Sarah Omakwu, widow of Pastor Ina Omakwu, founder of the Family Worship Centre based in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city, has written an emotional tribute to her husband, who died over two decades ago.
Pastor Ina died on February 25, 2003, after a battle with cancer. He was 45.
He and Pastor Sarah founded FWC and, by divine guidance, moved to Abuja.
They started the church in the formerly Sheraton Hotel on April 11, 1993. The church dedicated its beautiful and massive auditorium to the Wuye District of the Nigerian capital, i001.
In the tribute titled “My dear husband and Pastor,” Pastor Sarah recalled the day her husband transitioned, stating that it was still fresh on her mind.
“It is 22 years today since you transitioned to glory. What a day it was! It’s still fresh on my mind. I still remember what I was wearing, what I had just eaten, where I was standing when I was told you had passed. My God!!
“It was not the outcome we expected. It was not “what we ordered.” Yet we had to accept it. It’s not even like an outfit you take back and get a refund. This “What we got” had to be accepted and lived with,” she said.
She said God has been faithful and good to their biological family in the last 22 years, noting that He had held them with His righteous right hand.
She noted, “Our family has grown, both biologically and spiritually. The biological children are now all adults, thriving and doing well. We have grandchildren, and many adopted children.”
Pastor Sarah, who now oversees the FWC, also said their “spiritual children have grown, some have started their own ministries, and over 140 new ones are pastoring FWC branches all over Nigeria.”
She praised her late husband for leaving ” a great legacy of leadership,” adding, “You left behind GOOD people – Faithful and loyal people who have stayed for 32,31, 29, 28, 27, 26,25,24, 23, 22 years…and counting. The greatest asset you left behind was people, and they have done well.”
Read the full tribute
My dear husband and Pastor:
It is 22 years today since you transitioned to glory. What a day it was! It’s still fresh on my mind. I still remember what I was wearing, what I had just eaten, where I was standing when I was told you had passed. My God!!
It was not the outcome we expected. It was not “what we ordered.” Yet we had to accept it. It’s not even like an outfit you take back and get a refund. This “What we got” had to be accepted and lived with. In all, I thank God. God has been good and faithful. In 22 years, God has held us with His righteous right hand. Our family has grown, both biologically and spiritually. The biological children are now all adults, thriving and doing well. We have grandchildren and many adopted children. Our spiritual children have grown, some have started their own ministries, and over 140 new ones are pastoring FWC branches all over Nigeria. You left a great legacy of leadership. You left behind GOOD people. Faithful and loyal people who have stayed for 32,31, 29, 28 27, 26,25,24, 23, 22 years…and counting. The greatest asset you left behind was people, and they have done well.
I know that the Ministry would have gone further than it is today, but for its survival and even thriving, I can only thank God and salute your great leadership. My husband and Pastor, I MISS YOU SORELY! There is no day that passes that I don’t think about you or feel a little ache, somewhere in my heart. On the whole, God has done us well.
On this your 22nd anniversary, I say again that: you were a PHENOMENON, A CLASS ACT! A HUSBAND, SINE QUA NON. A leader who lived way ahead of his time. You were a generational thinker who raised a generation of leaders who have also raised leaders and continue to raise leaders.
A discipler, a missionary, an evangelist, a pastor, A GOOD MAN. You were in a class all by yourself.
Continue to rest, and keep singing, whistling, and smiling. I will always love you…in Whitney Houston’s voice!
