared the challenges he encountered growing up in a polygamous family, where he struggled with a distant relationship with his father.
In the most recent episode of the WithChude podcast, released on YouTube on Sunday, he recalled how his stepmother would prevent him from starting conversations with his father, leading to feelings of emotional distance and rejection.
The cleric recounted an occasion when he sought to avoid his father, who showed up unexpectedly at his uncle’s house with his stepmother.
Idowu recalled how his uncle urged him to go back home and shared how, as a child, he found it difficult to comprehend such situations, which led to feelings of rejection and a diminished sense of self-worth.
He also emphasized the Church’s vital role in praying for the healing of souls, particularly for those facing emotional challenges.
“I have been a victim of emotional issues. Just my background. I was raised without a father. I have no memory of my father hugging me,” he said.
“I came from a polygamous background and it was so bad because of the arrangement it was in the family. If my father is in a place and I am with him, if my step-mum steps into that same place I have to go. That she cannot set her eyes on me.
“So, just imagine how a seven-year-old child interprets that. The thing about being a child is that you cannot interpret the complexities of what goes on in life.
“I remember I was just about eight or nine and I had gone to see my uncle. They stayed in this lovely house. And my father pulled a surprise visit with my step-mum. I had not seen him for like three or four months.
“My uncle just said the word to me that ‘your dad and your step-mum are here, get going now. I could not even have the opportunity to see my dad. I could not afford the driver. I remember I walked home that day because I did not know how to use the bus system. I cried because I felt rejected that I was not good enough.”
