Former Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has reflected on his relationship with the Anglican Church while acknowledging how God has consistently shown up for him at every stage of his life and how the church impacted him as a young man.
Fashola who was also the minister of works under former President Mohammadu Buhari shared these reflections on Sunday, August 23, while delivering a lecture at the annual “God in My Life” series organized by the Torchbearer Society of the Archbishop Vining Memorial Church Cathedral (AVMCC), Ikeja GRA, Lagos.
The event attracted hundreds of participants, including captains of industry as well as the Bishop of the Diocese of Lagos West, Rt. Rev. Olusola Odedeji, whom Fashola described as a personal friend.
Overcoming hesitation
Speaking on the theme “God in My Life,” Fashola—who was brought to the podium by Chief Sola Osunkeye after an effusive introduction—said his attendance at the event was a clear indication that God was evidently working something out in his life. He admitted that he had initially wanted to avoid the gathering due to fear of the social media backlash that might follow his appearance.
”But when I saw the call from Chief Osunkeye, there was no way I could turn down the invitation,” Fashola noted. “I had to promise that I would be here.”
He described Chief Osunkeye, a former chairman of Nestlé Nigeria Plc, as a man he holds in high regard.
Early Roots in the Anglican Faith
Regarding the Anglican Church, Fashola who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria said his connection with the denomination dates back to his formative years, as both his mother and grandparents were Anglicans.
”I grew up attending St. Jude’s Anglican Church in Ebute Metta. I was part of the Sunday school,” he recalled. “When we moved to another location in Lagos, I joined St. Luke’s Anglican Church around Surulere. If you go to the church today, you will see the records of my contributions toward the church building.”
He explained that he was a committed member of the church before later embracing Islam, the faith of his father. That background, he noted, enabled him to nurture a family free of religious rancor despite being married to a Christian.
President, Torchbearer Society, Archbishop Vining, Church Cathedral, Adeoye Ojuoko; Bishop, Diocese of Lagos West, Rt Rev. James Olusola Odedeji presenting a plaque to former governor of Lagos State and Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola; SAN, Past President of the Society for Corporate Governance Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Osunkeye; and the Dean, Archbishop Vining, Church Cathedral, The Ven Arire Kolawole, during the God in my life Lecture series, at Archbishop Vining, Church Cathedral, G.R.A, Ikeja, Lagos on Sunday 23-08-2026
Divine guidance in career path
Fashola, who is a fellow of the Anglican Diocese of Lagos West, stated that his life’s journey has been orchestrated by God since birth. He recalled how he originally had no desire to work in government, yet ultimately became the governor of Lagos State.
”I was posted to the Ministry of Justice for my NYSC, but I never liked the government environment because of the attitude of civil servants to work and the fact that there seemed to be no work to be done,” he said.
Because he disliked the civil service, he requested a transfer from the Ministry of Justice to a private law firm to complete his NYSC service. Following his service year, his father helped him secure a job with NIPOST, which he turned down because he still wanted to avoid public service. He eventually secured a role at a private law firm that paid him well.
”My salary was ₦1,440. That was a lot of money then,” he said.
Despite the temptation to accept a mouth-watering offer from a bank, he declined and chose to stay with the law firm to pursue his passion for legal practice. It was at this firm that he met Wale Tinubu, who later introduced him to President Bola Tinubu (then the Governor of Lagos State).
Fashola noted that he was initially slated to become the Attorney General of Lagos State, but when the offer did not materialize, he returned to private legal practice. He was later invited by then-Governor Tinubu to serve as his Chief of Staff.
Gratitude and life’s Lessons
Continuing on his connection with the Anglican Church, the former governor recalled how the Anglican Diocese of Lagos West invited him and other governorship candidates to a debate ahead of the 2007 elections—the race in which he emerged victorious. Expressing gratitude to the church, he noted that the debate helped him win over undecided voters. He described God as the ultimate architect of the universe, adding that God is neither a Christian nor a Muslim.
According to Fashola, God’s presence in human life manifests in various forms—including family members, friends, associates, and institutions such as schools and workplaces that provide guidance and direction.
He shared personal testimonies about his life journey, including several near-death experiences and moments of danger resulting from youthful recklessness.
“If God gave us the opportunity to arrange our life’s journey by ourselves, can any one of us decide which phase of our life should come first?” he asked. “The whole essence of the mystery that is God would be defeated if I knew His plan for my life from day one. We were taught to have faith and remain positive. When we reflect, we remember the unmerited favors we received.”
He added: “There is a tradeoff in how these things happen. I have learned to accept that you cannot conquer the world. It dawned on me that no matter how strong I was, I was still going to die. The richest person and the poorest will end up at the same common denominator: death.”
Recognizing God Through Family and Associates
Expanding on the theme, he said: “God shows up in our lives through family members. The sibling with whom we undertook our journey represents God in our lives. I can say family is God in our lives. My wife has been a manifestation of God in my life, as I am sure many will say when they start raising a family. We encounter people who may not be related to us, and through whom God manifests His presence. People I met made my problems their problems. Some were instrumental in helping me get my first job. Looking back, I do so with immense gratitude. They were all God’s messengers to me.”
He also paid tribute to public servants: “The army of diligent public servants represented God in my life. There were times we held cabinet meetings from 10:00 AM to 2:00 AM. When we reflect, we remember that we received unmerited favors—mercy that could not have occurred apart from the manifestation of God in our lives.”
During his reflection, Fashola invited the congregation to sing the hymn “Count Your Blessings, Name Them One by One.” He also encouraged listeners to read the Ten Commandments, which he described as a document that “codified the pillars of life.”
Separating Family from Governance and Managing an Interfaith Home
As governor, Fashola said he deliberately separated his family from the day-to-day operations of government.
”The first conversation I had on this was with my wife,” he said. “I told her, ‘Don’t let me see you in any ministry, and don’t interfere in my work.’ I had family members in government, but I made sure they got there on merit.”
He recalled an instance where a relative was shortlisted for a senior position: “Her name was shortlisted as Permanent Secretary. She was the one who told the officials to remove her name because she was not qualified for the position at the time and knew I would not approve it. I was never afraid to say no. If I couldn’t defend it, I wouldn’t do it.”
On managing an interfaith household, he explained: “If you come to my house during Ramadan, you will not notice a difference. My wife is the one in charge of the ram. On Christmas Day, you won’t see my wife active, I am the one in charge.”
National issues
Responding to a participant’s comment that former President Buhari’s administration had damaged the country, Fashola noted sarcastically that one such “damage” was paving the way for renewable energy by granting zero duty on solar equipment so it could be assembled in Nigeria. He also highlighted several landmark achievements of the Buhari administration.
Tributes
Chief Osunkeye praised Fashola as a public servant who moved around Lagos without sirens during his tenure as governor and supported church initiatives throughout his administration.
In his keynote address, the Chief Host and Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Lagos West, Rt. Rev. Olusola Odedeji, commended Fashola for serving as a role model to young people, noting that God had shown up for the former governor in unimaginable ways.
”There is always a fourth man in the fire of our lives,” the Bishop said, noting that Fashola had survived many dangerous journeys through God’s protection. He added that young people turned out in large numbers across the diocese to draw inspiration from Fashola’s experiences, describing the “God in My Life” series as a call to reflection, testimony, and gratitude, citing the biblical story of Joseph.
The president of the society, Mr Adeoye Ojuoko said the annual lecture series organized by the provides a platform for distinguished Nigerians to share personal reflections on their faith and career journeys across public service, business, and leadership.
This particular edition according to him was designed to mark the start of the society’s 50th anniversary.
