A recent viral video featuring Pastor Isaac Omolehin has ignited a fresh wave of controversy, with the cleric alleging he is being persecuted by powerful leaders within the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN).
The video comes months after Omolehin made some accusations against the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) and a few other Pentecostal denominations which he later apologised for.
In his latest claim, Omolehin detailed a discouraging experience where a church in Canada, which had invited him for ministration, turned him away upon arrival.
✈️ The Costly Trip and Unexpected Rejection
Omolehin recounted spending $8,000 of his personal funds on round-trip airfare for himself and his wife from Nigeria to Canada, under the promise that the amount would be refunded after his ministration.
Unfortunately, upon arrival, the church that invited him refused to grant him an audience, claiming they had received a directive from Nigeria not to allow him preach at the event. His incurred travel expenses were never refunded, leaving him dejected.
Omolehin shared that a similar scenario nearly unfolded during a subsequent invitation to Cape Town. His host there confirmed receiving instructions from the PFN leadership not to allow him to preach.
However, the host reportedly stood firm and insisted that he must preach. The host pastor asserted that the PFN would not be able to heal the sick or save the unsaved members of his congregation.
In the same video, Omolehin claimed to have found an ally in Pastor Arome Osayi, who allegedly confided that he, too, had suffered persecution from fellow pastors.
He did not mention the church in Canada throughout the message and did not give specific names of the people that were allegedly witch hunting him.
🗣️ Netizens Weigh In: Criticism and Caution
Since the video went viral, netizens have been expressing their opinions, with many seizing the opportunity to criticize the PFN’s alleged internal politics and actions.
Urem Odum highlighted a major red flag in Omolehin’s narrative: He wrote:
“Them telling you to spend your own money for flight was a red flag, spending your own N16 million just to go and preach hoping that it will be refunded wasn’t a good idea at all.” (Note: The approximate Naira equivalent was calculated based on the $8,000 mention, adding context.)
However, others urged for caution and maturity. Godstime Agidi wrote:
“I don’t disagree with this man entirely, but I also sense a measure of the flesh in the way this claim is being presented. This is already the second allegation against PFN or CAN, and truly, it feels like more salt is being added to an already open wound… Your points may be valid, but there seems to be some exaggeration.”
Agidi concluded by quoting scripture, emphasizing the need for wisdom: “A soft answer turns away wrath, but harsh words stir up anger.” (Proverbs 15:1)
David Antin Zoe acknowledged the claims but warned against church division:
“PFN and CAN look very politicized. They fought Pastor Chris and many others. We have a common enemy now who is trying to resist the gospel and killing more Christians, it is time to pray more, shout about the gospel more and see how lives of Christians in those hostile regions can be preserved.”
Chinesum Benjamin Nwankwo linked Omolehin’s story to broader church practices, suggesting it reveals a system of “alignment” and “clique” membership:
“Omoelehin’s story is the reason some ‘young ministers’ do certain things in the name of honour. It is not honour…. It is about alignment. It is about joining the clique. It is about being a part of the coven.”