Biodun Fatoyinbo Biography & Net Worth

Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo is undoubtedly a popular pastor in Nigeria and on cyberspace, albeit for the wrong reasons. Of all Nigerian pastors, none has courted controversies as much as Fatoyinbo in recent times.

Biodun Fatoyinbo can be seen as an action movie star figure with finesse to him. He is stylish, with well-trimmed beards, classy, with a to-match height, trendy and often criticized or referred to as the ‘Gucci Pastor’, all thanks to his thirst for designer brands, including Gucci, Fendi, Dolce & Gabbana, etc.

This post contains the biography of Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo, his scandals and estimated net worth, as well as every possible information you should know.

Biodun Fatoyinbo Biography

Rev. Biodun Fatoyinbo (born January 1) is an Abuja-based Nigerian pastor, founder and Senior Pastor of the Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA). Biodun Fatoyinbo is regarded as one of Nigeria’s most controversial pastors for being enmeshed in multiple sex scandals bothering on alleged sexual exploitation and abuse. He studied Economics at the University of Ilorin before he was rusticated for cultism and proceeded to the University of Benin (UNIBEN) in order to complete his education.

Early Life

Biodun Fatoyinbo hails from Kwara State, the same where he had his first university education – University of Ilorin, at the then former campus at Surulere/General Campus. He has three siblings, with Bimbo Fatoyinbo being the last born of his siblings.

Unfortunately for him, Fatoyinbo was rusticated while in his third year for cult-related activities. In a video that surfaced in July 2019 on Instagram, Fatoyinbo admitted to being the Chief Priest of the BlackAxe as an undergraduate at the University of Ilorin.

The video surfaced online after the management of the University of Ilorin revealed that they have no record of the academic history of the pastor. Fatoyinbo would go on to the University of Benin to complete his education.

History of COZA

It is not known when Biodun Fatoyinbo got a Bible College degree or certification in theology. However, COZA started out as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in Ilorin, Kwara State in 1999 with a very small congregation. At the time, COZA had just four ordained ministers who managed the church.

While most churches refer to extensions or parts of their churches as branches, parishes or districts, COZA refers to its branches as campuses. In total, COZA has four campuses, namely: the pioneer campus, Ilorin Campus, started in 1999, Abuja Campus, started in 2008, Lagos Campus, opened in 2012, Port Harcourt Campus, opened in 2016 and the Dubai Campus, started in 2017. In total, the church records about 20,000 attendance in all its campuses, as well as online services.

The Abuja Campus of the church is the headquarter of the COZA global church.

Controversies

Biodun Fatoyinbo is so controversial that he is always in the news for the wrong reasons. While the clergyman is not known to own any business other than the title ‘pastor’, Fatoyinbo’s opulent lifestyle and his thirst for the finest things money can buy has raised eyebrows in the country.

It is very unusual to see Fatoyinbo in a wear that is unbranded. As a matter of fact, his classy dress sense and insatiable thirst for designer brands have earned him the name ‘Gucci Pastor’. While he does not seem to care much about the criticisms, ‘Pastor B’, as he is fondly called by members of his church and loyal fans, is adored, loved and revered, despite the controversies hovering around him from time to time.

More often than other Nigerian pastors or any around the world, Fatoyinbo has been embroiled in series of sex scandals but has managed to wriggle his way out despite graphic descriptions of the scandals and supposed links with his ‘victims’.

So far, over five (5) different ladies have openly come out to accuse Biodun Fatoyinbo of sexual exploitation, including Ese Walter, Busola Dakolo, and an ex COZA stuff described as ‘X’ who claimed she was raped by the stylish pastor while she worked for the church. Two other ladies under the canopy of anonymity had come out to claim they were sexually exploited by the pastor as well.

Biodun Fatoyinbo and Ese Walter

Ese Walter was the first to publicly accuse Biodun Fatoyinbo. Although the accusation was a revelation that Ese had burdened herself with as a young Christian convert who joined COZA with the intention to grow spiritually.

Ms. Walter sent social media alight after she alleged in a blog post that she had a week-long sexual relationship with the pastor during his London visit.

According to Ms. Walter, after arranging for a taxi to pick up Mr. Fatoyinbo from the airport during his visit to London, the pastor invited her to his hotel and offered her alcohol.

“You don’t have to be shy Ese, even if it’s alcohol, feel free and order what you want,” she claimed the pastor said.

Subsequently, she said, Mr. Fatoyinbo invited her to sit on his laps. When she hesitated, she claimed the pastor told her to relax saying: “feel free Ese.”

According to her, they kissed and soon were embroiled in a week-long amorous affair that left Ms. Walter feeling abused and manipulated.

Ms. Walter alleged that Mr. Fatoyinbo had dismissed the guilt she had, saying: “I will teach you a level of grace that you don’t understand.”

Ms. Walter, who admitted that the relationship was consensual, however, said she felt “abused and manipulated” by Mr. Fatoyinbo and the fleeting manner the church’s leadership handled the affair after she raised it with another pastor in the church.

She said she went public with the story when she could no longer withstand the “psychological abuse.”

I made an effort to reach out to him because I realized the right thing to do was talk to an elder in the church and seek some sort of remedy to a wrong I believed had been done me. Instead, Pastor Flo said Pastor Biodun had confessed to him and they had ‘talked’ about it and somehow that was supposed to be OK. He asked what it was I wanted coming to talk to him about it when I did, I told him I realized what happened between Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo and I was wrong and not just that I felt abused and manipulated. I also said I thought it was wrong for Pastor Biodun to go on preaching without taking time to deal with his personal character flaws. I said I thought he was danger to all the young women that attended the church.

Although Biodun Fatoyinbo announced in his church to respond with ‘a robust reply’ to the damning allegation, he never did till this day.

Biodun Fatoyinbo and Busola Dakolo

Busola Dakolo, wife of popular musician, Timi Dakolo accused Biodun Fatoyinbo of sexual exploitation and abuse in July 2019. Busola revealed graphic details in an interview of how her innocence was preyed on as a teenager by then family friend, Biodun Fatoyinbo who reportedly had sex with her. Although the tell-it-all interview did not suggest rape, it triggered nerves across Nigeria and forced Fatoyinbo to step down for a month only to resume preaching in August 2019.

The case against him was dismissed by an Abuja court in November 2019 and Ms. Dakolo was fined one million Naira for wasting the court’s time.

Biodun Fatoyinbo and ‘X’

‘X’ was an ex-staff of COZA who got close to the family of Biodun Fatoyinbo. She was put in charge of his kids to look after them. A naive ‘X’ claimed she trusted the clergyman and even regarded him as her spiritual father.

X was someone who has had to fight a lot of unwanted sexual advances her entire life and up to that point she believed she had gained enough experience at spotting worrying behaviour. She felt guilt for ignoring her own instincts and felt like a failure for finding herself in the very position she’d fought so hard to avoid.

“Just relax.” He said, as he took off his trousers and forced her legs apart, convinced he had her subdued.

All through the period where he allegedly raped her, she tried to reconcile the person she called her spiritual father with the man on top of her. He was nothing like the charismatic, thoughtful and empathetic leader, who took his time to ensure she felt comfortable around him. This person was feral, focused in his attempt to subdue her. After, he switched seamlessly back into the pastor she knew, apologizing as though he wasn’t the one who had inflicted pain on her. He was so impassioned, so emphatic about not wanting to hurt her that she immediately began to minimize his actions, like she had done something to trigger this kind of behaviour, to inspire this kind of violence. He walked her to the door and sent her on her way, convinced she would not talk. And she didn’t, she stayed silent and he returned to Nigeria and his Abuja congregation.

After her alleged rape, it became starkly clear how much power over her life she had relinquished to the Fatoyinbos. There she was, at the mercy of the church, dependent on them financially for her sustenance, shelter and community.

Source: Nairaland

Unfortunately, just like Ms. Walter’s Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo never addressed the damning accusations raised by neither Ms. Busola nor ‘X’.

Biodun Fatoyinbo Marriage, Family & Children

Biodun Fatoyinbo is married to Modele Fatoyinbo (co-senior pastor of COZA) and together, they have four children; two males and two females. Interestingly, not much is known about his kids as he, as much as possible, shields them from public eyes.

Biodun Fatoyinbo Net Worth

Biodun Fatoyinbo, founder and senior pastor of COZA has an estimated net worth of $250 million, making him one of the richest pastors in Nigeria and Africa.