The year 2025 will be remembered in the annals of Nigerian Christendom not for a great revival, but for a great 'unveiling'. From the high-gloss cathedrals of Lagos to the prayer grounds of the hinterlands, a pandemic of a different kind has taken hold. It is not a virus of the body, but a rot of the soul; the systemic exposure of adulterous and predatory behaviour by those who claim to hold the keys to the Kingdom.
For decades, a dangerous legalism has been used as a silencer. Pastors have wielded the scripture "Touch not my anointed" not as a spiritual protection, but as a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) signed in the blood of the faithful. This culture of silence created a 'God-complex' where the man at the pulpit became untouchable, unaccountable, and eventually, unhinged.
The victims, often women seeking spiritual refuge, found themselves trapped in a spiritual paradox: how do you report a man who supposedly speaks for God?
What we are witnessing today is the collapse of the 'Velvet Curtain'. The survivors, formerly known merely as 'church members', have found their collective voice. Through social media and brave legal testimonies, the secrets of the darkroom are being shouted from the rooftops.
We see a pattern that is as old as time but newly empowered:
- Grooming: Using spiritual fatherhood to bypass emotional boundaries.
- Gaslighting: Telling victims that their 'sacrifice' is for the 'Oil on the Pastor's head'.
- Blackmail: Using the victim's own confession or vulnerability against them.
As a legal professional, I see more than just a moral failing; I see a breach of the 'Fiduciary Duty' a leader owes to their flock. When a pastor uses his position to exploit, he has committed more than a sin; he has committed a spiritual and often civil atrocity.
The Church can no longer hide behind 'Internal Disciplinary Committees' that serve only to protect the brand while burying the victim. If the Church does not purge itself, the Law must step in. A title like 'General Overseer' or 'Apostle' is not a licence for immunity.
We must distinguish between the Message and the Messenger. The failure of the man in the suit does not mean the failure of the God he claims to serve. However, loyalty to a man of God must never override your loyalty to the Truth.
The 'Great Cleaning' is here. The tables in the temple are being turned once again. It is time for the Church to stop being a theatre of performance and return to being a sanctuary of purity.
The secrets are out. The cage is broken. The sheep are waking up.
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