Taiwo Odukoya, the presiding pastor of the Fountain of Life Church, Ilupeju, Lagos, has announced the passing onto glory of his wife of 11 years, Rosemary Simangele Nomthi (nee Zulu), a South African beauty.

Odukoya, 63, had got married to Nomthi in Lagos in 2010 after his first wife, Pastor Bimbo Rosemary Odukoya, died in the 2005 Sosoliso air crash, which also claimed the lives of hundreds of students of the Loyola Jesuit College, Abuja.

Speaking in his grief, Pastor Odukoya wrote:

“With deep regret and gratitude to God, I have to announce the passing of my wife, Pastor Nomthi Odukoya.

She battled cancer for the better part of two years. She stood on the word of God and she fought.

She gave me eleven beautiful years of marriage and two wonderful boys, who I know will be very significant in life.

I love her with all my heart but who am I to fight the will of God…”

Before death separated them, Taiwo and Bimbo Odukoya were married for 21 years. The union was blessed with three children – Tolu, Jimi and Tobi.

The marriage between Odukoya and Nomthi is blessed with two male children.