Lagos Governor Sanwo-Olu Allegedly Supports MFM Leader Olukoya, Enabling Him to Target Perceived Enemies, Sources Claim
June 12, 2024 NEWS
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is said to be a key supporter of Dr. D.K. Olukoya, the General Overseer of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM), according to sources familiar with the church.
Additionally, it is alleged that Governor Sanwo-Olu is providing backing to Dr. Olukoya in his purported harassment of former church members who have disagreed with him and others deemed as his adversaries.
According to sources who spoke to SaharaReporters, Governor Sanwo-Olu - a member of the church along with his family - has allegedly utilized his position to provide Dr. Olukoya with governmental support in his campaign against perceived enemies. The sources described the governor's role as the primary force behind Dr. Olukoya's actions, with one of them stating, "He is the one emboldening Olukoya to carry out these actions."
Family Of Adewale Ajimosogbe Raises Alarm As Blogger Spends 3 Months In Ikoyi Prison Over Alleged Libel Against MFM Founder, Olukoya "The Governor is the strong force behind Olukoya in what he is doing," another said.
Governor Sanwo-Olu is an active member of MFM and regularly attends the church's monthly "Power Must Change Hands" programme, held at the MFM Prayer City along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway. Following his successful re-election in the 2023 Lagos governorship race, Sanwo-Olu and his wife, who are part of the MFM Lagos Region 1, Lekki church, visited the MFM Prayer City, the church's international headquarters, to share a testimony of their victory and express gratitude.
Governor Sanwo-Olu has a habit of using affectionate terms like "Daddy" to refer to Dr. Olukoya, demonstrating his close relationship with the cleric. For example, during the dedication of the Glory Tabernacle at MFM Lekki YC Region 3 in February 2023, Sanwo-Olu addressed Olukoya as "my father in the Lord, the General Overseer of Mountain of Fire Ministries, Brother, Professor, Daddy, DK Olukoya." As a longtime supporter of MFM and its various arms, Sanwo-Olu hosted the MFM female basketball team at the Lagos State House in October 2023, congratulating them on their victory in the Nigerian Zenith Bank Women Basketball League.
The team, led by MFM Director of Sports, Mr. Godwin Enakhena, received assurances of the governor's continued support.
But when SaharaReporters contacted Mr. Gboyega Akosile, Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the Governor, he dismissed the allegations, saying Sanwo-Olu was not even aware of the cases.
“That that doesn't make sense, people can be doing beer parlour talk that Governor Sanwo-Olu is giving him support because he is a governor, but that does not mean it's true,” Akosile said.
“Covering up in what way and how? Because he is a governor, someone has to now link his name to what is happening between two people. Please let politicians breathe, we are human beings.”
“The governor doesn't even know anything about what you are talking about, even me, I don't know.
“The Governor has no business with meddling with affairs of two people that are quarreling. If there is anything, the governor is a peacemaker. Instead of that, he will rather make peace,” he added.
History Of Alleged Persecution Of Olukoya’s Perceived Enemies
Last Friday, SaharaReporters reported that Ayotunde Richards, a gospel singer and former MFM church member, had again been arrested and detained at Ikoyi Prison over an alleged conspiracy to commit a felony and cyberstalking.
Ayotunde was the leader of the cleric’s backup singers and has been shuttling his home and police detention or Ikoyi Prison since last year.
A Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos State, had granted bail to Ayotunde over a petition from Davidson Adejuwon, a lawyer and reportedly an aide to the church founder, Dr Daniel Olukoya.
In a ruling, Ambrose Allagoa, the presiding judge, said the charges against Ayotunde were bailable.
SaharaReporters had reported how Ayotunde was arrested over a petition from Davidson Adejuwon.
The lawyer accused Ayotunde of sundry acts of cyberbullying and libelling Olukoya.
Davidson filed the petition as counsel for one Mrs Sanni, an aide to Olukoya reportedly saddled with the cleric's social media concerns.
However, SaharaReporters learnt the latest arrest and detention were over a suit filed by one Opeyemi Emmanuel, a member of the church, who accused Ayotunde of conspiracy to commit a felony and cyberstalking.
SaharaReporters had reported that Ayotunde would be in Ikoyi Prison till Thursday, June 13 when his lawyer would move his bail application in court.
Ayotunde’s wife, Sholabomi, is also not safe from the alleged persecution.
In May, SaharaReporters reported how an Ogun State High Court in Sagamu restrained the police from arresting, detaining, questioning and prosecuting Sholabomi.
SaharaReporters had earlier reported that at least eight police officers from the Federal Criminal Investigation Department in Abuja had stormed Sholabomi's house in the Magboro area of Ogun to arrest her.
The police claimed that there was a petition against her but failed to show her the petition.
This was confirmed by the family’s lawyer, Mr Adesina Ogunlana, in a video he posted on Facebook titled, 'Latest On The Mountain Of Fire And Miracles Ministry (MFM) Vs The Ayotunde Richards Family.'
He explained that the police obtained her statement without showing her the petition written against her by MFM.
According to the lawyer, the police personnel later decided not to arrest her because doing so would leave her three young children without any adult to care for them.
However, in a court document later obtained by SaharaReporters, the presiding judge, Justice Tajudeen A. Okunsokan, issued the restraining order following an ex parte application filed by Mr Ogunlana over the police request for Sholabomi to report to their office in Abuja.
The 1st to 4th Respondents in the application are Dr. Daniel Kolawole Olukoya (General Overseer of the Mountain of Fire Miracles Ministry); Incorporated Trustees of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministry; Superintendent of Police, Suleiman (Federal Criminal Investigation Department {FCID} Abuja) and Nigeria Police Force.
On June 4, SaharaReporters reported that the family of a 23-year-old blogger Adewale Ajimosogbe had raised the alarm over the detention of their son, at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre for three months.
Adewale has been unable since he fulfil his bail conditions since he was granted bail by a Lagos High Court.
Adewale was detained over alleged cyberbullying and libel against Olukoya.
The police arrested Adewale in March and he has been incarcerated since then.
It was learnt that Adewale - the Publisher of PostReporters - was arrested in the Okitipupa area of Ondo State.
SaharaReporters gathered that the blogger was arrested for re-publishing a SaharaReporters' story on Ayotunde Richards’ N15.5-billion-naira fundamental human rights case against the MFM founder, Davidson Adejuwon and the Nigeria Police.
It was alleged that the blogger added a rider - 'Olukoya is a criminal and the one behind all illegal acts in MFM.'
SaharaReporters gathered that the police claimed that they were acting on the strength of a petition written by Davidson Adejuwon, an aide to Olukoya and a lawyer, in which he accused the blogger of tarnishing Olukoya's name.
Davidson filed the petition as counsel for one Mrs Sanni, an aide to Olukoya reportedly saddled with the cleric’s social media concerns.
In July 2023, SaharaReporters reported how a gospel singer, Adebayo Bolanle went into hiding after receiving threats Olukoya for allegedly calling him 'Maradona'.
In a leaked phone conversation obtained by SaharaReporters, Olukoya threatened to initiate the arrest of Bolanle for the comments she allegedly made against him.
However, a family source told SaharaReporters that Bolanle went into hiding immediately after the phone conversation with the popular cleric, especially considering the plight of Ayotunde, who was being detained by the Force Criminal Investigation Department in Lagos at the time.
Ayotunde's wife, Sholabomi had earlier told SaharaReporters that Olukoya and Opeyemi Emmanuel, a member of the church, were behind her husband's travails.
However, in the leaked phone conversation between Olukoya and Bolanle, obtained by SaharaReporters, the cleric's comments seemed to confirm that he initiated Ayotunde's arrest.
In the tape, Olukoya was heard challenging Bolanle, another church member, for allegedly speaking against him and calling him 'Maradona'.
He said the police sent her picture and a message she had sent to a blogger to him, after browsing through the phone of the detained Ayotunde.
In the leaked phone conversation, Olukoya was heard asking Bolanle if he had offended her for her to have allegedly made some ill comments about him.
In an interview posted on YouTube in May, Femi Jimoh, a Nigerian who identified himself as a former MFM pastor, accused the church of being behind his remand in prison for nine years, over alleged armed robbery.
Jimoh, who made this known during an interview on Yoruba Gidi TV, alleged that his trial started when he met the chief security officer to Pastor Daniel Olukoya at a native doctor's house
He said he was beaten and handcuffed while a Divisional Police Officer shot him in the leg.
According to him, his mother and sister went to beg Olukoya on his behalf but he told them that he would be released only if he pleaded guilty in court.
Similarly, a former usher with MFM, Caleb Oloruntele, recently narrated how Olukoya allegedly ordered the police to shoot him.
Oloruntele revealed this in an interview with Yoruba Gidi TV.
According to him, Olukoya wanted him dead because he refused to give false testimony against a pastor he identified as Femi Agboola.
The former usher said he was prosecuted in 2008 without any concrete evidence to prove the allegation made against him.
He said, “I joined the church to solve my life issues. But I didn’t know the church would complicate my life. Those who did not understand what really happened would be saying different things. Assuming I have died inside the prison, people would think Olukoya’s allegation of murder against me is true.
“I fear the police. The police know the criminals but because of corruption they always hide the truth. We went to Olukoya to beg him. We prostrated before him. He pushed us away. And he told the police that they did not do well. He asked the police why they did not shoot us.
“My parents were Muslims. I converted to Christianity.”
“The police said if God delivered me out of the problem, next time my boss gave me an instruction, I would carry it out.
“I did not understand what they were saying then. It means Olukoya wanted me to lie against Femi Agboola but I refused to do so because the man did not do anything to me. So why would I lie against him?
“The torture I received while in detention dislocated my hand and one of my ears is bad. I have been left with ‘a half-body’ (with a physical disability) because of Olukoya. When we were being taken to prison in the car, the police said, ‘Your pastor is a wicked person.’ He said we should take you to the site (prison) to kill you,’” he added.
Lool, now it's Sanwo Olu they want to drag on this matter. Sanwo was the governor in 2009 - 2016 when one of the cases happened right?
So the man cannot attend church services in peace again.
Sahara reporters should choose their words one wrong statement against Sanwo olu and they can get sued by the governor and they will still blame Mfm for it.
This continues to be a humanitarian crisis.The Nigerian Senate must invite. Dr. Olukoya to present his version of Pastor Femi Jimoh, and Caleb Oloruntele's allegations to the world.
Response to Dr. Daniel Olukoya of MFM. Dr. Olukoya must fire that Chief Legal Adviser for being inhumane his disgraceful comments, and his ridiculous videos casting a shadow of doubt on the credibility of Yoruba GIDI TV Interview. Dr. Olukoya must fire that lawyer immediately and come out to address the world
Testimony and Commentary include:
- Dr. Daniel Olukoya’s no response show a behaviour of Delusional Grandeur. He is essentially saying the people does not matter. - Culture of Honor & Accountability - Nigeria’s #1 problem is the corrupt church - Join the worship from home movement this Sunday - Nigerians in diaspora do not let your resources be used for destruction of lives. - Will MFM Church and Dr. Daniel Olukoya be willing to allow International Criminal Justice & Forensics organisations interrogate the witnesses. We will arrange and facilitate. - The 1517 Revolution. Martin Luther & his 95 theses. - Isaac Newton and his religious papers - Nigerian Gospel Musicians will do worse than these demonic G.O.s. If they really are for righteousness they would have spoken up by now. - Peter Obi cannot be trusted to demand accountability from these corrupted church leaders. He is in bed with them. - Omoyele Sowore is leading the charge amongst presidential aspirants in resurfacing these atrocities with MFM - Lagos GOs are silent as ever. Your silence is deafening. - The Senate needs to invite Dr. Daniel Olukoya for questioning in light of recent happenings with his church. - The problem with Nigerian Police Force can be solved to a large extent using systems. CAD and BodyCams can be developed by local Nigerian defence technology companies and hardware startups. - Generosity has been the disguise of these demonic GOs. Wickedness & generosity exist side by side in this Nigerian church covens. The story of Al Capone.
The Voodoo Priest's Son comes out with testimony. Names 4 categories of charm ordered by the CSO Gbadamosi of MFM Church What are the charms to be used for? Was the CSO acting in Proxy? Why would a CSO need a crowd-puller charm? Why would a CSO need bulletproof charm, forgetfulness charm, and dominion charm? The Levitical records on laying on of hands on the head of a scapegoat. What is written about transference of sinful burdens on the head of a goat? Pastors laying on hands wrongly What are the spiritual implications of laying on hands in such an environment? ---------- This is a humanitarian crisis. If the Christian Association of Nigeria and the PFN are still alive, speak up. Dr. Olukoya must then come forward to present your version of Pastor Femi Jimoh, and Caleb Oloruntele's allegations to the world.
AMBASSADOR COMRADE KEHINDE AKINYEMI (JP) is the Founder/CEO Mediation, Conciliation and Human Right Centre (MCHR) Ibadan Oyo State (South Western Nigeria).
The former Director, Social Welfare Services, Ministry of Women Affairs and Community Development, Oyo State is a seasoned Human Rights Advocate who have settled several family and community conflicts in the last 45 Years both through the civil service structure and private service.
In Year 2015, Oyo State Government honored him with the Justice of the Peace of Oyo State of Nigeria by the Government of His Excellency, Senator Abiola Ajimobi of blessed memory.
Comrade Akinyemi is also a United Nation’s Peace Ambassador and recipient of several awards on conflict resolution home and away.
He is equally the National President cum Global Ambassador for Child Growth Concern Initiative (CGCI) with affiliated representative across Africa and Europe.
During an exclusive encounter with Asabe Afrika TV on Wednesday June 19, Year 2024 in the city of Ibadan, Oyo State, the veteran rights activist cum conflict resolution expert opened up on his life as Human Right advocate and why the human right abuse index is growing at a frenetic rate in Nigeria.
He also spoke on the alleged wickedness of a popular Church, Mountain of Fire and Miracle to some of her employers and members (Pastor Femi Jimoh and others) who allegedly spent 9 years in jail and why such victims should awaken valuable instruments of law to seek for redress in a proper court of law in other to redeem their self esteem.
In this PART 2 of the interview, Ambassador Akinyemi spoke on the missing point between forgiveness and ethical Christianity and why the MFM leadership erred as an alleged church of God.
Find out more in this PART 2 of the exclusive interview.
