Adelabu–Ayodele controversy: Cleric knocks minister, gives reasons (Updated)

Adelabu–Ayodele controversy: Cleric knocks minister, gives reasons (Updated)

A Saudi Arabia–based Islamic scholar, Amb. Mallam Ibrahim Agunbiade, has condemned the decision of Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, to petition the Department of State Services (DSS) against popular cleric Primate Elijah Ayodele, describing the move as part of a deeper misuse of power as well as mixing religion with political ambition.

Agunbiade, a Taalib Jami’ei of Islamic Propagation in Rabwa, Saudi Arabia, said the controversy surrounding allegations of spiritual extortion goes beyond the conduct of the cleric and raises serious moral questions about a serving public official seeking prophetic validation for political aspirations.

In a commentary circulated on Sunday, the scholar questioned the propriety of reports suggesting that the minister engaged prophetic figures over the 2027 Oyo State governorship race, arguing that such actions contradict core principles of both Islam and Christianity.

According to him, religious teachings strongly caution against transactional prophecy and the deployment of faith as a political tool.

He cited biblical passages that condemn prophets who attach divine messages to material gain, warning that such practices mislead followers and undermine the sanctity of religion.

“Any prophecy that promises success when demands are met and predicts failure when they are refused stands against biblical teaching,” Agunbiade said, referencing scriptures from the books of Micah, Jeremiah and Corinthians.

From an Islamic perspective, he described the issue as even more fundamental, stressing that Islam demands absolute reliance on Allah alone and rejects the notion that political outcomes can be divinely guaranteed through human intermediaries.

He cited Qur’anic verses affirming that knowledge of the unseen belongs exclusively to Allah and that leadership is a trust (amānah) to be exercised with justice, competence and accountability.

The scholar further warned that when politicians seek prophetic endorsement, they legitimise what he described as the commercialisation of religion and the exploitation of fear, eroding public morality and trust in both faith institutions and governance.

While acknowledging that the minister’s reported refusal to meet alleged financial demands and his decision to seek legal redress could be viewed as commendable, Agunbiade maintained that genuine integrity requires total disengagement from what he termed “transactional spirituality.”

He said political leadership should be earned through service, merit and the democratic will of the people, not through spiritual bargaining.

“The controversy is not only about extortion,” he concluded. “It is about the misuse of religion in politics. Faith was never meant to be a campaign tool.”

The dispute between Adelabu and Ayodele continues to generate reactions across religious and political circles, with many Nigerians calling for clearer boundaries between personal faith, religious influence and political ambition in the country’s multi-faith democratic society.

 

Adelabu–Ayodele controversy: Cleric knocks minister, gives reasons (Updated)