Opinion: An open letter to my pastor, Biodun Fatoyinbo of COZA

by Akan Imoh

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I’m not in support of Pastors living reckless lives, but before we crucify Pastor Biodun, I want us to know that no one, and I repeat, no one is above sexual fall. As I tell my friends in church, ‘konji’ is not a respecter of anointing… Sex does not respect speaking in tongues, it has a power of its own.

Sir,

It is with a very sad and heavy heart I write you this letter. I have observed quietly this fracas that has erupted and has soiled your name. I must admit, Sir, that I’m a big fan of yours; I so much enjoy every of your ministrations. Though I’ve never attended any branch of COZA, I regularly follow your teachings online through tweets from the COZA handle @COZANigeria.

Sir, so many people have condemned you and passed judgment; others have questioned the annointing and call of God on your life. My question to them is whether they were there when you received God’s call.

So many do not understand that there’s a special grace that is on the lives of Christian ministers. King David in the Bible was a notorious rake, a consistent sinner; yet he was still so much loved by God. So many of them feel they understand how things work. But they do not. I have come to realize that there’s a special grace ministers have, so when they flop, its best to leave them to God. I know so many intelligent men would disagree with this line of thought, but I’ve also learnt that God works in mysterious ways, and we can’t question his actions…and also we can’t use the intelligence of this earth to understand the things of the Spirit.

My pastor, I totally understand how you feel. This period must really be a trying one for you. I am also a Christian Minister, and I can fully comprehend the gravity of this issue. I know so many people have attacked you on this issue. They fail to understand that being a Pastor doesn’t make you less human. We fail to understand that being a Pastor or Man of God doesn’t mean that one is above sexual urges.

I once prayed a very funny prayer. I asked God to stop creating beautiful ladies. I wanted more ugly females around, as this would help reduce my attraction to them. If only they can realize that pastors have more sexual temptations than any other person…if only they can realize that ministers are more exposed to very pretty ladies, who are sometimes ready to do anything with the man of God. Even the Bible says that seven virgins will run after a man…talk less of a fire branded Man of God.

If you still doubt me on the issue of ladies’ attraction to men of God, let me take you on a journey to the days of Jesus Christ. We can remember the story of the woman who poured an expensive perfume on the feet of Jesus and used her hair to clean it. Do we just think that the whole process was so holy, maybe Jesus was even speaking in tongues as she carried on…imagine a very pretty lady using her hair to clean your feet. One thing we must note is that Jesus was in human form as at that time and had a woman adoring him in that way; I’ll leave the rest of the story to your imagination.

My pastor, I don’t want this to bring your spirit man down, most times people think our pastors are very perfect creatures, whose lives are without sin and temptation. They expect them to live above sin, forgetting that they are still made of flesh and blood and can fall at any time..except for the power of the Holy Spirit.

I’m not in support of pastors living reckless lives, but before we crucify Pastor Biodun, I want us to know that no one, and I repeat, no one is above sexual fall. As I tell my friends in church, konji is not a respecter of anointing. We live by grace and not by strength or spiritual achievement. Sex does not respect speaking in tongues, it has a power of its own.

Lest we forget, the race is not for the swift nor for the strong, but for those who God shows mercy.

Now, Pastor Biodun…we need to hear something re-assuring from you. We don’t need you to tell us that you never had anything to do with that girl…if it’s not true. We want the whole truth from you..sir. We want you to come clean…and with a promise to try preventing it from happening. In a country as corrupt as ours, where people we respect lie and do evil and feel good about it, it would do your image a whole lot of good to come out and come clean. So many of us will respect you the more.

Sir, you see the beauty of God’s mercy is that it is abundant for us. The Bible says that we should come boldly to the throne of grace and obtain mercy. Sir, I’m sure you can remember the first fall of man. Adam and Eve truly disappointed God, it was so painful that the people He so much loved, created with His hands, gave every good thing to could repay Him with such sin…but what most of us Christians don’t see there is that even after the fall, God CLOTHED them. He made clothes from the skins of an animal and covered their shame.

Sir, you might be disgraced, but never forget that God will cover your nakedness and set your feet on high.

God bless you sir.

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Akan Imoh tweets from @Oversabii

 

Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.

Comments (29)

  1. Make all of una go face ur business Α̅πϑ leave dis man alone. Leave him to his creator. Α̅πϑ so many pple castigating pastor biodun commits more devious act dan dis. If u castigate pastor biodun today Α̅πϑ u miss heaven ur are d biggest fool dis world ever produced. God I need more of ur grace!!!!!!

    1. U sure need more of God’d grace and u also need help. Are we typing with ur hand? Olodo. Pastor Biodun step down and seek forgiveness. D same way u’v been dragging God’s name into d mud all dese years he has done d same to u now ĦΩ̴w̶̲̅ to do feel?? U said u’r planning a robust reply and we r stil waiting but I don’t think truth needs to be planned or prepared cos its not a pot of egusi soup. Truth is plain so did u or did u not sleep wit her? Young ladies goin to discuss their sex lives wit pastors in d name of counselling u better have a rethink cos d bible has said it dat dere are false prophets amongst us so if u go and jam d false ones…. Na u know

  2. What bollocks is this construed as an article, what manner of heresy are you preaching here or is this all in a bid to sound intelligent, savvy or hip? Please read your bible well next time, carry out a proper research before sitting in front of a system to post such nonsense. I put it to you that God changeth not and he can not be mocked, a higher level of moral standing is expected from leaders generally and much more from religious leaders. As for your analogy of David, if you read well, your bible that is, you will know he did not go unpunished same for Samson and Abraham. In fact, till today, we are still suffering for the mistake Abraham made cue the Israeli/Palestinian crisis, even the boko haram scourge here in Nigeria. Talking about Jesus and blaspheming in the way you did, I can only say may the Almighty God have mercy on you. Next time, endeavour to think a bit more before jumping on a keyboard.

  3. sin is sin whether you are a pastor or not. this should serve as an eye opener for not just single ladies but also for families who trust their siblings to this men of GOD, they are men from GOD does not justify they have to be saints here on earth. These men sleeping with young single ladies is becoming very rampant of which I have been a victim of. it is that sad that one would want to stop attending church because it's everywhere. for young ladies out there as well, if your pastor calls you for anything out of the ordinary and doesn't want to be seen with you in certain places, be bold to tell him off. watch and see if his going to send you off his church or where he is pastors, if he does you are better of gone than to face such guilt as that which ese faced. honestly it can break you if you are not that strong spiritually and mentally.

  4. Pst B,don’t give hears to judgemental folks but those sent to encourage,pray for you,mentor and your maker.
    Step down for two years,stay under a covering your spiritual father,serve as a pew member,which after he will go back with you to re-introduce you afresh to the(congregation)( work) God called you into.
    I love you PstB….no shaking for you and wiffey…..devil you just failed over your plot…..hell is boiling hot for you.
    See you on restoration day Pst B

  5. mr akan, go and get a good ground on your bible again, everything that happened in the life of Jesus had spiritual conotations. washing His feet and pouring alabaster oil(myrrh) on it was significant to His death. please go back to your bible. That same oil was used in embalming of his body when he died. Pastor biodun is not a newly ordained pastor, he has already seen his fair share of woman and should be used to it now, humanly, is like a married man cheating, now I’m not talking spiritually ooo, since you seem to say he is a man first. I mean, he has a wife and if he decided to marry a woman that would not and can not satisfy him in bed then he should zip up his flys and live with it. Now, to think that he is God’s representative, he has so done it and seems to think, he is covered by what grace, he should better think twice. As a man of God, is he not supposed to be able to have self control, I, am speaking as human, and trust me, self control is learnt, if I can learn it, then he as a man of God should be able to weild it. So what are we talking about. Iam female by the way. I tell people that we are most tempted but you overcome by self control and the grace of God. When I meet men that want to sleep with me and give big money, men that are just handsome that you will want him to keep kissing you, men that you know this one is an amazon in bed, lots of orisirisi men, but still, self control. Abeg, He has lost the grace, if he cannot bear such little temptation. Rubbish!!! Excuse my language. Please there is no excuse for such promiscuity, is he a kid or a learner. He just dey start? Abeg, pastor Biodun, get off the pulpit in all humility, there the grace of God starts, when you would not read the old testament, you say old things are passed away and all things are become new. Forgetting the old gave birth to the new. Go back to the genesis. And mr akan, avoid mistakes or comments like that of Jesus you made. He does move in mysterious waysand His wonders to perform and trust me, being tempted of a woman as you say was just too easy a tool for the devil to use thats why he used food, wealth and the word of God. If at this stage, the devil is still using his weakness against him, then he has to go back to the basics.

  6. Minister Akan Imoh, well said in some parts, but pls note that David was a man after God’s own heart, and he was quick to repent, wore sack clothe and confessed his wrong doings. I am not saying the pastor should confess to the world but standing on the pulpit to still preach is wrong. I remember my father saying that in the old days when a man of God does wrong, he is asked to sit amongst the congregation until he forgives himself, because once you confess with a contrite heart, God hears, so he has to go through the contrition process and be able to acknowlede his sins, there forgiveness of oneself starts. Just like the Ese girl, she went through a process and acknowledge her sins, then confessed as she thought would purge her, and I tell you this, she is free for that act. This, doesn’t have anything to do with religion, its normal for every sane human. If the story as Ese says it, is the truth, then he still thinks he has a certain undeserved grace. Remember! Mr Akan, King David was quick to acknowledge his short comings and went through the process of contrition. Read the book of 2samuel chapter 11 and 12. Pastor, I hope you read this, Grace can only be, if it is deserved. My Opinion might not be a fact but you just might never know, if you do not try.

  7. God bless the sender of this message.oh my God! Let us christians come 2geda and pray 4 dis man of God. This calling must not fall…and it will not IJN

  8. Konji is no respecter of persons. I did not even finish the first chapter of this before dropping my comment. A man who leads for others to follow has to be desciplined. The man has a wife wth kids…it doesn’t cost him anything to fly his wife around if his sexual urge so desires.

    Bottom line of the whole scandal story is that we have men of God who’re invited to preache the Gospel in an outside country or even within the country…They have sex before mounting the pulpit to preach the Gospel. The Bible is a very complete book for us as christians to read and understand biblical priciples laid down by God. He simply lacks descipline. I wouldn’t be surprised if this sexual urge of his has been on for a while. He needs to put his flesh under subjection and allow the Holy spirit to take control of his affairs.

    This is really a shame to the Body of Christ. Issues like this needs to be addressed. Men of God have needs…that I agree. His sexual needs has already been met by going forward to have his own wife. The Bible warns against adultery and Polygamism if you’ll allow me. Pastor Biodun should go and seek the face of God in repentance before mounting the Pulpit.

    I rest my case.

  9. Wonderful response! I really do see the place he talked about Jesus as misleading, unguided and above all an insult to the man, who was without blemish, Jesus Christ of Nazareth. I think he should apolgize to all christians for insulting our Lord, Jesus Christ, and above all to ask God for forgiveness, for the false allegation levelled against our saviour Jesus Christ. Pastor Imoh, you have just displayed a high disrespect for the Jesus you profess. Pls, ask for forgiveness and watch your tongue next time.

  10. The writter of this piece is a big fool wether he is a man of God or not. When you choose to lead the people of God you have no excuse to fornicate and tomorrow come and tell us you are human. Thunder fire you. There is no excuse to it. Things you preach about. So what makes you different from the agberos on the street that go about sleeping with anything on the street because they are human.? He has been delaying his response all this while to see how to either close loose ends or turn tables around. Pastors are becoming he goats this days all in the name of being human. You no get wife? So sleeping around in the name of God is now attributed to being human.

  11. I have said it before and am saying it again, ANY pastor who has prepared to hand over to his son is running a business not a church, any pastor who builds a school or university out of church members and the members can not attend because of high cost in running a business investment, while robbers use a gun some pastors use the Bible to threaten and obtain money, God is suppose to be Love, where is the Love in all this. Please rebroadcast.

  12. Dear pastor…..my advice 4 u is to repent coz obviously u are also engrossed in adultery n fornication like ur mentor at COZA…..stop using the bible 2 cover ur tracks…..

  13. Sometimes,some people can be crazily funny…who is saying pastors cannot fall into sexual urges??? He is a ‘married’ man and that settles the whole riot here. He can’t be nailed cos he is a pastor that involved in sexual scandal,it’s only a shame that he is sleeping around disregarding the fact that he is married. In the first place,all men are physical,our level of spiritual growth only differs. Why don’t you go and create a sex shop so that anytime u av d urge u can go dr…it’s jst formality that a lot of people like you tag urselfs pastors…a deep understanding of the bible and God is what is relevant,encourage people to worship God not you,that’s the moral lesson. Marriage has been de-valued!!!

  14. Dear Imoh,
    Your representation on the subject matter is so poor. You mentioned King David as an example but do not forget that David was just a King and not a Prophet of God. He was a secular ruler who believed so much in God. That is different from being a custodian of his holy temple.
    Also, you claimed that you once prayed for God to stop creating beautiful women. That prayer alone shows you are too weak to be on the realm of a genuine calling from God and as such your claim of a calling is questionable.
    You even had the effrontery to justify your deceitful conjectures by using our Lord Jess Christ being cleaned by a woman as an example of what could have transpired in his mind. That alone is sacrilege for you to think Christ would have yielded to his human weakness because of the woman,s show of reverence.
    Please and please we as Christians should learn to live our lives as examples to others especially as a man of God.
    Even the Pharisees and Religious leaders in the Bible would have held Christ liable if he was of weak spirit as concerning adultery.
    We should learn to lead our sheep a tight and anyone found to have fallen in faith as a Pastor should not lead the church but be led until a certain time a genuine call is received.
    We have a lot of purported “men of God who called themselves that is why all these embarrassing issues arise very often from the church.
    In serious Churches of such a claim is made by anyone it will be investigated by the Elders of the church and if the Pastor is found to have erred he will be given a “back seat ” in church.
    The church is not a place for desecration and looking for God to create ugly women.
    You either have the resistance and strength to withstand basic temptation like sleeping with church members that even goes on for weeks and not just a single mistake or you just remain a floor member and don’t lead the sheep.
    A mistake happens once..when it is a regular menu. It becomes self will.
    May we be guided accordingly as Christians.

    1. WOW!
      What a succint reply.
      I share your sentiments

    2. Samuel may God bless u. The first time it was a mistake but the 2nd and 3rd and other times it was a choice. This isn’t a case of temptation but a filthy man’s way of life. If a pastor of a church sleeps with his members, ĦΩ̴w̶̲̅ does he intend saving d marriages of his church members. All of u saying Pastor Biodun has not said he is gulty, he wldnt dare say it else pictures and audio recordings will flood d internet like a virus. Dis could be God’s own way of exposing him and may d good lord have mercy on him

  15. Pastor Biodun has not said whether he did it or not, yet u’re saying there’s a higher level of grace to move on. Have u not condemned him already. Ur misappropriate use of d scriptures shows dt u’re not truely a minister but another wolf in sheep’s clothing…..

  16. Pastor Biodun has not said he's guilty, yet u're saying there's a higher grace to move on. Have u not passed ur own judgement already? From ur misappropriate use of d bible, it is obvious dt u are not a true minister but another wolf in sheep's clothing…..

  17. I honestly sympatise with Pastor Fatoyinbo, I can only imagine the condemnation, insults & disgrace that would have arose cos of this but it’s only the dividend of sin. Bible had clearly stated that no sinner shall go unpunished! I am not judging the man of God, that’s God’s work. I know the Grace is available Sir but availability of that Grace isn’t a licence to sin! I remember clearly bible saying for every temptation, there is a way out… I only want to implore our men irrespective of your calling to resist these adulterous women who are hunting precious souls, it’s their work, they will keep @ it till they die! So guide your loins, resist the devil & he will flee!
    To the church and everyone @large, I’ll pick my conclusion from Galatians 6:1-3 (the MSG) It says “Live creatively friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ’s law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived.”

    Who is without sin should cast the first stone!

  18. Dear Mr Akan Imoh or is it pastor ? Your post is d most sensible so far but I disAgree with open confession. Nigerian readers especially gloating muslims and unserious xtians will have a field day. Also it wld give excuse to some sincerely horrible pasTors and xtians , they would have a field day saying ” if pastor biodun cld do it , Confess and everything is allright , then I can”. When they deliberately commit the sin , they wld hide under temptation. I still strongly believe he shld confess to God ,his superiors or inner pastoral caucus who would be made to promise not to discuss out side d place. They wld keep upholding him in prayer. That’s what xtianity is meant for. Bible says confessing your sins , one to another , not to the world or to unbelievers. Thank you

    1. Confession!confess to ur fellow man?Haba u condem catholics for confessing thru there priest, and most times u do,what u condem of them (confessing to pastor)haba,pls tell us the truth.

      1. Am sure you misqoute the bible there ! Why do u confess to the priest and you are absolved ? Its bcos they are the ones in position to attend to such cases. “One to another” as I quoted am sure does not mean to the whole world ! There must be ppl in that church like pastors , elders , even mentors of Pastor biodun dat he cld confess to. You have priest or “father” in catholic , remember other denominations do not have such. Don’t misquote the bible or me and don’t contradicT urseLf. Ppl who are not xtians are reading this too

  19. These people will forever be blind, churches are nothing other than business establishments just like banks… so the owners would do anything possible to mislead the subscribers… just think about this, do u really believe that the word man of god really exist? if it really exist, why are these men of god always found wanting in a series of scandalous issues? it means they are in no way different from u… just wake up from ur slumber guys

    1. Islam Kid. Obviously , you are a kid ! For you to blaspheme the church of God because ppl’s mistake does show your level of maturity. Am not surprised. YoUr religion calls you “eru oloun”. Good adjective. WE are children of God and we have men of God.
      Your religion that is full of blood shed is totally unacceptable to ppl who really seek the truth. Adultery and shedding of innocent blood attracts same punishment. Boko haram family. Mtsheeeeew

      1. @ concerned Nigerian, How very very rude of you! You can attack his comments by all means, but don’t you dare attack anyone’s religion. If he didn’t have Islam in his/her name, would you know he/she was muslim. He/she may not even be muslim. The only issue I have with IslamKid’s comment is he generalises.
        I am a christian and I think most pentecostal churches in Nigeria/ by Nigerians are businesses. RCCG is a franchise, some good outlets and some bad outlets, and that is the TRUTH.

        1. Anon+1 You must be one the the people bible describes as “sons of perdition”. You are not a xtian Remove d log of wood in your eye

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