Ayo Babalola’s Daughter To Fatoyinbo: Verify Facts Before Speaking On Pulpit

The first daughter of Apostle Joseph Ayo Babalola, the late first General Evangelist of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), has urged Nigerian pastors to verify facts before making public statements, following recent remarks by Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo of the Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA) that have drawn criticism from the CAC and its members. Speaking in response to the controversy, Deaconess Eunice Wuraola Ogini said her father lived a life of service to God and humanity, and that his children continued in his footsteps. She rejected the claim that he died poor or left no tangible legacy, stressing that both she and her sister were blessed and lived comfortable lives as a result of his values and generosity. “My father, in his lifetime, preached the gospel of Christ without compromise,” Ogini said. “In his crusades, people would bring their idols and occultic materials to be destroyed by fire. His emphasis was on repentance from sin, serving the Lord, and worshipping the living God. We, his children, followed his footsteps. I am a deaconess, prayer warrior, and Sunday school teacher in my church, while my sister, Dame Deborah Adeniyi, is a prayer warrior and evangelist in her church, and has been honoured with the Knighthood of John Wesley.” The CAC had earlier issued a strongly worded statement condemning Fatoyinbo’s comments, in which he described Babalola as “highly anointed but had no money” and rhetorically asked, “Where are his children?” The church accused Fatoyinbo of promoting a flawed prosperity theology and called on him to publicly apologise. Babalola, who was called into ministry in 1928 at the age of 24, became one of Nigeria’s most influential evangelists, leading revival movements across the western and midwestern regions and into present-day Ghana. He died in 1959, but his influence remains, with his grave in Efon Alaaye, Ekiti State, serving as a pilgrimage site for Christians from within and outside Nigeria. Ogini, recalling her childhood, said her father’s home was open to people of different ages, tribes, and backgrounds, many of whom he supported through education, apprenticeship, or provision of resources for their chosen trades. “This was the blessing of God upon his life,” she said. “My father lived a very comfortable life. If anyone doubts my father’s impact upon society, I encourage such a person to visit his tomb site. The place is open to everybody, 24/7, and people go there to pray – and God answers their prayers.” She warned pastors and ministers to exercise caution when making references to church pioneers, urging them to “speak the truth with love” and honour the pulpit by avoiding “lies and speculations”. The controversy has reignited debate within Nigeria’s Christian community over the role of wealth in ministry. While proponents of prosperity preaching argue that material success can be a sign of divine blessing, critics maintain that equating anointing with wealth distorts biblical teaching and risks promoting greed and moral decay. The CAC, in its statement signed by Director of Publicity, Pastor Ade Alawode, stressed that Babalola’s ministry was marked not by personal accumulation but by sacrificial service. It cited his charitable works, hospitality, and the fact that he was recognised at the highest levels, including being among the Nigerian leaders invited to meet Queen Elizabeth II during her 1956 visit. The church also pointed out that Babalola drove one of the best vehicles of his time, owned property, and funded various social and religious initiatives – evidence, it said, that he did not live in poverty. Ogini echoed this perspective, adding that her father’s true legacy lay in the lives he transformed and the example he set. “Please honour the Lord when you are on your pulpit,” she said. “Verify the facts before you speak in order to avoid misleading the people of God.”