By Gbenga Osinaike
He was born and bred in the “jungle” of Ajegunle-Apapa, Lagos. But rather than being influenced by the negative vibes prevalent in his younger days in that restless community, Engineer Babatunde Oshodi carved a niche for himself—excelling in his faith, his academics, and his career.
He also beat the odds that once threatened his family life to emerge a victor.
Today, February 2, Oshodi raises his hands to Jehovah in gratitude as he clocks 70. A retired Permanent Secretary in the Lagos State Civil Service, he told Church Times that the turning point for him happened in 1978 during his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) year in Kano.
A Divine Trajectory
It was there that he surrendered his life to Jesus. “I gave my life to Christ during a programme at Bayero University, Kano, where I was doing my NYSC. That changed my trajectory completely. I was the only one in that massive hall who responded to the altar call. Since then, it has been from glory to glory,” he enthused.
Before that defining moment, he was tending toward the wrong side of life. He was a member of the Palmwine Drinkards Club while studying Chemical Engineering at the University of Lagos. But God was gracious to him. From that experience of being born again, Oshodi began to build a new path. He joined the army of God’s people and became one of the early Pentecostals in Ajegunle-Apapa.
He remained an Anglican and a member of Christ the King Anglican Church in Ajegunle, while also being part of a fellowship group known then as Gospel Team Ministry, which eventually metamorphosed into Royal Gospel Ministry.
Memories of revival
Recalling his early days in the Lord, he said, “In those days, there was an unprecedented awakening everywhere. People were just getting born again. The change in lives was real and, in most cases, dramatic. There was a hunger for the Word of God.”
”Back then, Deeper Life Christian Ministry was the place to be for new converts. We were so zealous for God that we would always travel to Oyingbo to listen to Brother William Kumuyi teach the Bible.” At the time, Deeper Life was using the headquarters of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) in Oyingbo as their Bible study centre.
While in Kano, he was blessed to be in the company of Rev. Emiko Amotsuka, the renowned Bible teacher, and Dr. I.K.U. Ibeneme, who operated a deliverance ministry in the ’80s. Both men were also undergoing their NYSC in Kano at the time.
Academic and Professional Excellence
Oshodi’s sudden conversion came as a pleasant surprise to his parents, who were Anglicans. His mother, Mrs. Funmilayo Oshodi—a well-known midwife and philanthropist—and his father, Mr. Adekunle Oshodi, an educationist, greatly influenced his lifestyle of modesty and asceticism.
Life was however not only about faith for Engineer Oshodi; he excelled professionally as well. After earning his degree in Chemical Engineering, he joined the Lagos State Civil Service. With just two years in service, he secured a federal government scholarship to study at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, where he earned a Master’s degree in Public Health Engineering.
He served meritoriously as a founding member of the Nigeria Society of Engineers, Ikeja branch, where he was the first Technical Secretary. He is also the fourth National Chairman of the Nigerian Institution of Environmental Engineers (a division of the NSE) and a Fellow of both the NSE and NIEE.
Family and Legacy
He is married to Deaconess Olajumoke Oshodi, a nurse by training who worked at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital until her retirement. The marriage of about 43 years has been blessed with children and grandchildren.
Oshodi, who authored the book From Bacchus to Christ—a chronicle of his conversion—noted that there are many perspectives to his existence. “I possibly can’t tell the whole of my story because it won’t fit into one volume,” he said.
He admits that managing a home sometimes requires tough decisions. He recalled a period when he moved from Ajegunle to Ogijo in Ikorodu, but his wife initially declined to join him. “For about one year, I was the only one taking care of my boys. That incident almost crashed my home. But thank God, today all that is history.”
It was at Ogijo that he joined the Redeemed Christian Church of God. Over the last 30 years, he has served the mission as both a member and a pastor. He served as Missions Coordinator for Lagos Provinces 22, 33, and 62, and was recently nominated as Regional Missions Coordinator for the newly created Region 64.
A Life of Service
The pastoral ministry of Babatunde took a new turn in 2022 when he was appointed the first Pastor-in-Charge of the newly established Solution Center Parish in Ogijo. He was later promoted to Pastor-in-Charge of the Beauty of Holiness Area, Maya, Ikorodu, in October 2024.
Now that he is 70, he will retire from the pastorate of the RCCG. However, Oshodi stated that the memory of his service in the church will continue to linger. “I learned a lot in RCCG. I saw how parishes transition from being small to becoming Regional and Provincial Headquarters. The growth of the church has been quite phenomenal.” He noted.
For Oshodi, a major lesson from his time in RCCG is that nobody is indispensable. “God’s work cannot be frustrated. No matter how gifted and anointed you may be, there is always somebody who can do better. That is why RCCG has continued to grow irrespective of the odds.”
His experience in the church has been documented hi a book titled, My 30 years sojourn in RCCG. The book will be presented to the public today February 2 at a Thanksgiving Service to celebrate the.landmakr .
The event holds art the Open Door Parish regional headquarters of region 64 of the RCCG along the Ogijo Shagamu road.