The founder’s skeleton

Has the world eventually entered the “last days” as prophesied in the Bible, the holy book for Christians? Maybe, if the activities of some so-called Christians are anything to go by. According to II Timothy 3-7: “In the last days, perilous times shall come.

For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good.”

The holy book further states that in the last days, men would have a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof and men will ever be learning, and will never be able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
The story is hardly believable but it is true that about five years after the death of a pastor, members of his church still worship his skeleton because of their faith in the efficacy of his powers.
To members of the church, late Jacob Adebayo Oladele, who was the founder, Millennium Gospel Church (MGC), remains powerful even in death.

In February 2010, the police stormed the premises of MGC located at an abandoned aerodrome in a vast forest at Egbedore Local Government Area of Osun State, following a tip-off by the monarch of the town, Alayemoore of Ido-Osun, Oba Adedapo Adeniyi Sapoyoro. The monarch, who said the palace had been inundated with series of allegations of high-handedness and weird worship style of the church members, led a team alongside the police to the church where a purported skeleton of the church’s founder was recovered.

The police arrested 15 suspects while people of the town warned the church members never to return to the land, which belongs to the government. Sunday Sun gathered that five of the suspects are still standing trial at an Osogbo Magistrate Court. Members of the church however insist that they are not ritualists and never killed anybody or performed any ritual in the church.

One of those standing trial, Mrs  Florence Oluwaloni Oladele, who is the deputy founder said: “We are not ritualists. We worship our Lord Jesus Christ like every Christian. The skeleton belongs to our founder. Truth shall prevail and we will be vindicated. This is a test of our faith and members should be steadfast and more prayerful.”

Head, Pathology Department at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital (LAUTECHTH), Dr Akinwumi Komolafe, confirmed the presence of the skeleton in the morgue, but said the police did not present a request for tests to be carried out on the skeleton. He said the hospital authorities would keep the skeleton until it receives further directive from the police.

It was however gathered that some of the church members have been visiting the mortuary in order to worship the late founder who they described as their Messiah. “Before stopping them from coming to see the skeleton, some who came were practically worshipping the skeleton. They rolled on the ground, shouting his name, weeping, wailing and appealing to him to answer their prayers. They are fanatical about him and if care is not taken and the skeleton remains in the mortuary more than necessary, they may go wild and take steps to recover it. The mortuary needs more security,” a source at the hospital warned.?

When contacted, the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Solomon Olusegun, said the “case is in court.”
But a police source said: “The skeleton may soon be released to the members since nobody had come forward with a claim that his/her relation was missing.”

“Apart from the skeleton, police did not find any other human or animal part at the church. Initially, we were made to believe that more bodies were going to be recovered from the church like that of the infamous Okija Shrine. None was found apart from the skeleton. However, all theories pointed to the fact that the skeleton belongs to the church founder. You know how fanatical some people could be with living or dead founder of their faith.

“The skeleton will soon be released for burial. At least, the man should be allowed to rest in peace. We still appeal to people who may have contrary information about the church to volunteer it to the police.”
At press time, police authorities were in confusion over what to do with the skeleton even as the hospital management anxiously awaited the collection of late Adebayo’s skeleton for burial because according to them, “the mortuary is meant for dead bodies and not skeleton.

nethacker:

first of its kind

edoyad:

^^ Nigerians and their proclivity to worship god or anything. They don't care what the message or ideology is but they still must worship god and he will bring about a better life for us all.
God dey

doyin13:

lol. . .But is this strictly a poverty/illiteracy issue?

Many cults in the western world have amongst
their members well educated and sucessful people.

mydreamz:

We re getting there in this country when someday peeps will start worshiping their pastor's poo-poo,

Osama10:

Some are already doing it I bet you on that.

edoyad:


@elrazur why don't you join me in my new religion. We'll worship either Seun, kosovo, aisha2 or just plain old Nairaland ROTF

bawomolo:

but scientologists are pretty smart.

the problem can't be solely illiteracy

ElRazur:

To all you muppets trying to turn this into a tribalism fiasco, abeg commot.

What is the difference between this and any other form of belief? Seriously what is the difference?

Jesus died long time ago - He is still being worship and prayed to by millions around the world. Heck they even believe he rose from the dead.
Muhammed died ages ago, yet, billion use his names in prayers. Heck, some emulate their lifestyle after him by marrying under age girls etc.

Millions of pilgrimage in India whip themselves with hard whips until they bleed and no one raises an eye brow.

So please tell me, how is this different from any form of belief?

We are quick to castigate others, but is it even fair or right?

Who are we to tell them what they belief in or not? Sure it may be wrong from a social norm to keep a skeleton, but I see no difference from how this differs from any other form of belief to be honest.

Kobojunkie:

Ok!!! Stop right there. There is a difference between this and worshipping men who died thousands of years ago and there bones were never really found. These folks risk exposure to disease!! I mean come on, worshipping the remains of a dead man, in a Nigerian setting, I would guess they even go as far as to TOUCH the bones and then go home to eat eba with the rest of the family with those hands . . . . o ti, mba, no no , it is not the same. And these people need to be educated on better ways to worship their leader, unless anyone here can solidly state that the bones/body is clean of disease . . . . ROFLMAO!!

ElRazur:

I have stated that it may not be the norm, but if is their belief good on them.

As it stand I am not sure anyone have caught anything as a result.

Also the power of the mind can be a powerful one.

Kenezi:

This is idolatry so yeah, there is quite a big difference between this and other beliefs but you can pretend otherwise if you want to. The United States has a 99% literacy rate and 75% of them claim to be Christian, so reading won't change very much.

Kenezi:

This is idolatry so yeah, there is quite a big difference between this and other beliefs but you can pretend otherwise if you want to. The United States has a 99% literacy rate and 75% of them claim to be Christian, so reading won't change very much.