Top Nigerian pastors caught in scandals

Pastors are highly regarded by the Christian congregation in Nigeria as quintessential people that should be emulated. Some congregations even go far to the extent of branding their pastors as their role models and labelling them “our Daddy and Mummy in the Lord”. Therefore, some of them are at a loss whenever they learn that their revered pastors caught in scandals.

So, instead of providing spiritual leadership and giving advice and counsel to their members, some pastors have to battle to clear their names over issues that bring ignominy, something they should ordinarily be reclusive from. This piece, therefore, serves the readers with the biggest scandals which have affected Nigerian pastors and their churches in modern history.

Table of Content hide 1Pastors embroiled in sex scandals 1.1Biodun Fatoyinbo 1.2Johnson Suleman 1.3Chris Okotie 1.4Chris Kwakpovwe 1.5Francis Wale Oke 1.6Joseph Iginla 1.7Chris Omatshola 1.8Timothy Ngwu 1.9Timilehin Adigun 2Pastors embroiled in fake miracle scandals 2.1Chris Okafor 2.2Favour David and Favour Chimobi 2.3Tony Anthony and Godswill Abbey 2.4Chris Oyakhilome 2.5Jeremiah Fufeyin 2.6Johnson Suleman 3Pastors embroiled in money scandals 3.1Biodun Fatoyinbo 3.2Chris Oyakhilome 3.3Olanrewaju Obembe (At Benny Hinn’s crusade) 3.4Lazarus Muoka 3.5Matthew Ashimolowo 3.6T.B. Joshua

Pastors embroiled in sex scandals

There are many reasons why men and women of legal age have sex. However, one or more of the reasons does include being publicly disgraced by the release of a sex tape or accusations of adultery or infidelity. But this is the quandary that some pastors have faced, and some of them are listed below:

Biodun Fatoyinbo

Biodun Fatoyinbo is the Senior Pastor of the Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA), headquartered in Abuja and has branches in some parts of Nigeria. However, he has been embroiled in numerous scandals, especially on adultery and sexual impropriety.

For instance, in 2013, a church member, Esse Walters, alleged that she and Fatoyinbo had an illicit love affair, with the latter duly married. According to Walters, she was seduced by the pastor, adding that he asked her if she wanted alcohol before their first sexual encounter. She claimed that their first fling later turned into a continuous round of sex for a week.

Walters said she was forced to speak out due to the guilt eating her. However, Fatoyinbo promised a “robust response”, which the public is yet to hear of years later.

The man of God also got entangled in another scandal in 2019 after Busola Dakolo, a celebrity photographer and wife of popular musician Timi Dakolo, accused him of raping her. According to Dakolo, the COZA pastor raped her when she was 16 years in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

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The allegation caused a furore as Dakolo’s husband became her public advocate and began to pile pressure on the cleric to admit his alleged wrongdoing and step down from his position in the church. It became much more complicated as the Dakolos’ were arrested by the police, and Fatoyinbo was eventually pressurised to leave his role temporarily to allow for an investigation.

Dakolo eventually dragged Fatoyinbo to court in 2019, but Fatoyinbo filed an objection, stating that Busola’s statements were false and concocted to embarrass, scandalise and ridicule him. A High Court in Bwari, Abuja, subsequently struck the case out, saying it amounted to injustice and an abuse of judicial process. The court also awarded costs of N1 million against Dakolo. She, however, stated that she would appeal the judgment.

Johnson Suleman

Johnson Suleman is a household name in traditional and social media for mainly controversial reasons. The General Overseer and founder of Omega Fire Ministries in Edo State has made all manners of comments and statements which may leave one bewildered at times.

However, for one who ironically designated himself as an “Apostle”, his reputation is currently on the line over the sex allegations made against him by Stephanie Otobo, a Canada-based singer. Otobo had, five years ago, accused the charismatic televangelist of being in a relationship with her, having sex, impregnating and promising to marry her. And all these reportedly happened while he was duly married.

According to the singer, she and Suleman began their illicit relationship in 2015, but things went sour after she told him of her pregnancy in September 2016. She subsequently wrote to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police in February 2017, accusing Apostle Suleman of illegal procurement of abortion, the threat to life, and attempted murder. Responding, Suleman admitted to knowing her but described her as a prostitute who he only helped with his philanthropic works.

Otobo had, after the wave of accusations in 2017, come out to claim powerful politicians and pastors had paid her to blackmail Suleman. She then publicly apologised to him in front of his congregation at his church.

It is, however, unknown if the water has not fully passed under the bridge because Otobo returned fiercely with her allegations in May 2022. She published x-rated photos, including one showing Suleman’s alleged private part and her breasts, on Twitter, insisting that they are proof of her relationship with him. The apostle has yet to respond to the latest allegations against him.

But it did not just end here for Suleman. In 2020, a man identified as Pastor Mike Davids accused the Auchi-based pastor of having an affair with his wife, Faith Edeko. Davids alleged that Suleman slept with his wife, who currently heads the Abuja branch of the cleric’s church in Utako. The accuser released audio he claimed to have recorded in one of their phone conversations, where Suleiman could be reportedly heard making threats to his life. He later filed a N2 billion lawsuit against the clergyman, accusing him of destroying his home and also barring him from seeing his children.

Responding, Suleiman admitted that the voice in the recording was his but insisted that it was from a conversation he had with a young lady years ago. He claimed that the recording was doctored by Davids, as he had not spoken to him for three years. The then Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, had ordered a probe of Suleman over the matter, but the matter was eventually closed.

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Chris Okotie

Chris Okotie can be described as one of the leading hipsters of Nigerian Pentecostalism. His church – Household Church of God – was one of the first to adopt the latest trends in preaching and fashion to attract parishioners. Unfortunately, the church has also been a breeding ground for some earth-shattering sex controversies.

The collapse of his marriages to Tina Okotie (crashed in 2001) and Stephanie Henshaw (from 2008-2012) deserve an honourable mention here. However, there will not be a detailed explanation; else, this piece will turn into a lengthy lamentation piece.

But shortly after the announcement of his separation from Stephanie in 2012, a woman named Remi Oduntan alleged that the pastor had an illicit romantic affair with her while he was still married to Tina, and this affair led to the birth of a daughter allegedly for him. Oduntan, who said she is a pastor, also claimed that before the birth of her child, she had been impregnated previously and carried out three abortions for the man of God.

Odutan claimed that she decided not to terminate the alleged fourth pregnancy because Okotie proposed marriage to her, even while he was still married to Tina. She subsequently named her child Tioluwani Okotie. However, the man of God has not commented on the allegations to date.

While still ignoring the allegation, another jaw-dropping one was made two years later by Okiotor Dafiaghor, an ex-member and worker of the church. Dafiaghor alleged that he slept with most female members of the church, including Roli Adeniyi, who later became the wife of Bode George, an ex-Military Governor of Ondo State and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos. The ex-worker also claimed that Okotie was the cause of some broken marriages.

The cleric is yet to also comment on this allegation to date.

Chris Kwakpovwe

Bishop Chris Kwakpovwe, the founder of Manna Prayer Mountain Ministry, came into the spotlight due to the production of ‘Daily Manna’, a religious book used for daily prayers by Christians. But Rita Ibeni, a member of his congregation, stunned fellow members of the church and other admirers of the cleric in May 2017 when she alleged that the cleric made sexual advances on her. She later a recording of a telephone conversation, claiming that the male voice was that of Ibeni.

The male voice in the recording confessed love for Ibeni and desired to have a sexual relationship with her. However, the church denied the allegation, saying in a statement that the male voice heard was not that of its founder.

Francis Wale Oke

The founder and presiding Bishop of The Sword of the Spirit Ministries, also known as Christ Life Church, Bishop Francis Oke, is highly revered in Nigeria due to his status as one of the oldest and most experienced clerics. However, the respected cleric left many bewildered in the 1990s when he publicly confessed that he had an affair with his secretary.

According to the bishop, the illicit affair went on for years.

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Joseph Iginla

Just like Oke, Pastor Joseph Iginla had in 2019 made a self-confession to his congregation that he committed adultery. He further stunned his members when he revealed that he and his wife, Yemisi, had children out of wedlock. He claimed that when his wife brought an illegitimate child into their home, he forgave her, but that she refused to forgive him when he had his child with another woman.

Despite fighting to keep their marriage intact, Iginla and Yemisi parted ways. This allegedly paved the way for the pastor to marry his baby mama, Stella Zimasa Ndamase, a South African prophetess who has reportedly bore two children for him.

Chris Omatshola

When talking about “blessed’ sex tapes, look no further than Pastor Chris Omatshola. The presiding pastor of the Zionwealth Ministry, Lekki, was 2019 mired in a sex tape controversy involving a lady, identified as Princess Tamara Okpewho.

Speaking in an interview, Omatshola admitted that the act occurred in 2017, alleging that the lady enjoyed filming their sexual escapades, and they recorded more than 10 episodes of such. He, however, claimed that the video was leaked to blackmail him. Responding, Okpewho alleged that the pastor deliberately leaked the video to force her into marriage with him.

Timothy Ngwu

Pastor Timothy Ngwu, the General Overseer of Vineyard Ministry of the Holy Trinity in 2015, reportedly slept with and impregnated about 20 members of his church under the disguise of the holy spirit. Reports surfaced that his estranged wife, Veronica, eventually reported the pastor to the police. He was subsequently arrested.

Timilehin Adigun

Pastor Timilehin Adigun, a Lagos-based pastor, was in early 2022 accused by Nollywood actress Juliana Olayode, popularly known as Toyo Baby, of having sex with her sister.

Olayode alleged that the head pastor of The Ark Church and the coordinator of MINE Teenage Ministry called her sister from school to his hotel, sent her his nude pictures and begged her for anal sex. Responding, Adigun denied the allegation, insisting that he served faithfully as Olayode’s agent and that “what I was guilty of, I owned up to and apologised for”.

The pastor was probably referring to his apology in 2020 after he was accused of having sexcapades with teenage girls under his tutelage. He admitted that he had ‘inappropriate behaviour’ with some female members of his ministry for a period.

Pastors embroiled in fake miracle scandals

A host of pastors usually attribute their miracle powers to God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. They insist that the Divine blessed them with the power of healing to propagate the message of eternity.

However, some of them have been mired in controversies over the authenticity of their miracles. Listed below are some of the prominent allegations of fake miracles.

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Chris Okafor

Chris Okafor of the Mountain of Liberation And Miracle Ministry, also known as Liberation City, came under fire from Nigerians in 2019 after a video surfaced of a woman who had been ‘healed’ in five different churches.

A woman with an alleged wrinkled arm is seen being healed, after which she straightened her arm in the first video. Okafor told his congregation that he was retrieving her missing bones directly from the coven of witches. However, other videos showed the woman appeared to be healed of the same problem by four other preachers.

Okafor responded, saying he never conducted any fake miracle.

Favour David and Favour Chimobi

The aforementioned duo claimed to be pastors who performed miracles. David spoke to members of the public, claiming to be a cleric of Wonders Assembly Ministry who miraculously healed two women: Rukayat Folawewo and Bunmi Joshua, after a car accident.

Joshua also gave testimony to church members that her son, who was deaf and dumb, could now hear and talk and was healed by another pastor, Chimobi of the Elijah Ministry in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

However, it was discovered by the Lagos State Police Command in 2019 that the testimonies of all the mentioned persons were all false. David and Chimobi, according to the police, were syndicates and worked with each other, adding that the duo procured Folawewo and Joshua to provide fake testimonies to unsuspicious members of the public. All four persons were arrested.

Tony Anthony and Godswill Abbey

Bose Olasunkanmi, who was later identified as the lady seen in a video in Okafor’s church, had implied that she was also recruited by a girl called Fatila Musa. Speaking to journalists after she was arrested in March 2020, the suspect said she was taken to churches to exploit the bad condition of her right hand to make some money for herself (Olasunkanmi).

Olasunkanmi claimed that she was taken to Pastor Tony Anthony Aniekwu, the General Overseer of Radiant Army Deliverance Ministry. According to her, she and Musa did rehearsals at home ahead of the services on Sundays.

She also mentioned that she was taken to Port Harcourt by Musa, who allegedly took her to the church, which Pastor Godswill Abbey runs.

Chris Oyakhilome

Chris Oyakhilome, the founder and president of LoveWorld Incorporated, also known as Christ Embassy, was in 2015 accused by a member of his church of staging miracle-healing sessions. According to media reports, some congregants alleged that the popular televangelist hired people to pretend to be sick and disabled and then “be healed” during his television shows and public prayer meetings.

One of the congregants claimed that he was offered R10,000 to rehearse and pretend to be in a wheelchair three weeks before a prayer programme at the Johannesburg Stadium.

The man of God is not known to have responded to the allegation.

Jeremiah Fufeyin

In February 2022, some pastors alleged that they helped the founder of Christ Mercyland Church in Warri, Delta State, Prophet Jeremiah Fufeyin, conduct fake miracles and deceive unsuspecting members of the public.

About three different pastors, who work in different churches, claimed in a confession to have been contacted by Fufeyin, who is regaled as a billionaire, to assist him in performing the fake miracles.

But in a statement by Moses Akpotiti, his spokesperson, Fufeyin denied the allegations, saying that the persons involved wanted to instigate the public and blackmail him. The statement noted that the principal suspect had been arrested, insisting that he would not be distracted by blackmailers.

Johnson Suleman

Apostle Suleman makes it into this list again for what Israel Balogun, a YouTuber, described as a ‘Miracle Money’ scandal following the emergence of two videos online.

According to Balogun, who is in charge of the Wholeness Africa Initiatives channel, Suleman, in the video, had told his congregation in two different programmes held in 2021 in Benin City and the US, respectively, that he had been divinely instructed to tell them that monies had entered their bank accounts and that they should check. Some church workers will then claim that some of the congregants received alerts of monies credited into their accounts.

But upon analysing the videos, Balogun said nothing like miracle money, alleging that it was a planned scheme to make people believe angels were dropping money into their accounts. The YouTuber also alleged that Suleman and ministers of the church would use such tactics to double such amounts from church members who received the miracle money.

He subsequently alleged that the Omega Fire Ministries members threatened to kill him over the statements he made.

Pastors embroiled in money scandals

Money, as the Holy Book says, answereth all things. Yet, this same medium of exchange has destroyed the careers and lives of so many persons due to issues of corruption, embezzlement, pilfering and financial misappropriation.

As ordained men of God, pastors are expected to be on a higher level different from that of men. However, some of them get embroiled in financial scandals. Below is a list of some of them.

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Biodun Fatoyinbo

Another returnee to this hallow list is Fatoyinbo. The COZA pastor was in 2022 accused of owing his church workers their salaries. The allegation was made following the demise of Tega Akpofure, a member of GRATITUDE, a musical team of the church.

Nnenna Kalu-Ude, a former member of the team, who made the allegation, claimed that Fatoyinbo was responsible for Tega’s death as he allegedly maltreated his workers and failed to promptly their salaries. She also claimed that the pastor suppressed his critics through occult powers.

However, Rhema Akpofure, husband of the late Tega, denied the allegations and urged members of the public not to include his late wife’s name in any argument or claim against Fatoyinbo.

Chris Oyakhilome

Yet another prominent cleric makes his second entry into this list. The biggest scandal linked to Oyakhilome and his church before the crash of his marriage to Anita occurred in 2003.

A cashier with the Lagos Sheraton Hotels and Towers stole N39million from his employers and donated it in instalments to the church. On account of his generosity to his ministry, the church wrote the cashier a letter of commendation personally signed by Oyakhilome, who concluded it with” God will notice you”. However, the police caught the cashier and arrested him.

A few months later, another church member donated a stolen N10million to the church. The member also stole from his employers.

Olanrewaju Obembe (At Benny Hinn’s crusade)

The late Bishop Olanrewaju Obembe may not have been in the glitzy categorisation of some top clerics, but he was certainly highly rated. The founder of the El-Shaddai Bible Church was respected and popular enough to be named the head of the Local Organising Committee during the crusade of popular American evangelist Benny Hinn to Nigeria in 2005.

For the three days that the crusade lasted at the Redemption Camp, Hinn was promised by the LOC that six million worshippers per day would be in attendance. However, only about one million people attended the event. On the event’s final day, Hinn lamented over the poor attendance, revealing that “this crusade that cost our ministry $4million should have cost $2million”.

The scandal led to accusations and counter-accusations raised by members of the local organising committee headed by Obembe. Most committee members said they were not aware that money was provided for them to work with. The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria subsequently expelled him and others who served on the committee.

Lazarus Muoka

Eleven years ago, a bitter war erupted between Pastor Lazarus Muoka of the Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministry and a former member, Pastor Nnamdi Ofoegbu, who had gone to establish his church – Christ Chosen Generation Revival Ministry.

Ofoegbu demanded the sum of N317 million from Muoka, which he claimed he invested in the church at inception. He described the sum as an investment based on an unwritten agreement between them and took the matter to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). According to him, he invested his life savings and other monies that were not his own in the hope that he was going to get his returns in multiple folds. He, however, claimed that Muoka failed to fulfil his part of the bargain and practically frustrated him to leave the church.

Muoka, expectedly, rejected the allegation and reported the case to the police.

Matthew Ashimolowo

Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo established the Kingsway International Christian Centre in London, the British capital. He, however, relocated to Nigeria after encountering issues with the UK authorities in 2005 concerning the church’s charity, The King’s Ministries Trust.

The Charity Commission of England and Wales turned in its report in October 2005 with revelations that there was serious misconduct and mismanagement in the charity’s administration. In the beginning, it was considered that the charity’s assets were at risk, and its control was placed in the hands of KPMG.

Ashimolowo was found to have been responsible for approving payments and benefits to himself and his wife, totalling more than £384,000. It was also found that he and his family had received benefits from the charity that included free accommodation for himself and his family and an £80,000 car and made personal purchases using the charity’s Visa card, including the purchase of a timeshare apartment in Florida for £13,000. Similarly, it was found that over £500,000 was paid out to Ashimolowo’s private companies, which were operated from church property and had unclear business relationships with the charity, while Ashimolowo acted as both a trustee and a paid employee of the charity. He was ordered to repay £200,000.

T.B. Joshua

While addressing the press on the collapse of a hostel in his Lagos-based church in September 2014, the late Temitope Balogun Joshua, founder of the Synagogue Church of All Nations, got into some trouble for offering each journalist present N50,000 as transport fare. The gesture was interpreted as an attempt to shape journalists’ narrative of the incident.

What followed was the claim that he predicted the incident and told his followers what to do.

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