Ikorodu, Lagos state – A Lagos-based pastor, Olasanmi Ogunkanmi, allegedly slumped and died the night after returning from a three-week holy pilgrimage in Jerusalem, Israel.
The 58-year-old pastor, who was a magistrate at Ikeja magistrate court, reportedly performed his last pilgrimage exercise to Jerusalem with the first batch of Lagos pilgrims before his sudden death on Wednesday, January 1.
Magistrate court staff speaks on Ogunkanmi’s death
A staff of Ikeja magistrate court who spoke anonymously with Vanguard described the deceased as a “gentle, humble and amiable fellow”, saying he performed his job excellently well while alive.
“Ogunkanmi was filled with excitement and satisfaction on his return on 1st January, 2025 when suddenly, God called him home,” the staff was quoted as saying.
Vanguard further reported that there were conflicting accounts of how Pastor Ogunkanmi died.
While some claimed he suddenly slumped and died on the fateful night at his residence, another source said he slept off peacefully that night but never woke up again.
NCPC secretary pays condolence visit
Meanwhile, the executive secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), Bishop Stephen Adegbite, has paid a condolence visit to the widow of the late Ogunkanmi at their residence in the Ikorodu area of Lagos.
The NCPC boss expressed heartfelt sympathy with the young widow and urged her to have faith in God and be rest assured that the deceased has gone to rest in the bosom of his maker.
”It was not an accident that late Magistrate Ogunkanmi died the night he successfully returned from performing holy pilgrimage in Jerusalem. The occurrence makes his death providential,” Adegbite said.
He assured the widow of the support of the commission for the burial of Ogunkanmi, who was a pilgrimage ambassador of Nigeria.
Legit.ng gathers that the remains of late Magistrate Ogunkanmi will be buried on Friday, February 7, in Lagos after a Service of Songs on Thursday, February 6.
Three Celestial Church pastors die on January 1
In another report, the Celestial Church of Christ (CCC) announced the sudden passing of three prominent clerics, Evangelist Oladotun Elusanmi, Shepherd Olumuyiwa Michael, and Assistant Venerable Superior Evangelist Johnson Olajuwon, who died on the first day of the new year, 2025.
Their deaths threw the Celestial community into mourning, with members taking to social media to express their grief.