“Nigeria’s Wealthiest Preacher” Bishop David Oyedepo Slaps Girl in Church

As is being widely reported, Bishop David Oyedepo has come under fire after a video was posted to YouTube showing him slapping a young girl across the face during a public “deliverance” service at his Faith Tabernacle mega-church in Ota, a suburb in Lagos.

The video shows the young girl telling Oyedepo that she was a “witch for Jesus”, and this – along with the fact that she’s a young girl unlikely to respond in kind – was what provoked Oyedepo to violence. It’s not clear what she meant by her self-identification: perhaps she’s a member of some syncretic religious group (unlikely), or perhaps she’s developed her own ideas based on the cultural mix around her. However, it’s also  possible that she’s simply someone who was accused of being a witch and was acting out the role expected of her – I’ve noted other incidents of this. A follow-up video shows Oyedepo boasting that the girl had later come to him to ask for his forgiveness for being a witch.

Oyedepo’s behaviour is particularly troubling given the context of on-going violence against children accused of witchcraft in Nigeria and elsewhere and his status within African Neo-Pentecostalism. Oyedepo is not just another successful evangelist: according to Forbes he is “Nigeria’s wealthiest preacher”, and he enjoys international connections. In particular, he is close to Kenneth Copeland, who is a major player in the US Christian Right; Copeland has spoken at Oyedepo’s church, and Oyedepo has addressed Kenneth Copeland Ministries in the USA. According to Copeland’s newsletter,

In 2008, David Oyedepo was an honored speaker at KCM’s Ministers’ Conference. “I give glory to God for Kenneth and Gloria Copeland,” Oyedepo says. “The revelation through their books taught me how to walk in kingdom prosperity, and now countless thousands are walking in that revelation as well.”

Oyedepo also attends events in London (where his son has a franchise church) – about a year ago, I saw an advert for him on the side of a taxi passing along Aldwych.

15 Responses

  1. […] Tabernacle, Gloria Copeland, Kenneth Copeland, Nigeria, Religious Sadists, United States 0 “Nigeria’s Wealthiest Preacher” Bishop David Oyedepo Slaps Girl in Church Posted on December 23, 2011 by Richard Bartholomew As is being widely reported, Bishop David […]

  2. Kenneth Copeland and David Oyedepo are proof of the saying “birds of a feather flock together”. They are just con-men who exploit people’s ignorance for their personal gain. Shame on them both.

    • please note that the bible clear states touch not my annointed and do my prophets no harm.Its not in your place to judge men of God.judgement was left to God alone.Please do not speak ill of any annointed man of God.whwther they are for real or fake,that’s not upto to you.

  3. I spent 3 years in a Pentecostal church in the US and exorcism was practiced. I think that it attracts people who are in emotional pain and looking for deliverance, but if it helps anyone I didn’t see it. The people who were exorcised continued to have the same struggles, and the ones who were mentally ill continued to be ill.

  4. […] “Nigeria’s Wealthiest Preacher” Bishop David Oyedepo Slaps Girl in Church (barthsnotes.com) […]

  5. “However, it’s also possible that she’s simply someone who was accused of being a witch and was acting out the role expected of her”.

    The preacher got himself into a muddle, by calling out those who were ‘bewitched’, which is why men and women went out. Bewitched means ‘cursed’ or ‘oppressed’, and everyone who went to the altar came because they believed they were oppresed, i.e. struggling with one issue or the other. He then went on to accuse the woman of witchcraft which she initially denied and then, to save the man’s embarrassment, she said she’s a witch for Jesus, rather than a witch, just like some would say they are not violent, but they are warriors for Christ. She was only trying to save his face by admitting to being a witch of any sort, and got a slap for her efforts. The girl isn’t a witch, neither is she mentally ill, the man is a conman, simple.

    • His was a clear expression of dominion over the devil.Saying you are a witch for Jesus is blasphemous.The bishop’s reaction is what we call Holy anger.He was simply bringing the demon speaking through the girl to subjection.Please don’t go about judging men of God.you might bring a curse upon yourself.Leave that to God.

  6. […] “Nigeria’s Wealthiest Preacher” Bishop David Oyedepo Slaps Girl in Church (barthsnotes.com) […]

  7. The video in your post has been removed by the user but it is all over youtube still. I found it here:

  8. God is in good position to judge, hear this touch not my anointing and do my prophet no harm stop persecuting the prophet in other not to face the wrath of God once again hold ur tongue.

    • Unfortunately, the members of Oyedopo’s church and other “Christian” fundamentalists don’t know that this is the same kind of high-handed abuse that has caused senseless killings and persecutions over time.
      Thankfully, we are in the age of enlightenment otherwise people like the “Bishop” with a larger-than-life persona, created largely through his prosperity-is-righteousness brand of “Christianity”, could have called for the lynching of the young girl and his cult-members would have all heeded the call.
      You can hear one of the men standing with him telling the just physically assaulted young girl that she better open her mouth and answer the “Bishop”.
      Considering the atrocities committed against young children in the guise of stamping out witchcraft in some states in Nigeria, the attitude and actions of the “Bishop” are unfortunate and irresponsible.
      Who told the “Bishop” that he has a right to determine who gets to heaven or hell?
      With him amassing so much wealth while millions of Nigerians – some of them members of his church – wallow in poverty, I’m sure he believes that he is above the law and he’s a better person than those he preaches to.
      This video shows a man with delusions of grandeur losing his cool and acting like the maniac who he actually is. The real tragedy, however is that he is defending his actions and claiming that he’s right.
      This is just a few steps from the actions of “Rev. King”, another delusion neo-pentecostal preacher who felt he was God or the nearest thing to Him on the surface on the earth.
      “Bishop”, I hope you won’t be having bonfires in your services next (so you can burn the “unrepentant”).
      Those who look up to you should be sorely disappointed – left to people like you, the world would be plunged into another era of darkness.
      You slapped a girl and condemned her to hell, in the name of one who taught peace and love and acceptance.
      I know you won’t be too surprised when you hear Christ tell you: “Get away you worker of iniquity; I know you not” – You shouldn’t be.

      @Samuel Friday: Glad you know that God is the judge – obviously, your “prophet” doesn’t understand that. You want others to hold their tongue but expect your “Bishop” to be allowed to act in an unrestrained manner without any objections. People like you lead to situations like this.

  9. Unfortunately, most Africans, particularly Nigerians, are still perishing for lack of knowledge of the word of God. They still don’t believe the scriptures that say Greater is He that is in the true beliver than he that is in the world. People in Nigeria believe their lives are governed by external forces such as witches! They’re still in bondage to satan! You can’t be a true follower of Christ & at the same time let your life be goverened by witches!! Their whole lives revolves around witches! Hence these so -called men & women of God trade on these insecurities. In Nigerian churches, it seems witches & wizards are always elevated rather than the name of Christ ! The pastors who excercerbate this will be judged by God Himself because they’re leading countless gaulible people on the wrong path.

  10. In Nigeria, when a woman cannot conceive for example, she and some members of her family assume witches are the reason. What they don’t realise is that this woman may have eg. fibroids or some other fertility problems. In Nigeira, every problem is caused by witches!! This is why the major topics of preaching in these churches are witches and prosperity – prosperity mainly for these pastors & bishops! People, don’t you know that God is in control always??? Do not allow these pastors play on your insecurities. Don’t allow Christ’s death on the cross be in vain because all things in heaven and on earth are subject to Jesus’ authority. You can share directly in this joy by going directly to Him and claiming every good thing you desire. First you must have to believe God is in total control and not some stupid witch! Ignorance is really an abominable thing indeed. The book of Hosea says God Himself says “My people perish for lack of knowledge.”

  11. well its so sad what daddy created for his imagine…kinda turnished it

  12. LETTER BOMB-You cannot fight the witch and win, you cannot slap a witch and escape, the witches are workers of God in the department of trail. Every evil prophecy fashioned against me, return to the sender and explode in Jesus name.

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