Oover the fifteen-plus years, I have known Pastor Femi. I discovered in him a deep determination to apply all of his energies to achieve the tasks God placed in his hands. He did not spare himself to do God’s work. Even down to the end of his life, he put duty above comfort, and sought to be a faithful soldier and steward.”
These were the words of the Founder, West Africa Theological Seminary (WATS), Gary Maxey, as the Provost of West Africa Theological Seminary (WATS) Lagos, who passed away on Saturday May 28th, 2022 was laid to rest on the 1st of July 2022.
The burial rites which lasted for five days commenced with a service of songs on June 29th, 2022, at West Africa Theological Seminary, Ipaja, Lagos.
Speaking at the Christian wake, the Bishop Theologian and the Bishop of the Ilesha Anglican Diocese of the Anglican Communion, Rt. Rev. Professor Dapo Asaju, urged Christians to emulate the exemplary life lived by the late Provost of WATS.
Asaju said, “character of a true believer is to find refuge in our Lord Jesus Christ; Heaven is our home, our dwelling place. This is why children of God are not afraid of reaching the final destination.”
Speaking at the outing service on July 3rd at the Methodist Church Nigeria, Lagos Diocese, Igbogila Circuit, Archbishop of Lagos Methodist Church, Nigeria, The Most Revd Dr. Isaac Ayobami Olawuji urged Christians not to be afraid of death.
The attendance of the event by church leaders across denominations, representatives of the Local Government Councils, international bodies, the media, WATS Board of Trustees, Governing Council, and past Provosts both physically and virtually attested to how worthy the late Martins was.
He was unquestionably a Christian figure and one of the most powerful Provosts to have served in WATS extended network around the globe and his platform as the Provost/ of WATS and the Alumni of President of Yaba College of Technology till his last breath allowed him to affect more lives, no doubt WATS Administrative Block has been named after him to keep his memory.
Martins’ passion and selfless endowment singled him out as a Masters’ student at WATS to become a member of the WATS Governing Council before he served as the Director of Communication and Development before he rose to enviable position as WATS Provost.
He was passionate about the greater glory of West Africa Theological Seminary. His vision and dream were to see WATS become the most cherished theological institution in Africa like Harvard University in the future.
The heart of Martins’s service at WATS was the priority of payment of staff salaries, his passion for raising scholarships for leaders in training; and his commitment to institutional development at WATS.
In his tribute to Pastor Martins, Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege said that the demise of a great man is always an irreplaceable loss not only to his immediate family but to humanity at large. The news of the passing unto glory of your late Provost, Pastor Oluwafemi Oluwagbemiga Martins on the 28th of May, 2022 was a rude shock, but then what can we do? He has gone the way ordained for all mortals.