Thursday 5:25 pm at Ketu close, Aguda, Surulere. There was a sombre mood as I passed along the premises of Perfect Christianity Mission. It was different from the quiet peace spoken about that comes when the Holy Spirit descends on a place, but was borne out of the recent travails of the leader of the establishment.
Mr. Ofuche Ukoha better known as Dr. Sign Fireman was arrested by the Nigerian Police Force over allegations of ritual murder of 12 year old Bose Ogoja. The prime suspect in the case however is 18 year old, Ikechukwu Egbo, who told police investigators that he was sent to commit the crime by the flamboyant pastor.
Dr. Sign Fireman is not new to controversy, one could even feel he courts it sometimes. In 2011, Seyi Rhodes of UK’s Channel 4′s ‘Unreported World’ conducted a feature story on Dr. Fireman, where he was labelled a ‘fake’ pastor. Despite the scathing depth of the documentary, his church only seemed to grow larger. Perhaps his members saw something different from what the documentary portrayed. Or he has mastered the ‘game of God’ as he likes to call it.
Long list of ‘deviant’ pastors
Dr. Fireman has been released on bail by the police, and some online media are claim that Egbo’s mother has exonerated him, but he only stacks up a growing list of Nigerian pastors that have been enmeshed in messy scandals over the years.
Naturally the first of these, and due to its relatively recent nature, would be Chuwuemeka Ezeugo better known as His Holiness, Most Reverend Dr King. King is a convicted murderer, who was sentenced to death by Justice Olubunmi Oyewole of the Ikeja High court in 2007 for burning to death his follower simply known as Ann King. Before his dethronement Reverend King was the head of Christian Praying Assembly located on Bishop Ojo Drive, Ajao Estate, a suburb of Lagos, Nigeria. With his trademark beards and distinct voice he held sway in his kingdom unleashing a rather bizarre means of Christianity on his followers.
Also acting as the Commander in Chief of the ‘Lord’s Army’, King believed in the violent taking the Kingdom by force, thereby ensuring residents of the area lived in constant fear. The 1996 Psychology graduate of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka was also rumoured to have performed several unbelievable feats ranging from raising the dead to providing cure for all ailment and more importantly, offering his congregation hope from poverty.
A female church member once testified that, “there was a day I seriously ran out of money, I met G.O. (General Overseer) and he prayed for me. You can’t believe it, that when I got home, I opened my wardrobe and I saw aboutN30,000 there.”
While logic totally defies such events, it was left deflated by the sort of reverence offered to King by his congregation. All members of his church were required to lie face down when he walked into his church, and were not permitted to leave until the 10-12 hour service was done.
The ‘Lord’s Army’ helped in enforcing his orders, and several motorcycle riders on Ajao Estate have been victims of their ‘holy discipline’. Reverend King had no known wife, and once flogged a man for impregnating his wife before coming to the church. Principal witness in Rev. King’s prosecution and former member, Kelechi King, however told the court that she had undergone four abortions for the self-styled prophet in the past. On February 1, 2013 Reverend King’s appeal was thrown out by the Court of Appeal in Lagos.
Olufunmilayo Immanuel Odumosu also referred to as Jesus of Oyingbo by his loved followers, was perhaps one of the earliest known ‘men of God’ to employ strange ways in his approach to Christianity. The only trait he shared with the Biblical Jesus was that they were both students of the ancient trade of carpentry at a point in time. Sadly he attempted resurrection in 1988 and was unsuccessful at the age of 73.
His religious enclave was referred to as the Universal College of Regeneration (UCR) and he deployed teachings from other religions. Pa Odumosu built a profitable empire during his period. His compound actively employed over 500 of his followers as he ran a Bakery, a construction company, a barber’s shop and a printing press.
During the much publicised court case over his properties that followed two years after his death, witnesses testified under oath that Jesus of Oyingbo inherited 3 of his 34 known wives from his church members. He was also said to have sanctioned members to sleep with each others wives.
There is also the case involving the Head Pastor of the Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA) Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo who was accused by one of his members, Ese Walter of having a sexual affair with her in London.
A 2012 article on British tabloid Mail Online by George Arbuthnott, titled ‘Laughing on his private jet – the £93m pastor accused of exploiting British worshippers’ drew focus on Bishop David Oyedepo who runs the Living Faith Church otherwise known as Winners Chapel. The article accused his of exhibiting excessive opulence while many of his worshippers struggled daily.
Bishop Oyedepo is not alone in this accusation of wealth flaunting, as current Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) President, Reverend Oritsejafor, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome and Reverend Chris Okotie have also been in the news.
Reverend Okotie, a former pop musician has also publicly had two divorces and recently informed his members that he would remarry again. His involvement in politics has also not been without controversies. Prior to the 2003 elections he told the Nation that God has shown him a vision where he would be President. It is not wise to say God lied. Only a few days ago, he stated yet again that God has instructed him to contest next year’s elections again. Many observers are not pleased with his constant failed revelations.
It would seem Dr. Signs Fireman is not lost in Nigeria as a religious leader fraught with scandals and controversies. The country has had several cases and he would not be the last.
Credits: Telegraph