William Kumuyi

Kumuyi was born into a Christian family in Erin-Ijesha, Osun State, western part of Nigeria. He completed his secondary school education in 1961 at Mayflower School in Ikenne, Ogun State, from where he proceeded to the University of Ibadan and in 1967 graduated with a first-class honours degree in mathematics where he graduated as overall best graduating student in that year. He subsequently took a post-graduate course in Education at the University of Lagos.[7][8][9] He became a born-again Christian in April 1964.[10][11][12]

On his upbringing, Kumuyi was quoted to have said

We would get up in the morning, read the Bible, sing hymns, and go to church regularly. When I went to secondary school I lost interest in the church because our principal taught us atheism. But after a while, I thought again and started going to various churches in town. Eventually, in 1963, a group of singers and preachers from a Gospel church got permission to come to the school. I understood the Gospel message and was born again on April 5th, 1964. I read John Wesley, Charles Finney, Spurgeon, and lots of other books. I got involved with the Scripture Union, and I grew.[7][13][14]

Kumuyi was influenced by John Wesley, Charles Finney and Charles Spurgeon.[15] His father was a member of the Anglican Church.[16] According to an article in The Sun (Nigeria), Kumuyi is also said to be "a one-time member of the Anglican Church (now Anglican Communion), Celestial Church of Christ, Scripture Union (SU) movement and Apostolic Faith before breaking away to found Deeper Life."[15]

Kumuyi began teaching mathematics in 1962 at Mayflower School, his alma mater.[13] He went on, in the early 1970s, to become a lecturer of mathematics at the University of Lagos.[7][17]

In 1973, while being a lecturer of mathematics at the University of Lagos, Kumuyi began a Bible study group with 15 students who had come to him for Bible training.[7][13][18] This training became the foundation of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry.[19] In 1975, Kumuyi was expelled from the Apostolic Faith Church for preaching on the baptism of the Holy Spirit.[16] He continued his independent ministry, which in 1982 became the Deeper Life Bible Church.[20] As at 2005, the Christian ministry is said to have over 800,000 affiliates.[21]

• The Hour of Decision, 1990, ISBN 978-2367-70-2
• How to Know God's Will in Marriage, 1990, ISBN 978-9-78236-713-6
• Have Compassion on Them, 1991, ISBN 978-9-78236-700-6
• The Spirit Controlled Family: W.F. Kumuyi, 1996, ISBN 978-9-78236-742-6
• The Lord's Prayer, 1997, ISBN 978-1-85424-370-6
• The Truly Liberated Woman, 2000, ISBN 978-978-2908-25-4
• Supernatural Supply in All Situations, 2009, ISBN 978-0-88144-416-2
• Daily Manna, Volume 1, 2011, ISBN 978-1-90549-379-1
• Daily Manna: A Daily Devotional Guide, 2014, ISBN 978-1-46759-809-5
• Higher Everyday: A Daily Devotional Guide for Successful Youths, 2014, ISBN 978-1-46759-810-1

Kumuyi met Abiodun Olowu in September 1972. She became one of his Bible study students and a member of his fledging Christian ministry. They got married on 13 September 1980 in Lagos, and they have two children, Jeremiah and John. Abiodun Kumuyi died on 11 April 2009.[26]

On 13 October 2010, exactly 18 months after the death of his first wife, Kumuyi married Folashade Adenike Blaize in London. Folashade is the Administrator of the Deeper Life Bible Church, London.[26]

In 2013, Foreign Policy magazine listed Kumuyi among the "500 most powerful people on the planet".[27]

In 2018, Kumuyi received an honorary PhD from the University of Abuja.[28]

• Korieh, Chima Jacob (2005). Religion, History, and Politics in Nigeria: essays in honor of Ogbu U. Kalu. University Press of America. p. 242. ISBN 0-7618-3139-8.
• Melton, J. Gordon (2005). Encyclopedia of Protestantism. Sonlight Christian -M. p. 181. ISBN 0-8160-5456-8.
• Anderson, Allan (2001). African reformation: African initiated Christianity in the 20th century. Africa Research & Publications. pp. 172–173. ISBN 0-86543-884-6.
• Neumann, Mikel (1999). Home Groups for Urban Cultures: Biblical Small Group Ministry on Five Continents. William Carey Library. p. 9. ISBN 0-87808-281-6.