Rev. Wilson Badejo
Rev. Wilson Badejo
Rev. Wilson Badejo was born on 19th May 1947 and of Yoruba ethnicity and is an emeritus General Overseer of the Foursquare Gospel church, Nigeria.He is also a Veterinary physician and the founder of the Wilson Badejo Foundation.[13]
Education
Not much information is currently available about his education but after secondary school he attended the University of Ibadan where he studied Veterinary medicine. While in the university he was politically active as the student’s Union president. He also has a post graduate degree in Management from the University of Connecticut, Starr, United States[14]
Relationship
He is happily married to Yinka Badejo ,the couple have been together since 1975 and is greatly blessed with children
Salvation Experience
Reverend Wilson gave his life to Christ as a student of the University of Ibadan.
His salvation experience as shared by him is thus relayed
“I thank God that I came to know Christ when I was 19 at the University of Ibadan.
I was in my second year in the university.
My encounter was not accidental because nothing happens to us by accident.
It was pretty historic and epochal.
I was both the Secretary of the Nnamdi Azikwe Hall and the Students Union of the university.
"
During his time as hall secretary(1969/70) there was a radical protest by the students against Mrs Akpampa who they wanted to be relieved and to control this ,the police were brought in and there was sporadic gunshots ,a bullet fizzled very near his ear and killed another student(Kunle Adepeju) ,this was the beginning of the beginning for the then young and vibrant Williams Badejo.
"I thought it could have been me.
That event set me thinking.
It started a series of reactions inside me.
So when there was missions programme later in the year on the university to welcome news students, I stopped over at the Trenchard Hall to listen to the music.
I had thought to myself that after the music I would proceed to the anatomy lab.
But by the time the music stopped I could not go again.
I had become enthralled in the whole event and I sat back to listen to the rest of the programme.
"
The programme made a lot of impression on my mind that made me began to reflect on the hereafter.
The preacher called for those who wanted to give their lives to Christ.
Initially I was reluctant because it was quite absurd for a union leader to identify with SU on campus.
It was believed that those in students’ unionism were not serious students.
But somehow, I raised my hand and came out as instructed.
As I was coming out, tears welled in my eyes.
I was really broken.
I said the sinner’s prayer and I felt a big load had been lifted off me.
I was relieved and joy was written all over me.
That was it.
Since then I have been serving the Lord and going from one glory to another.
Career
After University education he spent his service year (National youth service corps) as a resident vetinary doctor in Obudu Cattle Ranch of Agric Development Corporation.Later
on he got employed as a research officer in the National Veterinary Research Institute, Jos.
Ministry
Dr. Badejo's inauguration and dedication as the General Overseer of the Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria in 1999 by the General Overseer Emeritus, Rev. Dr. G.Olu Farombi who handed over the baton of leadership to our celebrant
As a youth after being born again, he made strides in the Christian religion as he became part of the first set of National Youth Service Corps and he gave himself fully to the cause of spreading the gospel.
After graduation from the University of Ibadan he got employed in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and the Ibru Organisation where he later had to resign from to focus and face squarely the work of God even if at this time he was in his prime years of working.
Since then he has refused to reduce in tempo in the matter of the things and work of God.
I brought the experience of Jos to Lagos when I was posted to Lagos to do the Quarantine service at the Airport.
I started a fellowship at the Muritala Airport which used to be international Airport and then local.
It was very vibrant.
We met every Tuesday and Thursday.
Thereafter people got to know about it.
It was around that time Brother Williams Kumuyi now Pastor Kumuyi was also doing something in UNILAG.
It was a great experience for us in those days.
Rev Boyejo, Senior Pastor Foursquare Gospel Church heard about what we were doing and he embraced us well.
Before I knew it I became a constant preacher within the pastoral ministry of the Foursquare.
We taught in the Sunday School and other fora.
He came into popularity in 1999 after having served in various areas and assignments, when he selected to take over from Rev. G.O.
Farounbi to become the new General Overseer of the Foursquare Church of Nigeria.
He would go on to hold the saddle for another as he was re-elected for two more consecutive terms.
During his tenure as General Overseer his unwavering love for God was made explicit and express and this was reflected in how much he reached out to the unsaved and the general populace.Some
of his achievemnts are planting of about 2000 churches under the initiative of Barley Harvest church planting and also strengthening and building a good relationship with her international body Foursquare Mission International (FMI), helping them also to reach out to souls outside the nation. [2]
His tenure as the general overseer of The Foursquare church Nigeria came to an end in 2009 at the 54th annual national convention wherehe was voted out by
Dignitaries that were in attendance were; the Ooni Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade and the Olu of Warri, Ogiamen Atunwase II.
Ooni, His Royal Highnesses Timi of Ede, Obaleye of Ikole Ekiti, Olufon of Ifon, Aragbiri of Iragbiri, Salawu of Edun Abo, Alaye of Ido-Osun and Oba of Iwara.
Others were Oba of Ijawara, High Chiefs Ak all of which are members of the church.
The Wilson Badejo Foundation
Rev. Wilson with former president of Nigeria Olusegun Obasanjo
He is the current chairman and founder of The Wilson Badejo Foundation (WBF) which is a non-profitable, on-governmental and non-religious foundation, which has its building principles on bring succour to the hopeless and less privileged of the society.
He has stated that it was started in the spirit of showing appreciation to God for what He has done in his life.
The foundation holds its Inaugural lectures commemorate to the birthday of its founder.
She also gives annual award of scholarship to indigent students, and also the WBF platform that births youth realignment back into the nation’s economic mainstream.
He also stated the foundation’s annual scholarship scheme has successfully sponsored more than 235 indigent students through tertiary institutions.
“Apart from the annual award of scholarship to indigent students, there is the WBF Youth Vocational/Skill Acquisition and Empowerment Scheme which involves the realignment of youths, who have been displaced due to neglect and mismanagement of resources by successive administrations, back into the nation’s economic mainstream."