By Olu Ojo
I read like many others the widespread on line article written by re – known Journalist and a politician on the event that took place at St.Paul’s Ang Church, Ise- Ekiti on Friday,3rd October, 2025 during the burial of late ( Mrs)Kehinde Adebowale Ajifolawe(nee Olokesusi).
Ordinarily, the piece under reference could have deserved no rejoinder but for flaws and distortion of facts that required accurate report has made such imperative.
The distortion of facts as contained in the piece berates the status of our Senator and as a journalist of long standing, he erred for not given a balanced report for public consumption.
Reliable information had it that the Senator gave a voluntary donation of N100k to support the family donation- if actually he did, could it be called an “extortion” as he claimed.
In the annals of burial ceremonies in some churches, it is a common phenomenon to support on going church projects through voluntary donations.ls this the first time that Senator Babafemi Ojudu had this touch of experience? Does it not happen in his own church or at anywhere he had the opportunity to attend similar burial as a politician? l know that the Senator by volition should belong to an assembly called a church
The event that led to chaos was not due to an extortion but to the deceitful nature of some of our politicians.
Is St.Paul’s Church, lse- Ekiti , Fayose’s market where the deed on transaction was committed? Is St Paul’s Church, Ise- Ekiti, a police Station or a Court of arbitration to settle debts?The purported #18.5m debt should have been resolved at the home base of the debtor rather than the impunity shown at the church premises.
As a politician of high repute, l expected Senator Ojudu to come out with a narration to condemn the shameful acts of both the debtor and those who came to the church to cause commotion.
I think doing the above rather than seeking for an unpopular attention could have earned him my encomium.
Where is the authenticity of his report when he actually left the church after his donation and did not witness full occurrence(s) at the even.
.l think for decency and in future, he should think twice to know the consequences of his actions before going to the press to spread falsehood against the church and the priest.
A politician’s target is to be a populist.I admire our Senator and when l saw him at Akure during the 50th birthday of Mrs Bakare,l admired him so much and never thought that he could descend so low to debase the church with figment of his own imagination.
I think the church too should come out with a stable policy to avoid some of these unpleasant embarrassments in future.
Security should be taken seriously and what is the security measures in such a big church that 3 hefty men could easily come in to cease a microphone from a clergy? Even at the altar of God. Something needs be done by the Diocese.
I am happy that the leadership of the Diocese has spoken on this matter and we should be guided by their words. lam equally persuaded that our expectations from them will nail the issue at stake.
Ise- Ekiti, my home town is cherished and her records in history are noble.lam proud of my nativity.
Olu Ojo( JP)
A public Affairs Analyst.
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