Shockwaves are reverberating across Yorùbáland and the global Yorùbá diaspora following the sudden death of the Baba Ọba (King’s Father) of the famed Oyotunji African Village in South Carolina, USA. The late Baba Ọba, Lukman Arohunfale, a revered socialite and traditionalist, passed away under circumstances already sparking fierce controversy. His death comes just days after he publicly accused the newly installed Alaafin of Oyo, His Imperial Majesty Oba Akeem Adéyẹmọ Owoade, of allegedly ordering his courtiers to beat him mercilessly during a recent courtesy visit to the Oyo palace in Nigeria. In a widely circulated voice recording, the deceased recounted how what was meant to be a simple homage turned violent. Although the Baba Ọba had reportedly battled ill health in the past year, growing insinuations suggest that the alleged physical assault may have aggravated his condition, ultimately leading to his untimely death. The palace in Oyo recently denied that s...
OPADA YIWO UK-based Nigerian Self-Styled Prophet Oluronbi Jailed 34 Years For Raping Female, Male Church Members At Least 88 Times, Impregnating Some Victims Multiple Times
An evangelical Nigerian pastor based in the UK, Michael Oluronbi, 60, has been jailed for 34 years after he was convicted of multiple rapes of members of his congregation.
A jury heard that some of his female victims became pregnant multiple times. He was also found to have used his position to abuse children and adults over 20 years.
According to Mail Online, Oluronbi, originally from Nigeria and living in Birmingham, was found guilty of the offences against six women and a man in January, actions described by a judge as 'one of the worst cases of sexual abuse of multiple children to come before the courts'.
Some of his offences were carried out after he convinced victims, five of whom attended his church, to take part in 'spiritual bathing', which he claimed would 'cleanse' them of evil spirits
The judge continued: 'You did this because you are an arrogant, selfish and vain man.
'In my judgment, your offending must be one of the worst cases of sexual abuse of multiple children to come before the courts.'
One of his victims, now an adult, had come forward to help bring Oluronbi to justice.
In statements read to the court by the prosecution, one of the victims said the defendant's actions made her 'question if my life was worth living'.
Jurors also heard Oluronbi was linked to a Christian church in Edgbaston, Birmingham, the Cherubim and Seraphim Church, whose roots were in Nigeria.
He set up his own splinter group for about 40 adults and children, separate from the church and located at another address, where he began a practice of 'spiritual bathing'.
The offences took place in Birmingham and London.
Phil Bradley QC, prosecuting, told the jury that the main tactic he employed was to claim that God had instructed him to administer 'holy baths' to some of his congregation to 'cleanse' them and protect them from evil influences.
He added that for some of the female victims, it 'progressed to repeated rapes, on many occasions leading to unwanted pregnancies and terminations'.
Oluronbi's victims described him as 'controlling' and 'almost like a king'.
The offending happened over a period of 20 years, at various locations, going back to the 1980s.
Oluronbi was arrested at Birmingham Airport in May last year, while trying to leave the country for Nigeria with some of his ceremonial belongings and a sum of cash.
Police are unable to say whether he was trying to flee justice, but pointed out he had recently been confronted about the abuse by one of his victims.
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