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Pastor Adeboye, wife, other men of God battled to save her, but God is God – Pastor Odukoya speaks on wife’s death

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Pastor Taiwo Odukoya, the senior pastor of the Fountain of Life Church, has opened up on efforts to save his late wife, Nomthi, saying she got the best of both healthcare and spiritual support in her two years battle with cancer.

The late Nomthi Odukoya, who was also a serving minister in her husband’s church, died recently after a two-year battle with cancer.

Nomthi, a South African, married Pastor Taiwo in January 2010, five years after the petroleum engineer-turned-cleric lost his first wife, Bimbo, in the ill-fated 2005 Sosoliso Airlines flight that crashed in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

In his first public appearance since the death of his wife, Pastor Odukoya told the congregation at last Sunday’s service, that he attended the service for two reasons – to worship God and to explain to the church about the demise of his 47-year-old wife.

Full of adoration and worship to God during the service, Pastor Taiwo said the unfortunate incident was an attack from the devil, stating that despite being upset by the occurrence of certain events, he has the peace of God over the departure of his wife.

Explaining why they returned her to Nigeria some two weeks ago after a series of treatments in the United States and the United Kingdom, he said: “We went to countries and we got the best of treatment. In the U.S., they told us that at the level at which we are treating this case, less than 1 per cent of Americans go this far. We got the best.

“But then, it got to a stage that they said we are out of options and they meant it. But each time they say that, I reply that except for a miracle. At that point, I realized that I just have to continue to believe God.

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“So, we boarded the plane and we came back. She came with me two weeks ago. We had the best paramedics from the U.S. and they followed us home. Reddington [Hospital] created virtual ICU in our home; they gave us four to five doctors, supported by their nurses.”

“Some people said Pastor don’t go to church today, you want to rest. Amazingly, I have rest by the grace of God. I have the peace of God. Yes, I’m upset about the occurrence of certain events but I have peace.

“I am here because the church deserves an explanation. The first reason is that I come to glorify the name of the Lord. We are here to worship and let the devil knows that he came too late.”

Explaining timelines of her treatments, he said: “Last year’s Mother’s Day, she was receiving treatment in the UK, she preached from a very difficult position. She started receiving treatment January last year.

“Was it an attack? Everything that the Lord didn’t put on you is an attack of the devil. Yes, it was an attack. But did the devil win? No, he didn’t. I don’t understand the mystery myself. Did the devil win when Judas betrayed and sold Jesus? So, the devil cannot win over us, it is the counsel of God that will come to pass. Why do bad things happen to good people? It is because God is God. So, we really cannot question God over all those things.

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“Did we pray? Some people even asked why we didn’t tell them. But you will rather hear of testimonies, that is the way it is structured so that your faith can be deepened. But there were people who were praying every night and day for the past two years. I am not talking of two or three people, but groups of people.”

On whether they fought the battle too late, he said: “Some might say Pastor Taiwo, you didn’t see it coming and you didn’t fight it – who told you? We did the best we could do; it wasn’t the want of prayers. When it got to a stage, I involved the Apostolic fathers. Honestly, the ones I could reach, they went beyond the call of duty.

“They gave us their time, they call us almost twice a week. The Bishop Mike and Rev Peace, the Baba and Mama Adeboye; you will think they gave birth to us. They prayed and they gave. I couldn’t reach Bishop Oyedepo and he told me when he came that ‘O so fun mi’ (You didn’t tell me). But I told him that ‘Ko kin se testimony sir, mo try lati reach yin (It’s not a testimony sir and I tried reaching you as well). So, they did their best. At night, you see Bishop Mike at our gate. Six in the morning, you will see Baba Adeboye at our gate. So, it wasn’t want of prayers.

“Is it that you didn’t catch it on time? Some doctors here will tell you that if it is about catching it on time, we caught it on time. It started like flu but we did all we could do.”

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Pastor Odukoya further noted said his late wife fulfilled her time, adding that: “We walked the journey all through together, even when she was abroad. You know we are five hours ahead of them, we call and chat together. So, why she would be going to bed at 11p.m., I will be going to bed by 4a.m. because of the time zone. We had good times together.

“I saw a woman who was incredibly awesome. When Pastor Ashimolowo called me and started talking about Nomthi, I couldn’t believe my ears. She connected unusually and she was simple and quiet about it.

“In terms of treatment, we got the best. Treatment in the UK, we found favour all the way. At a time, she had to do a major surgery. She was on the pulpit sometimes, ministering in so much pain and she will not be able to lift her arm but you didn’t know.

“We got through that only through surgery because the illness was trying to paralyze her but we made sure that never happened by the grace of God. She went through surgery in January this year and by the time she got through surgery, her arms came back. It was a major surgery; she went in at 10a.m. and came out at about 6p.m. She came back continuing ministry and receiving treatment until we had to go somewhere else,” he said.

 

CREDIT: THE PAGE NEWS

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Relief as suspected Ebola cases in Adamawa tested negative

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The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has said that there are currently no laboratory-confirmed cases of Ebola  in Adamawa.

The NCDC had on Saturday said that there were two suspected cases of Ebola in the north-east state, adding that the individuals had been isolated while contact identification was ongoing.

But in a statement on Sunday, the director-general of NCDC, Jide Idris,
said samples collected from the two individuals, who had symptoms suggestive of Ebola, tested negative after two rounds of testing.

“The report was received by the Adamawa State Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) in the early hours of 30 October 2026, following the identification of two individuals presenting with symptoms suggestive of Ebola, requiring further investigation,” the statement reads.

“Hence the alert that was released early this evening. The individuals have been isolated, and appropriate public health measures have been initiated.

“Samples were collected for laboratory testing to establish the cause of the illness. Fortunately, the samples turned out negative for EBV after two rounds of testing.”

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Idris commended the Adamawa health commissioner and his team for their “proactive approach”, adding that the NCDC was working closely with the state government to investigate the report of suspected Ebola cases.

“Currently, there is no laboratory-confirmed Ebola case in Adamawa state,” he said.

“The index case previously confirmed in the Federal Capital Territory remains the only confirmed case reported in Nigeria to date.”

He urged the public to remain calm and avoid sharing unverified information or speculating about the situation.

“The public is encouraged to obtain information from official government and public health communication channels,” he said.

Idris described Ebola as a serious infectious disease that requires prompt identification, appropriate clinical management and effective infection prevention and control measures.

“Anyone experiencing symptoms such as fever, severe weakness, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhoea or unexplained bleeding, particularly following relevant exposure, should seek immediate medical attention and inform healthcare workers of any relevant travel or contact history,” he said.

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“Individuals should avoid self-medication and follow the advice of healthcare professionals.”

Nigeriaconfirmed its first Ebola case in more than a decade on October 20, after a 42-year-old Swiss woman tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain in Abuja.

The patient, who had travelled from Uganda to Nigeria, was subsequently isolated and treated by Nigerian health workers.

On Monday, the federal governmentevacuated the patient to Switzerland aboard a medical plane.

Her husband, who was identified as a close contact, was also evacuated to Switzerland.

Ali Pate, coordinating minister of health and social welfare, said the patient was clinically much improved, stable, conscious and communicating, with her laboratory test results approaching baseline levels.

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Good morning! Nigerian Newspapers Headlines: 2027: S’West ADC leaders revolt against Atiku

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1. Many leaders of the African Democratic Congress in the South-West have expressed dissatisfaction with what they described as the marginalisation of the party’s structure in the region by the ADC presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

The ADC leaders, including some state chairmen and governorship candidates, alleged that Atiku had been conducting his political activities in the region through his friends and allies, while leaving the party structure sidelined as presidential campaign activities prepared to gather momentum.

2. A United States federal court has rejected an attempt to obtain discovery from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and DCI Group in an ongoing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit involving the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). 

3. The Zamfara State Commissioner of Police, CP Muhammad Bello, has confirmed the “rescue of three of the six Islamic clerics kidnapped on September 12 while travelling to Talata Mafara, Zamfara State.” Bello gave the confirmation in an interview with select reporters in Gusau. He said the rescue followed a multi-agency collaboration and seamless synergy between the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, the Department of State Services, DSS, and police operatives.

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4. The Grand Patron of the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, and the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, have set a target of at least 1.5 million votes for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election. According to a statement, the target was announced on Saturday in Osogbo during the inauguration of the movement’s state and local government structures.

5. Nigerians lose no less than N75bn annually to visa application expenses across foreign missions, with rejected Schengen visa applications alone accounting for an estimated €11.5m, equivalent to about N19bn in 2025.
This is according to a visa-cost analysis report obtained by Sunday PUNCH from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

6. With one accord, the governors of Enugu, Imo, Ebonyi, and Anambra States yesterday urged the people of the Southeast to avoid political distractions, and vote massively for President Bola Tinubu in next year’s presidential election. Governors Peter Mbah, Hope Uzodimma, Francis Nwifuru and Charles Soludo, said it was necessary for the zone to support Tinubu’s re-election bid to enable him consolidate the gains of his administration’s economic reforms

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7. Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, has said Nigeria’s security challenges predate the administration of President Bola Tinubu, noting that terrorism, insurgency and banditry had been entrenched in the country before 2023 when Tinubu assumed office. He said the country’s security problems were rooted in years of porous borders, illegal arms proliferation, youth unemployment and the spread of extremist ideologies.

8. Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike has directed supporters of President Bola Tinubu to deliver their polling unit in the forthcoming 2027 general elections. Addressing the supporters, Wike framed the upcoming general elections as a critical opportunity for residents of the nation’s capital to rectify past electoral missteps and unite under a strategic development banner.

9. The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has removed the name of the Kano State governorship candidate of the National Democratic Congress, NDC, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, from its updated list of candidates for the 2027 general elections. A check on the commission’s website shows that the names of Gwarzo and his deputy were conspicuously missing from the updated list.

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10. Four young men have been arrested by the Bauchi State Police Command for allegedly abducting and gang-raping a 12-year-old girl in Sakwa District, Zaki Local Government Area of the state. The suspects were arrested following a complaint by the victim’s 50-year-old father, who reported the incident at the Sakwa Divisional Police Headquarters on Thursday.

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Wale Tinubu, Rabiu, others Join President Tinubu in Makkah for Umrah

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The Group Chief Executive Oando Plc, Jubril Adewale Tinubu; Chairman of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu, and several other Nigerian business mogul have joined President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, for the performance of Umrah, the lesser Islamic pilgrimage.

The presence of the prominent Nigerian business leaders alongside the President in the holy city has drawn attention, bringing together three influential figures from Nigeria’s political and business communities in a moment of religious observance.

Tinubu and Rabiu, both prominent names in Nigeria’s corporate landscape, were seen alongside the President dressed in the traditional white Ihram garments worn by Muslim pilgrims performing Umrah.

Umrah, unlike the obligatory Hajj pilgrimage, can be undertaken at any time of the year. It involves a series of religious rites in Makkah and holds profound spiritual significance for Muslims across the world.

For the Nigerian business community, the appearance of the corporate leaders alongside the President also offers a glimpse into the intersection of faith, business and public life, particularly when influential figures come together outside the usual settings of boardrooms, corporate engagements and official functions.

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The development comes as President Tinubu undertook the pilgrimage to seek divine guidance and offer prayers for Nigeria’s peace, unity, stability and progress.

According to the Presidency, the President performed the Umrah rites early Friday, October 30, at the Grand Mosque, Masjid al-Haram, where he circumambulated the Holy Ka’abah.

Speaking after completing the spiritual exercise, Tinubu described the pilgrimage as significant, linking it to his commitment to Nigeria and its people. He also expressed gratitude to Allah for the opportunity to pray for the country.

The President’s prayers reportedly centre on national harmony, security, economic prosperity and the need for Nigerians to live together peacefully.

Rabiu also used the occasion to express his hopes for the country, describing it as an honour to accompany the President on the spiritual journey. He prayed for lasting peace, unity and prosperity in Nigeria.

For Tinubu, whose Oando Group occupies a prominent position in Nigeria’s energy industry, the journey offered a departure from the familiar world of corporate leadership and business engagements. Rabiu, similarly, is a major player in the country’s industrial sector, with interests spanning manufacturing, cement and food production.

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Their appearance in Makkah alongside the President underscores the presence of leading figures from Nigeria’s private sector at an important spiritual moment for the country’s leader.

Umrah, often described as the lesser pilgrimage, is a significant act of worship in Islam. Unlike Hajj, which takes place during a specific period in the Islamic calendar, Umrah can be performed throughout the year.

President Tinubu is expected to return to Nigeria next week after completing his spiritual engagements in Saudi Arabia.

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