For almost a week, the media has been on fire belching rages and venoms from the four corners of the country. I have read and over read more than a thousand counter-opinions and commentaries on rape accusation levelled against COZA Pastor, Biodun Fatoyinbo, by popular singer’s wife, Busola Dakolo. As much as I have tried not to talk about this drama, what was written on one of the protesters’ placard (Your penis is not above the law) has been a virile propellant to air my own view.

I had taken enough time to read Busola Dakolo’s rape ordeal. It was very awful and exasperating experience as a teenager and a very big ignominy on the pastor as a “man of God.” If this allegation can be real and original, Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo had committed a dastardly sin, and had brought an eternal stigma to his ministry. But, this is Nigeria where different bogus and spurious revelations keep on condescending intermittently from its tower, all in the name of witch-hunting, politicking and rapacious denigration.

Blatantly, if we are to place both the Christians and the Muslim men of God in Nigeria on scales, not less than 90 per cent would be on low battery, displaying red signal. We can only be assured of the genuine 10 per cent who are truly discharging their divine ministerial appointments. Our men of God claiming sanctity and sanity are the ones rolling in the murky water of immorality, forgetting about their mortality. This analogy depicts that, COZA pastor Fatoyinbo is not a saint and I have never tagged him as one. But, I have found it difficult and tiring to believe in Busola Dakolo’s rape accusation against him. Why? Because the whole revelation is like a cooked story that is being spiced up with media attention.

From the analysis, Busola Dakolo proclaimed that the pastor came to their house as earlier as 6-7 O’clock; and he came directly to knock on her door. This shows that there was a kind of relationship between the two, for him to had been on rape mission early in the morning without prior notice of others in the building. And for the second time, the pastor drove along a lone road, dragged her out of passenger’s seat and raped her beside his car. Why would Busola allow someone who had once raped her, and still attempted to rape her in his matrimonial home to help her with a lift again? And, what has happened to her courage all these years? What went wrong with her courage throughout the year 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015...What exactly exhumed and stirred up her courage now to speak out in 2019? (globally acclaimed #Metoo, perhaps). I don’t want to sound right, but I seek to be right: There is a clash of interest between the two parties involved and the media was invited by one party to escalate everything, instead of reaching a peaceful consensus. Yoruba adage says: Oun ti asee ti ile fijo, gbogbo aiye ni o gbo; meaning, “what we cooked that set the house on fire, the whole world must hear it”. And we have heard it for real.

Disgustingly, it is pitiable and disheartening to see restless Nigerians who have never protested to channel the swift implementation of minimum wage carrying placards to demonstrate protest because of this drama. Has anyone protested for the release of Leah Sharibu from Boko Haram captive? How many protests have been staged so far for our senators and “honourables” to slash their gigantic salaries and allowances? It is a shame to have taken serious issues with levity and haunt for baseless and fatuous issues. Until when there is a flash back or VAR to re-show this rape scene or if Busola Dakolo can bring out a concrete and visible evidence or witness to back up her revelation, I will not stop to count her accusation as mere haunting through the power of the media. If God remains the only witness here, let God be the only judge. Three things cannot be long hidden: the Sun, the Moon and the Truth. Apology to Buddha

#IdidnotstandwithBusola

#IdidnotstandwithPastorFatoyinbo

#Istandforthetruth

•Usman, a Mass Communication graduate of Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara State, can be reached on: 08169197486.

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