While it may be impossible to gauge the soul-deep grief and visceral sense of loss being experienced by Pastor Idowu Iluyomade, the flambouyant pastor of Redeemed Christian Church of God, City of David parish, Lekki, Lagos, over the failure of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to secure a second term ticket, what is not in doubt is that the influential cleric must have wished that he had a higher level of grace and clairvoyance to have been able to foretell the future.
Neither he nor Ambode foresaw the fate that has befallen the hardworking and dedicated governor’s political trajectory.
Pastor ID, even more than the governor’s aides and associates, and relatives and beneficiaries, is worse hit by the rotund governor’s failure to secure the backing of his godfather, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for a second term in office, leading to a disastrous defeat at the governorship primaries.
Like mere mortals, he was banking on Ambode’s re-election to consolidate on their burgeoning business relationships.
As the presiding pastor of the City of David Church which is home to some of the wealthiest and most influential residents of Lagos, Pastor ID, as he is popularly known, is a hit among his congregation. Long before he became governor, Ambode, then a highflying civil servant was a regular church-goer who worshipped the grounds the pastor trod.
When he became governor, Pastor ID became the spiritual father and very close to the very hardworking governor. Suave and rich, Pastor Iluyomade who claims to enjoy advocacy and attends court regularly, representing high net worth clients and blue chip companies, has business interests in commercial practice and in particular, international trade finance. He is a board member of Aboil Energy Services LTD; managing director, Axiom IT Systems Ltd and Chairman, Visible Assets Ltd, among other boards’ appointments.
In fact, one of the pastor’s firms was supposed to execute the Fourth Mainland Bridge but this may have been aborted given the political interests in the contract.
From 2019, Pastor ID may no longer enjoy the political patronage his closeness to Ambode availed him, but he is still a much sought after man of God. And apart from his business and evangelical interests, he has the church’s most important project to keep him busy.
The church is currently building the Trinity Towers, a high-profile facility, located opposite the church auditorium in Oniru Estate, Victoria Island, Lagos. Primed as a 21st Century structure with three towers linked together, it has world class auditorium and conference centres, gymnasium and special features like a helipad, malls, offices and garden terraces which offer serenity and relaxation opportunities in an eco-friendly atmosphere. Pastor ID’s beautiful wife, Siju, also a lawyer, is hands down the most bejewelled pastor’s wife in Nigeria.
