Matriarch Ruth Ometere Elton, born on September 7, 1934, was the only child of Pa Sydney Granville Elton (Pa Elton), a foremost evangelist and Area Superintendent of the Apostolic Church of Nigeria in charge of Ilesa, Ekiti, Akoko, Kabba, now in Kogi State, then, under Prophet Joseph Ayo Babalola. Matriarch Elton was brought to Nigeria in 1937, at age two and a half years. In one of her interviews, Matriarch Elton, founder of Coming Kingdom Outreach, Ilesa, explained that her father came in February 1937, and at that time, we were told that no Oyinbo person was in Nigeria, West Africa; so, my mother and I stayed back, but surprisingly, white children were in Ilesa then. So, my father sent words, and we came to join him around July or August of that same year.’ Pa Elton is referred to as one of the founding fathers of Pentecostalism in Nigeria.

Matriarch Elton approached a Kaduna court and was naturalised as a Nigerian in 1975. In Matriarch Elton’s interview with Yemisi Aofolaju of the Nigerian Tribune, September, 2014, to marked her 80th birthday, she said “In those days, there was something we were asked to do which was very significant for gospel work, I had to renounce my British citizenship before I could become a Nigerian and I remember when I went to the lawyer in Kaduna, to renounce my British citizenship, he said: What? Are you a fool? I have been trying to get that citizenship, and I cannot, and you want to renounce it, do not be a fool!” I said I want to be a Nigerian; that is what God has called me for, so I must renounce all my British citizenship rights. Now, if you want to become a citizen of heaven, you have to get rid of all your kingdom of hell habits, ways and rights, before becoming a citizen of heaven; that is the basis of my book” (Her second book, ‘Your Citizenship: Hell, or the Kingdom?).

Pa Elton made his outreach interdenominational when he left the Apostolic Mission, and survived on God as He was providing for all his needs. Pa Elton was with a clear mandate to raise a new breed of leadership in the Nigerian Church, powered by the Holy Spirit, that will take the message of God’s kingdom and the all-conquering King to the very ends of the earth, and make an impactful influence in the Evangelical Christian Union, University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife. Pa Elton lived in Ilesa (about 30km from Ile-Ife) from where he undertook his missionary assignments, and was undoubtedly the father of the Pentecostal Revival Movement in Nigeria.’ In Ile Ife, Pa Elton found the University campus to be strategically located for Nigeria’s revival, and he impacted and discipled young men and women who continue to be at the forefront of genuine Pentecostal revival and missionary enterprise in Nigeria. Among the legion of people Pa Elton mentored were Pa Joseph Ayo Babalola and Archbishop Benson Idahosa.

Until her last breath, Matriarch Ruth Elton held in high esteem her father’s prophecies, which stated that although Nigeria could be known globally for corruption, it would only be for a while, as a new dawn would beckon when the country would be recognised worldwide for righteousness and prosperity. Like her father, Matriarch Elton became a missionary and served in Okene, Koto Karfi and other areas of Kogi state before retiring to Ilesa from active missionary work. Matriarch Elton, who remained single, believed that she had made a lasting mark in the country. Apart from her missionary work, she saw her efforts in reducing infant mortality, especially in Okene, Kogi State, as having a generational impact.

Comparing Christian practices in those days and now, Elton said during her 87th birthday celebration at Ilesa, “In those days, if you believed in Jesus, your heart was changed, but today so many people go to Church, but their hearts are not changed. They only profess that they believe in Jesus. They do not. Sometimes, when you ask them when they were converted, they cannot give you an answer.” Matriarch Elton warned that the ‘works of anti-Christs are manifesting rapidly in the country, while stressing the need for the Church to understand the undertones and take necessary actions. Matriarch Elton died on Saturday, August 30, 2025, at the Sharon compound, Alafia Bamin Quarters in Ilesa, Osun State. She was a British-born Nigerian missionary whose lifelong dedication to faith, healing, and revival left an indelible mark on communities across western and central Nigeria. As a naturalised Nigerian, she embraced the country entirely and became fluent in Ebira and Yoruba. 

Matriarch Elton, who remained single until her death, believed that she had made a lasting mark in the country. Apart from her missionary work, she saw her efforts in reducing infant mortality, especially in Okene, Kogi State, as having a generational impact. Very Rev Dr Mike Oye aptly described Matriarch Elton as smallish in stature but giant in faith.’ While preaching during Matriarch Elton’s 87th birthday, Very Rev Mike Oye, who had known Matriarch Elton for four to five decades, testified to her selfless service in the vineyard of the Lord. Quoting from the Bible, Revelation 7:9, Very Rev. Mike Oye said the Church’s mission, by God’s design, is to save lives, but lamented that the Church today, particularly Pentecostal pastors, had derailed and abandoned this path, instead raising selfish, self-centred, and disobedient members. According to Very Rev Mike Oye, Matriarch Elton ‘understood the need to save the perished and those lost in darkness …. the celebrant knew that the redemption of the world cost the Lord His blood and, therefore, was prepared to do the same for the people.’

Very Rev Mike Oye said, “How to know the love of God is to be prepared to die to save lives. In God’s words, we are made to know that ‘He laid down His life for us to live.’ So, we, too, like Mama Ruth, must be ready to lay ours for others to live. Wonderful parents raised Ruth. They came to suffer, to teach, and to help people – first-class evangelists. Ruth was raised in an environment of love. She grew up under parents who lived by God’s principles.”

Matriarch Elton, a smallish woman but a giant of faith, a lioness like David, fought and received wounds. Faced with a great challenge which threatened her life, Matriarch Elton refused to return to the United Kingdom. She endured persecution, suffering and difficulty. Pastors Sarah and Olubi Johnson of the Scriptures Pasture Christian Centre, Ibadan, during Matriarch Elton’s 87th birthday, said: “Mama Elton, by the Spirit, doggedly weathered opposition of indigenous religions, occultists, and even physical violence, to pursue her missionary passion. She has also overcome challenges to her personal health, notably Hepatitis and eye problems, both of which were miraculously healed. Once, she was clubbed unconscious by a thief who stole her car, but miraculously, the car was recovered by an alert policeman. Mama Ruth Elton is also involved in training missionaries and sending them to work in rural areas. Sadly, however, at this time, there are not many volunteers for missionary work. She is concerned that the saints are not passionate enough about getting the job of preaching the gospel of the kingdom done.” Bro Sam Kputu, the International Director of the Calvary Ministries, said: “There are two ways to spend your life. You either waste or invest it. That life is wasted that is spent just on transient things and ephemeral glories. That life is invested that is spent fulfilling God’s eternal purpose, the redemption of the nations. Sister Ruth Elton, like her parents before her, is an example of a life well invested. Many servants of God in Nigeria today, as well as many churches and ministries, including ours, Calvary Ministries, are either direct or indirect fruits of the labour of the Eltons in this land.”

Matriarch Elton published three books. The first one is ‘The Gospel of the Kingdom,’ used to train evangelists. Her second book is Your Citizenship: Hell, or the Kingdom? The third book is ‘The Kingdom Has Come’, which explores what could take place in a few years when the King comes and brings the kingdom of heaven to earth, establishing it on earth. Matriarch Elton never had a formal education. On her little education, she said, “It is the spirit of God. The kingdom has come was written from the thoughts that came to me from the scriptures. I later took them to a brother and asked him what he thought I could do, and he said “you can put it in a book form”, that was how it came to be. That book is not my thinking at all; God gave it to me to write down.” On how she relaxes, she explained that ‘I’m a knitter. I also listen to world news on the radio and television, specifically the BBC, because what is going on in the world now is very significant. Terrible things are going on, and it will only get worse until the King comes to establish His kingdom on earth. What is going on now is in Matthew 24.’

On what she would like to be remembered for, Matriarch Elton said, “I hope I am remembered for the work I have done for the Lord in evangelism and reaching the unreached.”

Matriarch Elton fought a good fight!

She ran a good race.

She finished her course.

Heaven is rejoicing. Angels are singing!

Welcome Home, Matriarch Ruth Ometere Elton