Wilson Badejo, Fare Thee Well

By Tunde Lemo

The news of the home call of our departed father Dr Wilson Adebogun Badejo, the former General Overseer of Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria on Saturday August 7, 2021 at the age of 74 hit many like a thunderbolt. He was much loved by so many, not just because he was a committed General in the Lord’s vineyard, a consummate administrator, encourager and incredible church planter; he was also very much loved as his leadership style was remarkable.

On completion of the Youth Service in 1985, I was visiting many bible believing churches in Lagos, looking for a warm campus-like fellowship like the one I was used to in the university. Fate brought me to the Yaba Headquarters Church in 1986 where I met Dr Badejo and it was love at first sight. The rest is history! I made up my mind to join the church after listening to his very powerful sermon, deep in theology with admirable oratory prowess.

Dr Badejo was a Pastor, father and committed senior Friend. I will not forget his support when I was appointed Managing Director/CEO of Wema Bank Plc in 2000 under a very difficult and controversial circumstance. He visited the office with a strong prayer team and the support continued throughout our 3 year stay in the office. He repeated the same feat when I was appointed Deputy Governor, CBN in 2004. He visited my office in Abuja to encourage me with prayer and counseling.

Born in Ijebu-Ode to the family of Mr Williams Adewale Badejo and his wife, Florence Ebunoluwa on May 19, 1947, he commenced his primary education at St Paul’s Primary School, Ago-Iwoye, then proceeded to Princess Day (Primary) School, Aba, Holy Ghost College, Owerri, Government College Umuahia and Government College Ibadan, where he won academic laurels all the way. He gained admission into the premier University of Ibadan in 1968, where he obtained a degree in Veterinary Medicine (DVM) in 1973. He obtained a post-graduate qualification in Management from the University of Connecticut, USA.

His work experience took him to the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation, Ibadan (now NTA, and FRCN, 1967, Nigerian Airports Authority and Food & Commodity Production Company – a subsidiary of the Ibrahim Organization between 1977 and 1986.

He came to know the Lord at a crusade at the University of Ibadan. Young Wilson Badejo was a leading Students Union Activist, who missed being hit by police bullet by whiskers committed his life to Jesus Christ and therefore turned his zeal from students unionism to evangelism. He joined the Foursquare Gospel Church after his graduation and rose to become the Pastor-in-charge of the National Headquarters Church in 1989. He was installed the General Overseer 10 years later, in 1999, the position he held till 2009. He embarked on aggressive church planting under the program code-named Barley Harvest. This saw the church growing in leaps and bounds as over 1000 churches were planted in just 4 years. This rare feat was acknowledged by one of his close friends- Bishop Okonkwo of TREM, in his tribute ‘Badejo was blessed with a rare gift of church planting as he almost took over the nation which made his church explode’. Corroborating this, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, another close friend of his described Dr Badejo as ‘a spiritual force…. I know that the Foursquare really grew under his leadership.

The current General Overseer of Foursquare Gospel Church, in his tribute said ‘Rev Dr Wilson Badejo worked diligently to grow our church. He identified, developed, mentored and motivated men and women to great leadership and also dynamically repositioned the church nationally and internationally. He encouraged me, and sent me to Warri . The Lord prospered the work and the 18 year-sojourn was the preparation I needed to assume the role of the General Overseer almost 2 years ago.

Dr Badejo also made remarkable achievements outside of the Foursquare family. He was a recipient of the award of excellence by the Bible Society of Nigeria, President, Nigerian Evangelical Fellowship (NEF), Member, Nigerian Inter-religious Council, Member, Board of Governors Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Technology and Member, Governing Council of Bells University of Technology, amongst others.

As we bid him farewell, we celebrate the grace of God upon his life and rejoice that after serving his generation, he deserved a rest and eternal bliss in the bosom of the Lord his maker. I will end this tribute with the words of Horatius Bonar , in his popular hymn, Only Remembered ‘ fading away like the stars in the morning, losing their light in the glorious sun; thus would we pass from this earth and its toiling ; only remembered for what we have done.

Adieu our quintessential father in the Lord, a compassionate leader, energetic church planter and incredible giver. We shall forever remember you for what you have done. Sleep on till we meet on the resurrection morning. Fare Thee Well

*Tunde Lemo, OFR is a forner deputy governor of CBN