Excerpt From “The Last, But Definitely Not The Least’ Autobiography of Pastor Tunde Bakare

MYSELF & DR. SEGUN OSHINAGA

Dr. Segun Oshinaga became a close friend and ally around the same time (1990). He was sent by Dr. Sameul Odunaike to drop my invite at the then Latter Rain Assembly, Plot 4, Akilo Road, Ogba, Ikeja, so I could be part of a meeting put together by Dr. Odunaike as he was preparing to launch his campaign for the Presidency of Nigeria. Upon my arrival at his Ikoyi residence, I was ushered into his master bedroom before the meeting actually commenced. Standing next to the great icon of his time, Dr. Samuel Odunaike, was this unmistakable Dr. Segun Oshinaga.

We were introduced by Dr. Odunaike who told me so much about the anointed evangelist preaching everywhere in Nigeria and in the world at that time. I also met Mr. Bunmi Oni of Cadbury Plc. that night and after the meeting, I was appointed as a member of the finance committee headed by Dr. Christopher Kolade with Brother Akin Denton of the RCCG and Brother Brown Mene, a director of Nigerian Mint and Printing Company and an active member of the Foursquare Gospel Church.

After our first meeting at Dr. Odunake’s home, Dr. Segun Oshinaga became a constant figure at the Latter Rain Assembly. This bridge builder always at home with the mighty and those not well known, ministered at our prayer vigils and church services. And what a tremendous blessing he was for us. It was my privilege also to commission his ministry when he decided to plant churches before he relocated to South Korea, Japan, the Bahamas and finally the USA for some years.

Before then, Dr. Oshinaga visited one day as we were renovating the church building at The Later Rain Assembly. After eating fried yam and plantain with me, he got up to go and turned back suddenly and said, “I know what’s on your mind about Nigeria and I’m assuring you that I’ll be there with you when the whole thing starts.” He finished his statement and left, leaving me to think whether that was word of knowledge or word of wisdom as I had never spoken to him about what God had laid on my heart concerning my future role in the politics of Nigeria.

Little did I realize that day of what great benefit Dr. Segun Oshinaga will be to me in my political adventures. He was the first person I called on the phone in the dead of night while in my prayer retreat to share with what the Lord spoke to me about Muhammadu Buhari. He was there in the trenches of politics with me throughout 2010 and 2011 to the days of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) as well as in 2022 when I contested for the presidential primaries of the All Progressive Congress (APC).

He stood with me through thick and thin and defended my cause and that of Buhari and APC live on television without being paid by me, President Buhari or the APC. I’m so glad to see him prosper and flourish again in his evangelistic outreaches today to the nations of the world beginning with the continent of Africa. May the good Lord preserve him as he travels all over and may his selfless and forthright tribe increase.