How does one explain the rape of three men in a country with more homophobic people than human beings with some sense of humanity in them? Yes, we know, we use the word hypocrisy.

But, it is more than that. Talk about a chronic mental illness, one that requires medical evaluation as soon as possible before it degenerates into a bigger issue.

Or, back to hypocrisy, pretending to be heterosexual, because the Nigerian society is full of individuals who do not understand what sexuality is, and would do anything to avoid new information.

Today’s story is about Elijah Emenendu, who was arrested by operatives attached to Ajeromi Division, Lagos Police Command, for allegedly raping three siblings who are members of his Church.

Emenendu, a Pastor at the Chapel of Revelation Ministry located at Ajeromi area of Ajegunle raped the victims severally. 

During interrogation, it was learned that Emenendu lured and started having anal sex with the eldest sibling after prophesying that God wants him to stop Yahoo Yahoo (internet fraud).

According to reports, the pastor allegedly taught him how to masturbate, telling the victim that he wants him to experience the power of God and he will release power into him through anal sex

Vanguard reports that the eldest sibling agreed and was bleeding after the act in severe pain.

Emenendu had sex with him four times a week, twice a day, inserted a mop stick into his anus, used a syringe needle to prick his scrotum and navel. He began living with him in 2021 and endured sex episodes with him.

The report says that Emenendu later lured the immediate younger brother and, like the eldest brother, taught him masturbation after telling him something is faulty with the quality of his semen and penis. He sexually assaulted him, made him conduct oral sex and lick his anus.

He seemed not to tire. Emenendu moved to the little brother and had sex with him too. He then made them have sex with each other in his hotel room after church service.

It was until one of the siblings summoned courage and reported the prolonged abuse that the story got out.

The case which was initially reported to Ajeromi Police Station has been transferred to Area B Command Apapa for further investigation.

It will be trivialising the increasing rate of child abuse to say that this is a sole case, and it is not prevalent. But, many victims do not usually have the courage to come out, so most of the stories stay with the victims and perpetrators.

Yesterday, we reported the story of Ademiloye Felicia and her son, Adewumi, who kept a teenager for three years, sexually abusing her, and ‘throwing her around’ for other men to abuse her.

We know insecurity is a big deal and is taking a lot of our time. We know the academic system is already on its way down the drain. We know the energy crisis has lingered. We know inflation is high. We know the roads are bad. We also know that Child Sexual Abuse has lingered for too long, and the silence in the room is deafening.

It will not go down well if we allowed this to continue.

Meanwhile, what is the religious community doing to stop clerics from continually abusing children and other members?