Apostle Edward Baba Dauji Celebrates Life At 70, Says, God Has Kept Me and Blessed Me With A Virtuous Wife
Apostle Edward Baba Dauji, a perfect and inspirational gentleman retired as a Director from the Nigerian Civil Service after eventful years of credibility and accountability. An astute manager, passionate leader and a man of integrity with fatherhood spirit recently celebrated his 70th birthday in a glorious way and with a heart full of gratitude to God, he speaks about God in his life, his wife, children and life principles.
‘’From my primary school time through my secondary education and higher education, I have taken many life threatening risks and gone through dangerous situations that I survived only by the grace of God and my living today is purely by the grace of God. I never think I will live up to 70 years. At a time, I was very sick and admitted at the hospital with little hope of survival. With all that have happened in my life, miraculously, by the grace of God, here I am celebrating 70 years as a healthy, energetic and strong husband of a best wife, father of wonderful children and grandfather of blessed grand-children’’, he stated.
There is a story of an old fish the younger ones were asking, what has been the secret keeping him long under the water, reluctantly he told them, “Anything that comes from up, I don’t touch it. What comes from up is the hook laced with some meat to attract, but when you the young ones rushed to fight over what comes from up with most of you getting hooked, the crumbs that fell on the ground, I picked and I am contended”.
Baba Dauji explained, that is wisdom and through that, I learnt to be patient in life. If I have, I give glory to God and if I don’t, I will be patient and wait. The Bible teaches that, wisdom is the principal thing and in all our getting, we should get understanding. This has played a vital role in my life, he said.
He went further, “A lot of things have happened to me that I cannot mention. But, the Lord has kept me and all glory must go to Him. When I came to know Him is when I stopped being scared, afraid of people or anxious about life. Because, I realized He is the giver of life and He gives. You can decide to play with your life or do anything with it, but one day, the owner and giver will come for it. Then what will you say you have done with that gift of life. Therefore, decide to make good use of that gift of life to the glory of God and service of humanity, that it may count when the giver and owner come for it”, he charged.
Serenading his wife of many years, Bishop Dr. Chioma Grace Dauji, Apostle Dauji said, ‘’I thank the wife God has blessed me with, she is the greatest gift in my life and a light that blossoms in the darkness. I have no cause to regret having her as my wife. Even though she is an American trained accountant and gifted in things of the Lord, she is extremely respectful, prayerful and God speaks to her.
I cannot thank her enough, she has always been there playing her role as a wife and mother without wavering; standing by me in thickness, in darkness, in light, in pain, in peace, in joy and in love.
Despite great things God is doing in her life and through her ministry, she is still the same woman I married as my wife, she has not changed privately or publicly. She has remained a virtuous, supportive and submissive wife and I love her so much.
When I got married to her, many people were surprised, wondering, the audacity and courage I had to talk to her, much more to win her heart for marriage. I told them, it was wisdom.
I studied her, knew what she wanted and was prepared to give her and that’s exactly what I did to win her and I am still winning her till today and till eternity.
One of the things I did was that, I wrote beautiful letters with fantastic handwriting as if it was machine that is writing and give it to her, then in the evening, I will stroll down to her place and buy her isi-ewu and that will keep us talking and gisting, before she knew what was happening, I had penetrated and won her heart for good and for life.
She has changed a lot from been that tough looking lady everyone was scared to approach or talk to, to become a friendly, lovely, caring, lively and charismatic woman today.
Being a hardworking, industrious and humble woman with a thriving business, she was running from committing herself into the ministry, but preferred facing her business until she had series of encounter with the Lord and she surrendered herself. I wholly encouraged and supported her answering the call and doing the work of God.
Commending his children, he said, “I really thank God for them, they made me proud as a father. What they see, they fall into it and not deviate from it. All they see between us, their parents is caring, love and understanding; not quarrel, misunderstanding or abuse. With that, they have gotten great parental gift.
Growing up for them wasn’t easy, they went through a lot, but not knowing they were going through a mill, a process through which God was refining them. The system in America did not change them, rather, they continue to grow in the way of the Lord to make a difference.
Speaking to the younger generation, Dauji admonished them to learn to be patient, because not everything that glitters is gold. Things may not go your way initially, but God works in the long term, not on a short term. The road to the short term does not help as much as the long term.
Relationship is very important. Very important to have good friends and people from every area of life, and when you have them, don’t betray their trust and don’t take them for granted.
He added, material things should not be the priority in life to prevent people from fellowship. You may be there today, tomorrow you’re nothing; and you may not be there today, tomorrow, you are shouting halleluyah
