Published
Lagos-based Prophet Israel Oladele Ogundipe has declared support for frontline 2023 flagbearer, Bola Tinubu.
The Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate is a former governor of the state.
Addressing his church members, Ogundipe said he would not leave a fellow Yoruba man to support an Igbo man.
The Shepherd-in-Charge of the Celestial Church of Christ (CCC) Global Genesis Parish in Lagos stressed that he’s not “a bastard”.
Popularly known as Genesis, the cleric made it clear that his support was based on regional consideration.
His words: “I support Tinubu, (whether) you like it or not. I don’t care. If I see another Yoruba person, I will support.
“That (Tinubu) is the only Yoruba person I’ve seen. If you want to attack me, attack me. I am not a bastard.
“I cannot be a Yourba boy and go and vote for Igbo. I am not afraid. I don’t care, I’m not afraid.”
In 2020, the prophet made the news when the Lagos State High Court sentenced him to two years imprisonment in a fraud case involving a London-based woman, Olaide Williams-Oni.
Genesis, who was on trial since 2011, was charged with stealing, inducing delivery of money by false pretense, unlawful conversion of property and forgery.
Justice Olabisi Akinlade found the clergyman guilty of two of the seven charges but dismissed the remaining five over lack of evidence.
Justice Akinlade ordered Genesis to pay the complainant, Williams-Oni, the sum of N11million illegally obtained from her.
“The defendant is to restitute N2.5million in respect of count two (stealing) and N8.5million in respect of count 4 (unlawful conversion of property not delivered),” the judge ruled.
While Genesis was in prison, his lawyer, Babatunde Ogala, approached the Court of Appeal and applied for bail due to “health challenges”.
The cleric was released in April 2021 after the court ruled in his favour citing “hypertension, diabetes, peptic ulcer and unending malaria”.
