Osinbajo explains decision to quit alcohol, cites defining experience in Somalia

Former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has explained why he stopped drinking alcohol, attributing the decision to a personal experience that reshaped his perspective.

He spoke at the recent edition of the Biazo leadership and empowerment summit in Maryland, United States, where he recounted his past views on alcohol consumption as a Christian.

Osinbajo said he once believed drinking was permissible, referencing the biblical account of Jesus turning water into wine, and admitted that he occasionally consumed red wine and beer even after becoming born again.

He noted that he had intended to continue drinking until a turning point during a visit to Mogadishu, Somalia.

According to him, after preaching at a fellowship where he served as a pastor, he planned to buy alcohol but stopped at a restaurant within the United Nations compound, where he encountered colleagues. He said the colleagues quickly hid their drinks upon seeing him, explaining that they did so out of respect for his role as a priest.

“As soon as I came in, they all started hiding their drinks. So I went over to one of the guys in my office, a Danish man, and I said to him, ‘Why are you hiding your whiskey?’ Then he responded, ‘You know you are the priest’,” he said.

The former vice president said the incident prompted deep reflection about his conduct and public responsibility, leading him to reconsider his position on alcohol.

He added that the experience reinforced his belief that while certain actions may be permissible, they are not always appropriate, and that he has abstained from alcohol since that day.