The Profile Of Tunde Bakare
Tunde Bakare is a Nigerian Pentecostal pastor. He has received national and
international attention for his televangelism, which has sometimes been critical
of the Nigerian government. He was in March 2002 reportedly arrested after
sermons apparently critical of then-president Olusegun Obasanjo. Pastor Tunde
Bakare is a great man of God.
With a family background of near nothing to
write home about, Pastor (Dr.) 'Tunde Bakare rose from the dunghill to a
position of influence and from penury to stardom. As God would have it, Gbolahan
Babatunde Bakare was born into a typical Moslem polygamous family which is
always typified by conflicts and rivalry, with no one giving him the slightest
chance of survival due to the circumstances surrounding his birth. Although, he
did not have the privilege of enjoying proper parental care, he struggled
through life's phases with the grace of God upon his life and the determination
to make it.
Born on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month as
the only child to his mother, Pastor 'Tunde Bakare did not grow up to know his
earthly father but was brought up by his mother, Madam Abigail Eebudola Bakare
along with other siblings.
Like the biblical Joseph, Pastor B seems to be
a forerunner of his extended household to bring not only the salvation of the
Lord to his people but also to assist in other areas of their disabilities.
Contrary to his experience in the early days of his life, Pastor Bakare is a
lover of humanity and emotional for that matter.
Married to Mrs. Olayide
Bakare in 1984, Pastor Bakare's marriage has played a strong pivotal role in his
life, career and ministry. The one and only Authentic Mrs. B as she is
affectionately referred to by her husband, has been involved in the work of
Ministry all her adult life and has served alongside her husband since their
wedding in 1984. First as a co-pastor of The Latter Rain Assembly and presently
a member of the board of trustees of the Church, Mrs. B has been instrumental to
the growth and development of her husband's ministry.
She has also more or
less been the general at the home front, raising two girls and three boys their
marriage has been blessed with. Pastor Bakare once remarked that, no other woman
has the kind of peculiar grace and God endowed ability to live with him as Mrs.
B and this might not be far from the truth considering the kind of call of God
upon her husband's life. According to her, one of her greatest challenges of
living with Pastor Bakare was the time of his arrest in March, 2002 but she
gives all the glory to God with the understanding that it was all for a good
course.
The year 2004, the year of Freedom, really marks the year of reunion
and restoration of broken relationships for Pastor 'Tunde Bakare. It is a year
when all family members were not only reconciled to him but also to Christ; when
many long lost friends and associates came together to celebrate the gift of God
to this generation and planet earth.
Pastor Bakare's family lifestyle
can be summarized under five major aspects of his life:
His persuasion:
"I'm fully persuaded that I will live long in health; having long life in
health, with wealth for the purpose for which He created me to be a blessing to
humanity". This persuasion invariably affects and informs his thought patterns,
decision making process and choices in life.
Tunde Bakare lives in the
multi-million dollar estate called Sugar Loaf Estate in the high Brow community
of Atlanta.
His conviction: "God will not justify the wicked, He will not
forsake the righteous; the wickedness of a wicked man will fall upon his head
and the righteousness of a righteous man will answer for him in the days to
come".
"The minority that is right will become the majority and the majority
that is wrong will become the minority, it's just a matter of time".
His
passion: "To see that the true perspective of the gospel of Jesus Christ is
given to people without any contamination or mixture".
His Legacy: "My
legacy? The grace to pray through". Surprisingly, Pastor Bakare initially as a
young Christian did not have a flare or desire to pray, but according to him,
circumstances in his marriage as orchestrated by God taught him not only how to
pray but also how to pray through.
Secret of his success: Obedience only
to the word and instructions of God. Sandwiched between his willingness and
desire to do the will of God is obedience even when all things are working
contrary to the word of God.
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