Benson Idahosa

==Biography==
In October 1968, Idahosa officially inaugurated the Church of God Mission International, which had started previously, as a "small prayer group".<ref name="refworld">{{Cite web|url=https://www.refworld.org/docid/3df4be7920.html|title=Nigeria - Church of God Mission including whether there is a chapter in Kaduna|date=26 September 200}}</ref> A claim made by Idahosa that he had raised eight people from the dead was dropped when challenged by the [[Advertising Standards Authority (United Kingdom)|Advertising Standards Authority]], who sought evidence that the individuals concerned had been dead.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sects, power and miracles in the Bible belt of Essex |author=John Sweeney |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2000/dec/31/otherparties.uk?INTCMP=SRCH |newspaper=The Guardian |date=31 December 2000 |accessdate=26 September 2011}}</ref> He was commissioned into ministry in 1971 by Pa Elton and [[James Gordon Lindsay|James Gordon Lindsey]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=israelolofinjana|date=2012-03-12|title=Benson Andrew Idahosa (1938-1998): Father of Nigerian Pentecostalism|url=https://israelolofinjana.wordpress.com/2012/03/12/benson-andrew-idahosa-1938-1998-father-of-nigerian-pentecostalism/|access-date=2022-02-15|website=israelolofinjana|language=en}}</ref> He was ordained a [[Bishop]] in 1981,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=2017-09-30|title=40 REMARKABLE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN BENSON IDAHOSA AND BISHOP DAVID OYEDEPO|url=https://www.gospelnaija.com/relationships-2/5295-40-remarkable-similarities-between-benson-idahosa-and-bishop-david-oyedepo|access-date=2022-02-15|website=www.gospelnaija.com|language=en-gb}}</ref> and ordained several others, including [[David Oyedepo|Bishop David Oyedepo]] of the [[Living Faith Church Worldwide]] in 1989.<ref name=":0" />

Idahosa died on 12 March 1998.<ref>{{cite news |title=Nigerian Archbishop Benson Idahosa dies |url=https://www.tulsaworld.com/archive/nigerian-archbishop-benson-idahosa-dies/article_a429d74c-aae6-53d6-a708-aef29609907f.html |newspaper=Tulsa World |date=26 April 1998 |accessdate=4 May 2020}}</ref> He was survived by his wife, [[Margaret Idahosa]] and four children.<ref>{{cite news |title=How Archbishop Idahosa died – Wife
 |author=Sam Eyoboka |url=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/04/how-archbishop-idahosa-died-wife/ |newspaper=The Vanguard |date=20 April 2010 |accessdate=4 May 2020}}</ref> His wife subsequently took over as the [[Archbishop]] of the [[Church of God Mission International]] (CGMI), the Christian ministry he founded, she is also the [[Chancellor (education)|Chancellor]] of [[Benson Idahosa University]].<ref>{{cite news |title=My husband was like a brother until he proposed ––Arch Benson-Idahosa |url=https://punchng.com/my-husband-was-like-a-brother-until-he-proposed-arch-benson-idahosa/ |newspaper=The Punch |date=23 February 2020 |accessdate=4 May 2020}}</ref>