This is a very long read, but it's worth it.

This matter is a very complex one. There are too many variables involved. For me, the main point is the effect it is having on the Church of God. No matter who is telling the truth, no matter how much of the truth is being said, no matter where the truth truly lies, it reflects very badly on the body of Christ.

We have to first understand that not every act of rape includes the perpetrator battering the victim. This is why in many cases, it is called sexual molestation and not rape. As far as I know, not a single one of the accusers of Bill Cosby or Donald Trump accused these men of physically manhandling and battering them. It was a case of a man of great influence and held in great respect by the woman, using that power to mentally browbeat the woman into having sex with them. The reverse is the case where women of influence use that power over men to force them into having sex.

Also, not everyone who is being raped or sexually harassed has the physical strength to fight back. After being mentally beaten into “accepting the inevitable”, a victim may choose or be left with no other recourse than to stay still and take it. Maybe with pain, or shame, or in tears, or with hate running through the heart.

The perpetrator can continue using the same method keep the victim in silence or force the victim to continue in the act. Even to maintain a façade of normalcy when with other people or even when only the two of them are in private. The victim, either from fear or shame, may find it difficult to tell anyone about the abuse, talk less of reporting it as rape. Especially in Africa here, where the victim is shamed, where the victim is blamed, where fault is almost always placed at the foot of the victim. Especially in Africa here where parents are likely to tell the victim to keep it quiet, not to bring shame on the family. Especially where the perpetrator is someone of great standing in society or even just with respect to the victim and the victim’s family. Especially if it is a male being raped, where he will definitely be laughed at, where he will be an object of ridicule, where he will be accused of not being manly enough.

So there is no sense in accusing a victim of not fighting back or of being quiet or of waiting for decades before coming out and accusing the perpetrator. There are many variables involved. And while it is good to treat every case of accusations with healthy skepticism, it should be understood that a person having sexual power over another is reason for great shame and fear and the “victim” should be treated with some level of respect. The accused should also be given the opportunity to clear themselves without the fear of a mob lynching or a social medial trial.

Did Pst Fatoyinbo do it? Or more correctly, do I think he did it?

I am not a fan of Biodun Fatoyinbo. I have never heard him preach, so I don’t know how much of the gospel he teaches. I however do know a couple of people that attend his church and they are fine upstanding people. So I can’t say anything about his person as a preacher of God’s word. He is extremely flashy, and being a conservative myself, I do not like ostentatiousness in ministers of God. But that seems to be a trend these days and I can ignore that. In addition, I have a brother-in-law who was at the University of Illorin, and he had only positive things to say about Pst Fatoyinbo while he was in Illorin. So all told, I should have a net positive feeling towards him.

And I did. I did until Ese Walter. She accused a Minister of the Gospel of sexual impropriety. She never claimed she was raped. She admitted that it was consensual. In fact, it was more or less a wonderful affair for her until it went bad according to her. What she accused Pst Fatoyinbo of was fornication and adultery. Not rape. Not a criminal offence. It was an accusation that cast a stain on the Church, on the Body of Christ. And how did this minister of God respond? He first tried to ignore it. And then he promised a “robust reply”. And then nothing. Silence. Silence for years. And the insults on the body of Christ poured in. For years. And a man, who was to be a model for Christians to follow, who leads a portion of the Church of God, who has been appointed or who is in a position where he is required to teach followers of the Way of Christ how to follow that way, said and did nothing and let the slander and ridicule continue.

And that, I believe, is why this matter has gained so much traction. What has happened to those who accused Apostle Suleiman of sexual impropriety? He stood and defended himself. Loudly. And many could say that Stephanie Otobo was a false accuser. I cannot say Apostle Suleiman was innocent of the accusation, but he defended himself strongly. Strongly enough that others in the Church were able to stand up to his defence. Strongly enough that it could be said the accusation was an attack by the devil on the Church.

I believe that if Pst Fatoyinbo had defended himself properly against Ese Walter, or accepted fault and asked for forgiveness, this would not be an issue today. This will simply have been seen as a case of a man falling, a fall from which he has grown. He would not be the first. Even King David fell. Even Peter the Apostle fell. Man falls. It is the power of God’s grace that lifts us up.

And there is my issue with Pst Fatoyinbo. He has let himself be used, he has let himself be an avenue for the devil and his ilk to sling mud on the Body of Christ.

If he is innocent of the accusation in the first place.

For the Dakolos, I can only assume something must have brought it up in their home, something that caused Mrs Dakolo to tell her husband this story. I can only assume that she told him this those months back when Mr Dakolo began attacking first a nameless Abuja pastor, accusing him of philandering, and eventually coming out to accuse Pst Fatoyinbo. I can also assume that the time between when he begun to attack this pastor and when his wife gave an interview was spent trying to find proof or discussing with lawyers to see if they can sue or defend themselves if sued.

I will also commend Mr Dakolo who even though a Nigerian and an African, is willing to stand with his wife. Especially as trolls, kids and the immature will say all sorts of rubbish about him. This is a level of bravery and maturity that is sorely lacking in our country today.

But this is only if he and his wife have not constructed some nefarious plot to bring down Pst Fatoyinbo.


My conclusion is that Pst Fatoyinbo has once again made himself the lightning rod for attacks against the Church, the Body of Christ, and all of us that believe in the Christ of the New Testament. And that is as far as my judgement goes. He has brought disrepute to the name of Jesus Christ.

Again.



cc Bukatyne
Acidosis
Crackhaus

Wisdom

You ruined everything by mentioning people who lack wisdom after your conclusion.