NewStats: 3,262,011 , 8,175,868 topics. Date: Saturday, 31 May 2025 at 02:28 PM 6w347

A week ago, I touched on the ongoing controversy between Apostle Johnson Suleman of Omega Fire Ministries and a woman, Ms. Stephanie Otobo, who accused him of sexual impropriety and a breach of “marriage contract”. Since then Apostle Suleman has turned out to be one of the luckiest holy men in the world. As the narrative is being shaped in several quarters, the Apostle is supposedly being persecuted by his state governor whom he antagonises. Suleman himself is cleverly milking spiritual cum political capital from his purported tale of harassment. While that seems probable, it is not a viable reason to hastily exonerate this pastor from the severe accusations Otobo made against him.

Like flies attracted to decaying flesh, Apostle Suleman has a former presidential aide in his beleaguered corner. Our wing-man, a “pastor” who himself was once embroiled in a scandal over his multiple identities, has grabbed the Twitter soapbox to proclaim the good works of the pastor. Sorry, but what is being contested here is not his charity, it is his integrity. If Apostle Suleman is truly guilty of Ms. Otobo’s charges, no good he has done for indigent people can erase the fact that he abused spiritual authority and privilege.



The dots are easy to connect to reveal why the Apostle, despite his alleged indiscretions, has zealots defending him and claiming that their suspect Christian values are under attack by some rampaging counterforces. The Nigerians who have this kind of mindset are typically blinded in one eye by religious sentiment and in the other by ethnic parochialism. No matter how they spin this, the truth needs to be established and not merely presumed on some baseless sentiment. As a man of God faced with such a weighty accusation that impugns his credibility, Apostle Suleman himself needs a stronger defence than making silly prophecies about “marine spirits.”

Otobo stated that she travelled with the pastor on his evangelical ministrations and that he wired her sums of money. The police should cross-check both their ports to confirm this to be true. He should provide his ports and his bank details to prove her wrong.

There are important reasons the unflinching innocence of Apostle Suleman is an imperative. First is the fact that he heads an organisation gifted a non-profit status. If it was true that he was bestowing the money he made in church on women with whom he had sexual relationships, then he should be penalised and his tax-free status revoked. It is morally and legally wrong for a pastor to collect the seed offering from people who use the money as a “point of ” for their miracles and lavish it on women who satisfy his lust.

No matter what pastors say about “God’s money”, the fact remains that financial ability is essential. God’s money is not a “no-go area” and corruption is corruption, no matter where it takes place. We cannot complain about corruption in the government and justify corruption in the church.

The establishment of Apostle Suleman’s innocence is also necessary because Christianity, by its very nature, imposes an obligation of self-abnegation and self-sacrifice on its adherents especially the leadership. A man is a man of God not because he can prophesy the death of a state governor but because he practises a level of self-denial and self-discipline that opens him up to spiritual power and experiences. To be a man of God goes beyond being called “Papa” or “Daddy in the Lord”, it is about self-crucifixion, a suppression of desires and a daily subjection of the flesh to certain ascetic and monastic practices.

The legitimacy of men of God revolves around the belief that in their private spaces, they pray longer and study the Bible with far more commitment than lay . We take it for granted that they practise certain spiritual exercises and as a result they claim certain privileges from the public. A pastor that lacks libidinal restraint is therefore useless because it means he is corruptible and untrustworthy.

There is no question of whether he is able to only his church , he also owes the public a measure of ability. Spirituality is not sports, but let me relate the hard work of being a pastor to athleticism. Athletes are some of the highest paid people in the world because they take their bodies through a disciplinary regime so arduous regular humans cannot attempt them. They do this to win a race or a game and they get heavily compensated. When we find out that they have not worked hard enough and they merely used performance enhancers, they are stripped of their credit. The same ethics go for men of God. They must discipline themselves otherwise they have no moral right to speak for God or claim benefits in his name. Nigerians need to learn to stop defending their pastors’ excesses and learn to demand ability from them.

Some years ago, I interviewed a woman in Ibadan. The woman, a retail seller of soft drinks, told me about a pastor who had prescribed a fasting and prayer session for his flock but entered her shop at 11am on the first day of the programme to buy a bottle of a popular malt drink! She was not a member of his church but she attended services occasionally and so she knew him. The woman told me she watched the pastor drink and drain the bottle. After he left, she called the church she knew and told them to go break their fast since the pastor himself had broken his. I asked her why she did not challenge him and she replied that the phrase, “Man of God” means “the man” comes before “the God.” Pastors are just human like us, she said.

I found her rationalisation both fascinating and upsetting. How could she be so undemanding of a man that imposed on others a spiritual procedure he himself could not adhere to? The kind of laissez faire attitude to religious moral standards she exhibited is an aspect of the Nigerian religion that confuses me. Why was she quick to overlook the pastor’s hypocrisy and lack of self-discipline to offer an excuse for him? Is that not the same way Nigerians quickly rally around the same politicians who have robbed them of their national patrimony? Why are Nigerians hell-bent on protecting the virtues of their leaders despite their sins?

In Western countries, pastors like Bishop Eddie Long, Ted Haggard, and Jim Bakker have all had cases of sexual indiscretions. When they were exposed, they apologised and recused themselves from the altar while they dealt with their sins.

Why is Nigeria different? Why do our pastors resort to “strong head” when challenged on their sins? Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo of COZA promised to give us a “robust reply” he has since left the public in abeyance with his elusiveness. What is it about the Nigerian character that makes penance for betrayal of public confidence a non-starter? From the secular to the sacred realm, people who are caught in sin merely deny and assert their tainted moral authority. A former governor of Delta State, James Ibori, returned from prison recently. The same man who confessed to all his crimes in the UK court now insists he was innocent and was only a victim of political machinations. From pastors to politicians, the story is the same: I didn’t do it, I must have been set up by someone…

Nigerians should stop making excuses for their spiritual and political leaders and let them take responsibility for their actions. Faith practices are a powerful historical and cultural force that shapes political sphere and if, as a society, we want a better political system, we should start with the religious sphere.

http://punchng.com/apostle-suleman-why-the-truth-matters/

Following

This is the gospel truth.

Spot on. To

End time apostle

Balanced one by The Punch

Any nairalander that doesn't know Seun, Lalasticlala, Tonto, freeze, apostle suleman etc.






Is that one a nairalander?

You make alot of sense. It annoy me the way people keep quoting scripture wrongly to back up wrongdoings that should be investigated and allow people to learn from the truth.
Whether he is guity or not, it is very neccessary that truth is established and it's pure ignorance for anybody to think it's not my buisness or He isnt able to me. I'm a christian and he's one of the top chriatian leaders we have in this country....for these two reason, it is my buisness and he should be able to me also same way he is able to his church .

The first thing that comes to mind when his name is mentioned is that he is a chriatian and a top, respected pastor; Omega fire ministry is secondary. So, i'm very much interested in knowing the established truth.

Secondly, for the sake of precedence the truth need to be established. If this is a set up to rubbish his name, the lady should be prosecuted accordingly. If we fail to do this, it'll encourage more criminals to tow same line and hence soil the image of true and genuine men of God.

She was bold enough to come out with varifiable allegations, it is not reasonable to shy away from investigating it. E.g, Phone calls can be investiated..call history can be traced from telecom company and convasation exchanged should be investigated., bank transactions and alleged tranfers can easily be traced, hotel reservations and flight bookings can also be investigated. I see no reason why anybody should blame the govt or group/s yet and to be silent is a case like this may be tantamount to itting guilt.

Lastly, it'll be a joy to me if Apostle Suleiman is absolved of wrongdoings and the justice served.....and if it comes out that he indeed had an affiar with the lady, he should'nt be too big to apologize to Christians in general and seek the face of God for complete restoration. Shalom!

I love this..

God bless this writer

We still dey this matter? Please what's the price of garri in Ijebu Ode?

Apostle Suileman this, Apostle Suileman that

Don't you have something serious to do with your life ??

Don't you have a job ??

Even if he had sex with the girl, why is that stupid olosho traveling all over the world talking about how she had sex with a man of God ??

Didn't she knew he was a pastor when he was fuccking her ??

What does she stand to gain ??

Okay, apostle suileman is a adulterer, what do you call that olosho that opened her legs for the "fake man of God" ??

Who is in with Sahara reporters please? I need to share info with them.

The most important issue in the case of Apostle suleman vs Ms stephanie otobo is nolonger wheather they are not co-traveller or send her money.it seem pastors has all those characteristics.

Rather the most important issues is that the lady should presence lethal evidence yhat the man of God was her lover.

Even if pastor suleman slept with her and she cannot present good enough evidence of that happen,the man of God may be guilty but has escape and i dont think he would try such again.



What am really sad at is how a foolish lady of desperation could not pin the Apostle red handed and hammer big time,now she is negociating from a lower end.

Balanced.

Suleiman should come and say the truth.

I saw him trying to brainwash his in one video recently. He even told them to delete Facebook friends, remove unit , etc who criticise him. So much propaganda! All for what?

Just come and vindicate yourself.

Yesterday, some of his worshippers started peddling rumours that Otobo is opting to settle out of court and has apologised. They said their prayers have worked and hailed the prayer warriors! Only for the same Otobo to come out in 2 new videos yesterday with a police petition against Suleiman.
Who is deceiving who?

sahara reporters message me please.

e don do na. y cant otobo publish her bank details and port first na. something might hv happened who knows. bt the way this gal is going about it shows someone is sponsoring her. how will a randy MOG promise u marriage, haba madam wetin u get wey Daniella no get in triple fold. u get only inflated boobs and dry yansh na

even if u show some people his sex video, they still won't believe it happen. conversely, if the lady involved comes out to say she way paid to frame the pastor, lots of his critics won't change dia minds...I like DAT d pastor is not caught up, he is still going on about his business... soon the attention will go away.....

Not again

I just wonder why am still thinking.

The joystick fear no religious

i agree

when is the truth gonna be out am anxious about d whole story

op please tell the girl to post her port itinery and bank statements lets see

she is already trying the pastor already in the media

tell her to give more concrete evidence not verbal

Sense dey the head of the writer.

david1810:




http://punchng.com/apostle-suleman-why-the-truth-matters/

What's hurts me the most is just that I can't stop imagining suleman smashing Daniella Okeke from behind!

It really hurts my soul.


Those ass re too big for the apostle.


I really won't blame him though, cos I would have been willing to ruin my entire life just to get inbetween those fresh mighty laps

fratermathy:
Suleiman should come and say the truth.

I saw him trying to brainwash his in one video recently. He even told them to delete Facebook friends, remove unit , etc who criticise him. So much propaganda! All for what?

Just come and vindicate yourself.

the girl is making us think she is lying

no concrete evidence from her

she is just talking

C

Shebi, the girl has recanted her story
So what's the issue now?


O pari

unclezuma:


We still dey this matter? Please what's the price of garri in Ijebu Ode?

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