Happy birthday Dr. Tunde Joda: The Surulere Revivalist Who Made “He Reigns” a Movement By: Al Humphrey Onyanabo

In the early 1980s, when Surulere, Lagos was still a tightly knit community of families, students and struggling dreamers, a young medical doctor began gathering a handful of people on James Robertson Street. His name was Tunde Joda.

The church was called Christ Chapel.
What started as a modest fellowship would soon become a movement.
At a time when Pentecostal Christianity in Nigeria was still finding its voice, Christ Chapel found its sound — bold, youthful and unapologetically born again. It was not just another church service; it felt like a cultural shift.
The slogan “He Reigns” leapt beyond the pulpit and into the streets. The beautiful stickers was pasted on cars, boldly written on danfos, displayed on doorposts and echoed in casual greetings among young people.
“He Reigns! He Reigns!” became more than a chant. It became an identity.

Dr. Joda’s message was simple but revolutionary for its time: preach the Gospel, not church. Faith was not about denominational rivalry or empty ritual. It was about a personal encounter with Christ. In an era when being “born again” could attract mockery, Christ Chapel made it compelling, intelligent and even fashionable. Young professionals, students, musicians and entrepreneurs found a spiritual home where faith was both fervent and thoughtful.

Handsome,  full of fire, dynamic,and articulate, Dr. Joda carried himself with the calm confidence of a man who understood both science and scripture. As a trained medical doctor, he approached ministry with discipline and clarity. As a teacher, and writer, he broke down complex spiritual truths into practical lessons for daily living. As a leader of men, he raised a generation that would go on to lead churches, businesses and institutions across Nigeria and beyond.

Many of today’s prominent pastors in Nigeria trace a line of inspiration back to those early days in Surulere. Some sat under his teachings. Others were influenced from a distance.

But few can deny that the wave he helped stir reshaped the landscape of urban Pentecostalism in the country.
He showed that spirituality could be intellectually sound. He demonstrated that leadership could be firm yet humane. He proved that revival could wear a suit, speak good English and still carry fire.

At 67, Dr. Tunde Joda stands as a bridge between eras — between the pioneering days of grassroots Pentecostal gatherings and the sprawling megachurches of modern Nigeria. His legacy is not merely in buildings or banners, but in lives transformed and leaders raised.

Looking at all he has achieved, one is tempted to ask how a man with such a long trail of impact can still seem so young.

Perhaps it is because vision renews the spirit. Perhaps it is because purpose keeps a man fresh. Or perhaps it is simply the quiet reward of a life spent pouring into others.
Today, as he marks his 67th birthday, the words that once rang through Surulere still echo with relevance:
He Reigns.

And through decades of faithful service, Dr. Tunde Joda has ensured that this declaration did not remain a slogan — but a lived reality for a generation.

And to Sister Ebun, his lovely wife, biological children and his thousands of spiritual children, I am also one, I say, congratulations.

Every one who has worked with Pastor Joda, remembers a Proud moment with him, I remember while I edited the first edition of the Christ Chapel News( working alongside Pastor Chino Obasi and pastor Timi Owobowale) I had finished a short meeting at his office in Ijora, Lagos, and as I walked towards the door, he said, catch, I turned and he threw me a box of candies. That’s the kind of man Rev Dr Tunde Joda is. Happy birthday sir.

By: Al Humphrey Onyanabo,
The Storyteller,
Tel; 08109975621
Email: nigeria360online@gmail.com