When reality dawns, the thing you never imagined could happen becomes a topical issue. That is a good time to appreciate the omnipresence of the Almighty as the only all-knowing God. The news was shocking but it is real, after all, that Pastor Taiwo has transited. His good life was long enough.

Some people come into your life and become simply irresistible. Such was the story of Pastor Taiwo in my life. I came to Fountain of Life Church as a wedding guest in 1999. My wife (then my fiancée) invited me to her friend’s elder sister’s wedding. I had my local church at the time.

It only took Pastor Taiwo to give the message to the newly wedded couple and I surrendered to his spiritual mentorship without any prompt. After the message, I looked at my wife and she looked at me. The message was clear. We have found our local church.

It was never about him. It was all about Jesus. Pastor Taiwo did not build the church around himself. He never allowed anyone to elevate him beyond his God-given assignment. He did not share in God’s glory. He was quick to direct the gaze of his congregation to God and not himself.

Pastor Taiwo produced leaders from his followers, who can do more than what he could do to bring souls to the kingdom, rather than raise followers who are perpetually tied to the apron string of their leader. His good life was long enough.

He added integrity to ministry and he was a lover of Nigeria. He did not lower the pulpit to partisan politics but he encouraged his congregation to be politically active and positive change agents on the field of politics.

He was a father to all. He always led the church to pray for political leaders across party divide. He was unequivocal about the role of the church in nation building but he never undermined non-Christians. He would usually end with “Nigeria has a great future”.

He lived and let live. He empowered many less privileged though the various outreaches he championed in the church. He was a practical Christian who believed in the overall wellbeing of the flock he shepherded.

I am one of the few who were privileged to work with him as a protocol operative. Each time I got detailed on him and I sat in the car with him, I always marveled at his simplicity and humility, particularly his tendency to address people young enough to be his children even with respectful tone.

Pastor Taiwo’s 67 years will surely be deemed short by the many lives he impacted, who would have wanted more of him but God’s ways are not our ways. If life is about fulfilling purpose, he has passed the baton and the church of God is marching on.

Now that the owner of life has taken it back, it is a good time for me to say goodbye to a father and mentor. Pastor Taiwo left a great legacy in me. It is in that spirit that I will be dedicating my new book, Feathers of Hope, (to be released soon), to him. He was a carrier of hope. He personified hope and humility. His good life was long enough.

Fare thee well, Pastor Daniel Taiwo Odukoya (1956 to 2023). Your good life was long enough.

©️Akin Oluwadare Jnr
28 August 2023