Bishop David Oyedepo on Wednesday paid a condolence visit to Pastor Taiwo Odukoya of The Fountain of Life Church (TFOLC) as tributes continue to pour in over the death of his wife.
The Founder and President of the Living Faith Church, also known as Winners’ Chapel, visited the clergyman at his Lagos residence in the company of his wife, Faith Oyedepo, and the First Vice President of the church, Bishop David Abioye, and others.
Triumphant Christian Centre’s Reverend, Samuel Olubiyo also accompanied Bishop Oyedepo and shared photos of the visit on his social media page.
Oyedepo’s visit is coming amid a torrent of tributes from high-profile personalities, family members, clerics, members of The Fountain of Life Church, and Christians from the country and beyond.
In a message, President Muhammadu Buhari condoled with the preacher, TFOLC, and the Christian community over the development and prayed to God to comfort and bring succour to the clergyman.
“Sad, Quite Touching”
A statement issued by presidential spokesman Femi Adesina described Nomthi’s death as “sad and quite touching” and urged Pastor Odukoya “to bear the adversity with equanimity, being convinced that nothing could have happened without the knowledge and permission of Almighty God.
“The President prays strength for all who mourn the departed, asking God to give them the fortitude to bear the loss.”
Pastor Tolu Ijogun-Odukoya, a stepdaughter to the late Nomthi Odukoya, also took to social media to mourn the South African-born Simangele.
“Aunty Nom… You were such a beautiful light, an authentic Christian, and a Woman that truly loved God,” the singer wrote in an Instagram post on Wednesday. “You were such a fighter; Cancer didn’t win; God wanted you all to Himself and called you home.
“To say we will miss you is an understatement. Thank you for Tim-Tim and Jom-Jom.
“Thank you for loving my Dad the way you did. No more Pain Aunty Nom, rest in the bosom of our Lord till we meet again to part no more… Good night, Aunty Nom.”
Jimmy Odukoya, a Nollywood actor and son to Pastor Odukoya, equally penned an emotional tribute to his father’s late wife who died of cancer.
While describing the development as painful, he said he took solace in the fact that “we do not grieve as though we have no hope; for we are confident of this one thing; To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.”
“The pain we feel @pastornomthi is for us who you leave behind for we will miss you. We will take care of Dad and the boys!
“We love you but we know God loves you more! Continue to dance in the bosom of our Lord! Till we meet again,” his Tuesday Instagram post added.
Nomthi Odukoya, born Rosemary Simangele Zulu, died on Tuesday 11 years after he married the Nigerian preacher whose first wife, Pastor Bimbo, passed away in the ill-fated Sosoliso crash of 2005.
“She battled cancer for the better part of 2 years, she stood on the Word of God, and she fought,” Pastor Odukoya said in a statement announcing the death of his second wife.
“We loved her with all our heart, but who are we to fight with the will of God?
“The truth is, at one point in our lives, we all will have to say goodbye. So for now, till we meet again in glory, Goodbye Pastor Nomthi.
The late Nomthi Odukoya, who died at 47, had two sons – Timilehin and Jomiloju – for the Lagos-based pastor.