Protest, Counter Protest, Rock COZA in Abuja, Lagos

 

Following rape allegation leveled against Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA) founder, Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo, on social media by popular musician, Timi Dakolo's wife, Busola Dakolo, last Friday, many Nigerians protested at the church headquarters in Abuja and it's worship centre in Lagos to call for the resignation of the clergyman as the senior pastor of the church, pending when the case would be taken before and determined by a competent court.

According to reports, as early as 7a.m. on Sunday, protesters had already arrived at the church premises in both locations carrying several placards with different inscriptions to send in their messages and demands to the public.

 It was gathered that before their arrival, heavy security presence of the operatives Department of State Security Services (DSS) and Nigerian Police Force had been stationed at the front of the church premises as the church protocol officers in a chained hands formed a barricade around the Abuja church, as a way of stopping the protesters from gaining entrance into the church premises.

 In Lagos, there were lesser presence of security operatives as protesters took turns to scream for the removal of Fatoyinbo through public address system.

It was likewise gathered that altercations ensued between the protesters and security operatives, as a result of uncivil behaviour of some of the operatives of the Nigerian police force who were accused of manhandling the protesters.

Also, the protesters at the Abuja church were seen to have wailed in a very disappointing way as the senior pastor of the church, Fatoyinbo, who arrived at the church under heavy security, some minutes before 9a.m., was given a jamboree ovation by the whole congregation who filled the church as every other Sunday service, while he mounted the podium to take the sermon for the day, with little or no recourse to what was going on outside the church.

However, Fatoyinbo has cancelled the yearly programme, ‘Seven Days of Glory’  scheduled to start by July 1, 2019, citing advice from his mentors and leaders as reasons behind the cancellation.

Some of the inscriptions written on the placards of the protesters say: ‘Rape is not a gift from God’, ‘Pastor step down’. ‘No to rape’, "The alter of God needs sanctification’, ‘I stand with Busola Dakola’, I stand with billions of victims all over the world’, ‘I stand with women who haven't even found their voices, it is never too late to tell your story, rape is rape’, ‘Pastor not Good’, among others.

 

The social media was likewise not speared, as the protest sparked up several debates and counter opinions on Twitter and Instagram. One of the respondents with the username,@ayosoginro, said: "For all those who think the energy of #COZA should be directed to politics. This is politics. The oppression of women is a part of the systems of oppression that ultimately end in the oppression of the whole country. There will be no political change without social change. Too many educated derelicts among us who just went to school but don’t think. And there’s a growing number who didn’t but because they make money they assume they are knowledgeable." 

While another user, @donsidink said: "Seriously, I'm disappointed in most people on this case i get to learn brain is scarce and understand the main reason why the politicians kept deceiving us every time because we have lot of fools than the bravery ones in this country. So he's guilty by your standards but not innocent by his members'. 

Busola has her side of the story and the pastor said his. You have chosen to believe Busola's story which is your right but COZA members can’t believe their pastor because it negates your truth. Think again.

It was likewise gathered from few of the protesters that also moonlight as members of the church that, before the end of service, the church employed the services of few Louts to counter protest. They were reported to have shown solidarity to the embattled pastor before the aggrieved members of the public initially protesting, but no confrontation was reported to have broken out between the two groups.