In a country of many pastors, Nigerian pastor Wale Fagbere, was rendered unconscious and speechless at the weekend after he reportedly invaded a community shrine at Ketu – Ayetoro in Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun in a bid to pull it down, the Nation reports.
It is believed he was trapped at the shrine by forces suspected to be spirits.
Fagbare, the newspaper reported, had boasted before his members he would flatten the shrine where the community traditionalists congregate to worship.
But as he went about carrying out his plan, he was said to have been rendered motionless at the shrine until people spotted him. It was gathered those who saw him in his agony – unable to lift his feet – raised alarm, which drew the attention of priests in charge of the shrine.
The priests demanded some rituals must be done before the trapped pastor could regain his freedom. Fagbere was said to have regained consciousness after treatment following intervention of the Alaye of Ayetoro, Oba Abdulaziz Adelakun.
The incident has been confirmed by the Ogun Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi. He said the pastor may be charged with “sacrilege and malicious damage.”
Oyeyemi said: “The Command got the report at its Division in Ayetoro that one Evangelist Wale Fagbere went to Ketu to destroy traditional worshippers’ shrines.
“After the destruction, the man became unconscious, motionless and could not talk.
“When the policemen visited the place, the traditionalists claimed that the subject cannot be taken away until some spiritual exercise was performed.”
He added: “The Alaye of Ayetoro, Oba AbdulAzeez Adelakun, waded into the matter which led to the release of the man.
“The victim has been revived and handed over to his family.
“The police’s next step would be determined by the traditionalists.
“If they complain to the Police about the destruction of their shrine, the victim would be charged for sacrilege and malicious damage.
“Everybody has right to worship anything he so desires.”
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