“What Really Happened Between Primate Ayodele and Minister Adelabu? Church, Trumpets, and N150M Claims Explained”
By Paul Ebi
Lagos – Primate Elijah Ayodele, founder of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Oke-Afa, Lagos, has denied allegations that he tried to extort N150 million from Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, in exchange for “spiritual intercession” to boost his gubernatorial ambition in Oyo State.
The denial follows a petition filed by Adelabu to the Department of State Services (DSS), accusing the cleric of blackmail, fake prophecies, and repeated demands for large sums of money and costly “spiritual items.”
In the petition, dated October 13, 2025, and signed by Bolaji Tunji, Adelabu’s media adviser, the minister alleged that Ayodele demanded 24 APC flags and 1,000 saxophones or trumpets worth between N50 million and N130 million, alongside other materials, as prerequisites for “divine favour.”
Text messages exchanged between the two, seen by TheCable, reportedly showed Ayodele asking Adelabu to provide the items by April 1, later extending the deadline to April 4. One message from the cleric read: “Sir, I don’t do this, but because of the love I have for you.”
Ayodele also allegedly instructed the minister to recite “almu nasira” 200 times—a likely reference to Alam Nashrah, the 94th chapter of the Qur’an—and insisted he had a divine message that Adelabu would govern Oyo State. The minister reportedly declined, citing the prohibitive cost of the items.
Following the breakdown in communication, Ayodele reportedly declared in his church sermons that Adelabu had “failed” and would not become governor, statements described by the minister as retaliatory and malicious.
In his petition, Adelabu, who has contested for the Oyo governorship twice and is eyeing a 2027 run, called on the DSS to investigate Ayodele for extortion, blackmail, and incitement, accusing the cleric of leveraging false prophecies for political influence. He also petitioned the Oyo State Commissioner of Police over the matter.
Responding to the allegations, Ayodele told TheCable: “I didn’t blackmail him. We didn’t have any transaction. No money was exchanged. I can sell my services for any amount, even N1 billion, if I provide value. But I never asked him for money.”
Ayodele explained that the request for trumpets was symbolic and not meant for his church, adding that Adelabu declined after citing affordability concerns. His spokesperson, Osho Oluwatosin, released a formal statement dismissing the allegations as fabricated, asserting that the cleric merely asked the minister to verify the cost of the instruments—a process Adelabu “voluntarily sought.”
“I only told him to buy trumpets as a way of seeking God’s mercy,” Ayodele said. “He sent someone to verify prices. Someone from my side followed. That’s all.”
He added that his long-standing prophecy regarding Adelabu’s gubernatorial struggle predates any interaction with the minister: “I don’t make prophecies because of money. God has blessed me already.”
