Mrs. Dakolo's story would have sounded unbelievable had it been that it was the first time the Pastor was being accused publicly of sexual assault. Or if she was still single or searching desperately for a job.
Abuja is fast gaining global notoriety for immorality. The Federal Capital Territory is often in the news lately for bad reasons, for scandals. When we were not being regaled with breaking news of some randy cops breaking into brothels and hotels chasing after and arresting prostitutes, extorting money from some, battering some and raping others we were treated to 'soap operas' of high-wired corruption featuring millions and billions of fraud, fiscal scams or money laundering by politicians and government employees. If not that then it must be issues of sex abuse or rape by flamboyant pentecostal Pastors.
Before now Lagos was known globally as a mega city-state where anything goes. From drug and human trafficking to banditry to cyber scamming to extra-judicial killings to SARS atrocities the state of aquatic splendour rhymed with iniquity. Abuja seems to be struggling hard to 'steal' the 'trophy of shame' from the so-called Centre of Excellence. Yet Abuja can never be Lagos in many ways but in terms of criminality, the FCT could rival Lagos. While Lagos is greater than Abuja in terms of economic power, infrastructural ingenuity and human resources there is no living Lion of Bourdillon in Abuja playing the invincible role of godfather anywhere like Bola Tinubu does in Lagos.
Recently a married lady, Busola Dakolo, a popular photographer and wife of musician Timi Dakolo had sensationally alleged that Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo, founder of the Commonwealth of Zion Church (COZA) in Abuja had raped her as a virgin when she was a choir member of the church many years ago. Before going public the musician had railed against immoral men of God abusing their religious positions. Mrs. Dakolo's story would have sounded unbelievable had it been that it was the first time the Pastor was being accused publicly of sexual assault. Or if she was still single or searching desperately for a job.
For a legally married woman to have elected to expose the abuse she suffered in the hands of a 'spiritual father' must pass as an act of courage indeed! Many women in their conjugal bliss would have chosen to let the sleeping dog lie. Yet that would have amounted to doing injustice to oneself and others in similar circumstances. Many ladies prefer to keep silent in the face of sexual molestation because of the societal opprobrium attached to full disclosure.
Aside Busola other ladies have been emboldened to come forward with their own rape versions involving the Pastor. If these cases were to be proven to be true then Pastor Fatoyinbo must have signed a 'pact' with Lucifer with rape as a sure source of staying power in a crowded church business in Nigeria.
Pastor Fatoyinbo, under intense pressure, had stepped down from the pulpit but a thorough investigation into this sordid affair has been called for vociferously from different quarters -- including the streets of Lagos and Abuja. While the wife, Modele, has been acting like a Nollywood actress in defense of a randy husband playing the role of a responsible good housewife we find it nauseating that this woman-Pastor would insult our collective sensibilities by her irresponsible public utterances, some straight from the pulpit her embattled husband has abandoned. She was busy cursing the hell out of the "strange sons and daughters" of the ministry asking God to "close the heavens over them in the name of Jesus".
Something is definitely wrong with this woman's poor appreciation of the power of evil overcoming even those that claim pastoral piety. Her husband knows the truth and it is only confessing that truth that could set him free. Empty grandstanding or allusion to mundane things like blackmail or whatever would not do the magic of redemption.*
Recently also in a relative 'sexy' development in Abuja a video depicting a Senator of the federal republic manhandling a nursing mother inside a sex toy shop went viral online. In the video the 41-year old Senator Elisha Abbo, representing Adamawa North Senatorial District, was seen engaged in an altercation with the shop-owner following the despicable action of one of the girls he brought in for shopping. Reportedly one of the girls had started throwing up vomitting multiple times inside the shop. When the shop owner complained the young Senator accused her of poisoning the store’s air conditioner!
From there one thing or word led to another and before anyone could shout 'Holy Jesus' our Senator descended on the lady who intervened by asking the Abbo gang to 'take it easy'. Blows and slaps were delivered to the customer for her intervention. And that was not enough; he had her arrested for 'insulting' him! He was furious because he claimed that the lady store attendant had labelled him a 'drunk'!
Of course, this matter was said to have happened a few months ago on May 11 well before Elisha Abbo was elected into the upper legislative Chamber. The Senator has since apologized profusely for his misbehaviour saying that he had learnt his lessons. While we concede that his public apology may be a sincere demonstration of contrition it is not enough. Justice must take its course. You don't just hit the daughter and wife of another man and simply walk away saying sorry!
A Senator at a sex toy shop? Have you ever bothered asking and knowing why the so-called "Ambassador of Christ" went to the shop in the first place? Satisfying the sexual fantasies of his mistresses? Or preaching against the dangers of using cosmetic sexual implements? Who were these ladies and where were they coming from? Senator Abbo behaved like someone under the influence of drugs or alcohol so the salesgirl was right to have called him a 'drunk'!
The problem with Pastor Fatoyinbo and Senator Abbo is much deeper than what ordinary mortals could easily comprehend. It goes to illustrate the progressive descent into infamy of glorified political and pentecostal animals inhabiting our geographical space called Nigeria. And above all, it depicted the impunity mentality pervading every aspect of our national life.
While evil triumphs over good in our beleaguered society what baffles sound minds remains our penchant for godliness. We pretend to 'love' and worship God or Allah more than the late Pope John Paul 2, Prophet Mohammed and Jesus Christ! Hypocrisy must have its limits in our miserable lives. It must never prevail!
As for Madam Fatoyinbo let us assure her that nobody wanted to take her husband's place in their church. But we fear that in the end when the truth would have been made to triumph over falsehood she may come to tears on learning that her husband had been a sexual predator all along while masquerading as an anointed preacher of the Gospel. We have seen it happen before both in Nigeria and elsewhere where evangelism by fire is more pronounced.
Our concern, in the final analysis, is that the values hitherto held dear in our embattled nation are under sustained assault by glorified criminals in positions of power and privilege. Now, it is left to men and women of goodwill and good conscience to light up the tenebrous tunnel inside which we navigate blindly for us to find the way.
SOC Okenwa [email protected] <[email protected]>