At 14, Lydia Olukemi Odedeji had already begun a walk with God. It was an experience she cherishes so much, which she says has helped her to be focused and always think of service to God.
A nurse by profession and wife of the new Bishop of Lagos West, Odedeji says her husband is a God-sent to her life.
“I met my husband while I was a student in the School of Nursing, UCH, Ibadan, when he came on pastoral visit to pray for patients in my ward, as a student from the Emmanuel College of Theology. He later came to our hostel, introduced himself; and that was how it all started.” She told an in-house publication of Lagos West Diocese.
She said she had a deep conviction that Bishop Odedeji was her dream man “I had been praying to God for my dream man. By the time he came on board, I had no doubt in my mind that he is the man I had been waiting for. He had all the qualities of my dream man.”
She however confessed that the challenges of the ministry have been enormous noting that she had already prepared her mind for the task before marriage “While we were courting, he made me to realise that service in the ministry is a sacrificial one. I Thank God I knew Christ quite early, so it wasn’t difficult to work together preaching Christ to people”
Now that her husband is Bishop, Mrs. Odedeji would have to administer the women folk of the diocese.
Quoting a portion in Isaiah she says ‘In quietness and confidence shall be your strength. I don’t believe that it’s in making noise or in talking here and there that makes for effectiveness and efficiency. In fact, the Bible encourages the Godly woman to be quiet. That I am quiet does not mean that when I need to talk, I won’t talk.”
Wife of the former Bishop of the diocese, Mrs. Caroline Adebiyi according to Odedeji has been a blessing. She says, “She’s very accommodating, humble and open to suggestions. All these qualities I have imbibed from Mama. In fact, I have learnt a lot from Mama because she’s a good leader and lovely mother.”
On her plans for the women of the diocese, she declares, “I’m praying to God that all our women should be godly women. I pray they should continue to be women of virtue and women of honour. Godliness is key and I think when our girl-child starts knowing God early, the way I started, they will never depart from His ways. As they grow older in Christ, their path will continue to shine brighter, and they will be able to represent Christ very well.”