2023 election loss led me to pastoral ministry – Banky W

Bankole Wellington, the Nigerian music executive better
known as Banky W, has revealed how his defeat in the 2023 general election led
him to seek God’s direction.

 

The 45-year-old singer shared his experience in a recent
Instagram post marking his first anniversary with Union Church, where he serves
as an associate pastor.

Banky W said the election loss left him heartbroken but also
gave him room to reflect on his future and reconsider his path.

“The election didn’t go the way I hoped. But God’s plans for
my life are bigger than the plans I had for myself,” he said.

“And the beautiful thing is, He’s still writing.”

The singer said he struggled to decide what came next,
unsure whether to focus on politics, entertainment, business or ministry.

He said over time, he came to realise he did not have to
choose one path over the others.

“It wasn’t either/or. It was all of the above,” he said.

“Turns out, God wasn’t trying to put me in a box. He was
expanding my assignment.”

The singer disclosed that he now serves as an associate
pastor at Union Church and also a teacher and leader at Union College.

He admitted that shuttling between Lagos and the Washington,
DC, Maryland and Virginia area to fulfil his responsibilities can be demanding,
but described the experience as worthwhile.

 In 2024, Banky W relocated with his family to the United
States to advance his studies in public administration. He cited family, faith,
and finding purpose as his motivations.

In 2023, he contested the Eti-Osa federal constituency seat
under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The singer-turned-politician, however, lost to Thaddeus
Attah of the Labour Party (LP).

In 2002, he co-founded the Empire Mates Entertainment
(E.M.E) label with his friend Tunde Demuren. The music group housed artistes
like Wizkid, Niyola, Shaydee, and Skales.

Banky tied the knot with actress Adesua Etomi in South
Africa in November 2017.

In 2021, they welcomed their first child Hazaiah. Hezekiah,
their second child, was born in 2024.

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