A pastor of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) Oke-Igan, along Idanre road, Akure has been reportedly struck dead by lightening while praying on a mountain.
The deceased, Pastor Tunde Peter was said to be praying in the rain on the mountain when the thunder flashed and killed him. According to the police First Information Report (FIR) the deceased’s corpse was said to have been evacuated by his family and buried according to the Yoruba tradition.
The police report revealed that one Pastor J.F Agene and two others of the same church came to report the incident at the police station that ”one Pastor Tunde Peter of Temitope Street , Oke -Aro, Akure came to pray on the top of a mountain which is under their control along ldanre road , Akure at about 6pm last Sunday while it was raining”. The report said in the process, thunder struck the man and he died instantly.
Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer(PPRO), Femi Joseph confirmed the incident, explaining that the complainant further hinted that the wife of the deceased was contacted on phone who in turn informed the late pastor’s family members that came to evacuate the corpse according to Yoruba culture for burial. He hinted that the area where the incident occurred had remained calm.
Meanwhile, there was drama in Ketu Community of Ogun State on Saturday after a pastor became numb after attempting to pull down a shrine.
The cleric, identified as Wale Fagbenro, reportedly claimed he was directed by the “Holy spirit” to destroy the traditional worshippers’ shrine.
A witness said Mr. Fagbenro became “speechless and motionless” upon entering the shrine.
Residents of the area in Yewa North Local Government Area subsequently raised an alarm attracting a crowd to the scene.
The witness said when the priests in charge of the shrine were approached, they declared that the cleric would only regain consciousness after some rituals were performed.
However, the priests eventually treated Mr. Fagbenro after the traditional ruler of Aiyetoro, Abdulaziz Adelakun, intervened.
The police in Ogun said on Sunday that the incident was reported to them.
“The command got the report at her division in Ayetoro that one Evangelist Wale Fagbere went to Ketu to destroy traditional worshippers “shrines,” police spokesperson Abimbola Oyeyemi said.
“After the destruction, the man became unconscious, motionless and could not talk.”
Mr. Oyeyemi said the victim has been revived and “has been handed over to his family for more spiritual cleansing.”
He said the victim could still be charged for malicious damage if the traditional priests file a formal report
“Everybody has right to worship anything he so desires,”
I was beaten with charms
Pastor Prince Wale Fagbenro, has denied being struck by idols while destroying their shrines. Pastor Fagbenroe, who presides over Christ Apostolic Church, Ona-Iye, Ayetoro, said he was instructed not to utter a word after he destroyed the shrines. The embattled pastor spoke at a briefing organised by Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Ogun State chapter, yesterday, in Abeokuta, Ogun State. Pastor Fagbenro had told his congregation that he had been directed by God to destroy all the shrines in Ketu community. However, while carrying out the mission, he allegedly got stuck, looking like a statue. This prompted the people in the area to raise alarm. Reacting to the report, the state Chairman of CAN, Bishop Tunde Akin-Akinsanya, described the reports as exaggerated, adding that the body intended to change the misconception about the incident. While sharing his ordeal with newsmen, the embattled pastor, who said he comes from a ruling house, said he waited deliberately for the idol worshippers to see him.
‘I obeyed God’s instruction’
He said: “It was from God and direction by the Holy Spirit for the deliverance of Ayetoro from darkness. God told me that I should go to the shrine and bring out those things for the liberation of Ayetoro. “He told me to do three things in the shrine: evacuate the idols, step aside and watch the film and not say anything, when people come out to see me. I got there around 5a.m., and did as God asked me to. “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 anybody or the church. Although they tried many charms on me, none was effective. I am healthy.” Regional Coordinator of Yewa/Awori for Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Apostle Lola Dada, explained that the idol worshippers asked the pastor’s family to bring N300,000, while CAN was asked to pay N200,000 to appease the gods.
Dada, who spoke for CAN Chairman, said: “He was handed over to the police and the police charged the case to court. The idol worshippers withdrew the case from the court, saying they cannot take the son of their late oba to court and the case was withdrawn the same day. “The idol worshippers went to Jesus Triumphant Army Church at Ayetoro, which is headed by Pastor Wale Olojede. The church, which had hosted Prince Fagbenro, is close to the shrine. “The worshippers said it was the church that encouraged him to do what he did. So, the idol worshippers’ transferred their aggression to the church. They went there and barricaded the church with sacrifice and palm fronds, but the Christian youths removed them. “They demanded for things they want to use for sacrifice and asked the pastor’s family to pay N300,000, while CAN should bring N200,000, making it N500,000, for the sacrifice to appease their gods. But no money was given to them and peace has returned to the town.”
Pastor who invaded shrine to be prosecuted
In a related development, the Ogun State Police Command says it will prosecute pastor Wale Fagbenro, who allegedly invaded a traditional shrine in the Ketu area of Ayetoro.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Abimbola Oyeyemi, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Abeokuta on Monday that the cleric would be charged with malicious damage and conduct likely to cause a breach of the public peace.
“What he did was wrong and so he must be charged to court. If it was the other way round too, they would also be charged to court.
“Everyone has a right to worship whatever deity one chooses to worship without fear,” he said.
Oyeyemi, however, added that he could not tell in which court the accused would be arraigned as of press time.
NAN had reported that Fagbenro on Saturday attempted to pull down a traditional shrine in Ketu, in the Yewa North Local Government Area of the state.
But he was reported to have gone numb upon entering the shrine, attracting a crowd to the scene.
He, however, regained consciousness after the traditional ruler of the town, Oba Abdulaziz Adelakun, intervened and directed that some traditional rites be performed on him.
Source: abacityblog.com ; thenationonlineng.net
