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Opinion

Thread by Femi Olaoye @femolevsky

I am a member of COZA, I joined almost 8 years ago now. I am not a worker or a member of any inner circle. But I wholeheartedly subscribed to the mission of the church and many of the programmes and messages.

My attendance of the church was primarily because of my relationship with God, and secondarily because of the level of excellence that spoke out in the ambience that is constantly presented. I saw church done differently and in a manner that I subconsciously desired. One thing I know is always repeated is the importance of your personal relationship with God. You are tutored and admonished to build that personal relationship with God. Like me, there are many other people, who out of the innocence of their hearts and desire for fulfilment in the pursuit of their faith joined the church.

Personally, I am far from perfect, I can in no way be the Judge over anyone, but I know what is required for stewardship of a church and a congregation. I know what is required of the steward and what the church should be. The church is not the pastor, the pastor is not the church. While at this moment, it is easy to attack the church, members and hierarchy, leave the church and rain curses from the outside and deny ever attending or having anything to do with the church, I choose otherwise. I believe the church, the victims, vulnerable members as well as dutiful workers need to be protected, rallied and encouraged to remain steadfast but to also demand accountability.
If these allegations are true, it is important Pastor Biodun owns up to them, face the consequences including Law enforcement and submit to the process. The church will be fine without him.
I was one of the people who spoke up, asking @timidakolo to provide evidence and put substance to his posts and he and his wife have done so. Now, it is my turn to pursue justice, demand accountability and protect the sanctity of the church.
There is a major programme coming up in a couple of days and the timing couldn’t be better.

It is right of everyone to protest and demand justice, but I know people will jump on this, whether for personal, selfish, evil or altruistic reasons and they are all welcome, as long as we are demanding justice and accountability. All I ask is that innocent members be spared the wrath and the benefit of the doubt, as we signed up to God’s church and not the Man of God.

Yes, we respect him as the steward and shepherd, we applaud his good works so far and celebrate them, but out of that respect and honour, we ask him to step aside, address this situation and face the consequences and not let the church suffer instead it is important to note that he won’t be the first to face the law and certainly won’t be the last. In fact, he should continue to preach the truth as he has, and work to ensure that truth is protected, by speaking and stepping down for the process to take its course.
My sympathies to all alleged victims, my prayers are with and for them, my deepest love to Pastor’s kids as they endure this difficult time and my admonition to members!

Let us unite, speak truth and demand accountability. May the grace of God be with us all, may God help us.

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Opinion

Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo, time to submit yourself for DNA test By John Egbeazien Oshodi

Like everyone else, I read this disturbing matter in the Newspapers, and I have never met you or the victim in this case. My name is John Egbeazien Oshodi, born in Uromi, Edo State, Nigeria; I am a psychological forensic scientist in the United States of America with over 20 years of practice in sex offence psychology.

I am in and out of Nigeria for academic, professional and family purposes and I have written 100s of articles about Nigeria, two of which are the “Mr. President, On Managing Sexual Violence in Nigeria published in iNigerian.com on February 20, 2012(https://www.inigerian.com/mr-president-on-managing-sexual-violence-in-nigeria/);

“President Buhari, Mandate And Enforce Sexual Harassment Policy In Nigeria Universities And Schools”, on August 11, 2015 in the Nigerian voice (https://www.thenigerianvoice.com/news/187729/president-buhari-mandate-and-enforce-sexual-harassment-poli.html).

For far too long victims of rape and other sexual assaults have received gross mistreat and neglect in a country where the police and judiciary swims in systemic failures. We will not go into details of why sexual victims remain silent, one of which are societal stigma.

In the words of the alleged suspect, Biodun Fatoyinbowho is being accused by the then 16 to 17-year-old Busola Dakolo he has declared on Instagram that “I have never raped before, not even as an unbeliever”

Nigeria is a democracy and there exist the Nigerian Criminal Code in Section 357 which states that, “Any person who has unlawful carnal knowledge of a woman or girl, without her consent, or with her consent, if the consent is obtained by force or by means of threats or intimidation of any kind, or by fear of harm, or by means of false and fraudulent representation as to the nature of the act, or, in the case of a married woman, by personating her husband, is guilty of an offence which is called rape.”

Dakolo, in her now world wide revelation of the alleged assault to Chude Jideonwo, co-founder of Red Media explained in detail about the abuse.

For collaborative purposes she mentioned two church Ministers Wole Soetan and Folarin Ogunsolawho have full knowledge of the abuse and it is now up to them to deny or not deny the incident, at least from their own perspectives.

Let’s make one point clear, psychologically, behavioral consistency and repeatability are the trademarks of those usually known for habits of sex offending.

We cannot rely on the Christian Association of Nigeria, (CAN) who have initially shown indifference to this severe ethical breach and criminal allegation, an approach which is  commonplace in the African settings, now says it will take a look at this matter on ethical grounds.

A Nigerian former federal former Senator Murray Ben-Bruce, while reacting to the rape allegations against Biodun Fatoyinbo stated in the media that “I am deeply saddened and I stand in solidarity with Busola Dakolo. To put in perspective the enormity of rape crime in Nigeria, one day I was talking to 6 beauty queens, 5 opened up to me that they were raped as children”. A statement that confirms the deep and widespread problems of unsolved sexual offending in Nigeria.

The presence of DNA evidence in sexual assault, or lack of it, can greatly impact the outcome of a criminal or civil trial. DNA testing also can be used to prove innocence and often is the key to winning a case and/or get reduction in sentencing.

On the basis of objectivity and neutrality, Mr. Biodun Fatoyinbo should immediately agree to submit to a DNA test which will be administered by a DNA specialist outside Nigeria; Ministers Wole Soetan and Folarin Ogunsola should also submit to a polygraph from outside Nigeria, to be coordinated by me and Mr. Chude Jideonwo of Red Media, I will cover the test expenses?

Why NDA?

I am a Forensic Psychologist and not a Biochemist. DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) as it is widely known is rapidly becoming the method of choice when it comes to connecting individuals with crime scenes and criminal assaults. DNA evidence is increasingly used in criminal cases and has also become a powerful tool in proving the innocence of wrongly or rightly accused suspects.

DNA is found in bodily fluids, such as semen, saliva, and blood. DNA can be used to help identify and confirm the presence of a person in a specific location or interaction with another person.

Mr. Fatoyinbo all you should do is undergo the collection of some of your saliva or the chemist will swab the inside of your cheek, some parts of your blood, sweat, hair, even dandruff.  The good news is that DNA has successfully been used to solve cold cases like the present matter which is decades old, and this will fully allow your innocence or blamefulness to be known worldwide.  As you know by now two or more women possibly with open and vocal evidence could boost your accuser’s report who was just 17 years old when the reported abuse took place, and your other spiritual pastors should also know that the truth always wins therefore as a Psychologist should you and the two Ministers decline my DNA and Polygraph recommendation, confess the truth over deception and Sir submit yourself to the nearest police station. Do not submit to the spirit of bribing the police and the courts even if they are covertly open to it since the emotional cost of this matter will further get worse if you again choose deception over honesty.  As a Psychologist, should you agree to my second confessional suggestion one thing is clear because we now live in the world of technology and social media, your church will go through a major test of membership reducibility, accept it no matter where you are on earth. Don’t worry life goes on! No matter the spiritual and legal results of this matter I am willing to assist you with supportive online therapy.

  • John Egbeazien Oshodi, Ph.D. is a Florida based Forensic/Clinical Psychologist. Jos5930458@aol.com

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Opinion

A Former COZA Member Speaks: A Thread by @AkahNnani

So apart from raping pregnant women, married women, There is the case of forcing a lady to abort which led to her death. I didn’t know of this story till I left COZA. A family friend of the victim reached out to me in the DMs. This was the one took me out. It was all too much. ⬇️

Page 1 of petition against Biodun Fatoyinbo Page 2 of petition against Biodun Fatoyinbo

Some of my female friends opened up to me about him trying to get them to hotel rooms and how they curved.. some he made advances to from seeing them at airports or something.. The said they couldn’t tell me cos they knew how much I loved him. Sigh…

Me wey I don hear say the libido no normal. Na jazz dey make the man do am. And the wife know. Dem dey service sontin. Me I nor know oh! ?

It’s so sad. The Nigeria we are in today, criminals rule over the just. The judicial system is intensely corrupt.

For those people saying “court of public opinion is useless” and that “the case should be handled legally” well…
OJ Simpson did it. But the court let him go.

Everyone knew that he did it. But the court system can be rigged. And rape cases are the hardest to prove. How do you prove rape? Especially one that happened years back or even a few months back? How!
The court needs proof.

But with testimony, the public will smell fire. Yup.

There are still so many stories, so many more in the shadows.

Women that don’t want to revisit that history, yes there are a lot of consensual sex, and it’s going on with a lot of them in the church now, but this rape… Is deep. So many don’t want to come out publicly.
Cos hate.

Some of the ‘big pastors’ that have covered him in the past are the ones who have money scandal Locally and internationally. Isn’t it shameful? A pastor, on the run? Because of tax evasion and devious money practices. Pastors that traded their calling for money.

Some of them can’t go to the UK!! Your pastors oh. Smh.

Once he notices the weaknesses of these men of God, who I do not doubt may have true callings, he will bamboozle them with ‘Prophet seed’ and honour seed. They will see envelope and car gift. They will fall in love with him

So that’s how he has penetrated Christendom. Some powerful fathers and mothers of faith have shielded him and covered him. But there is a MOG who he did everything to get to, and that Bishop blocked him. I’m withholding name.

Let me even say another story.

So I will never forget the 12DG that Creflo Dollar came to COZA and preached that after so many years in ministry, he had just discovered that tithing wasn’t a must. It should be done out of love and not necessity.
That day, there was confusion in church ?
Ah! After Creflo left

He mounted the stage and said “even if God says don’t tithe, I will tell God He doesn’t know what He is talking about. I will tithe like my life depends on it!! Because we know what works for us!!”
Something of the sort.. I was like.. ? sketch much.

See, that church has weaponised loyalty. Those members can’t move. Some is money (pastor supports their business or owns it sef), some it’s religious strongholds, some is pastoral ‘love’, and then some are just being plain old Nigerians ? (ignorant animals).

What of the time he told church members to defend their pastor on social media?
He said if someone attacks your pastor online, how do you let that happen? You should protect your prophet! The church went wild. Screams!
Meanwhile, I was like is it only me that sees this is wrong?

Encouraging bad behaviour and trolling online? Instead of teaching your members on how love should act?
I remember Ese Walters scandal. I left the church and it was more about the church’s attitude and culture of trolling, treating her like she was the devil. I excused myself.

I have no problems with a man falling, making a mistake. But I expected that robust report. I expected him to talk to us and say… I fell. I would never have left if he said it openly. I expected the church to hold him accountable.
If he can’t be accountable he will do again.

But I saw only cover up. My dears, I left. But God told me to go back. Several months I fought with it cos… I can’t swallow being taken for granted. Not from anyone. And certainly not from my pastor like this. He’s setting a wrong precedent I argued. He has no regard for us.

God said “go back”.
So I did. I struggled. Those months were tough. My friends left. I was the only one who remained. Kai… I didn’t have explanation. I remember, anytime he would be scheduled to come to Lagos, I wouldn’t go to church.
So later, I started trying.

I intentionally started loving him cos I’m like…if God said stay here, and he’s the pastor, then God has placed him over me. I have to accept.

Mehn… When this Busola thing happened, God said “this is why I kept you here. Now speak out”.
I was in pain for 3 days. My back.

I couldn’t sleep for more than 3 hours for those tumultuous 3 days. The second I put up the last post, the pain left my back. The heavy weight. And I said to my wife “I will sleep tonight”.
Anyways, I advice the remaining coza members… Ask questions. You’re enchanted. Awake.

One time, one of his spiritual mentors, the one that was in the news for asking for 1 thousand dollar seed everywhere for everything. She came to church and she said God told her to tell us that if anyone opens their mouth to gossip about pastor or the church, they will suffer.

Now that I put 2+2 together, could it be that this woman was doing crisis control? Me I wasn’t hearing anything oh. Cos I generally didn’t flow with COZA church folk.
My life was ‘in for service, out the next second’. So… Maybe cos of things like this, dem dey fear. Chai!! Sigh

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Opinion

The Abuse Of Faith By Pastors – Bámidélé Adémólá-Olátéjú

It is morally reprehensible to dismiss the crimes of pastors and church leaders. It is an abuse of faith to attempt to silence critics and denounce people who challenge the church to be accountable as unfaithful, or lacking obedience to the word of God. To believe that church leaders are infallible is a disgusting handicap to have.

Have you ever heard a sermon in your church about sexual abuse, domestic violence, and child abuse? The answer is probably ‘No!’ Sexual abuse, domestic violence and child abuse are not just mentioned once or twice, there are references to these issues in abundance. Examples can be found in the abuse of the Levite’s concubine, Joseph, Abel, Tamar and Dinah. Your pastors or reverends shy away from these passages because they are scary and unglamorous. With what is going on in Nigeria and in Christendom, these passages are very relevant today, as they have always been.

Professing the name of Jesus is not a cure all. Being born again can wash away sins, according to the Bible, but it cannot wash away crimes. The pulpit should not be a safe haven for sex offenders, pedophiles, child molesters, wife beaters and rapists. Those who aspire to lead us in faith, ought to be people of integrity, known for their self-control and compassion. It is completely out of line, if churches and Christian umbrella bodies choose to ignore the scripture and the principles behind their own existence. Certainly, sex offenders, rapists and anyone engaging in those crimes do not meet the integrity, self-control and compassion criteria and they should be made to face the consequences.

From what we know about the Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA) saga playing out and the obscene and ostentatious lifestyles of many pastors, it is clear that the body of Christ in Nigeria desperately needs accountability and responsibility. Self-sanction is best, if they do not wish to lose the digital generation that is wiser, more introspective and practical. They must know that no one is above reproach in all things. Understandable but not excusable is the palpable fear gripping the body of Christ into defensiveness. Many in it fear the allegations of rape is going to make them all look bad. Unfortunately, reactions based on fear are no long-term strategy. It is actually a failing strategy because many of in the body of Christ are bad, and they should look bad. Issues like this have gone on for too long without being addressed. Defensive responses from “respected” pastors and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), and attempts by the COZA congregation to demonise victims, rank high among the worst things the sexually abused can endure.

…the nauseating indifference to criminal behaviour by pastors and the “touch not the anointed”-believing congregation is a gross abuse of faith. The lack of accountability and oversight in branches, and big churches without hierarchical structures, constitute an abuse of faith.

Increasingly in Nigeria, people are associating faith or authority with oppression, trauma and betrayal. Religious leaders are authority figures. They are frequently and affectionately called “Men of God”. When someone is referred to as a man of God, there are no holds barred. Those who look up to them have no guards and their defence systems are completely paralysed. There is a feeling that it is a special relationship, blessed and sanctioned by God. Along with star power, it is easy to see why the young women were so vulnerable with zero defences.

That is why the nauseating indifference to criminal behaviour by pastors and the “touch not the anointed”-believing congregation is a gross abuse of faith. The lack of accountability and oversight in branches, and big churches without hierarchical structures, constitute an abuse of faith. Recently, the social media has become the battle ground for the fight against errant pastors and those committed to defending them. It is the height of the apologism of rape to bandy about the worn cliché of “God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called”. What about making sure the called become qualified? We must not allow anyone to offer loose interpretation of the biblical text with respect to rape and sexual assault. Rape is never the fault of the victim. We have lessons to learn from the book of Judges 19. The story is a lesson in intimate betrayal and the complicity of the community in the story, calls on us to consider our own roles when we aid and abet evil. In it is the most gruesome story in the Bible. The entire chapter is almost all about the rape, murder, and the dismemberment of a woman, facilitated by her husband. The Bible defined our roles as a people or as congregants in the final verse of the chapter: “Set yourselves (your hearts) on her, confer and speak!”

The common responses to abuse within our churches and communities mimics the ordeal of Tamar. Concerted attempts are made to silence victims and are designed to minimise their pain. What Tamar went through, shows how patriarchy and abuse are intertwined. David was silent but his silence made things worse.

We have heard about the promotion of Joseph as prime minister of Egypt but have we heard or read about the ordeal of Tamar and her rape in 2 Samuel 13:18-22? As they say, there is nothing new under the sun. The common responses to abuse within our churches and communities mimics the ordeal of Tamar. Concerted attempts are made to silence victims and are designed to minimise their pain. What Tamar went through, shows how patriarchy and abuse are intertwined. David was silent but his silence made things worse. The refusal of David and Absalom to turn over Amnon to the authorities complicated things, leading to dysfunction within their family and death.

It is morally reprehensible to dismiss the crimes of pastors and church leaders. It is an abuse of faith to attempt to silence critics and denounce people who challenge the church to be accountable as unfaithful, or lacking obedience to the word of God. To believe that church leaders are infallible is a disgusting handicap to have.

 

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Opinion

Pastor Fatoyinbo’s Case Reinforces Nigeria’s Legitimacy Problem

One issue we have in Nigeria is that most Nigerians visualise corruption just in terms of theft of money. Generally speaking, corruption is a form of dishonesty or criminal activity undertaken by people entrusted with positions of authority. These forms of dishonesty include but are not limited to bribery, embezzlement, misconduct and theft.

Security corruption is misconduct where law enforcement officers end up abusing their power for gain, either personal or for friends. This type of corruption is a challenge to public trust, public cohesion, human rights and society itself.

In China, there is ongoing concern about collusion between corrupt police officers and the leaders of criminal triad gangs. Since the 1990s, a lot of China’s anti-corruption campaign messaging has focused on organised crime, corrupt government and security officials who protect criminals. Why is this? The ruling Communist party believe, correctly I might add, that such corrupt activities bring a legitimacy crisis to the police, which eventually affects them: the ruling party.

But such campaigns can only work when society finds the behaviour of such people in positions of trust to be abhorrent. So in the United States, for example, Reverend Amy Butler, the first female pastor of New York’s famous Riverside Church was recently removed from her post. The Riverside Church, had announced that they would not be renewing Rev. Butler’s contract but did not give a reason. Journalists went digging, and as it were, a video of the good reverend visiting a sex shop called Smitten Kitten during a conference in Minneapolis emerged. The church, naturally, was not amused, so she’s gone. Of course, the church reacted because they knew that if that video had emerged before they took action, their legitimacy as the shepherd of God’s flock would be cast in serious doubt. But that is in a normal country.

For some weeks now, Nigeria’s social media space has been on fire over rape allegations made against Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo of Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA). Fatoyinbo is also known as “Gucci Pastor”.

The allegations, which led to a protest around the church’s headquarters in Abuja, and other branches nationwide, were made by Bisola Dakolo, a celebrity photographer and wife of Timi Dakolo, a musician. Mrs. Dakolo’s interview with Chude Jideonwo was the stuff that hydrogen bombs are normally made of, in normal societies.

What was interesting was that on the Sunday of the protests, COZA was protected by a detachment of the Nigerian Navy’s elite Special Boat Service. A few weeks later, after presumably the storm had cleared and Nigerians had started to, as usual, move on to other things, there was an attempt by the police to intimidate the Dakolos into recanting their accusation.

Mrs Dakolo’s interview came months after her husband, Timi, called out Fatoyinbo over his alleged sexual relationships with female church members. Timi also encouraged other victims who have gone through similar experiences with the man to speak up.

This is not the first time that Biodun Fatoyinbo would be accused of sexual impropriety. In August 2013, he was entangled in an allegation of infidelity with a former member of the church, Ese Walter. The allegation snowballed into a huge sexual scandal that many said was going to undermine the church. Days after Ese Walter, a former church member, and worker of the COZA, confessed to having had an affair with Mr Fatoyinbo, another former female member alleged an encounter with the same man in a hotel in Lagos. Fatoyinbo denied both allegations, and told us to expect a robust response. It’s been five years since we have been waiting for that response…

For me, the problem is not so much Mr Fatoyinbo, as it is the proof that in Nigeria, law enforcement is an entrepreneurial activity.
When we have members of the Navy’s Special Boat Service, and then members of the police’s Special Tactical Squad being deployed to protect a non-governmental actor, then we should be extremely worried, all of us. Who authorised the deployment of the SBS to COZA three Sundays ago? Who approved the dispatch of the STSF unit to the Dakolo residence last Saturday? Who is abusing important national security assets?

I did not dwell on Mrs Dakolo and her accusation for the simple reason that the alleged rape happened years ago, and even in a normal society, it is hard enough to prove rape a few days after, not to talk of years later in a society as deeply patriarchal and messed up as Nigeria is. What I wanted to mention are two things: first, Mr Fatoyinbo has form; and second, he has made use of his position of power, to abuse the system. Permit me to add a third; that the clear collusion between the security organs and someone close to the pastor, or the pastor himself, adds to the many things undermining the legitimacy of the Nigerian state in the eyes of its people.