The senior pastor of the Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA), Biodun Fatoyinbo, on Monday said he has decided to take “leave of absence” from the church’s pulpit.
In a statement released today via his Instagram account, he said the action was based on advice from his mentors.
It would be recalled that Fatoyinbo had been in the news since Friday following allegation by Busola Dakolo, a celebrity photographer and wife of Timi Dakolo, Nigerian music artist, who accused him of raping her when she was 16.
“I have taken time to pray and seek spiritual counsel from Christian leaders around the world who feel very concerned about the ongoing reports in the media.
“I have solicited their guidance on actions I should take that is honouring to our Lord Jesus Christ and the work he has called me to do.
“Drawing from their counsel and that of the leadership of Commonwealth of Zion Assembly and owing to my love for God’s work and the sacred honour of my calling, I have decided to take a leave of absence from the pulpit of the church.
“This step enables me to submit to the concerns of my spiritual mentors as they consider all the issues that have been raised against me.
“Though I do not understand all that is happening, I trust the Lord to lead and guide me one step at a time,” his statement partly reads.
The calls trended online with the tags #PastorStepDown and #NotMyChurch and culminated into peaceful protests at COZA branches in Lagos and Abuja.
See his Instagram post below:
