There is a disturbing, almost sacrilegious arrogance that now characterises the Nigerian prophetic marketplace.
In an era where spiritual leadership ought to serve as a moral compass for the down-trodden, some clerical figures have effectively converted the altar into a political stock exchange.
At the absolute vanguard of this theological malpractice is Primate Elijah Ayodele, the leader of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church.
His recent grandstanding regarding the political future of Oyo State, wherein he categorically decreed that Senator Sharafadeen Alli will never ascend the gubernatorial seat, is not just an exercise in spiritual overreach; it is a masterclass in religious heresy.
By consistently uttering predictions with the absolute finality of the Almighty, Ayodele is no longer merely projecting a future; he is actively playing God.
The blatant pattern of Ayodele’s prophetic targets exposes a deeply transactional underbelly. True prophets of old, as recorded in sacred texts, were defined by their commitment to the poor, the marginalised, and the pursuit of righteousness.
Conversely, Ayodele’s celestial antennas appear exclusively tuned to the frequencies of the affluent: top-tier politicians, corporate business moguls, sporting stars, and high-profile celebrities. This selective obsession with societal elites strongly suggests that these “prophecies” are less about divine guidance and more about a strategic hunt for pecuniary inducement.
This transactional suspicion is not without historical weight. One needs only to recall the explosive fallout between Ayodele and Nigeria’s former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu. The Minister openly accused the cleric of leveraging his pulpit as a tool for extortion, alleging that Ayodele weaponised negative prophecies after failing to secure financial patronage. It requires no great leap of logic to apply this same lens to the current Oyo State scenario. Is Senator Sharafadeen Alli’s predicted political demise merely the result of a divine decree, or is it simply because the Senator, a devout believer who firmly understands that power belongs to God Almighty alone, has steadfastly refused to pay homage or cash at Ayodele’s prophetic shrine?
By maintaining his dignity and relying on his faith, Alli has inadvertently exposed the cleric’s modus operandi: no pay, no praise.
Furthermore, any objective analysis of Ayodele’s prophetic ledger reveals a comedy of errors rather than a chronicle of divine insights. The spiritual merchant’s career is littered with catastrophic miscalculations.
He boldly prophesied that Goodluck Jonathan would comfortably win the 2015 presidential election and rule until 2019, a declaration that disintegrated before the week was out. In the same election cycle, he declared that the PDP would pull off a shocking victory to capture Lagos State, a prediction that fell flat on its face.
His errors are not confined to politics alone; his sports predictions have routinely made him a target of public ridicule.
Ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations, he warned the national team that star forward Ademola Lookman would be a useless addition to the squad, only for Lookman to immediately emerge as the tournament’s saving grace.
Ayodele’s spiritual radar was so warped that he once issued a warning to a football club managed by Joachim Löw, completely oblivious to the fact that Löw had not coached a club side in nearly two decades. He even directed financial doom prophecies toward pop star Yemi Alade, erroneously and repeatedly referring to the famous songstress as a “he” in his official releases.
To speak with such unyielding infallibility while possessing a track record so fundamentally flawed is the very definition of hubris.
When a self-styled man of God consistently misses the mark on historic events yet continues to issue definitive decrees on the fates of men, he transitions from a flawed seer into a merchant of heresy.
He should be informed that power is not a commodity brokered in the dark recesses of Lagos shrines, nor is it subject to the whims of a cleric seeking a financial handshake.
Primate Ayodele must be reminded that he is a mere mortal, not the author of destiny.
Nigeria’s political and spiritual landscape deserves better than an elitist predictions racket masquerading as the voice of heaven.