Babatunde Gbolahan Bakare popular known as Pastor Tunde Bakare was born into a Muslim family in Iporo Sodeke in Abeokuta,Ogun State, Nigeria was born in the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month (November 11) 1954.
He did not grow up to know his father because his father died when he was just two but was raised up by his mother, Abigail Eebudola Bakare,though the only child to his mother was born into a polygamous home who now reside in Lagos, Nigeria.
A teacher, Televangelist, Lawyer, politician, activist and Author by profession started his education journey at All Saints Primary School, Kemta and Lisabi Grammar School all in Abeokuta respectively. Due to his interest in legal profession, he enrolled into the University of Lagos in 1977 to received his Bachelors degree in Law in 1980.
Also, he was eventually called to the Nigerian Bar a year later after his NYSC.
He practiced law with Gani Fawehinmi Chambers, Rotimi Williams & Co and Burke & Co Solicitors after which he established his own law firm Tunde Bakare & Co (El-Shaddai Chambers) in October 1984 where he won his first Appeal Court case on his 21st day at the bar.
Tunde Bakare encountered the Lord Jesus Christ on September 24, 1974 and gave his life to him. He said, “it was on the night of his circumcision as a little boy that God showed him a glimpse of his future, which manifested in a dream from which he woke up in a pool of his own blood.” later, he gone to a Baptist Church to take photograph of a friend being baptised and the “pillar of light” he had seen in his vision 10 years earlier was replayed inside this church like a drama which he could not hold back.
He recognized it as a vision from God and as a call to service,where he remained in the Baptist Church until he became a youth pastor.
He presides over Global Apostolic Impact Network (GAIN), a network of churches, ministries and kingdom businesses committed to advancing the Kingdom of God on earth and also the President of Latter Rain Ministries, Inc. (Church Development Center) in Atlanta, GA, USA, a ministry committed to restoring today’s church to the scriptural pattern. In recognition of his years of exploits and global impact in ministry, he was honoured with a Doctor of Ministry degree by the Indiana Christian University under the leadership of his mentor, Dr. Lester Sumrall who is also his mentor (of blessed memory) in 1996.
In 2007, he established the International Centre for Reconstruction and Development;a knowledge industry saddled with the responsibility and committed to re-engineering the social, economic and political landscape of Nigeria in particular and Africa in general.
Pst. Bakare worshipped previously with Deeper Life Bible Church where he spent five years in the core leadership of the church. He was the national legal adviser of Foursquare Gospel Church and later joined The Redeemed Christian Church of God where he handled the church’s cases free of charge; however left after he received instructions on 1st October 1988 according to him.
After nursing the dream for 15 years as received in May 1988, at the peak of his legal career he was called into ministry and he founded The Latter Rain Assembly (End-Time Church) on 1 April 1989 and is currently the Serving Overseer of the church by instruction from God, which he called “an Apostolic Community of believers whose purpose is to carry forward the purpose of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth” where his wife has been a huge support, especially from the home front. Tunde Bakare got married to Mrs. Olayide Bakare in 1984 and the union is blessed with five children in thirty years of marriage.
She is a co-pastor and also member of the Board of Trustees of the church.
He has appeared as a preacher on AIT television and so many other satellite cables; a Nigerian Prophetic – Apostolic pastor has received national and international attention for his televangelism, which has sometimes been critical of the Nigerian government.
In fact,was reportedly arrested after preaching sermons criticizing the government under president Olusegun Obasanjo in March 2002. Mr Bakare said,“I had factories in Nigeria and doing well in international trade, I wanted to use both law and business to go into politics.” With this mindset, he joined the CPC to effect the change he desired.
Nevertheless, he announced his 2019 Presidential ambition on the 1st of January, 2018 by saying that God had instructed him to return to politics to lead the nation to prosperity.
The Nigerian presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change , CPC, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, on Monday, 31 January, announced Pastor Tunde Bakare as his running mate for the 2011 Nigerian presidential election which he accepted where CPC lost the presidential election to PDP, and Pastor Bakare remains a fierce critic of the Nigerian government and leadership.
Mr B, as he is fondly called is a very disciplined man which he has made known by some of his principles below:-
His persuasion: “I’m fully persuaded that I will live long in health; having long life in health, with wealth for the purpose for which He created me to be a blessing to humanity”. This persuasion invariably affects and informs his thought patterns, decision making process and choices in life.
His conviction: “God will not justify the wicked, He will not forsake the righteous; the wickedness of a wicked man will fall upon his head and the righteousness of a righteous man will answer for him in the days to come”.
“The minority that is right will become the majority and the majority that is wrong will become the minority, it’s just a matter of time”.
His passion: “To see that the true perspective of the gospel of Jesus Christ is given to people without any contamination or mixture” and “To see a Nigeria that works in his lifetime”.
His Legacy: “My legacy? The grace to pray through”. Surprisingly, Pastor Bakare initially as a young Christian did not have a flare or desire to pray, but according to him, circumstances in his marriage as orchestrated by God taught him not only how to pray but also how to pray through.
Secret of his success: Obedience only to the word and instructions of God. Sandwiched between his willingness and desire to do the will of God is obedience even when all things are working contrary to the word of God.