TIME COMES FOR EVERY THING UNDER THE SUN. For Pastor, Biodun Fatoyinbo, a Nigerian pastor and head of Commonwealth of Zion Assembly, in Abuja, it is time to step aside over rape allegation that could shred his career. He said he was stepping aside, taking “leave of absence from the pulpit” been the “right thing to do”, given his present circumstance.
Busola Dakolo, a celebrity photographer and wife of singer Timi Dakolo, accused Fatoyinbo of raping her twice as a teenager. The allegation has been denied by Biodun Fatoinbo. The allegation has been raging on social media with social campaigners against rape, taking advantage of it to pass strong messages against the scourge of rape.
On his Instagram page Fatoyinbo’s statement said: “I have decided to take a leave of absence from the pulpit of the church. It is in the interest of the flock of Christ that issues concerning me do not become a distraction to their worship of their Lord”.
The decision, he said, breaks his heart, but was the “right thing to do at this time.” He said the past few days have been “sobering”, but had to take the decision after advice by Christian leaders.
Thousands of people, on social media, have been sharing their experiences of sexual abuse and harassment since a video broke on social media last week, in which Dakolo said she was raped by the pastor at her father’s house early one morning, and the second time on a secluded road.
On Sunday, at different branches of Pastor Fatoyinbo’s church, protesters displayed placards with inscriptions: “Thou shall not rape.” Fatoyinbo has continued to plead his innocence of the allegation. The eminent position the pastor holds in the church made the rape allegation a shock, and invoked anger amongst followers of the pastor and supporters of Dakolo.
