The first daughter of Apostle Joseph Ayo Babalola has said that they live very comfortable lives based on the “seed of generosity, kindness, care and love of humanity” her father had sown in his lifetime. She said this in response to the viral YouTube video where the pastor of Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA), Biodun Fatoyinbo, made statements acknowledging that Apostle Babalola was “highly anointed but had no money,” followed by what critics described as a sarcastic question: “Where are his children?”
Thank you for reading this post; don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel here!
“I am Eunice Wuraola Oginni, the first daughter of Apostle Joseph Babalola. My father, in his lifetime, preached the gospel of Christ without compromise. In his crusades, in his time, people would bring their idols to be destroyed by fire. A lot of shrines were destroyed. A lot of occultic materials and calabashes were brought to be destroyed by fire during his crusades. In his lifetime, he preached Christ and Christ only.
“His emphasis was on repentance from sin, serving the Lord and worshipping the living God.
“I want to state clearly that we, his children, followed his footsteps. My sister Dame Deborah Apeke Adeniyi is a prayer warrior and an evangelist in her church.
“To the glory of God, both of us are highly blessed, and we live a very comfortable life. This is because my father already sowed the seed of generosity, kindness, care and love of humanity.
“Out of the abundance of my father, he was able to help everyone have a good life and make a responsible living by giving some education as far as they would wish.
“This was the blessing of God upon his life.,” she stated.
She went on to urge those who doubted her father’s legacy to visit his tomb site in Effon-Alaiye, Ekiti State.
“My father lived a very comfortable life. If anyone doubts my father’s impact on society, I encourage such a person to visit his tomb site or burial ground in Effon-Alaiye, Ekiti State, Nigeria. A place where people go for pilgrimage from different parts of the world. The place is open to everybody 24-7.
“I want to ask that when people mention my father’s name during their preaching, they should speak the truth. They should be sincere and speak nothing but the truth with love and genuine or great respect.
Watch her video here.
The Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), through its Director of Publicity Pastor Ade Alawode, had issued a comprehensive response addressing what it termed “misleading narratives” about ministry and wealth. The church cited three reasons for breaking its usual silence on social media controversies: scriptural justification, clarification of truth, and defence of Apostle Babalola’s legacy.
In the strongly-worded statement, CAC accused Fatoyinbo of promoting “Simony” – the monetisation of spiritual gifts – and criticised his prosperity theology approach. “To equate anointing or ministerial success with material wealth is biblically flawed,” Alawode stated, quoting Jesus’s warning about covetousness from Luke 12:15.
The CAC response provided detailed corrections about Apostle Babalola’s life, noting that he was “blessed but not materialistic or greedy.” The church revealed that Babalola gave lands to the church, supported education, fed the poor, and was even honoured as a guest when Queen Elizabeth II visited Nigeria in February 1956.
“He lived in a befitting home, drove one of the best Ford Jeeps of his time, and funded weddings, education, and apprenticeship programs – all without exploiting the pulpit,” the statement clarified, adding that his children, Mama Eunice Wuraola Ogini and Apeke Adeniyi, are “alive, blessed, fulfilled, and quietly serving the Lord.”
CAC challenged Fatoyinbo’s prosperity theology by referencing Peter’s statement in Acts 3:6 about having no silver or gold, questioning whether Peter was still anointed despite his lack of material wealth.
COZA Responds with Clarification
In response to the CAC statement, Pastor Fatoyinbo issued a conciliatory press release expressing gratitude for what he called the “exemplary Christian manner” in which CAC addressed the controversy. He described himself as appreciative that “a church I personally love, admire and respect” would address the issues with such magnanimity.
Fatoyinbo acknowledged his deep respect for Apostle Babalola’s legacy, stating that “the exploits of Apostle Joseph Ayo Babalola are too numerous to count” and remain influential in Christian organisations across Nigeria and beyond. He positioned himself as a beneficiary of Babalola’s ministry, noting that “many of the churches in this part of the world take their DNA either directly or indirectly from the ministry and grace over the life of Apostle Joseph Ayo Babalola.”
The COZA pastor denied any intention to speak negatively about Babalola’s children, stating, “Let me state, however, that at no time in the sermon did I refer to the children of the late Apostle and Father of Faith in bad light. I would never do that.” He directed critics to verify his claims by reviewing the raw copy of the message available online.
Fatoyinbo highlighted his church’s reputation as “a place of Honour” and expressed pride in the achievements of Babalola’s children, describing them as “shining examples of generational impact” and “good and present-day examples for children of visionaries to follow.”
According to some comments on Deaconess Oginni’s message on YouTube, although the original message, in which he mentioned the children, had been edited, it was quickly posted on some social media platforms by those who saved the earlier version.
Watch Fatoyinbo’s comment here.
The controversy has drawn attention to questions about the appropriate relationship between faith, anointing, and material wealth in contemporary Nigerian Christianity, with both sides citing scriptural authority for their positions.
While Fatoyinbo’s response appeared aimed at de-escalating the situation, the fundamental theological differences underlying the dispute remain unresolved.
Meanwhile, the CAC has accepted Fatoyibo’s apology, saying that it was received in good faith and that it reflected remorse and a willingness to make amends.
Follow the AkweyaTV channel on WhatsApp: http://bit.ly/3I7mQVx
Or scan the QR code:
