Over the years, several prominent Nigerian pastors have experienced the painful loss of their beloved wives to the cold hands of death.
Death is an inevitable part of life, and no one is immune to its sting. These Nigerian pastors showed remarkable strength in overcoming their grief and continuing their ministries.
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While some found love again and remarried, others chose to remain single, dedicating their lives to their faith and calling. Let’s take a look at eight of these Nigerian pastors:
1. Pastor Taiwo Odukoya
Pastor Taiwo Odukoya, the founder of The Fountain of Life Church, suffered the tragic loss of two wives. His first wife, Pastor Bimbo Odukoya, was a renowned televangelist and relationship coach. She tragically passed away on December 10, 2005, in the Sosoliso Airlines Flight 1145 crash in Port Harcourt.
Bimbo was widely known for her powerful messages on relationships and singlehood, inspiring many young people across Nigeria. After five years of mourning, Pastor Taiwo Odukoya remarried Pastor Nomthi Odukoya, a South African. Their marriage lasted 11 years, and they had two children together.
Unfortunately, Nomthi battled cancer for two years before passing away in November 2021. On the 7th of August 2023, Pastor Taiwo Odukoya (aged 67 years) died in the United States. Although the church didn't disclose how he died, it was gathered that the respected preacher had health issues mainly triggered by personal past tragedies...the death of his first and second wife.
2. Pastor Ituah Ighodalo
Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, the senior pastor of Trinity House Church, lost his wife, Ibidunni Ighodalo, on June 14, 2020. Ibidunni, a former beauty queen and founder of Elizabeth R Events, died of a sudden cardiac arrest while in Port Harcourt.
She was known for her philanthropic work, particularly in helping couples struggling with infertility through the Ibidunni Ighodalo Foundation. Her death came as a shock to many, especially as she had been actively working on projects to build COVID-19 isolation centers in Nigeria at the time.
Ibidunni, 39, was due to celebrate her 40th birthday the next month. Her husband described receiving the news of her death as
the call that shattered my life.
Her close friend, the famed Nigerian photographer, TY Bello told CNN she received a message from her friend on the night before she died where she talked about her birthday plans in a WhatsApp message.
Sweetie, it’s my 40th next month and I want to help 40 couples to have their babies… That’s all I want. No party. No surprise. Nothing. I just want to make 40 homes happy.
3. Pastor W.F. Kumuyi
Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi, the founder and General Superintendent of Deeper Christian Life Ministry, lost his wife, Abiodun Kumuyi, on April 11, 2009. Mrs. Abiodun Kumuyi was an integral part of Deeper Life's early days, having been among the first 15 members of the church when it started as a Bible study group in 1973.
She and Pastor Kumuyi got married in 1980 and had two children together. After mourning for 18 months, Pastor Kumuyi remarried Esther Folashade Aduke Blaize in October 2010.
4. Pastor Anselm Madubuko
Pastor Anselm Madubuko, the General Overseer of Revival Assembly Church, lost his wife of 28 years, Pastor Connie Madubuko, in July 2012. Her death was sudden and unexpected, as reports state that she slumped and passed away from a suspected heart attack.
Following her passing, Pastor Madubuko later found love again and remarried Kenyan gospel singer Emmy Kosgei on August 31, 2013.
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5. Prophet Samuel Abiara
The retired General Evangelist of Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) Agbala Itura, Prophet Samuel Abiara, lost his wife, Christiana Abiara, in September 2016. The couple had been married since 1965, and she passed away at the age of 70. Two years after her passing, Prophet Abiara remarried Miss Ojewande, a much younger bride, in March 2018.
6. Pastor Lazarus Muoka
Pastor Lazarus Muoka, the General Overseer of The Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Movement, has endured the painful experience of losing two wives. His first wife passed away in 2010. Unfortunately, tragedy struck again in 2024 when he lost his second wife.
Pastor Joy, who died at the age of 61 years, was the second wife of the General Overseer (GO) of the Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Movement, Pastor Lazarus Muoka.
7. Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor
Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, the founder of Word of Life Bible Church and former president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), lost his first wife, Stella Oritsejafor, to diabetes in March 1996. Following her death, he remarried Helen Oritsejafor in April 1997, and their union was blessed with triplets: Ayodele, Ayodeji, and Ayodeta Helen.
8. Pastor David Adeoye
Pastor David Adeoye, the founder of Royalty Christian Centre, lost his wife, Folake Adeoye, after a brief illness. After her passing, Pastor Adeoye shocked many when he decided to remarry Sumbo Ajaba, a single mother of two who previously had children with Nigerian musician 2Baba (2Face Idibia).
His decision to marry a single mother attracted significant controversy and backlash, but he stood by his choice, emphasizing that her past did not define her future. Speaking on what he went through, Adeoye recalled:
I was 40 when she died and this was a marriage that lasted for 13 years without a child, so my family, mentors and friends were eager to see me remarry. Initially, I never wanted to remarry and planned to adopt two children that would be cared for by a nanny. As time went on, I realised that plan was not going to work because about that time, the number of female worshippers in church was on the increase. Then, I knew that if I really wanted to play safe, I needed to remarry. But when I started dating Sumbo, the noise changed to something else. It was horrible. Because I had a strong conviction in me that she was my wife, I did not care. People would call me almost every time to ask if I had seen what had been written about her in one magazine or newspaper. People feared that dating her and eventually getting married to her would destroy the church because worshippers had started to leave the church.
But the couple weathered the storms, with the church becoming stronger for it.
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