Bishop David Oyedepo’s Faith Tabernacle, also known as Winners’
Chapel, is currently enmeshed in a controversy over a missing two-year
old baby, whose name has been given as Praise.
Samuel
Eleng and his wife, Favour, said their daughter disappeared at the
children’s department of the church located in Sango-Ota, Ogun State,
Southwest Nigeria about a year ago and that since then, the self
acclaimed Bishop and his church had been doing everything possible to
hide the matter from the public.
Mr. Eleng explained that the sad
experience brought about by the missing child began on 17 April, 2011,
which happened to be an Easter Sunday.
According to him, when the
family got to the church, the couple handed Praise and her twin sister,
Glory, over to the school teachers under whose custody many other
children were kept.
He said the teachers gave them two tags as proof that their children were at the department for that day.
However,
after the church service, the parents went back for their kid only to
discover that Praise had gone missing from the class and that the
teachers under whose care the children were kept were said to have gone
inside the church at that period when parents came back to pick their
kids.
“I saw my wife around the vicinity of the Children’s
Section, she was crying. She told me that Praise was missing,” Mr. Eleng
explained, adding that they eventually got hold of one of the four
teachers allegedly in charge of the children’s class, and that the said
teacher was also confused regarding Praise’s whereabouts.
“She
claimed not to know but advised us to check other classes. So we started
moving around from class to class, around the church premises,” he said
further, stressing that after the futile search, he and his wife became
apprehensive but still hopeful and that they waited until after most
people had gone home before reporting the issue to Oyedepo, who the
couple said prayed and joined them in the search after he had told them
that he did not see “any evil signal in the disappearance of the little
girl.”
Since then, the couple said, the family had continued to
look for their child and according to Samuel, “I was thinking so many
things; how can I come to the house of God and my child will suddenly
disappear? Even if it was time for rapture, how can it just pick my
child only?”
He said the case was later reported at the Police
Area Command in Onipanu, Sango-Ota in Ogun State by the church’s Chief
Security Officer, Supol Cosmas, and that Ijeoma Lawal was assigned as
the Investigating Police Officer, IPO.
However, an unconfirmed
report claimed that the four teachers connected with the case were never
interrogated or asked to make statements.
When it appeared the
police were not making any success at finding Praise, the parents
decided to go public with the photographs of the missing girl and that
he went to a television station (name withheld) where he was interviewed
He
however said during the announcement, the station made some
misrepresentation of facts and that when he called, he was told by
Desmond that the church told them that the child got missing at the
family home and not the church.
“Even the IPO called me to say that she watched the broadcast and was shocked at what was reported.
“…Is
it a sin for me to go to a church of God with my family? This is a year
since my child disappeared under the church’s custody.
“…How can the church interfere with police investigation?” he asked.
He
said he had made several attempts to get the four teachers interrogated
to no avail, adding that in August last year, the police told him the
church called and asked that the case be withdrawn as the little girl
had been found, but that this was not true.
Provoked by the shoddy
handling of the issue, Mr. Eleng said he went to the church to make
some trouble and that right from then, Bishop Oyedepo stopped picking
his calls.
He said he again met Oyedepo on 12 April, 2012, almost a
year after Praise went missing and that after reminding him that his
daughter had not been found, the Bishop told him to be prayerful for God
to strengthen him so the child could be found.
When our newsmen
contacted the Divisional Police Oofficer, DPO, of Onipanu station at
Ota, called Jide on phone this morning, he directed him to the Ogun
State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, ASP Muyiwa Adejobi.
Adejobi confirmed the incident and gave an assurance that the matter will not be swept under the carpet.
It is true, there was a case like that being handled by a unit of the station called Juvenile and Women Centre (JWC).
“The
DPO confirmed that his men are in Lagos looking for a suspect in the
case. It is a case we may not be able to finish within a day or two. We
will continue to monitor our men investigating the matter now that we
have been fully briefed. The family should exercise patience. We
understand their feelings. I can assure them that we will get to the
root of the matter.”
The police spokesman further assured the family of the command’s readiness to assist get to the root of the matter.
If
the family are not feeling comfortable with the way the police in
Onipanu are handling the matter, you as a journalist can help them by
giving them our numbers so they can get across to us. The DPO too will
now step up action to ensure that the matter is accelerated,” he added.
One
of the pastors of the church who spoke with newsmen under
anonymity disclosed that the case of the missing child and some matters
going on in the church have forced many of the pastors to either resign
or step aside.
He said: “my brother, I don’t want any problem with
my life. As it is now, I will soon leave the church. Crises upon crisis
all the time. Are we the only church in Nigeria? Daddy has lost grip of
that place, that I can confirm but who are we to talk?
“There are
some cabals as we have in the government circle who are not faithful
and sincere with the Lord. Sooner or later, the wheat will be separated
from the chaff. I pity Mr Samuel, the father of the missing girl. How on
earth can you explain that your child is missing? It is a taboo in
Yorubaland. A proverb says, ‘my child is dead is better than my child is
missing.’ All our efforts to let Daddy see the implications of some of
these issues, always proved abortive as the cabals will never allow him
to either see you or listen to you.”
Another pastor in the church,
identified as Pastor Dare, when contacted on phone this morning,
declined to comment and simply said, “I don’t know anything about the
matter and please don’t drag me into it, thanks.”
The presiding
Bishop of the church, Bishop David Oyedepo was recently sued for N2
billion by one of the female members for allegedly assaulting her. The
matter is still pending at the Ogun State High Court in Abeokuta.
Source: PM News
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Hmeee no comments for now.
ReplyDeletePASTORS, WATCH WHAT YOU SAY. REMEMBER, GOD IS THE JUDGE OF ALL. IF YOU DO NOT FLOW WITH YOUR FOUNDER AGAIN, LEAVE BECAUSE YOU CANNOT RECEIVE THROUGH HIM. ALSO, JUDGE NOT BECAUSE YOU CERTAINLY CANNOT BE BOLD TO CAST THE FIRST STONE. BEWARE, SO YOU DO NOT INCURE THE WRATH OF GOD. REMAIN BLESSED.
ReplyDeleteOga! Don't let us just be so dogmatic that any little thing or accusation brought against a Pastor, the next thing we say is "Touch not my anointed" or " Do not incur the wrath of God". Yes God is the judge of all but He also gave us a mind to reason. So we can all think and if something is not looking right, we should be able to say. Have you taken a moment to imagine you are that Mr. Samuel and that was your daughter? Tell me, what will you say if it were your daughter? If this happened in the developed world, be assured, that Pastor or G.O will smell hell, if he doesn't end up in jail, he is lucky. Read the news about Erastus Akingbola and some other Pastors involved in fraud. United Kingdom did not waste time in prosecuting them. There is nothing like "Do not incur the wrath of God" and for all I know, there is no wrath of God that will fall unbehalf of a Pastor living outside God's will. Pls. Do not let us again put ourselves in bondage, this is what destroyed Africa till date. You are free, and whom the lord has set free is free indeed. I am a born again Christian too, but am not afraid to say if something is wrong even in my own Church. The other thing I do is to make sure I pray for them. But pls. Set yourself free be bold to challenge a wrong doing wherever you see one.
Deleteshalom!
God wil c d Bishop n winners chapel tru dis trying period. Shalom!
ReplyDeleteFROM GENESIS TO REVELATION,THEIR WILL ALWAYS BE A CABAL IN THE HOUSE OF GOD.AND I PRAY GOD SHOULD INTERVERN IN THIS MATTER.IT IS WELL IN JESUS NAME.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, are you saying that a general overseer cannot be criticized by his pastors if he is erring? If the church is actually involved in a cover up of the poor child by making fallacious statements to the police and the press, then the General Overseer must be criticized.
ReplyDeleteWhen will the disease of the pentacotal churches and so-called men of (g)od be eradicated from our environment? These people are nothing but Sorcerers, deceiving poor and ignorant Nigerians; and leeches feeding fat on the sweat of the poor and downtrodden people of this country.
ReplyDeleteThe ability to curb their excesses and bring them to order was circumscribed the very day the mumu that was supposed to be the number one citizen of this country knelt down with his eyes closed, in front of Pastor Adeboye, to be prayed for be the so-called man of (g)od. We are in a sorry state!
A toddler missing in a church? Please call the juju man.
ReplyDeletewe all should mind Wat we say! may the lord help us all and teach us to number our days, so we can apply wisdom in all we do!
ReplyDeleteDoes who go for miracle making churches be warned! Remember, "false prophets shall rise & shall deceive many..." Does who have ears, let them hear. Worship with an open heart brothers & sisters.
ReplyDeleteThis is incredible that a parent will miss their child in a church where we worship God. What exactly is happening in this era.
ReplyDeletePls a thorough investigation should commence to get to the root of this and the were about of this toddler made known. The church authourity should have made more effort than they did to find the child this is over a year now, am a mother and i can understand the pain in loosing a child. The Oyedepo himself should provide the teachers involved for proper interrogation and everything should be made public.
ReplyDeleteThis is sad and I simphatize with the Samuels, lets pray that God would allow the girl to be found and in good health condition.
ReplyDeleteThe role of the church is HIGHLY suspicious: First, all the children' teachers disappeared when they were supposed to hand-back kids to parents just like all of Bola Ige's security went to each when he was killed... Oyedepo who claimed he 'saw no evil in the disappearance' should try and use same alleged visor (spiritual eye) to see the girl's location and abductor!
The TV station colluded with the church to present false information after the father was interviewd (that is criminal and was either done for pecuniary gains or because someone there is a blind follower of the 'Ota daddy GO').
That the four teachers have not been interrogated shows the police too is being influenced to protect the church and her officials and hide lapses... that is why those pastors who can not continue with the shenagigans are resigning.
Is the assualt suit by the lady slapped for being 'winch 4 Jesus' or another woman?
Seek the Lord and His truth and you shall find it NOT at these religious business empires...
I was just weeping for the parents of the missing child after reading this story. I wonder why so many nigerians are so foolish when it comes to supporting all these so CALLED men of God. The church is supposed to be the most transparent of bodies, yet this case shows that there is something they are hiding. As a leader of HIS CHURCH, he should be the one at the forefront in the search of the child, rather than making ridiculous statements like i cant see “any evil signal in the disappearance of the little girl.” If no evil signal where then is the child after one year. A pastor in the church is confirming bad things in the church people hear are defending what they know nothing about. For God's sake there are evil people every where . That they come in the name of God do not mean we should believe them even Christ and God Himself forewarned us. Be wise nigerian and lets search for this child together since the one in charge is hiding something
ReplyDeleteTHE LORD WILL HELP US.
ReplyDeleteYou must be fOolish oh ye church slave. Ask God to open ur eyes and see what is going on in those big churches. I hope they have not exchange ur destiny with others bcos this is what is happening in big churches -destiny exchange.
ReplyDeleteSooner than later, God will reveal the secret behind the self acclaimed men of god.it is disheartening that despite all the odd things attributed to these churches and peolple,Nigerians will still follw them dogmatically.May God deliver us from evil perpetrated by satan in disguise. amin
ReplyDeleteAH!!!! This is nothing but a rapture though it may not be to hevean
ReplyDeleteThis report seems not too accurate.17/4/2011 was never Ester sunday.Ester sunday was 24/4/2012.Mr.Samuel get serious,this is a case of a missing child of yours so don't allow quark journalist to make a mockry of this case.Start making arrest now.
ReplyDeleteI truly sympathize with the Samuel's. The story is so touching and pathetic. I strongly believe this is a church and Pastor the family cherished and believed in, until the sad situation stepped in. I will rather not condemn or judge anyone, instead i join the Samuel's in prayers for safe discovery of their child because with God all things are possible. I also pray that the enemies of the church should not take advantage of the crowd to speak on behalf of where they do not belong and act on what they do not know. I also pray that an enemy of the church will not stand in anonymity to say i am one of the pastors of the church and speak when he is not. A WORD IS ENOUGH FOR THE WISE.
ReplyDeletePAPA I advice, please join in search of the one lost soul.
Less all follow Christ teaching of God as the bible tell us and stop taken men of God to be Jesus whether they are true men of God or not.
ReplyDeleteWe should not condemn the church or man of God.
ReplyDeleteReasons:We don't know the efforts the church have taken both in prayer & in physical search.We should not believe anyone claiming anything without individually confirming the truth.What I know is that,Wnners chapel is a successful church & any successful being or organisation has enemies.
The church has started in their location 13yrs ago,there is no case of missing child or fellow recorded.
The church is always crowded,anyone can hide there in the name of member/attendee to perpetuate evil.This may not be the fault of the church head or the workers.
I only commensurate with the Samuel family.I join you in prayers that God will search out the missing lad wherever she/he is.
A church should not be seen or classified as successful but as a Holy-spirit filled church. majority are looking for where they will be allowed to present themselves in whateva fashion wear they desire to put on to the church with the mind set that God sees the heart and is not interested in what they wear even when their conscience, their inner man, knows the truth. You will never see majority in bible believing churches but rather in business believing churches, healing advertising churches, notice-me churches, and all the likes. What is the foundation of the church you attend? What is the history of the church you attend? How humble is the founder or pastor? one time news reported that Erelu mention bishop Oyedepo as being a member of a certain cult. Can the faithful pastors proof her wrong? With this recent happening of a child missing in the house of God be a confirmation of what that woman said? 'successful church in deed' successful in what? number of church goers and not christains? number of exotic cars? number of skimpy dresses? number of how wealth you are?
ReplyDeleteYou see great[strange] things are happening these days. One thing is sure, the Children Church Teachers are to be blamed for their lapses. The Church has put in place a system that should help them monitor and protect the chilren in their care.-presentation of tags to parents. Therefore, in a crowded area like that, they are expected to watch with an eagle eye, Imagine leaving those children alone after service.
ReplyDeleteThe Church would not want its image to be stained by such a ridiculous allegation, I guess that is why they have been avoiding being taken to the public or allowing the police to interrogate the teachers.
My advice to the GO is that he should allow the police to do their investigations, who knows, some of the teachers might be involved in this nefarious act.
i am not surprised at this, we know that church is a business center.
ReplyDeleteChristian Bro and Sis! Don't let us just be so dogmatic that any little thing or accusation brought against a Pastor, the next thing we say is "Touch not my anointed" or " Do not incur the wrath of God". Yes God is the judge of all but He also gave us a mind to reason. So we can all think and if something is not looking right, we should be able to say. Have you taken a moment to imagine you are that Mr. Samuel and that was your daughter? Tell me, what will you say if it were your daughter? If this happened in the developed world, be assured that Pastor or G.O will smell hell, if he doesn't end up in jail, he is lucky. Read the news about Erastus Akingbola and some other Pastors involved in fraud. United Kingdom did not waste time in prosecuting them. There is nothing like "Do not incur the wrath of God" and for all I know, there is no wrath of God that will fall unbehalf of a Pastor living outside God's will. Pls. Do not let us again put ourselves in bondage, this is what destroyed Africa till date. You are free, and whom the lord has set free is free indeed. I am a born again Christian too, but am not afraid to say if something is wrong even in my own Church. The other thing I do is to make sure I pray for them. But pls. Set yourself free be bold to challenge a wrong doing wherever you see one.
ReplyDeleteshalom!