A former General Overseer of the Foursquare Gospel Church Nigeria, Reverend Wilson Badejo, is dead.
Rev. Badejo, a trained veterinary doctor, died on Saturday August 7 in Lagos, Nigeria’s former capital city, at the age of 74.
He was the head of the church between 1999 and 2009.
The church confirmed the death of the clergyman in a statement by its National Secretary, Rev. Yomi Oyinloye, on August 8.
The statement said the church was saddened by the death of Badejo and would greatly miss him.
It however said it would take solace in the fact that he lived a fulfilling, God fearing and impactful life.
“He was a great achiever, an accomplished servant of God, a role model, a bridge-builder, mentor, teacher par excellence, an apostle and respected family man,” the statement said.
“Dr Badejo served the Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria in several capacities, crowning his stewardship at the apex as the General Overseer of the church from 1999 to 2009.
“He was a man of many parts who was able to unlock socio-cultural gateways, and in the process successfully endeared several friends and loved ones from all walks of life across the divide.
How he died
A national newspaper, The Nation, reports that Badejo was travelling from Lagos to the Bell University, Ota, in the neighbouring state of Ogun.
He was the chairman of the university’s Governing Council.
The newspaper said Badejo drove himself of out of the house but latter handed over to his driver when he began to have difficulty breathing.
He was subsequently driven to a hospital in Ota where doctors confirmed him dead.
Condolences
The union of Pentecostal churches in Nigeria under the aegis of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), in a condolence message, said the demise of Badejo was a shocking and significant loss to the Christian community.
The PFN president, Bishop Francis Wale Oke, in a condolence message in Ibadan on Sunday, said Mr Badejo gave his all to the service of the Lord while alive.
He noted that his dedication enhanced the spread of the gospel to nations of the world.
Bishop Oke, who heads the Sword of the Spirit Ministries, Ibadan, South West Nigeria said Rev Badejo lived a worthy life and would remain a challenge to the living.
“Rev. Wilson Badejo was a strong-willed man who pursued righteousness till he breathed his last.
“For everyone, death is a garb that will be worn by all at the appointed time.
“Though humanly speaking, one wouldn’t have wanted him to go now; however, God is the ultimate decider of ‘when’ for everybody,” he noted.
He said that death should always serve as a lesson of reminder that nobody would live in the world forever.
Rev Oke lamented that many in society still behave as if they would never leave the earth.
“In the case of Rev. Badejo, our joy and solace is that, having fought a good fight of faith, he has gone to rest with our Lord Jesus Christ.
“And that’s what every Christian should work toward and crave for,” the renowned cleric said.
Nigeria’s leader, Muhammadu Buhari, in a statement by his spokesperson, Femi Adesina, on Sunday, described Rev. Badejo as “dedicated servant of God.”
He said the late cleric was “committed to standing in the gap for not just his organisation, but Nigerian as a whole.”
President Buhari prayed to God to comfort the entire Badejo family just as he asked his family to take solace in the fact that the deceased lived and set a standard to be emulated by all and sundry.
Profile
Rev Badejo was born on May 19, 1947.
He attended the University of Ibadan where he studied veterinary medicine.
While at the university, Badejo was active politically as he was president of the Students union.
He did his compulsory youth service (NYSC) in Obudu Cattle Ranch as a resident veterinary doctor.
He later joined the National Veterinary Research Institute, Jos, Plateau State after which he proceeded to the University of Connecticut, United States where he took a post graduate degree in management.
He also worked with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Ibru Organisation before resigning to go into full time ministry.
He got married to Yinka Badejo in 1975 and they had children together.
Rev. Badejo succeeded Rev. G.O. Farounbi as the General Overseer of Foursquare.
While in office, he planted about 2000 churches under the initiative of Barley Harvest Church planting.
He was the founder of Wilson Badejo Foundation (WBF) which has given scholarship to hundreds of young Nigerians.