Outpouring of admiration as Margaret Idahosa marks 83 years

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Tributes have continued to pour in for the Archbishop of the Church of God Mission International, Margaret Benson-Idahosa, as she marked her 83rd birthday.

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The week-long celebration saw family members, spiritual children, clergy, public officials and well-wishers from around the world join millions of admirers online to celebrate the revered cleric.

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The festivities began with heartfelt tributes from her children, followed by goodwill messages and prayers from pastors, family members and friends across the globe.

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In a social media post, one of her daughters, Rantiade, described her as “a maverick mother”, “a generational voice” and “a shining pillar of strength.”

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She also shared a biography of her mother, praising her resilience, faith and strength, particularly following the death of her husband, the late Archbishop Benson Idahosa.

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She captioned the post, “Celebrating courage at 83 in the form of our maverick mother, Margaret Idahosa. Happy birthday, Mummy. We love you.”

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Her son, Fab, and the official Church of God Mission International social media platforms also celebrated the cleric with goodwill messages.

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Another daughter, Laurie Idahosa, wrote, “A Queen. An Archbishop. A Mama. A Grandma. A Teacher. A Counsellor. A Friend. And now, 83 years of wisdom wrapped into one powerhouse of a woman.

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“There is no title grand enough for what you mean to us, and no way to thank you for a lifetime of pouring into the world. We are learning from you every day. Happy Birthday, Mama. We love you.”

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The celebration also extended to the church, where members gathered in thanksgiving, commending her nurturing leadership, unwavering faith and decades of service in raising generations of Christian leaders.

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One of the highlights of the celebration was the cutting of a two-tier white cake decorated with the number 83.

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In her own birthday message, Idahosa expressed gratitude to God for His faithfulness.

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“Thank You, Jesus! Eighty-three years of God’s faithfulness to me and my family,” she wrote.

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Margaret Idahosa is the Chancellor of Benson Idahosa University and heads the Church of God Mission International, which has branches across the world. She is widely regarded as Africa’s first female Pentecostal Archbishop.

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Born on July 29, 1943, into the royal family of the Benin Kingdom, Idahosa learned resilience from an early age, having been the only surviving child of her mother’s nine children.

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Following the death of her husband, Archbishop Benson Idahosa, she assumed leadership of the ministry, preserving and expanding his vision into a global evangelical movement with a presence across several continents.

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