God's Kingdom Society
The Church of the Living God
A Purely Christian Organisation
Founded by Jehovah
The God's Kingdom Society is purely a Christian Organisation founded by JEHOVAH, the Almighty God through the instrumentality of Saint Gideon Meriodere Urhobo, of blessed memory. Saint G. M. Urhobo, the first President of the GKS, was the instrument — the vessel of honour — chosen by God through Jesus Christ, according to the election of grace, to accomplish His purpose.
Matthew 24:31; Acts 15:14–18; 10:9–35; James 1:18.
From Telegraphist
to God's Freeman
The history of the God's Kingdom Society is inseparable from the biography of her first President, Brother G. M. Urhobo. He hailed from the Urhobo ethnic group and was the second son of a kind pagan gentleman, the Late Ukoli of Otovwodo, Agbassa in Warri, who was the grandson of Urhobo. He was educated at the Government School Warri and taught in Roman Catholic School as well as the Government School, Warri, in the 1920s.
In June 1930, he joined the Posts and Telegraphs Department as a postal clerk and telegraphist after completing a two-year teacher's training programme in 1929 in Asaba. His strong inclination for divine knowledge fired his interest in the Holy Bible, which he spent most of his time to study. The most significant experience of his life came when he fell into a trance and received the Lord's commission — and it was this remarkable occurrence that brought about the radical change in his life from a civil servant to an adroit preacher of the gospel.
"After three and half years diligent and prayerful studies of the Holy Bible, Jesus Christ revealed himself to me in a vision and commanded me to go and proclaim the good news of God's Kingdom to all nations as the only remedy for all human sufferings and woes; to expose all the false doctrines which Satan had used to deceive the people and to keep them in ignorance of God's Kingdom and purpose of creation; and to pronounce God's written judgment against all wickedness."
— Saint G. M. Urhobo · His Own Testimony
Under these circumstances, it was virtually impossible for him to continue serving the Nigerian Colonial Government. Like St. Paul of Bible fame (Acts 26:12–20), he obeyed the Lord's command and devoted his life wholly to Christ's Ministry as "the Lord's freeman." So, in February 1933, he resigned from Government Service and became a full-time Minister of the Gospel of Christ — fulfilling 1 Corinthians 7:22–23.
"Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you."
Matthew 6:33 · The Guiding Word of GKS
Mocked, Stoned,
Yet Unmoved
The resignation of Brother G. M. Urhobo from the civil service gave cause for his relatives and many colleagues and friends to view his sanity with suspicion. It was really difficult for the unspiritual to appreciate his decision — throwing to the winds "for the love of preaching," as some said, such an enviable post in Government Service in those days when men of his social rank were regarded as the elites of society.
Right from the start of his career as a preacher, Brother Urhobo became an object of hatred and reproach — as Christ truly said would happen to the chosen ones (John 15:18–19; 17:14–16). His relatives and friends forsook him. Some said he was mad; others called him a devil and deceiver. Many false reports about him were published and circulated by certain people and the Watchtower Society, warning the people to avoid him because of his teachings, which they considered revolutionary.
His worst antagonists were among members of his family, some members of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, and the Roman Catholic Church. He was driven from his father's house by his elder brother, Augustine Ukoli, who attacked him and tore his clothes. He left and sought refuge in Onitsha for seven months with his family.
Attacked in
Every City
Before this time, in Warri, he was fiercely opposed, attacked, and stoned by members of Watchtower, who called him a Judas, thief, debtor, madman, and "withered branch." With these unrelenting attacks, in 1933, he left his homeland for Sapele, about 30 miles from Warri. There, too, it was not all roses. His expository lectures — criticising the false doctrines of "churchianity" — stirred great enmity among the clergymen against him.
In 1948, Watchtower members assaulted him and his family at 98 Aggrey Road in Port Harcourt. In the fracas, some of his children and members of the GKS sustained severe injuries. It took the intervention of the police to quell matters.
"He that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant. Ye are bought with a price: be not ye the servants of men."
— 1 Corinthians 7:22–23
A Parting of
Doctrines
In October 1934, Brother Urhobo went to Lagos where, owing to his interest in the publications of the Late J. F. Rutherford — former President of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of America — he came in contact with the Late W. R. Brown, the local representative of the Watchtower Society in Nigeria.
Later, there arose a disagreement over issues of doctrine. Brother Urhobo, in a biblically constructive argument for the purpose of correction (2 Timothy 3:16–17), called the attention of Mr. Brown to certain errors in the teachings of the Watchtower Society about "Marriage," "Jehovah's Organisation," "Selection and ordination of the 144,000 Anointed Christians," "Leadership," "Memorial Supper," "Women Preaching," and their fixing dates for "Armageddon."
Instead of allowing the Spirit of Christ to dominate his reason, Mr. Brown lost his temper — as King Solomon said: "He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly" (Proverbs 14:17). The honourable course open to Brother Urhobo was to part company with Mr. Brown, whose teachings, he pointed out, were inconsistent with Scripture. It is those doctrinal issues that are the bases of the vast gulf still existing between the God's Kingdom Society and the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, whose members call themselves "Jehovah's Witnesses."
A Name Born
of Purpose
It was in Lagos in that same year — 1934 — that Brother Urhobo, through his soul-stirring public lectures, attracted a handful of adherents whom he, through the Spirit of God, organised into a group of Bible students. He called the new group the Lagos Division of Jehovah's Witnesses.
Following protests from Mr. W. R. Brown that the name was too similar to his group's, the name was changed to Lagos Company of Christian People in 1939. By 1940, the Church was established in Port Harcourt. By 1942, it became Nigerian Christian Society. By 1943, some members transferred to the Gold Coast (now Ghana) clamoured for another name change — and so the name became, finally and forever: GOD'S KINGDOM SOCIETY (GKS).
Also in 1943, Saint Urhobo introduced the Theocratic greeting "Hail JEHOVAH and Jesus Christ" — a direct response to the prevailing Nazi salute of "Heil Hitler." Saint Urhobo declared that Hitler was a direct agent of Satan the Devil, a demon in human form — and that he would not win the Second World War. History proved him right.
Some of Saint Urhobo's
Famous Sermons
Six Cities,
One Vision
Prior to the naming of the Society, Saint Urhobo had already established branches of the Church across Nigeria. What started as a single group of Bible students in Lagos grew — city by city, opposition by opposition — into a nationwide movement that would eventually span continents.
This precisely fulfils the Bible: "A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord will hasten it in his time." — Isaiah 60:22. See also Matthew 13:31–32.
"The success of Brother Gideon Urhobo is no longer in dispute. Today the God's Kingdom Society reflects the glory of God and stands as an everlasting monument, by the grace of God, of Brother Gideon M. Urhobo — an illustrious son of Africa!"
— GKS Historical Record
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1930
The Divine VisionSaint Urhobo falls into a trance and receives the Lord's commission after three and a half years of diligent, prayerful Bible study.
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1933
The Great ResignationResigns from the Nigerian Colonial Government in February to become a full-time Minister of the Gospel. "The Lord's freeman."
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1934
Lagos — First BranchThe first group of Bible students assembled in Lagos. Name: Lagos Division of Jehovah's Witnesses. The seed is planted.
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1939
Name Change IRenamed Lagos Company of Christian People following protests from the Watchtower Society's local representative.
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1940
Port Harcourt BranchThe Church is established in Port Harcourt in the old Eastern Region by Saint Urhobo himself.
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1942
Warri & Sapele + Name Change IIBranches planted in Warri and Sapele. Renamed Nigerian Christian Society to include the Eastern Region brethren.
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1943
GOD'S KINGDOM SOCIETYThe final and permanent name adopted to include members in the Gold Coast (Ghana). The Theocratic greeting introduced. Saint Urhobo adopts his full name: Gideon Meriodere Urhobo.
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1946 – 1948
Onitsha & AbaTwo final founding branches complete the network of six cities anchoring GKS across Nigeria.
Four Pillars of Our Calling
To declare God's Kingdom of righteousness and peace on earth and to express this doctrine in every conceivable way and form, within the bounds of law, order and human decency — at any time or place, to the best of our knowledge and understanding of Bible interpretations.
To vindicate, admonish, preach and impart to mankind — irrespective of colour, creed or caste — the wholesome idea of service, fear, adoration and reverence to God Almighty, the Maker of man, the Author of Life, and the Great Ruler and Architect of the Universe.
To excite the interest of Africans and all peoples of the earth to the study of the Holy Bible, Christian ethics and theology — and to promote all means and measures conducive to the propagation of this knowledge for the eventual peace and harmony of all people of the human race.
The GKS is planted by God; it is not the work of man. Therefore, anyone persecuting her is "fighting against God." — Acts 5:29–42; Luke 10:16; Mark 9:41–42; Hebrews 10:31; 12:29.
Faithful Stewardship
Into a New Era
The torch lit by Saint Urhobo in 1934 passes from hand to hand through men chosen — not by ambition — but by God's grace and the trust of a community devoted to His Word. The God's Kingdom Society today stands under the leadership of Bro. F. E. Adedokun as President, carrying forward a doctrine as uncompromising and luminous as ever.
With branches across Nigeria and an international reach, with services broadcast daily and a congregation rooted in the Living Word, GKS remains what it has always been: a society founded on revelation, built through suffering, and sustained by the inexhaustible grace of Jehovah.
"The success of Brother Gideon Urhobo is no longer in dispute. Today the God's Kingdom Society reflects the glory of God and stands as an everlasting monument — an illustrious son of Africa."
— GKS Historical Record
"Yes, the GKS is planted by God; it is not the work of man. Therefore, anyone persecuting her is fighting against God."
Acts 5:29–42 · Luke 10:16 · Hebrews 10:31 · 12:29