The Director General of Nigeria’s Budget Office, Ben Akabueze, has stated two reasons he cannot forget the late Senior Pastor of Fountain of Life Church, Ilupeju, Lagos State, Pastor Taiwo Odukoya.
Akabueze, also a Pastor, stated this in a post on his Facebook page a few hours after Odukoya’s death was announced.
The Eagle Online recalls that Fountain of Life Church announced the death of Pastor Odukoya on August 8, 2023.
He was said to have passed on in the United States of America on August 7, 2023.
Akabueze, who has over 23 years experience in Accounting, Consulting and Banking, took to his Facebook page to pay his condolence, saying two events stood out in his relationship with Odukoya.
The first, he said, occurred about 20 years ago when a case of fraud occurred in a firm he headed.
He wrote: “It was such a shock to hear tonight about the passing on to glory of Pastor Taiwo Odukoya, one of my favorite pastors in the kingdom.
“He was ever so gentle, humble and amiable.
“Not even the death of two wives subdued his love for, and faith in, Christ.
“I first took to Pastor Taiwo on account of an incident that happened about 20 years ago.
“A member of the Fountain of Life church worked in the institution I then headed.
“The fellow was implicated in some fraudulent transactions.
“Investigations revealed that several cheques drawn on the proceeds of the fraud were paid by this fellow to the church.
“I wrote Pastor Taiwo to report the matter.
“He immediately directed that the total amount of the cheques be refunded to our institution.
“I felt so proud of him and the faith we shared.”
Akabuaeze, with over 12 years in public financial management in a professional career which started at PriceWaterhouse (Chartered Accountants) and spanned Citibank Nigeria and United Bank for Africa PLC and NAL Bank Plc, where he rose to the position of Managing Director/Chief Executive (2000-2005), said the second had to do with their pastoral works.
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The Lagos State Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget from January 2007 till May 2015, having first been appointed by former Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu and then re-appointed for two terms by former Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, narrated the experience: “On another occasion several years ago, I had invited him for the first time to minister at the church I pastor.
“Then something came up and I had to travel out by the date of his ministration.
“When I called to explain, he was so gracious about it.
“He came in my absence and made no issue about it.”
Akabueze, a Pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God, ended his tribute thus: “May his memory ever be blessed.
“To Pastor Taiwo’s family, and all my friends at the Fountain of Life, may you be comforted by the Lord Himself.”