In Nigeria, pastors are not just spiritual leaders, they are revered figures.
They’re often called Daddy G.O., Papa, or ‘My Father’. These are titles of deep reverence, called sometimes even by those older than them, and this respect stems from their sacred calling to shepherd their flock, a role that demands the highest standards of morality, integrity, and discipline.
Their role is sacred, so much so that the Bible warns, ‘Touch not my anointed and do my prophets no harm.’ Their words carry power, sometimes even fear, and they are often seen as the moral compass of society. Their lifestyles are held up as examples to follow.
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With pulpits that command millions both online and offline, the expectations placed on them are towering, even overwhelming. And sometimes, under the weight of it all, they crumble. So what happens when the shepherd strays or is accused of straying?
Over the past decade, Nigeria has witnessed several allegations of sexual misconduct involving some of its most prominent pastors. Infidelity, shocking explosive rape accusations and viral sex tapes, have rocked churches to their foundations.
Some of their members fled, defected to new churches, while loyalists stayed behind. And the victims, left alone to heal their wounds. There has been a string of sex scandals in the church, but below is a detailed look at some of the most controversial sexual scandals involving Nigerian pastors in recent years.
6 Nigerian Pastors Involved In Sexual Scandals
1. Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo (2013, 2019)
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Founder of the Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA), Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo first faced public scrutiny in 2013 when Ese Walter, a former church member, accused him of engaging in a sexual affair that shook her faith.
In a 2023 medium post, which she titled “10 Years Beyond COZA-Blog Scandal”, she wrote:
I had a sexual affair with my pastor, and EVERYTHING I thought I knew about God, church, holiness, and God’s servants, crashed in my mind.
Ese Walter admitted that she had an illicit love affair with Fatoyinbo while she was studying for her master’s degree in London. While hers was not particularly a rape incident, it became a sexual affair that lasted for days. Walter said Fatoyinbo had come to London and invited her to his hotel room, where he manipulated her into having sex with him.
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In 2019, a more explosive accusation surfaced. Busola Dakolo, wife of musician Timi Dakolo, publicly accused Fatoyinbo of raping her as a teenager. In a video interview she had with Chude Jideonwo of Ynaija, Busola narrated how Fatoyinbo allegedly raped her twice while she was a teenager. According to Busola, she was a member of the church when the incident happened.
The case sparked widespread outrage; however, Fatoyinbo denied all accusations, and the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory later dismissed Busola’s case. Despite the legal outcome, the multiple sexual scandal allegations have cast a long shadow over his ministry.
2. Apostle Johnson Suleman
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The founder of Omega Fire Ministries, Apostle Suleman, has faced multiple accusations over the years. In 2017, Canadian-based singer Stephanie Otobo alleged she had a sexual relationship with the preacher, claiming he impregnated her and later threatened her.
According to her, it all started in 2017 when a friend told her to call the Apostle, and he would tell her the name of her husband. So, she texted the names of two different men because at that point, she wanted to get married, but Apostle Suleman allegedly called her himself and they started talking.
Stephanie Otobo accused him of impregnating her and breaching a promise to marry her. She would later recant, saying she was paid by unnamed political and religious figures to defame him.
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Ms. Otobo, who said she came to Nigeria from Canada with the intention to further her career, said she succumbed to the manipulation of the politicians and pastors because she was told it would help her career. “They paid me a lot of money,” she said.
However, in 2022, Otobo, in an interview, explained that she made the confession in Suleman’s church under duress as she was already tired of the court processes, particularly with the transfer of the case from an incorruptible judge to another.
Still in 2022, Nollywood actress Halima Abubakar accused Suleman of a long-term sexual relationship. She claimed she had been pregnant for him multiple times and suffered serious health issues, including bleeding for four years. According to Halima, their relationship lasted six years and included instances of him sleeping with her during her menstrual period.
Halima also added that she had been pregnant for the clergy man three times. Suleman has denied all allegations, yet the cloud of controversy remains thick around him.
3. Pastor Chris Omashola (2019)
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Omashola, the head pastor of Zionwealth Church in Lekki, Lagos, found himself in a scandal when a sex tape featuring him and his then-girlfriend, Princess Tamaratokoni Okpewho, went viral in 2019. Okpewho accused him of leaking the video to pressure her into marriage, while Omashola claimed the videos were being used to blackmail him.
Omatsola, in an interview with PUNCH, said he met with Fatoyinbo at his Abuja church during the crisis, and his senior colleague counselled him for over two hours on the issue. Omashola also added that he met with the founder of Christ Mercyland Deliverance Ministry, Prophet Jeremiah Fufeyin, to mediate between him and Okpewho.
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Ironically, when the news of Busola Dakolo’s rape allegation against Biodun Fatoyinbo broke, Omashola had some advice of his own for the embattled pastor. He said he believed Busola’s story because she and her husband, Timi Dakolo, are already famous and have money. He further said:
I advise that he (Fatoyinbo) should get himself together and push up again; it is not the end of life and (his) ministry. He should not sink into depression. He should get things right with God. He has taken the right step by stepping down so that it does not appear like he took the allegation lightly or that he mocks Christianity.
4. Pastor TB Joshua (Posthumous, 2024)
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The late Prophet Temitope Balogun Joshua, founder of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), was one of Nigeria’s most globally recognised pastors. But three years after his death, a 2024 BBC Eye Africa investigation unearthed dozens of allegations of physical and sexual abuse spanning over two decades.
Survivors alleged that Joshua raped, tortured, and manipulated followers, including multiple reports of forced abortions. Women who lived within the Lagos-based church compound shared harrowing tales of repeated sexual assault and spiritual intimidation. While SCOAN dismissed earlier allegations as baseless, this latest wave of documented testimonies reopened a disturbing chapter in the church’s history.
5. Pastor Joshua Iginla (2019)
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In a dramatic Sunday service in 2019, Prophet Joshua Iginla, founder of Champions Royal Assembly, publicly confessed to having a child out of wedlock. Even more shocking, he revealed that his wife had also been unfaithful, leading to the birth of a child. The couple divorced shortly afterwards, and Iginla remarried Stella Zimasa, the South African woman with whom he had the affair.
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6. Pastor Timi Adigun
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Pastor Timi Adigun of The Ark Church, a Lagos State-based worship centre and the Coordinator of MINE Teenage Ministry, used to be known for his passionate advocacy of sexual purity among teenagers. In 2022, multiple allegations emerged accusing him of sexual misconduct with teenage girls under his spiritual care.
Public relations expert Akan Imoh conducted an independent investigation, which allegedly confirmed the claims through the testimonies of former members and leaders. Amid public backlash, Adigun issued an apology on Instagram, admitting to “inappropriate behaviour” with female church members and asking for forgiveness. He said:
The truth is, I was involved in inappropriate behaviour with females over a couple of years. I went against the sexual purity message I preach and believe in, and I am so sorry. I failed those of you who look up to me. Please find a place in your hearts to forgive me. I want to state that there was no sexual intercourse with any humbly, none was a minor, and my wife did not know about these actions while they happened (sic).
Though the MINE ministry was quietly shut down, Adigun reportedly launched a new ministry, leaving many former members feeling betrayed and abandoned.
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