By Moses Oludele Idowu
The modern pulpit of Nigeria suffers from three major demerits at this present time: moral anarchism, intellectual nihilism and what a foreign scholar calls, “pentecostal ahistoricism.” This is more pronounced in the pentecostal segment of the Church.
Rarely do you open the pages of newspapers or the internet without been assailed with news of moral calamity involving one pastor or the other. Even if only half of these stories are true it should be deeply concerning.
Yesterday I was told of a General Overseer who took the wife of his own pastor and of another who impregnated a girl and then arranged the death of the girl with the pregnancy and then also preached the funeral. And for all these, people did not stop going to his church. The source of these stories is a honest man and distinguished preacher, Isaac Omolehin, or I won’t have believed it.
That is how bad things have become. That is the level today. What even traditionalists won’t do today persons miscalled by the name of pastors are willing to do! Moral anarchy is a reality now in modern pulpit. If you allow the women in most churches to talk uncensored, you would understand my drift.
There is another terrible thing wrong with the modern Nigerian pulpit: its chronic ahistoricism. The average Nigerian pastor knows very little of history especially his own Church History. I have had to reflect on this in time past. [ See Nigerian Pastors and the Burden of History] And even the leaders are not better.
Witness the many illiterate statements made by several prominent pastors in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak and the lockdown of churches and schools because many of them were not aware that a similar thing had happened before in 1918 even in Nigeria.
As a result of this I have had some of the most scandalous statements made by even leaders of the Church. Ignorance is never so ugly except when it resides and is expressed by leadership and from a pulpit. It is no wonder Paul counseled: ” In malice be ye children but in understanding be men.” The hand that sets the standard must be precise.
It is against this background that I want to address and carefully debunk some of the illiterate statements that have been flying around, made by some pastors against one of the most distinguished saints that God ever sent to the black race, possibly to Humanity.
The Importance of Foundation
I am first of all an engineer before been a theologian, writer, historian; so I know the importance of foundation in structural stability. And just as there are physical foundations for the physical building and structures there are also spiritual foundation on which our spiritual edifices stand.
In every nation, in every clime God raises a man or woman at critical periods of history to play certain roles, serve as a beacon, an ensign, a base for generations. These are the foundation layers; and they are found in every field: religion, culture, business, politics etc.
It is gross unwisdom when you,- by an act of omission or commission- undermine the foundation on which the stability of whole movements, structure, culture, society stand. It is gross unwisdom when you by an action, suggestions, statements or body language create the impression that brings a foundation or a foundation layer to ridicule in the popular imagination.
It is not just unwisdom, it is sacrilege. It is not just mere ignorance, it is enemy action. It is worse if those things said are not even true. Whoever undermines a God- ordained foundation of society does great evils to the souls of men.
An apostle is first of all a foundation layer before he is anything. Not all apostles are however foundation layers. Joseph Ayo Babalola is a very good example of a foundation – layer, a foundational apostle, a man for his time.
The CAC document titled “Observations About Babalola” (1943) brings this out vividly showing his extraordinary characteristics. Of course CAC of 1943 is far different and a far cry from the politicised and factionalized CAC of today.
The Great Revival of 1930 which God used him to pioneer is still the origin of both the Apostolic Church and Christ Apostolic Church ( inspite of what some revisionists are saying) and no revival has measured to it before then or equal to it after that time. That was a foundational apostle, just like the Twelve were the Foundational Apostles of the Lamb.
In every nation you have certain characters, unusual people like that, called to put in place certain things. In Germany it is Martin Luther; in Britain it is John Wesley, Scotland it is John Knox, in Ghana it is Peter Anim; in Congo it is Simon Kimbangu and in South Africa it is Elias Letwaba.
This is the same man that some pastors, untutored and unlearned, ignorant and arrogant, deficient in Logic and bereft of history are dragging to the mud with statements that are neither true nor factual. I will repay each of you according to the level of ignorance displayed.
The white men are really wiser than blacks because they treasured their own foundations even with all the flaws.
Germany, nay the whole Europe, treasured the memory of Luther. The Nazis reverred and adored him because of what he did for German Liberation. Allied pilots during World War II risked their lives to make sure they did not bombed Luther’s church and burial ground because they knew enough that Luther belonged to them too.
England today still honour the memory of Wesley because historians now agreed that the Wesleyan Revival saved Britain from a bloody revolution – a fate suffered by France. The books to read are Wesley’s England ( 332p.) by J.H.Whiteley and Wesley and His Century (530p.) by W.H. Fitchet
Africans have not learned this lesson and Africa will suffer for this in the days to come. Witness how some of your “scholars” lampoon Bishop Ajayi Crowther and how your pastors now rail on Babalola? “Whom the gods would destroy they first make mad.”
I have addressed the former with a landmark essay ( See *Esu and His Sympathisers: The Defense of Samuel Ajayi Crowther)
1. Dr. Sunday Adelaja’s Broadcast on Babalola
The very first attack on Social Media particularly YouTube on Babalola and his calling and ministry was by the Ukraine- based pastor, Sunday Adelaja. Although he tried to hide under the guise of scholarship there was nothing substantial other than chaff in his postulations.
After the broadcast was brought to my attention I meticulously debunked and disproved all his statements in a 16-page essay with an offer to meet me in a public debate over the issues and with a challenge to anyone who can fault the claims by me to assist him. He has not responded till today. He was silenced thenceforth. [See ” Between Babalola and Elton: The Origin of Pentecostalism and the Distortion of National Historiography
2. Pastor S.O. Oladele and the Story of Babalola’s Sores
The first subtle yet sinister attack after Adelaja on Babalola came from the most unlikely source: his own church, CAC and from the most unlikely person, the president of the organization or one of the factions of the organization. In the video or clip which I watched several times he did mention that it was said that Babalola had a sore on his leg till he died. I think he was speaking about trial of Faith or something like that.
Although he might not have meant evil and the statement was innocently made it was unfortunate all the same and not well thought- out. It really pained me that he made the statement and from him considering the seat he occupies. He should have weighed carefully the implications.
As someone correctly observes that statement became the alibi and the exhibit that other pastors are now using to also attack Babalola.
It is really unfortunate. I have a very high regard for Pastor S.O. Oladele considering him a sound teacher of the Bible. I first listened to him in America at the CAC Village in Pennsylvania and I came with the distinct impression shared by other colleagues that he was a sound teacher of the Word. He was then the General Superintendent. When he became the president I felt that CAC will have a new life under his regime.
Thus when I saw that video clip I was shocked. I was also troubled by it. What end is this information – which is not even true in the absolute sense – meant to serve or convey?
I have heard some good things about Pastor Oladele but I have also heard some terrible and damaging things. A prophet of his own denomination, one Nasiri Oluwagbemidide has in a YouTube video
for instance calls him “the last born of Satan.” How about that? What goes round comes round.
Let us now address this issue about the sore.
S.O. Oladele did not witness the Babalola phenomenon. Whatever he recounts is possibly what he heard or read from books or records. This is one major impediment to his story on Babalola. He didn’t know him in person. His case is different from Pastor E.H.L Olusheye (or Pastor Adegoroye) who actually knew and even worked with Babalola in the last four to five years of his life.
I am a Babalola scholar by God’s Grace and an authority on his life, work, time and even revivals. I have spoken and interviewed people who worked with him right from the beginning in 1930 till he died in 1959. Men like E.A.Babade, David Babajide, E. Aboge, Ogunleye, Adebayo, Adedeji, etc. In addition family members like Mrs Osoba ( Mama Osogbo), Dns Olanrewaju ( his sister) and daughters. Apart from this I was in Efon- Alaaye for a period of time in 1997 doing field work going from house to house interviewing several people who knew him firsthand. So whatever I say on Babalola is not mere conjecture, it is based on fact, historical fact.
What is strange to me is that not even a single time has anyone mentioned this sore on his leg. Or is it possible that none of these people could see or remember?
Babalola’s itinerary for the last few weeks of his life is well known and the log of his last journeys in the last four days from 23 July – 26th when he died are with me including the people he met, most of whom I interviewed. Not a single person ever mentioned that he was sick or have any sore on his leg and he was wearing shoes.
So of what significance is a sore that does not stop a person from his assignment or work? And no preacher or pastor or politician worked the way Babalola worked. He was a machine of the Holy Ghost – at least all the informants agreed that he was difficult to imitate.
I asked the daughter, Deaconess Oginni who was already 18 an adult, when the father died what he knew about the sore on Babalola and she too was shocked. She said she never even saw her father once take hot water or cold water to treat any sore. That it was insignificant.
So I ask Pastor Oladele, where did you get this information or story from?
Sincerely, I think you could have made your point without this allusion which is controversial, suspect that is even disproved by many eyewitnesses of the man and his work.
Here was his itinerary in the last 48 hours:
Babalola arrived Odo- Owa/ Iloffa from Warri on 23 July. He left Odo- Owa/ Ilofa in the morning of 24th July for Efon-Alaaye arriving late. That same night he left Efon-Alaaye by 9.00pm for Ibadan to attend Leaders meeting. He left Ibadan late on 25th July for Ede arriving late and on Sunday attended the service where Pastor Medaiyese preached and he only shared the benediction.
How can a man with sores on his leg have kept this itinerary without complaints and without pain? What kind of sore could this be?
3 . Odedoyin and Wilderness Tales
Not long after the Oladele clip was shown on Facebook and other media a certain man name Odedoyin came online on YouTube and began to attack the fathers of the Faith with a special emphasis on Joseph Babalola.
Expectedly, he dwelt on the unverified, unbalanced story provided by S.O. Oladele to drive his arrows against Babalola. In one of the videos he railed against Babalola saying that people should stop following him and that it was while going to the wilderness to seek for power that he got sores that killed him.
Now, this is falsehood – absolute, irrational and stupid falsehood. But it wasn’t his fault, the head of the church himself has given them the arsenal based on “fact” that only himself knows.
Odedoyin made other videos but I discovered he is ignorant and illiterate on the subject matter and how do I engage him? Unlike Adelaja who is at least a scholar and learned and can understand and reason how do I engage “Prophet” Odedoyin who goes to the wilderness to seek his god?
I decided to ignore him. Till now.
4. True Christian Faith
Another fellow, an elderly man debuted on YouTube castigating all Nigerian leaders both past and present. He took a particularly dislike and tried to deconstruct Babalola. In a video titled “Babalola: Whose Apostle Was he?” he tried to even question Babalola’s calling or ministry attributing even his modest efforts to demons.
This man is elderly but I sympathize with him because he is truly ignorant. When I say Nigerians are ignorant people take offense but it is true. That this man has thousands following him worry me. If this man ever had an education he didn’t show even a little of it. I can’t even see a whiff of discernment and logic.
Here is a man who doesn’t even know what an historical fact is and what primary source of information is or to differentiate it from a secondary sources. Here was a man making judgement on Babalola based on Johnson Suleiman video instead of getting the actual information about the life of the figure he was addressing. It is a long time I saw an elderly man so dense, cocky and arrogant in his ignorance.
I pity the blind following him and cheering him and where they will end. When the blind leads the blind the destination is clear.
Biodun Fatoyinbo: Babalola Was Anointed but Poor
The raging controversy now is that of Biodun Fatoyinbo of Commonwealth of Zion Assembly in Abuja. In a video clip I saw he said Babalola was anointed but he had no money. Then to rub it in he asked, “Where are his children?”
It was an insolent remark, very thoughtless and reckless in all ramifications. It is also idiotic. This is the intellectual nihilism that I speak about at the beginning. Where did he get the information forming the foundational basis of his statements or was he speaking from ignorance?
From where did he get the information that he had no money or wasn’t rich? This is the hazard that these prosperity preachers constitute to our cosmos. The other day one in Port Harcourt said Jesus visited only to the poor at home like Zaccheaus.
They rarely read. They dont intellectualise… Just money, money…. And more.money. The Gospel of Money.
Let us now consider the facts. I will only state three verifiable facts to debunk the trite and illiterate idea or comment of Babalola’s poverty. He wasn’t poor in anyway.
He had a car and a driver
The very first evidence contradicting Fatoyinbo’s infantile illusory thesis is the fact that Babalola had a car in a day when only few had. He used and changed cars twice before he died.
Before his death he gave Babajide, his assistant money to buy a car for the work of evangelism.
In the 1930-50’s Nigeria only four classes of people owned cars – top traditional rulers, very senior colonial officials, captains of industries ( white and black) and very senior missionaries. Now for Babalola to fall into this category shows he couldn’t have been poor by the standard of his day. We are.to judge him by the standard of his day not of our day. Or is Fatoyinbo expecting him to be riding a jet then?
Taking care of children
The second reason which debunking the assertion of poverty is the fact that Babalola had children that he takes care of. At his death they gathered the children together,they were running to about 50. Pastor Olusheye already told me about these children that they brought from the North to train here in the South.
Now someone who could provide for the sustenance of that number of children cannot be poor by any standard. Even David Oyedepo the shining star and poster boy of Prosperity School of Nigerian Pentecostalism that Fatoyinbo and his fellow travellers aim to be, even at the peak of his glory never trained or fed 50 children at a go. That puts the lie to the statement that he had no money.
Pastor Olusheye told me in an interview that is recorded on tape that he did not know any pastor who received money like Babalola. He was blessed. But he was a distributor of wealth not a hoarder, as the daughter remembers, unlike most of today’s prosperity preachers living in wanton luxury and sleeping on oxygen bed while their congregation wallow in stinking and grinding poverty. He wasn’t like that, he did not possess that type of spirit because as Babajide once said, “Babalola was a true lamb of Jesus Christ.”
Herr is a final point to discredit that thesis once for all. History bears witness to this and anyone can crosscheck it.
In 1929 there was a New York Stock Market Crash leading to global economic recession. Industries closed. Businesses shut down across the world. Prices of cocoa fell drastically – the mainstay of 85% of the people of Western Nigeria. Farmers cried. This was where Nigeria was when God’s servant Apostle Babalola arrived the scene at the Great Revival at Oke-Ooye in Ilesha in 1930.
He came when Nigerians were poor and desperate but few months into the Revival the tides turned. Boom came again. Prosperity arrived not just for him but for all and for the farmers as prices of cocoa shut up again and there was a recovery.
That is the true prosperity, that is a true servant of God. Paul said, We are as poor but making many rich. Babalola’s ministry made a nation rich. He met Nigeria in dire needs and poverty and changed the condition for the better. That is Apostolic Ministry.
Today Fatoyinbo and his band of prosperity preachers owned jets and building multi- billion naira building and complexes while Nigeria remains the world capital of poverty. Something is not right. I see another spirit at work.
Conclusion
On a final note there is a reason why this is serious. At the beginning I spoke about foundation and the danger of undermining foundation.
You don’t bear a foundation, a foundation bears you; you don’t support a foundation, a foundation support you. So if you undermine a foundation you are destroying your own work too and be ready for a collapse because you too stand on that foundation.
When Adelaja was running his mouth against Babalola I warned him about this. You can’t undermine foundation without endangering your own position.
Today Adelaja has lost his home, church building to Russian bombs and he is moving from one nation to another like a wandering spirit. Our actions provoke consequences both now and later although we may not be able to trace it to it.
In all we do or say let us think.
A word for the wise is enough.
For further reading on Babalola, Revival, life, works etc:
- Moses Oludele Idowu, The Great Revival of 1930
- ——- Acts of Power: The Spread of Great Revival and the Birth of Apostolic Christianity in Nigeria
- ——- Babalola: Mantle of Apostle
- ——– Babalola: Foundation of an Apostle
- ———- Babalola: Collected Works of an Apostle
- ———- Babalola: Instrument of Revival
- ———– Babalola: Signs of an Apostle ( Forthcoming)
Thank you patient reader, thank you for your patience.
© Moses Oludele Idowu
August 14, 2025
All Rights Reserved
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