As Light Dims on Moses Oso
For over two decades, the Laughter Foundation International Ministry (LFIM) stood as a sanctuary of hope for couples grappling with infertility, waiting mothers carrying fragile prayers, and singles believing God for marital settlement. At its heart was its founder, Pastor Moses Oso, a man known for his compassion and mentorship. As he was laid to Mother Earth recently, tributes poured in from the many lives he touched, Sunday Ehigiator reports
On the solemn afternoon of November 23, 2025, in Lagos, under a sky softened by the harmattan haze, thousands gathered to bid farewell to a man whose life was defined not by titles, wealth, or public acclaim, but by the sound of laughter; laughter restored, laughter renewed, laughter resurrected in homes that once knew only silence.
Pastor Moses Oso, fondly known across continents as ‘Daddy of a Million Babies’, was laid to rest, but the echoes of his influence remained vibrantly alive through the children, families, and destinies transformed by his obedience to a divine mandate.
For more than two decades, the Laughter Foundation International Ministry (LFIM) stood as a sanctuary of hope for couples grappling with infertility, waiting mothers carrying fragile prayers, and singles believing God for marital settlement.
At its centre was Pastor Oso, a man who, despite a quiet demeanour and a simple lifestyle, ignited a movement that transcended religious boundaries and geographical borders. He died at the age of 63 after a brief illness.
Among those in attendance at his burial were the General Overseer of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, Dr. Daniel Olukoya, represented by the Regional Overseer, Pastor Kehinde Abiona; the wife of the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Foluke Adeboye, represented by Rev. Mrs. Adebimpe Adelaja; Chairman of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Kosofe Province, Pastor Joshua Olaoye; Provost of the RCCG Christian Bible College, Pastor Rotimi Alaba; and clerics from Gospel Faith Mission International.
Also present were Muslim clerics, led by the Chief Imam of Salaudeen Memorial Central Mosque, Lagos, Imam Semiu Tiamiyu.
Delivering the sermon, Abiona urged the congregation to keep their grief brief and reflect on the certainty of death and the need for readiness.
“This is a wake-up call for you to be prepared and ready for death. Everything we do after his demise, he knows nothing about it,” Abiona said.
He noted that death was a passage to eternity and stated that Oso lived a fulfilled life. Testimonies shared by members and guests, he added, were proof of the impact he made.
But to understand why Oso’s passing on November 3, 2025, sent shockwaves of grief across Nigeria, the United Kingdom, Ghana, the United States, and countless corners of the world, one must go back to the beginning; long before the testimonies, the packed vigils, the global crusades, and the children dedicated on altars built from answered prayers.
The Making of a Missionary of Hope
Born on June 11, 1962, to the family of the late Pa Lawrence and Madam Christiana Oso of Ibefun in Ogun State, Oso grew up in the warmth of a humble, hardworking family. His childhood was defined by discipline, community, and faith; values that followed him into adulthood.
His early education took him to Lagos City College in Sabo, Yaba, where friends recall a young man who was reserved yet firm, unassuming yet remarkably focused.
Later, at Auchi Polytechnic, where he obtained his Higher National Diploma in Accounting, he was known as the dependable one; always ready to help, always available to pray, always carrying a sense of purpose that his peers could not quite explain.
After his National Youth Service, he joined the National Headquarters of the Gospel Faith Mission International (GOFAMINT) in Ibadan as Chief Accountant.
To many, it was the beginning of a stable professional career. But to him, it was merely a waiting room for a greater assignment; one that would take years of quiet preparation, deep spiritual encounters, and unexpected battles to fully unfold.
The Encounter
The turning point came in 1997. His wife, Dorcas, was expecting one of their children when complications threatened the pregnancy. Pastor Oso did what he always did; he prayed. But this time, the prayer room became an altar of encounter. The Lord, he later recounted, revealed to him a mandate that would define the rest of his life: “to pray for pregnancies, safe deliveries, and the fruit of the womb for families waiting on God.”
It was an instruction that seemed simple, yet radical. It required courage, sacrifice and faith. Many ministers shrink back from callings that demand such a heavy emotional toll. But Pastor Oso embraced it wholeheartedly. Not because it was easy, but because he knew what barrenness felt like. He had seen the tears of waiting mothers, held the hands of fathers who silently battled shame and fear and experienced the pain firsthand.
And so, out of one family’s struggle emerged a global mandate.
Birth of a Ministry of Laughter
In the late 1990s, Laughter Foundation International Ministry (LFIM) began not as a cathedral or a megachurch, but as a gathering of faith, with a handful of believers in search of hope. Word spread quickly; first across Nigeria, the globally. Before long, stories of miraculous conceptions became too numerous to count. Families who had waited for years returned with babies wrapped in blankets of answered prayers. Couples who had exhausted medical options came weeping with gratitude. Many who had been mocked or written off found new identity and restoration.
It was in these testimonies that the moniker ‘Daddy of a Million Babies’ was born. For Oso, these were not just babies to him. They were proof that God still intervenes in the affairs of men. There were signs that faith can uproot tears and reminders that impossibilities bow before persistence.
A Compassionate Philanthropist
Though known globally for miracles of conception, Pastor Oso’s compassion extended far beyond the altar of childbearing. He was a quiet philanthropist.
Under his leadership, LFIM sponsored the education of brilliant students, supported schools through inter-house sports competitions, donated materials to improve learning environments, and facilitated community welfare initiatives across Lagos.
Many beneficiaries never knew the source of the generosity. He preferred anonymity, the satisfaction of seeing others flourish without attaching his name to their breakthroughs.
Even within public service circles in Lagos, he was respected as a stabilising force, one that encouraged safety, responsibility, and social well-being. Behind the pulpit, Pastor Oso was first a husband and father; a role he cherished deeply. His wife, Dorcas, described him as a man who poured himself out completely for God and people.
“You stopped so suddenly, with your task unfinished,” she said in her emotional tribute. “Your dedication to people was deeply sacrificial. Your love remains fresh in my heart. I love you, but God loves you most.”
Their marriage, spanning decades, was built on partnership, faith, and mutual commitment. Together, they raised five children, now thriving adults, who carry pieces of his wisdom, discipline, and resilience.
His firstborn, Paul, captured the essence of his father’s quiet strength: “You were a giver. You showed your love in ways that were uniquely yours. Even when we didn’t see eye-to-eye, I never doubted your care. You documented everything. Now I understand; you were trying to honour life.”
His daughter Hannah remembered him as her “rock,” the steady presence who made sure they lacked nothing, who prayed, encouraged, and corrected with love.
To his siblings, Pastor Oso was more than the first son. He was a father figure. Pastor Oluwatoyin Oso, his sister, shared how he stepped into a paternal role after their father died, teaching her to pray, fast, and grow spiritually.
“He left a vacuum only God can fill,” she wrote. “You showed me unwavering love, a love too deep and precious to be measured. To me, you were not just a brother; you were a father, a guide, and my spiritual mentor. You taught me how to pray with endurance, how to embark on long, purposeful fasts, and how to feed my spirit with edifying Christian books; an investment you made with so much passion and care.”
His brother, Dr Femi Oso, spoke from a place of raw grief: “You came, you saw, and you conquered. Through thick and thin, you supported and gave me hope when I was at a low ebb in life. I will miss you, ‘boda mi’.”
And then there were the members, millions across the world, who experienced God through him. One of them, Deaconess Funmi Komolafe, who spoke on behalf of her family, captured the sentiment of countless families: “How can I forget how God used you to break the yoke of barrenness in my marriage. The anointing that God gave you made us parents today.
“The anointing not only made people fruitful, but it healed many, it delivered many from demonic spirits. You were so compassionate and kind to many. Thank you for putting laughter into many homes with the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Goodnight, Daddy of a million babies.”
A Ministry Without Borders
Unlike many preachers of his generation, Pastor Oso’s ministry was not defined by flamboyance, politics, or wealth. His calling was specific, focused, and deeply spiritual.
Waiting mothers found a father in him. Waiting fathers found a brother in him. Waiting families found a counsellor in him.
His services, whether in Lagos or the UK, were characterised by fervent prayer, simple messages of faith, and an atmosphere charged with expectation. Many testified that his words carried unusual authority, not because of theological complexity, but because they were spoken from a place of sincere compassion and lived experience.
In Ibefun, his hometown, community elders described him as a pillar. In Lagos, worshippers described him as a father. Across Africa, families described him as an instrument of divine remembrance. But one thing they all agreed on is that Oso, the man who brought laughter and hope to millions across the world, lived a mattered life.
