Pastor Jimmy Odukoya, the actor-turned-cleric who leads The Fountain of Life Church in Lagos, has presented his new wife to his congregation, confirming days of online speculation about his marital status.
The 39-year-old called his bride, Mo, to the altar during the Sunday, November 1 service at the church’s headquarters in Ilupeju, Lagos. Reports from Legit.ng say she will be addressed as Pastor Mo Odukoya.
A ring photo that started the conversation
The announcement did not come entirely out of the blue. A day earlier, Odukoya shared a photo on Facebook showing two hands, one wearing an engagement ring and the other a wedding band, with a short caption about a new beginning. The post quickly spread, and followers began asking whether the pastor had quietly remarried.
On Sunday he answered the question from the pulpit.
What he told the church
According to Premium Times, Odukoya told worshippers that he had carried many responsibilities on his own since taking over the leadership of the church, and that he had now found the partner he had been looking for. Legit.ng reported that he cited the biblical teaching that it is not good for a man to be alone.
His wife, speaking briefly, said she was honoured to stand beside him.
Pastor Tunde Bakare, founder of The Citadel Global Community Church, prayed over the couple during the service, asking for God’s blessing on the marriage. Legit.ng reported that the wedding itself took place in the United States.
Who is the new Mrs Odukoya?
Little has been officially said about the new pastor’s wife. Premium Times describes her as a designer and creative entrepreneur. Other outlets have given differing details about her background and even the spelling of her name, and the church has yet to publish an official profile. Flashinfong will update this story when more is confirmed.
His previous marriage
Odukoya was previously married to Oluwakemi Banjoko. The couple wed in London in March 2013 and have two children together. That marriage has since ended, but the circumstances have not been made public, and neither party has spoken about it in detail.
Online reaction to Sunday’s announcement was mixed. Many church members and followers sent congratulations, while others raised questions about remarriage in the church and the end of his first marriage.
A family at the centre of Nigerian Pentecostalism
The Odukoya name carries great weight in Nigerian church circles. The Fountain of Life Church was founded by his parents, Pastor Taiwo Odukoya and Pastor Bimbo Odukoya.
Bimbo Odukoya, widely known for her ministry to singles and married couples, died on December 10, 2005, in the crash of Sosoliso Airlines Flight 1145 in Port Harcourt. Taiwo Odukoya died in the United States on August 7, 2023, at the age of 67.
Jimmy, the eldest son, was named senior pastor in September 2023. His sister, Tolu Odukoya-Ijogun, serves as associate senior pastor.
From Hollywood set to pulpit
Before stepping fully into ministry, Odukoya built a career as an actor. He is best known internationally for playing Oba Ade in the 2022 Hollywood film The Woman King, alongside Viola Davis, and he has also appeared in Nollywood productions.
He has said he was ordained a minister years before he took over the church, and his move from acting to full-time ministry drew wide attention when he succeeded his father.
His remarriage now opens a new chapter for one of Lagos’s best-known churches, where his late mother’s teaching on marriage and family remains part of the church’s identity.
Sources: Premium Times, Legit.ng, QED.ng and earlier reporting on the Odukoya family.
