Ogun Pastor Denies Being Struck by Idols, Says God Told Him to Keep Quiet After Destroying the Shrine

Illustrative Photo: A Shrine

Pastor  of the Christ Apostolic Church, (Ona-Iye) in Ayetoro, Wale Fagbere, who was allegedly transfixed in a shrine in Ketu community, Ayetoro, in the Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State, has denied being struck by idols while destroying the shrine, PUNCH reports.

Fagbere, who is said to be the son of the late King of the community, spoke at a press conference convened by Ogun State Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

Fagbere said he was carrying out a “divine assignment” and was told by God to keep quiet after destroying the shrine. He said he was motionless after the assignment.

“God told me that I should go to the shrines to bring out those things for the liberation of Ayetoro. God told me to do three things in the shrines.

That when I get there, I should evacuate, step aside and watch the film. He said I should not say anything when people come out to see me. So, I did as instructed by God on that day.

I got there around 5am and after I took out those things, God told me to wait and stay and I did.

God also told me to keep quiet. It was not their gods that held me; it was the idol worshippers that struck me with their charms.

When I was taken to the palace, I told them that all my actions were directed by God and not human beings or the church of God.

Although, they tried many charms on me, none was effective. I am healthy. I followed the instruction of God that I should be quiet and they also know the truth,” he said.

He said when he was taken to the palace of the Alaye of Ayetoro, Oba Abdulazeez Adelakun, he narrated what happened.

Fagbere allegdly got stuck in the shrine on September 20, while trying to destroy it. When people in the area found him motionless, they raised alarm and according to reports, the priests of the shrine revived him.

Fagbere said he deliberately waited in the shrines for the idol worshipers to see him.

Following the incident, Fagbere was charged with sacrilege and malicious damage but the idol worshipers withdrew the case.

According to the Regional Coordinator of Yewa/Awori, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Apostle Lola Dada, the idol worshipers asked the pastor’s family to contribute N300,000 while CAN was asked to pay N200,000, to appease the gods.

Dada who spoke for the state CAN Chairman, Bishop Tunde Akin-Akinsanya, said:

“He (Pastor Fagbere) was handed over to the police and the police charged the case to court. The idol worshipers withdrew the case from the court; they said they cannot take the son of their late Oba to court and the case was withdrawn the same day.”

Dada alleged that the idol worshipers went to, Jesus Triumphant Army Church, the church close to the shrine Fagbere destroyed, headed by Pastor Wale Olojede, and “barricaded the church with sacrifice and palm fronds, but the Christian youths removed them”.

“They said it was the church that encouraged him to do what he did. So, the idol worshipers transferred the aggression to the church. They barricaded the church with sacrifice and palm fronds, but the Christian youths removed them. They asked the family of the pastor to pay N300,000 while CAN should bring N200,000 for the sacrifice to appease their gods, but, no money was given to them and peace has returned to the town,” Dada said.

The Ogun State Police Spokesperson, Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed that the traditionalists had withdrawn the case.