LAGOS, Nigeria – The religious community and thousands of believers are mourning the sudden demise of Pastor Taiwo Odukoya, the Senior Pastor of the Fountain of Life Church. The cleric was 67 years old.
The announcement, through the church’s official Facebook page, confirmed that Pastor Odukoya passed away in the USA on Monday, August 7, 2023.
A Life Marked by Tragedy and Faith
Several tragic events marked Pastor Odukoya’s life. After the passing of his first wife, Pastor Bimbo Odukoya, in a plane crash in 2005, he married Pastor Nomthi Rosemary in 2010.
Unfortunately, Pastor Nomthi battled cancer for over two years before succumbing to the disease in November 2021. Just weeks after her passing, he also grieved the death of his twin sister, Kehinde.
Despite these tragedies, Pastor Odukoya remained a symbol of faith and resilience, leading his congregation with unwavering commitment.
A Look at the Clergyman’s Life
Born on June 15, 1956, in Kaduna, Taiwo Odukoya was raised in the same city. As the senior pastor of The Fountain of Life Church in Lagos, he shepherded a congregation of over 8,000 members.
Odukoya completed his primary and secondary education in Kaduna and Zaria before attending the University of Ibadan.
He earned a degree in petroleum engineering in 1981 and began working at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) a year later, after completing his National Youth Service Corp (NYSC). He retired voluntarily from NNPC in 1994 to dedicate himself fully to the ministry.
In 1980, he met Bimbo Williams at the University of Ibadan. They married in 1984 and had three children. The couple co-founded The Fountain of Life Church in 1992 to empower individuals to build successful relationships and inculcate leadership principles.
The tragic Sosoliso Airlines Flight 1145 crash in December 2005 claimed the life of Pastor Bimbo along with 102 other individuals. Pastor Taiwo remarried in 2010 to Rosemary Simangele Zulu from South Africa, with whom he had two children.
In a statement in 2014, Pastor Odukoya commented on the plane crash that claimed his first wife, suggesting that private jets offer pastors an efficient way to manage their ministry and a safer travel alternative.
Pastor Taiwo Odukoya’s passing has left a significant void in the religious community, with many expressing their shock and grief. Many will remember his commitment to faith, leadership, and building relationships as they navigate through this period of loss.
