Only this morning (28th August 2013) my attention was drawn to Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo unfolding saga making rounds on Twitter and other social media channels. Ms Ese Walters had published an expose accusing the Common Wealth of Zion Assembly (COZA) of manipulating her sexually / spiritually.
As usual, rather than concentrating my article on this particular event, I will look at the big picture. Let us come away from the tree and look at the forest.
There are countless number of reported cases of rape that go unpunished because no victim is ready to speak up. Even when the victims speak out against their assailants, they are often slandered and even threatened. This has forced many victims to suffer undue hardship trying to pretend normalcy while the world around them continues to bask in the euphoria of our pretentious society.
This would not be the case in other societies.
I read Ese's story on her blog - http://esewalter.wordpress.com/2013/08/22/my-affair-with-pastor-biodun-fatoyinbo-of-coza/#comments and was perplexed to read what Nigerians had to say about her ordeal. Rather than empathizing with her, or investigating the matter, Nigerians had resorted to calling her names and blaming her for her ordeal. Typical you say. We (Nigerians) blamed the ABSU gang rape on the victim http://www.cknnigeria.com/2013/08/identity-of-2011-absu-gang-raped-victim.html When the news broke and the video went viral the reaction of Nigerians was more about verifying the location of the crime scene and absolving their university rather than empathizing with the victim and bringing the perpetrators to book.
This is further exuberant when we add religion to the mix. Ese’s present predicament is reminiscence of another Nigerian pastors escapade in 2011. I recall watching a series of BBC documentary on African demons and deliverance in the Untied Kingdom. The series focused on tackling the belief system that African parents pass onto their British born children. The documentary consisted on in-debt studies and carefully planned stings aimed at documenting evidence that may convince the people. In one of such stings, a Nigerian mother visits a particular Redeemed Christian Church in London. She complains to the resident Pastor that her teenage British born daughter is “Acting up”. Readily without prompting, the pastor assures the woman that the girl is possessed and would require spiritual deliverance. After agreeing to make a voluntary contribution to the church after the deliverance is complete, the young girl is invited to attend a bi-weekly session run by the pastor. Before long, lured by the beauty of the girl, the pastor makes advances. Armed with audio and video recordings of the stings, the producers create a short account and randomly select 10 people from the parishioners to watch the video after the Sunday service, but are surprised that not one of them is bold or inquisitive enough to watch the whole 15mins video. Shouts like “Touch not my anointed!” ring out.
This same hypocrisies don’t only inhibit us as a people, but indulges perpetrators to carry on with impunity. Why can’t we look at the issues and forget about the players. Why do we avoid the truth and focus on self preservation. Why have the authorities remained silent in all this.
• Unresolved cases of rape in Nigeria
• Men raping their daughters
• Public officials rape the nations treasury
• Child marriages
Work in progress...
As usual, rather than concentrating my article on this particular event, I will look at the big picture. Let us come away from the tree and look at the forest.
There are countless number of reported cases of rape that go unpunished because no victim is ready to speak up. Even when the victims speak out against their assailants, they are often slandered and even threatened. This has forced many victims to suffer undue hardship trying to pretend normalcy while the world around them continues to bask in the euphoria of our pretentious society.
This would not be the case in other societies.
I read Ese's story on her blog - http://esewalter.wordpress.com/2013/08/22/my-affair-with-pastor-biodun-fatoyinbo-of-coza/#comments and was perplexed to read what Nigerians had to say about her ordeal. Rather than empathizing with her, or investigating the matter, Nigerians had resorted to calling her names and blaming her for her ordeal. Typical you say. We (Nigerians) blamed the ABSU gang rape on the victim http://www.cknnigeria.com/2013/08/identity-of-2011-absu-gang-raped-victim.html When the news broke and the video went viral the reaction of Nigerians was more about verifying the location of the crime scene and absolving their university rather than empathizing with the victim and bringing the perpetrators to book.
This is further exuberant when we add religion to the mix. Ese’s present predicament is reminiscence of another Nigerian pastors escapade in 2011. I recall watching a series of BBC documentary on African demons and deliverance in the Untied Kingdom. The series focused on tackling the belief system that African parents pass onto their British born children. The documentary consisted on in-debt studies and carefully planned stings aimed at documenting evidence that may convince the people. In one of such stings, a Nigerian mother visits a particular Redeemed Christian Church in London. She complains to the resident Pastor that her teenage British born daughter is “Acting up”. Readily without prompting, the pastor assures the woman that the girl is possessed and would require spiritual deliverance. After agreeing to make a voluntary contribution to the church after the deliverance is complete, the young girl is invited to attend a bi-weekly session run by the pastor. Before long, lured by the beauty of the girl, the pastor makes advances. Armed with audio and video recordings of the stings, the producers create a short account and randomly select 10 people from the parishioners to watch the video after the Sunday service, but are surprised that not one of them is bold or inquisitive enough to watch the whole 15mins video. Shouts like “Touch not my anointed!” ring out.
This same hypocrisies don’t only inhibit us as a people, but indulges perpetrators to carry on with impunity. Why can’t we look at the issues and forget about the players. Why do we avoid the truth and focus on self preservation. Why have the authorities remained silent in all this.
• Unresolved cases of rape in Nigeria
• Men raping their daughters
• Public officials rape the nations treasury
• Child marriages
Work in progress...
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