Some social media users have recounted their horrible experiences at the hands of youth pastors and other leaders in Christian fellowships across higher institutions in Nigeria.
A Twitter user who started it online @olukayblark said his friend was beaten at the Campus arm of Believers Love World for arriving late to a workers’ meeting.
“I remember back in university when one of my guys came back home all moody and stuff. He said it was malaria, and I was pitying him. Only to later find out that Baba was flogged for coming late to the Workers Meeting at BLW. I wanted to run mad. A fellow student flogged you? Haa.”
I remember back in uni, when one of my guys came back home all moody and stuff. He said it was malaria, and I was pitying him. Only to later find out that Baba was flogged for coming late to Workers Meeting at BLW. I wanted to run mad ðð¤£. A fellow student flogged you? Haa ð
— Baby Boy (@olukayblark) April 6, 2021
His revelation has since attracted several reactions and many Nigerians also shared what they went through.
Twitter Influencer, @SamuelOtigba said he had witnessed where a fellowship dance leader harassed other students for coming late for rehearsals.
He wrote, “I remember a student, who was a University fellowship dance dept leader, instructing some members who came late for rehearsal to either kneel or stand on a chair & close their eyes. She gave each of them several slaps/punches. I left after that because Jesus didn’t die for this.”
I remember a student, who was a Uni fellowship dance dept leader, instructing some members who came late for rehearsal to either kneel down or stand on a chair & close their eyes. She gave each of them several slaps/punches. I left after that, because Jesus didnât die for this.
— Samuel Otigba (@SamuelOtigba) April 6, 2021
@MistuRants said some students at the University of Lagos, some years back, contributed money for their student pastor to rent an apartment, adding that the beneficiary was later exposed to be sexually assaulting ladies.
The Twitter user said, “The one that happened in UNILAG that year. They found out their student pastor wasn’t even a student. They were donating to the church, the pastor used it to rent an apartment. He sexually assaulted many of the girls. Some of them even dropped out to focus on God. A mess!”
The one that happened in UNILAG that year. They found out their student pastor wasnât even a student. They were donating to the church, pastor used it to rent apartment, he sexually assaulted many of the girls. Some of them already even dropped out to focus on God. A mess!!
— Star Girl Misty (@MistuRants) April 6, 2021
Another user, @Deputyzaddy wrote, “There was this babe I was on her matter during university days, she invited me to her church as a criterion to agree. There, the pastor was complaining about how they didn’t praise him enough. That’s how they knelt and started apologising. I stopped disturbing the girl after that day.”
@_Miyin tweeted, “Still can’t forget the day of handing over a certain fellowship. The outgoing president was giving his testimony and commending the sisters’ coordinator that she always brought food for him every other day.
“(He) said for 2 years he never did any cooking more than noodles. Omohh.”
@amazonibia said the student pastors on campuses usually subject the so-called fellowship workers to inhumane treatment as a punishment for late-coming.
He said, “Attended a church in university days where the pastor had workers kneel for coming late to service, sometimes they would have to pick trash around the church premises. I was weak.”
@Alaoayomide_S wrote, “For school, Pastor Femi and Pastor Kemi said we shouldn’t date anyone if we wanted to join the workforce. Na so they do engagement (party) 6 months later.”
For @Kunzy69, the insults and physical assault meted out to him at fellowship meetings affected his Grade Point while in the university.
“I remember when I received a series of unwarranted insults during meetings and serious slaps just because of petty things. Affected me so much that even GP dropped because I couldn’t face my studies well. Tales I can’t even explain; well, the pains are still in me self I for just go (sic).”
@GloriaAjiri said, “I remember how my cousin was telling her fellowship members to kneel in our hostel then simply because they either came late for cell meetings or didn’t meet up with the assignment given to them.
“Mehn! Was just wondering the level of cotton wool in their brains.”
@bussie tweeted, “That’s how I was asked to run around Obafemi Awolowo University (Big) football pitch for coming late for choir practice, (that) if I could run, I wouldn’t get there late. And you’ll have to be running until he decides it’s okay to stop o…Person wey I old pass o, if I hear say I join them, others did this.”
@herlleana said her friend in school always cooked for the student pastor on certain days. Her tweet read, “Back then in school, a friend usually cooked for her pastor every Tuesday and Friday, turns out that other students cooked too, they just shared the days… Like what if you don’t have money…these student pastors feed off fellow students for real.”
For a Twitter user, @IyawoWizkid1, a student pastor flogged her for having a ‘spiritual’ husband and kids.
“That was how I was flogged at one youth meeting like that. The pastor said I had a spiritual husband and spiritual kids and that I had initiated half of his members. I had to confess when the flogging was too much. My dad arrested him the next day.”
@OmoMrIge said one of the fellowship coordinators tried to control the way she dressed.
“Remembered back in ASF, was going to church and minding my business as a good girl that I am until the supposed sisters’ coordinator then said my skirt was too short and was trying to drag it down. I only told her ‘when next you try to touch me, I’ll show you that I’m not sister Peju.’”
@Thundervilla said a roommate of hers was almost intimidated by the fellowship for not having contributed for a student pastor’s birthday.
“I remember in school when they seized my roommate’s phone with the intention of selling it because she was a PCF leader and hadn’t contributed for their pastor’s birthday. Omo, those people see me run!!! Lol. My roommate won’t enter our room until she collects her phone. Then I called the leaders of the fellowship that they can no longer hold cell meetings in our room. After all I nor be their member. We sha had it hot.”
@modmatty said, “Same happened in a friend’s church. The pastor said Holy Spirit told him to flog the girl for having a boyfriend and fornicating. Called her out in front of the church and flogged her. One man got angry, challenged the pastor and left the church. Members said the man was the devil to be angry.”
