On Monday December 23, 2019 when Prophet Alfa Babatunde, founder and spiritual leader Sotitobire Miracle Centre Worldwide, aka Prayer University, was being taken to Olokuta Correctional Center, along Ondo Road, Akure, at the end of the court session, members of the church wept openly and stood by him to show solidarity as he was ordered into a van better known as “Black Maria”.
But, that show of love seen on that day was the last his church members could show the man they fondly called ‘daddy, ‘papa’, ‘my prophet’ since about 15 days now that he has been held along six others in Olokuta Correctional Center, in Akure the Ondo State capital.
Our reliable source in Akure who has been monitoring proceedings of Alfa Babatunde’s case since the story broke told us that, his ‘flocks’ has dispersed. His church members, numbering over 2,000 in his 9-plots of land auditorium located at 46/54 Sholagbade Street, Oshinle, Akure, Ondo State, have deserted him.
“Hardly would you seen one or two people who came to visit him. It was indeed a sad story to tell. I know him very well. People do come to him for one thing or the other on his visitation and counseling days from morning till midnight. People do sit down for hours just to see him on those days, but that’s not the case again since this incident. Prophet Sotitobire is now on his own. They have deserted him.”
A check at his residence at Oda Road in Akure, revealed that he has been abandoned. Before now, at every Christmas and New year since about 12 years of the Church’s existence, members do throng in their hundreds to present gifts of different kinds to Prophet Babatunde.
“Their is always competition as regards the gifts members are presenting. Different natural groups in the Church will be trying to outclass themselves in gift presentation on those occasions. Yam, plaintain, life chicken goats, ram, turkey, even cows use to be in abundance at every of those Christian celebrations most especially Christmas and New Year celebrations. His house is always a beehive of activities as entertainers, politicians and different associations will be coming around to receive ‘blessings’ but now, all that has since become a story for another life. No one came around as usual. He has been left alone to his fate.”
Alfa Babatunde’s church members and associates have abandoned him to his fate inside the cell.
During our fact finding on some of his church members, I met one of those members who has since abandoned him. The brother who simply wanted to be addressed as Timmy told us that, “He’s been a devil after a very few encounter back then upon the mountain, before he got blow finally.”
Timmy said, “The moment I discovered his way wasn’t that pure, I left his church after a very few attendance. I was there for about 5 times. Believe me I left his church when I wasn’t comfortable at some point. He has not built a church then, he was on the mountain top along Idanre Road, Akure, when I started attending his church.
So, I wasn’t surprised that most of his members have abandoned him since he has been remanded.”
Recalled that, Prophet Alfa Babatunde and six others were on Monday, December 23, 2019 remanded at the Olokuta Correctional Centre in Akure over two-count of conspiracy to kidnap and aiding kidnapping of a 13-month-old boy, Gold Kolawole, on November 10, 2019, inside his Church during a Sunday Church service.
Chief Magistrate, Mrs Charity Adeyanju, then adjourned the case till January 17, 2020, pending the outcome of DSS investigation.
