FLAMBOYANT NIGERIAN BISHOP OYEDEPO FACES N2 BILLION LAWSUIT FOR ASSAULTING FEMALE CHURCH MEMBER

"If a wrong is done to the young lady, she is bound to receive justice for that wrong," said Mr. Igbinedion, a Solicitor at Salus Populi Chambers.

In the suit, Mr. Igbinedion said that the young lady, while answering an "illegal" alter call, was trying to explain herself when the pastor gave her "a dirty and thunderous slap."

"The respondent (Mr. Oyedepo) made the alter call for witches to come out, he did not make a similar call for other categories of sinners like illicit drug dealers, contract inflators, fraudsters, adulterers, and fornicators in the church," read the suit.

Mr. Igbinedion, who represented the victims of the celebrated Pastor Emeka Ezeugo (popularly known as Reverend King) at the Magistrate court, in 2006; stated that cases of violence in the place of worship if not nipped in the bud could escalate into 'uncountable' dimensions.

Furthermore, he said the calling out of the young lady (and others) as witches are illegal, unconstitutional, and a breach of Section 34 of the Constitution of Nigeria, African Charter on Human and People's Right, and United Nations Universal Declaration on Human Right.

The suit asked the court to compel Mr. Oyedepo to issue a self-signed public apology to be published in two national dailies and one international satellite television station.

It also wants the respondent to issue a similar alter call for drug dealers, corrupt government officials, bribe-giving contractors, and other category of sinners who are members of the church.

In December last year, a video of Mr. Oyedepo viciously slapping a teenage girl during church service for saying she is "a witch for Jesus" appeared on popular site You Tube.

Though later removed, the video went viral within days with the pastor, fondly called Papa, receiving a lot of stick from outraged viewers and members of the public.

One viewer described the act as "unbiblical, barbaric, and a disgrace."

Days later, another video surfaced in which Mr. Oyedepo tried to justify his action saying "it is my ministry to slap" and that the fact that the witch, rather than going to court, apologized showed his superiority.

"People now complain on the Internet that I slapped a witch. If I see another one, I'll slap," he said in the video.

DAVID OYEDEPO: WEALTHY NIGERIAN PASTOR, BOASTS OF SLAPPING TEENAGE GIRL BEFORE THOUSANDS AT CHURCH

Nigeria’s wealthiest pastor, David Oyedepo, returned to the scene of the crime last year when, speaking to a full church assembly, he recalled walloping a young girl in the face, knocking her backwards, as she knelt before thousands of church members, where people kneel to be saved.

The ringing slap could be heard easily on the video of that service but no copy was available until a source just provided it to SaharaReporters.

The incident took place in 2009 and it was recalled by Pastor Oyedepo in 2010 at his Winners Chapel, in Otta, Ogun state, Southwest Nigeria. “I slapped a witch here last year,” Oyedepo declared, stressing each word, on the video. “She came back in February to apologize. She begged me to please forgive her.” He added the warning, “Starting today, the things harassing you, you will start harassing them.”

Thanks to YouTube and Oyedepo’s tradition of videotaping his sermons, the slap and the recall of the slap are now being seen by thousands.

The girl on her knees appeared to be a suffering teenager in a simple dress whose soft voice cracked as she answered the pastor’s insistent questions. She had been first on a line of teenagers apparently ushered in to confess their sins. Pastor lost his composure when the teen from Imo state, pressured to say she was a witch, claimed instead to be a "witch for Jesus".  The words had barely left her mouth when she was hit hard by the pastor’s open hand.

 A now furious Oyedepo demanded confessions from the other teenagers as church members roared their approval. While the cruel show was going on, more victims were brought forth by church ushers. It could be surmised that the group of teenagers on bended knees had been recruited for this punishment without full disclosure.

Oyedepo’s actions, bordering on criminal assault, have prompted a variety of citizen responses and action on social media platforms. A petition signing campaign has been launched, calling for the prosecution of the flamboyant pastor.  Another Nigerian website, Nigerianvillagesquare.com named Pastor Oyedepo to its naming and shaming part- “NVS Hall Of Shame”- a platform for mobilizing scorn against unscrupulous Nigerian public officials and powerful private individuals.

SaharaReporters posted the Youtube video, which has now gone viral and become a source of international anger against the man known as “Papa” by members of his large church.

Oyedepo is the general overseer of the Nigerian-based Winners Chapel which is also known as “Living Faith Church”. A chapter In the U.S. is based in Hempstead, Long Island, according to their website. Efforts to speak with a representative were unsuccessful at press time.

Another group last night stated that a strong letter of complaint is already being worked on to request the US State Department to revoke Pastor Oyedepo’s visa to the US. A group in the UK also promised to find a creative way to get the UK government to prosecute Mr. Oyedepo for child abuse and battery if he sets foot on UK soil.

Nigerian flamboyant pastors are some of the richest on the African continent; Pastor Oyedepo is considered the richest Pastor in Nigeria according to a Forbes magazine article. He owns four jets, a super expensive network of schools and various investments across the African continent.

He is highly connected and politically powerful. In May 2011 when Nigerians were confronted with the antics of the clique that hid behind the terminal illness of Nigeria’s president, Umaru Yar’adua, Pastor Oyedepo was part of a delegation corralled to visit a dying Yar’adua to provide the Nigerian people the impression that Yar'adua was “alive and recovering" although Mr. Oyedepo and his companions saw a bleary Yar’adua, he never said a word in public to reveal what he saw. Yar'adua died a few days later.

ADEWALE AYUBA SIGHTED AT CANAANLAND

It was indeed a surprise to many when ace Fuji artiste, Adewale Ayuba was sighted at the recently-concluded annual gathering of Winners worldwide at Canaanland. It was even seated very close to the altar.

Caught praying like never before, he revealed that "It is not unusual for him to attend the spiritual gathering because there is nothing anybody can achieve without God."

Being a Muslim, not withstanding, Ayuba said that, "God is God, no matter what anybody could say. I remain on the Lord's side. Just wait and see."

Bubbling with life and high spirit at the gathering, Ayuba took every prayer point with seriousness

BISHOP OYEDEPO LOSSES MOTHER

The General Overseer of Living Faith Worldwide, a.k.a. Winners Chapel, Bishop David Oyedepo, is bereaved.

The highly respected man of God recently lost his aged mother.

The incident transpired on Tuesday, December 13, 2011, at her Omu-Aran, Kwara State home town.

Specific details of the manner of occurrence is said to be sketchy at press time.

Bishop Oyedepo is said to be putting burial arrangements in place.

Mama Oyedepo died in her late eighties .She was an active worker in her son, David Oyedepo’s Winners Chapel which has its headquarter along Idiroko road, Ota, Ogun State.

R.I.P Mama.