TheCable

Biodun Fatoyinbo, founder of the Commonwealth Zion Assembly (COZA), has announced a suspension of a seven-day programme of the church, saying the “Holy Spirit” directed him to do so.

Tagged “Seven Days of Glory”, influential preachers from the US, including TD Jakes, have graced the annual programme.

But speaking when he mounted the pulpit on Sunday, the pastor said he was unhappy about the scandal rocking the church.

Fatoyinbo has been under pressure since Friday when Busola Dakolo, celebrity photographer, accused him of raping her as a teenager.

Although he denied the allegation, the pastor has been widely criticised, with some Nigerians on Twitter asking him to step down.

Protesters marched to his church in Lagos and Abuja on Sunday, mocking him and his members.

But the pastor asked his congregation not to be provoked as they make their way out of the church.

The service ended one hour earlier than usual, with many vacant seats at the church’s branch in Ikeja, Lagos.

“I have been relating with all my mentors, you know I am a man under authority. I really love to listen to them,” he said.

“So, I am going to be giving a few instructions as time goes on but the first instruction I want to give is, with what is going on, we are going to be having prayers every day for those who are interested to come. But we are not going to have the seven days of glory.

“I don’t want all these kinds of stuff. I think last month we prayed for a whole month and we do all of that. Please, let’s be people of peace. So, if you want to pray with us, you can come here to pray. But the regular seven days won’t hold this year… you don’t want to put your guest speakers through all of that.

“You know we love to host people properly. And you know some of them, apart from the fact that the Holy Spirit spoke to me about that, my mentors said to me, this is what we need to do while we step in and make sure we see what is going on. And you know what we stand for in COZA.

“So, please let’s obey God in our mentors and be a people of peace. Also, when you are going out, they are going to direct you how to go out, please don’t fight anybody, don’t reply anybody, you came to worship. They may say things to you, it doesn’t matter. Please, behave yourselves and make sure everything is in place.”