The embattled Senior Pastor of CommonWealth Zion Assembly (COZA), Biodun Fatoyinbo, has finally bowed to pressure from aggrieved Nigerians following the rape allegations leveled against him, Igbere TV reports.
The clergyman has subsequently ‘stepped down’ as Senior Pastor of the congregation, pending when he is able to clear his name.
Igbere TV gathered that pastor Fatoyinbo said he was stepping aside for the church elders to “take charge.”
He also announced the suspension of a seven days programme of the church, which was supposed to commence this week.
Speaking on Sunday when he mounted the altar, the embattled pastor said the “Holy Spirit” directed him to suspend the programme.
Fatoyinbo stated that he was unhappy about the scandal rocking the church.
Igbere TV reports that the pastor has been widely criticised, with some Nigerians on Twitter asking him to step aside pending investigations into the rape allegations.
Our correspondent who monitored the service reports that members of the church hailed the pastor when he took to the pulpit on Sunday, with some screaming “pastor we love you.”
Recall that celebrity photographer and wife of musician Timi Dakolo, Busola, had accused Fatoyinbo of raping her.
The pastor, however, denied the allegations, saying he has not raped anyone “before” even as an unbeliever.
Protesters under the #ChurchTooMovement had on Sunday, stormed the church premises in protest against the development.
The protesters were seen with placards which read: ‘We are watching you,’ ‘Your Pastor is not your God,’ ‘Thou shall not rape’ and ‘No to sexual abuse in my church’ ‘God can forgive you in jail’ among others with the hashtag ‘#ChurchToo.’
The protesters, including one of the leaders of the Bring Back Our Girls movement, Aisha Yesufu, were seen wearing white in solidarity with victims of rape.
