• Details personal turning point in leadership, faith journey
By Gideon Maxwell
April 28, 2026
Former Vice President of Nigeria, Yemi Osinbajo, has publicly recounted the precise experience that led him to permanently stop consuming alcohol, describing it as a defining moment that reshaped his understanding of responsibility, leadership, and personal discipline.
Speaking at a leadership and empowerment summit in Maryland, United States, Osinbajo explained that his decision was not abrupt in principle, but became irreversible after an encounter during an international assignment with the United Nations in Mogadishu, Somalia.
He noted that prior to that moment, he did not see a contradiction between his Christian faith and moderate alcohol consumption. He admitted that he occasionally drank red wine and beer, even while serving as an ordained pastor.
He referenced his earlier interpretation of scripture, particularly the biblical account of Jesus turning water into wine, as part of what shaped his thinking at the time.
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According to him, the turning point came during his work with the UN justice sector in Somalia. After preaching at a fellowship gathering on a Sunday, he stopped at a restaurant within the UN compound intending to buy drinks before returning to his room.
He explained that when he entered the restaurant, he noticed colleagues from different countries already drinking. However, they immediately began concealing their drinks upon seeing him.
Curious and slightly unsettled, he approached a colleague, a Danish national, and asked why the behaviour changed on his arrival. The colleague responded that they could not be seen drinking in the presence of a priest.
That statement, he said, triggered deep reflection.
Osinbajo explained that the moment forced him to reassess not only personal liberty but the expectations attached to his identity as a pastor and public figure. He said it became clear to him that influence carries responsibility beyond personal conviction.
He added that the experience reinforced the principle that while many things may be permissible, not everything is appropriate or beneficial in context, particularly for someone in visible leadership.
From that day, he said he made a firm decision to stop drinking alcohol entirely, describing it as a lasting lifestyle commitment rooted in discipline, faith awareness, and leadership accountability.
