The controversy surrounding the purported death of
the General Overseer of the Christ Revival Victory
Chapel International, Prophet Ireti Ajanaku, has taken
a dramatic twist as his members are insisting that
their spiritual leader is alive.
Saturday PUNCH learnt that this is also the family’s
position, even though his family and some of his
pastors had earlier reportedly announced his death
to the landlords’ association around his residence at
15, Folarin Williams Close, Ikola-Odunsi in Agbado/
Oke-Odo Local Council Development Authority,
Lagos. An evangelist, who had spoken as an authority
in the church, but declined to give his name, told
Saturday PUNCH on Wednesday that Ajanaku was
alive.
He said, “There is still life in him and we are praying
for his recovery. That’s all I can say. People are
peddling rumours and saying so many bad things
about the church, but those things are wrong.”
Ajanaku reportedly died on Saturday in his
hometown, Gbongan, Osun State, after returning
from a trip to South Africa. But the family is yet to
make any public announcement on his death.
Residents of the area said they already suspect that
he was never dead, but information on the true state
of his condition is what they seem to be divided on.
Some of the residents were of the opinion that
Ajanaku was in a coma, while others said he must
have been in a trance.
Although, Ajanaku’s wife, Joy, had not been seen in
public since last weekend, it was learnt that she and
some old members of the church had been holding
vigils at the family’s residence since news of her
husband’s death broke.
But a landlord on the street, who spoke under the
condition of anonymity, said Ajanaku might have
been ‘back’ from the supposed coma or trance.
Speaking on Thursday morning, he said, “At the vigil
they held from last night till this morning, we heard
what sounded very much like Ajanaku’s voice leading
the worship for the first time since the news that he
was dead got to us. We were discussing it this
morning and some of us believe that it must have
been him.
“Although some of his family members and pastors
came to tell us that he was dead on Sunday, we were
not allowed into his compound and none of us has
seen his body. It’s just what we were told and there
is no proof so far that he’s dead.
“We heard that the family has again claimed that
he’s not dead. So what we heard may be proof that
he was sick or in a coma or in a trance. But one thing
we’re sure of is that his body (Ajanaku) is still in the
house.”
Also, some residents said there was drama on
Ajanaku’s street on Monday night while a vigil was
ongoing in his house. Eye witnesses said that some
men in white attire and holding bells, who were
suspected to be cultists, stormed Ajanaku’s
residence singing and chanting.
A resident, who did not want to be named, said the
suspected cultists, who were about 20 in number,
arrived the street at 10pm on Monday and left
around 2am, the next morning.
The source said, “The alawo (cultists) were not
allowed inside Ajanaku’s compound. So they moved
up and down the street, singing and chanting. They
were all dressed in white and came with all the kits
cultists normally wear and even had small bells in
their hands which they rang as they sang. The
cultists really disturbed our sleep that night as
everybody was glued to the walls. We, residents,
suspect that the pastor must have belonged to a cult
group, otherwise those people would not have come
as they did.”
Saturday PUNCH also observed a general
disappointment among the residents, following
Monday’s experience.
Another resident, who also did not want to be named,
said, “Most of us are still disappointed that a pastor
would be involved with cultists. We believe that they
came to perform a rite for one of their own.”
A church member, who also confirmed the incident,
said he shunned Tuesday’s vigil at Ajanaku’s
residence because of fear that the suspected cultists
might be back to force their way into the house.
“I don’t want to be caught in the middle if the cultists
decide to come back,” he said.
In the last few months, Ajanaku and his church had
been mired in controversies which included a feud
with his spiritual daughter and gospel singer, Tope
Alabi; trouble with security operatives; a persistent
skin problem and reports of highhandedness and
misdeeds in church. His recent trip to South Africa
was said to have been connected to either his trouble
with the law or getting treatment for a kind of
disease that causes skin pigmentation.
However, the evangelist who spoke to Saturday
PUNCH, declined to comment on any of the issues,
including the kind of illness Ajanaku had which
required the members’ prayers.
He said, as he saw our correspondent off to the exit
gate of the church, “That’s all I can tell you. You
journalists have been writing all manner of lies about
us. We are truly sorry but now, your presence will no
longer be tolerated here.”
Investigation shows that Ajanaku, who was always
referred to as ‘daddy’ by members of his
congregation, commanded deep loyalty from them.
Saturday PUNCH also learnt that the 40-year-old
preacher largely enjoyed a mixed feeling of love and
fear from members of his church.
A member of the church, who belonged to the
Camera Team, Mr. Olabode Oderinde, confirmed that
Joy told some key members of the church that
Ajanaku was alive. Oderinde, who admitted that he
had not seen Ajanaku since his return from abroad,
warned of grave repercussions on people who peddle
rumours or say negative things about his ‘daddy.’
He said, “Someone married to a great prophet is also
a prophet. The wife (Joy) has told us that there is
nothing wrong with ‘daddy’ and I believe her. It’s just
that people don’t know my ‘daddy’; my ‘daddy’ can
sleep for three days and not wake up. We have never
seen him where he’s eating. So how can a great man
like him just die like that?
“Daddy has warned us not to be carnally-minded or
say anything negative about him. People saying all
sorts of things about him don’t know what will befall
them. One of my neighbours who said wrong things
about him lost her child- the baby died instantly.
“Also, a church member who did the same, his child
froze and it was ‘daddy’ who revived him. The boy
became okay but for eight months, the man has not
returned to the church.”
Ajanaku’s fair skin has also drawn criticisms from
some members of the public, who claim that the
church leader is applying bleaching creams to his
skin.
Asked if there was any truth in the allegations or if
Ajanaku’s recent trip to South Africa was indeed,
connected to the treatment of a skin disease,
Oderinde debunked both claims.
He said, “He didn’t bleach, don’t say such things
about him. That’s how he is to his toe nails and nails
are not bleached. His wife and children are also like
that- they are all very fair in complexion.
“He doesn’t bleach and he can’t have a skin problem.
How can a powerful man like that have a skin
problem?”
When our correspondent visited Ajanakus’ residence
on Wednesday, he was harassed for writing down
some information on a sticker pasted outside the
gate.
A suspected church member, who did not mention
his name, threatened to get violent with our
correspondent if he did not release the paper he had
written the information on.
Arguments that the sticker was pasted outside the
gate and meant for the public neither interested nor
calmed the man.
The man later snatched the paper, while another lady
who claimed to be Ajanaku’s daughter, tore off the
part containing the information on the sticker.
She said, “There’s nothing wrong with my ‘daddy’.
He is alive and well. So we don’t know where the
rumour that he died came from. I’m his daughter;
however, my name is not important.”
Saturday PUNCH later learnt that Ajanaku has two
children of ages between five and seven with Joy, and
another older girl in a previous union.
“All the church members call him ‘daddy’ and call
each other, ‘brothers’ and ‘sisters’. The one who
spoke to you couldn’t have been his daughter. She’s
older than his daughters,” a resident said.
In spite of claims by the church members that
Ajanaku was hail and hearty, the ambience at his
residence suggested otherwise. Investigation reveals
that members of the church, including pastors
throng the residence each day, milling about in and
outside the compound.
Some landlords on the street said they had already
begun move to reduce the number of people visiting
the street daily by instructing the security guards to
refuse entry to outsiders without genuine missions.
In addition to the vigils held at Ajanaku’s residence
each night, prayer sessions have also been held at
5pm on specified days since the last weekend.
Residents of Koya Street, Off Oluwaga Road, Ipaja,
where Ajanaku’s church is located, described
Monday’s prayer session as ‘much.’
One of the residents, who identified himself as John,
said he heard the congregation shouting ‘Do your
miracle’ repeatedly.
Also, while Saturday PUNCH was on the church
premises on Wednesday evening, while a prayer
session was ongoing, prayer points circled around
calling on God to “perform His wonders and do what
He has promised to do.”
Interestingly, Oderinde said Ajanaku once told them
during the church’s last anniversary programme that
the press would soon look for him, for no fault of his.
He said, “My ‘daddy’ said that they would be ‘finding’
him all over the place and that he won’t have to pay
for the publicity.”
However, there have been no public comments yet
from the famous gospel singer, Tope Alabi, who was
a member of Ajanaku’s church before the two fell
out.
She was said to be on a musical tour of Canada with
her husband as at the time of writing this report. Our
correspondent’s Facebook message to Alabi for her
reaction to Ajanaku’s purported death went
unanswered.

Funny crazzy people

Interestingly, Oderinde said Ajanaku once told them during the church’s last anniversary programme that
the press would soon look for him, for no fault of his. He said, “My ‘daddy’ said that they would be ‘finding’
him all over the place and that he won’t have to pay for the publicity.”

Seeking cheap popularity!