Worshiping as Christian believers is one of the most important things we do individually and collectively because it reminds us of what we already believe, softens our hearts towards God and other human beings, affirms our participation in something larger than ourselves, and opens up non-believers to the truth of the gospel.
If a church member or Christian fails to enjoy or experience the aforementioned, then the member needs to examine himself / herself or needs to probe the church and church leaders.
If truly human being are the total image of God in moral, spiritual and intellectual nature as stated in Gen 1 vs. 27, we need not to put ourselves into brutal torture and wicked imprisonment.
“Injury to one is an injury to all” and “When you see any nation afraid to tell the oppressor that he is an oppressor, they have been forsaken.” (Musnad Ahmad)
The Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM), one of Nigeria’s largest Pentecostal churches, has found itself embroiled in a controversy over allegations of oppression and injustice leveled by former members. Two ex-officials of the church have come forward with shocking claims of imprisonment, torture, and denial of due process, sparking calls for accountability and intervention from Christian bodies and human rights organizations.
At the center of the storm is Pastor Femi Jimoh, who served as an MFM pastor until his alleged unjust incarceration in 2008. In a recent interview on Yoruba Gidi TV, the 30-year-old Jimoh recounted a harrowing ordeal that began when he claimed to have seen the church’s Chief Security Officer, Mr. Gbadamosi, at a traditional healer’s residence.
Referring to MFM’s founder and General Overseer, Jimoh stated, “I was arrested for threatening the lives of Mr. Gbadamosi and Dr. D.K. Olukoya, I was unjustly imprisoned for 9 years; I was shot in a leg while at the Sabo Police Station in Lagos, and I am still sustaining the injury with a heart problem till date.”
Jimoh’s allegations were corroborated by his 77-year-old mother, Mrs. Alice Jimoh, who remains an MFM member. “With bitterness in my heart, I made an effort to beg G.O. Dr. Olukoya for my son’s release,” she revealed. “But I was shocked when I was told that Pastor Femi would be released if he lied against himself, i.e., plead guilty in court.”
Adding to the chorus of accusations is Mr. Caleb Oloruntele, a former high-ranking usher at MFM International. In his Yoruba Gidi TV interview, Oloruntele, a converted Christian from Islam, claimed that Dr. Olukoya “wanted him dead because he refused to testify falsely against Pastor Femi Jimoh.” Oloruntele alleged that he was “prosecuted in 2008 with no evidence” and subjected to brutal torture, including having his hand dislocated and suffering temporary disabilities.
Surprisingly, both Jimoh and Oloruntele found vindication in court, with a judge pronouncing them “acquitted and discharged” after the testimony of Oriyomi Amao, the son of a herbalist and hotel manager where they were allegedly framed. Also, an Industrial Court in December 2023 ordered MFM to pay them all their salaries and entitlements from 2008 to 2023 within 30 days, with a 10% annual interest penalty for non-compliance.
In response to the accusations, MFM’s Chief Legal Adviser, Davidson Adejuwon, issued a strongly worded statement refuting the allegations as “false, mischievous, misleading, and cruel.” Adejuwon contended that Jimoh and Oloruntele were granted bail but failed to meet the conditions, stating, “Clearly, all that was expected of Mr. Jimoh, his mother and relatives, as well as Caleb and his relatives, was to get credible sureties to meet the bail condition.”
Adejuwon defended the church’s actions, asserting, “MFM is a responsible church that seriously takes all its members’ welfare, safety, and security. As such, a case of planned armed attack on credible intelligence against the church, which could have led to the death of any member, cannot be treated and handled internally by the church. We must report such issues to the law enforcement agency saddled with investigating and dealing with them. And that was exactly what we did as a responsible church.”
The legal adviser further clarified that “what transpired at the police station and during the trial was beyond the church’s control,” as it was “a case between the state and the defendants.”
The allegations have sparked outrage among human rights advocates and Christian organizations, who have called for immediate action and intervention. The Social Rights and Christian Leadership Forum (SRCLF), an NGO dedicated to fighting for the oppressed, described the situation as “a high level of oppression, cruel characters, and unfair exercise of authority and power by those wicked actors involved in putting those MFM pastors and members in a brutal and pitiful situation.”
Comrade Oguntimehin Oluwafemi, the leader of the SRCLF, has urged the Christian Association of Nigerians (CAN) and the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) to “take action immediately and fight to defend the people’s rights.” Oluwafemi warned that “silencing on a matter like this will not be too good and is a sign of betrayal,” referring to CAN’s mandate to cater for the spiritual and moral welfare of Christians and PFN’s role as the defender of faith for Pentecostal believers.
The Human Rights Watch World Report 2024 highlights the precarious state of the human rights system, noting that “governments overlook the fact that the responsibilities to protect human rights reside first and foremost with the states themselves.” In light of this, the SRCLF has called upon the Federal Government and Nigerian Police to “quickly set up a committee to review the aforementioned cases of victims and ensure those involved in such unjust activities and atrocities are brought to justice for the sustenance of human rights, promotion of the rule of law, and protection of religion.”
Furthermore, the SRCLF has directly appealed to Dr. Daniel D.K. Olukoya to “come out to the public in person and not in proxy to debunk these online and treading stories by his former members and pastors levied against him and his church.” The organization believes that addressing the allegations personally is “the only way to prevent this rumor,” stating that “silence means consent” and that doing so “can only bring more confidence to dedicated members and Christians at large and make your office earn more respect.”
As the controversy continues to unfold, it has become a rallying cry for the Nigerian Christian community to confront oppression and injustice within its ranks. “Nigerians and the entire Christian community must wake up and fight back against all the oppressors and intimidators in the Christian fold,” the SRCLF declared, echoing the words of Desmond Tutu: “It means a great deal to those who are oppressed to know that they are not alone. Never let anyone tell you that what you are doing is insignificant.”
The allegations against MFM have struck a chord with human rights advocates and religious leaders alike, who recognize the urgency of addressing such claims and upholding the principles of justice and human dignity. As the famous quote by Martin Luther King, Jr. reminds us, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
Oguntimehin Oluwafemi John, is the National President Social Rights and Christians Leadership Forum (SRCLF, Lagos, Nigeria
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