17th September, 2023
By Nehru Odeh
Jimmy Odukoya son of the late founding pastor of Fountain of Life Church, Taiwo Odukoya, has succeeded his father as Senior Pastor of the church.
Jimmy, a Nigerian actor who played the role of Oba Ade in the 2022 movie “The Woman King” was announced as the church’s senior pastor and chairman of the board of trustees by a member of the board during church service on Sunday, September 17 2023.
Pastor Taiwo Odukoya, who was the former senior pastor of the church died in August 2023, in the United States. He was aged 67.
Making the announcement, Rotimi Okpaise, a pastor, said the late Odukoya confided in the Board of Trustees (BoT) members about the succession plan after his demise.
According to Okpaise, the BoT unanimously elected Jimmy as the senior pastor and chairperson of the board.
“The board has chosen Saturday, September 30, 2023, as the date of Jimmy’s installation,” he said.
“The next day we had a board meeting and we actually decided to follow the Constitution and pastor Jimmy was nominated and unanimously voted for.
“Pastor Jimmy is now our senior pastor and he is the chairman of the board of trustees. We will have an installation service on September 30,” the board member said while the church congregation roared in cheers and claps.
Jimmy, who was part of the pastoral team of the church then walked up the stage.
“All glory and all adoration to God,” he said.
He told the congregation that his late father told him he would be his successor.
“Thank you church. I thank God for the grace and strength to chart this new journey. I want to thank the board of Trustees for honouring the wishes of my late father,” he said.
He thanked the church leadership for holding the church together during the transition of his father and also expressed gratitude to the other pastors for being a source of blessing.
Jimmy is an Oral Roberts University graduate.