After receiving criticism for comments he made in a recent sermon, Biodun Fatoyinbo, the Senior Pastor of the Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA), publicly apologized to the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) and the family of the late Apostle Joseph Ayo Babalola.
Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo recognized the late Apostle as anointed in the widely shared speech that sparked controversy. He had no money, so all the grace just went like that, so anointed yet controversially added.
“Where are his children?” he asked further. —words that many saw as undermining a venerated spiritual figure’s legacy.
In a prompt statement, the CAC condemned the remarks as disrespectful and ignorant.
Pastor Ade Alawode, the PR director for CAC, highlighted that it is biblically incorrect to equate success as a pastor with worldly wealth, quoting Jesus in Luke 12:15: “Take heed and beware of covetousness.”
The church also defended Babalola’s legacy, stating that his surviving children are “blessed, fulfilled, and quietly serving the Lord,” that he had a suitable home and a Ford Jeep of the time, and that he was not impoverished.
“I became aware of the issue after reading a CAC press release addressing remarks attributed to me during a sermon,” Fatoyinbo said in a statement on Thursday.
“My attention has been drawn to a press release on statements credited to my person relating to the family of the Late and Highly Revered Apostle Joseph Ayo Babalola, a most distinguished father of faith in Nigeria and indeed all over the world.
“Let me state however that at no time in the sermon did I refer to the children of the late Apostle and Father of faith in bad light. I would never do that. The raw copy of the message is online and this can be verified.
“Finally, I apologize if any other statement made by me has caused any form of distress, hurt or discontentment to the CAC, the family of the late Apostle Babalola or his associates.
