Some Nigerians have reacted to the allegation by wife of inspirational singer, Timi Dakolo, that her Pastor, Biodun Fatoyinbo, raped her when she was sixteen.
Busola alleged in a video interview circulated on social media that her pastor, Fatoyinbo, who is founder of Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA) raped her when he came to her parents’ home one Monday morning.
She said that she and her elder sister were the only ones at home on that day as her mother and younger sister had travelled, when her pastor came to the house early that Monday morning.
She narrated that she heard a knock on the door and asked who it was and when she opened it to her parents’ livingroom, her pastor came in and pushed her down to a chair and raped her.
Busola said: “He came to my house… My mum had travelled with my younger sister. It was just myself and one of my elder sister that was at home. My house was a duplex,, so big that if you are in a room upstairs, you won’t know what’s going on downstairs. So, I came down normally the way I come down. It was like 6:30 to 7. It was pretty early. I was in my nightwear and I heard a knock (and I asked) who’s that? (and he answered) Pastor Biodun.
“I couldn’t say anything. Immediately I just opened the door, he just pushed me. He didn’t say anything. He didn’t utter any word. He just pushed me to one of the chairs in my livingroom and I saw him… removing his belt… He just said ‘keep quiet. Do what I want you to do and you will be fine’. At this point, a whole lot was going on in my head.
“When I was just about to react, he just covered my mouth… I didn’t struggle. I just left him and he brought out his penis and pulled out my pants. He found difficulty to enter… I was like grunting. I would cry. I was just doing a whole lot of mixed feelings and all that and he eventually penetrated. Even blood dropped on the floor and at that point, he finished what he wanted to do, had an orgasm and he zipped up. He left me there. I just sat on the floor and he went out… He entered his car,…as he came back… brought Krest, a soft drink. It had green content, it was already opened and he just poured it in my mouth… and I had to just be swallowing it as he was pouring it… and he finished and he was just tapping me that I should be happy that he was the one that did this to me”.
Busola said it was Pastor Fatoyinbo who disvirgined her.
Nigerians who reacted to the allegation of rape against Pastor Fatoyinbo who is head pastor of the church in Abuja said that religious leaders had failed the society while others said they would not believe that Busola was raped saying that the allegation was false.
A Nigerian who did not want to be named said: “We don’t know the full story. It’s bad but we don’t know the full story, so we can’t judge based on what we know and what we don’t know”.
Shadrach Mbie, who reacted, however, said Busola should go to court to prove her allegation.
He said: “Once you have a claim and you have sufficient evidence which you feel will back up your claim, there’s no harm in you going to court… The court will not just grant you your prayers where you don’t have sufficient proofs or evidence to back up your claim. So, if she feels she has evidences to prove her case, it’s her right to go to court”.
On why a pastor should face such allegation, Mbie said he could not “trust” those who make such allegations saying that “so many things happen these days”.
A Facebook user, Ikuromo Kosuowei, asked why the wife of the inspirational singer was coming out with the rape story now asking if she was “charmed all these years”.
On his part, leader of Joint Assembly of Rivers State Youths, Rt. Comrade Gashom Bob Achor, said leaders of churches have failed society.
He however said the matter should be forgotten since it happened a long time ago.
Achor said: “I believe that this allegation is dating back to some two decades ago, so we should be able to leave the past in the past. It’s very unfortunate that those we look up to, those who are the leaders of our religious institutions… have failed the society. They have failed us because virtually all the heinous crimes reported in recent times revolve around the church, around top men of God. It’s very unfortunate. If you are a man of God and you feel you are truly called, please stay away from evil because the society looks up to you”.
It was reported that there were protests at the COZA church premises in Lagos and Abuja on Sunday with protesters carrying placards with inscriptions such as “THOU SHALL NOT RAPE!”.
However, Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo has denied the allegation by wife of Timi Dakolo, Busola.
Pastor Fatoyinbo however said he was stepping aside from the church after seeking “spiritual counsel” from Christian leaders.
He said: “This step enables me to submit to the concerns of my spiritual mentors as they consider all the issues that have been raised against me”.
He made the statement in one of his posts on Instagram.
It was gathered that the church has suspended its seven-day programme which it holds annually.
