Banky W Marks One Year as Pastor After Heartbreaking 2023 Election Defeat
Nigerian singer, filmmaker, entrepreneur and pastor Bankole Wellington, popularly known as Banky W, has reflected on his journey into ministry as he marks his first anniversary as a pastor. In a reflective Instagram post shared over the weekend of October 8–9, 2026, the entertainer opened up about how his defeat in the 2023 House of Representatives election became a turning point in his life.
Banky W, who contested for the Eti-Osa Federal Constituency seat under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), described the election loss as a painful experience that changed the direction of his personal and professional journey.
According to him, the defeat was not simply a political setback but an experience that pushed him to reconsider his plans, ambitions and understanding of leadership.
Banky W Recalls Painful 2023 Election Defeat
Reflecting on the election, Banky W admitted that the outcome left him heartbroken.
He described the experience as one that “broke my heart into a million little pieces.”
Rather than allowing the disappointment to define his future, he explained that he handed those pieces over to God and asked what direction his life should take next.
He said he sought clarity about his future in leadership, ministry, entertainment and business, leaving room for a new understanding of what his next chapter could look like.
His reflection presents the election defeat as a defining moment that forced him to reconsider the plans he had made for himself.
For someone who had established a career in entertainment and later pursued public office, the experience marked a significant change in direction.
From Entertainment and Politics to Ministry
Banky W has built a public profile through several professional roles, including music, filmmaking, entrepreneurship and politics. He was also a co-founder of Empire Mates Entertainment, a name associated with his journey in the Nigerian entertainment industry.
His transition into ministry represents another chapter in that journey.
In his anniversary reflection, he recalled joking that he had always insisted the “P” in P.Banks stood for Professor rather than Pastor.
He then shared the humorous response he attributed to God: “Why not both?”
The remark captures the humour and openness with which he described his changing sense of purpose.
Rather than presenting his new responsibilities as a complete rejection of his previous ambitions, Banky W’s account suggests that his different interests and professional experiences can exist alongside his faith and ministry.
Banky W’s Roles at We Are Union Church and Union College
Banky W currently serves as associate pastor and global ambassador at We Are Union Church. He is also involved in teaching and leadership at Union College.
His responsibilities require him to travel between Lagos, Nigeria, and the DMV area in the United States.
Describing the arrangement, he acknowledged that the schedule is demanding but worthwhile.
The combination of pastoral duties, teaching, leadership responsibilities and travel reflects the different commitments that now shape his professional life.
Despite the additional responsibilities, Banky W remains active in music and filmmaking. His reflection also hints at more projects in those creative fields, suggesting that his involvement in ministry has not brought his entertainment career to a complete stop.
A New Chapter After a Public Setback
Banky W’s story highlights how a professional disappointment can lead someone to reconsider the direction of their life.
His defeat in the 2023 election was a public setback, witnessed by supporters and observers who followed his attempt to enter the House of Representatives. His subsequent move into ministry has given that experience a different meaning in retrospect.
For many Nigerians who remember his music, films and political ambitions, the anniversary provides an opportunity to reflect on how his priorities have changed.
His willingness to discuss heartache, uncertainty and surrender also presents a more personal side of a public figure whose career has crossed entertainment, business and politics.
The message behind his reflection is that what appears to be the end of a story may simply be another page turning.
Faith, Ambition and the Possibility of New Beginnings
Banky W’s transition also speaks to a wider conversation about ambition, purpose and faith in Nigeria.
Many young Nigerians continue to reassess their personal and professional goals in the face of disappointments, economic pressures and changing circumstances. His experience offers one example of how a failed political ambition can lead to a different form of influence and responsibility.
His continued creative work alongside his pastoral duties challenges the idea that pursuing one calling must mean abandoning another.
Instead, his journey suggests that personal growth can involve combining different interests, embracing unexpected responsibilities and allowing previous experiences to shape future decisions.
As he marks one year in ministry, Banky W’s reflection balances gratitude, humour and determination. His story is not presented as the closing of every previous chapter, but as the beginning of another.
For the singer and filmmaker, the plans he once drew for himself have given way to a different path—one he now describes through the language of faith and purpose.
