The Anglican Diocese of Ekiti has debunked a viral claim by a verteran journalist and former presidential aide, Babafemi Ojudu, alleging that a burial service at St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Ise-Ekiti, was turned into a fundraising exercise.
Recall that Ojudu had in a Facebook post on Monday titled “The Day Mourners Rebelled in Church,” claimed that mourners “rebelled” during the funeral of a trader and politician, Mrs. Kehinde Ajifolawe, popularly known as Kenny Ise, after the officiating minister allegedly demanded donations and publicly shamed the deceased’s family for contributing “too little” as thanksgiving.
The post, which quickly went viral, stirred public outrage and renewed criticism of the perceived commercialisation of religious ceremonies in Nigeria.
However, in an official rejoinder on Tuesday, the Diocese described Ojudu’s account as “inaccurate and misleading,” insisting that the service was conducted peacefully and in accordance with Anglican liturgical standards.
The statement, signed by the Diocesan Communicator, Venerable Samuel Agunbiade, on behalf of the Bishop of Ekiti Diocese (Anglican Communion), Rt. Rev. Andrew Ajayi, stated that an internal investigation found “no fundraising or exploitation took place.”
“The late Mrs. Ajifolawe was 60 years old, not in her fifties as reported, and though not a financial member of the church, she was graciously granted a burial service in the spirit of peace and communal harmony,” the Diocese said.
Clarifying the contentious ₦200,000 thanksgiving offering referenced in Ojudu’s post, the church said the amount was voluntarily announced by the deceased’s niece on behalf of her children, with two other individuals making spontaneous donations.
“Contrary to claims that the Vicar of the Church, The Venerable Kehinde Adeona, complained or rejected a donation, the niece (on behalf of the children) of the deceased voluntarily announced a ₦200,000 thanksgiving offering,” the statement explained.
“In addition, two other individuals voluntarily joined them in making donations — a gesture that was spontaneous and heartfelt, not solicited or coerced by the church.”
The Diocese further attributed the reported commotion at the burial to a debt dispute, not the actions of the officiating minister.
“The service itself was peaceful and orderly from all eyewitnesses. However, three individuals who arrived during rainfall approached the Vicar, alleging that the deceased owed them ₦18.5 million and insisted that the burial should not proceed until the debt was paid,” the church said.
“The Vicar, exercising pastoral discretion, declined their request to address the congregation over the matter. The only disturbance occurred after the church service, at the graveside, due to this external debt dispute — not due to any conduct of the officiating minister or church officials.”
Reaffirming its commitment to transparency and decorum, the Diocese stressed that the Anglican Church in Ekiti “has no tradition of commercialising burial services.”
“The Diocese of Ekiti upholds the highest standards of pastoral conduct and Christian ethics. We encourage the public, the media, and the family of the deceased to remain calm and be assured that truth and justice will always prevail,” the statement read.
“Again, the Church remains a refuge of faith and compassion, not a marketplace, and we are committed to preserving that sacred trust.”
The Diocese also warned against the spread of false narratives intended to malign the church, urging restraint from individuals “peddling a wrong narrative for any reason whatsoever.”
Ojudu, in his viral post, had alleged that mourners were repeatedly called out to make donations and that the officiating minister frowned at the family’s ₦200,000 contribution, describing it as “too small.”
“When mourners revolt inside a church, it is not rebellion, it is a cry of conscience,” Ojudu wrote.
The Diocese, however, maintained that the burial had been “grossly misrepresented,” reaffirming that the Anglican Communion in Ekiti remains committed to “pastoral integrity, truth and compassion.”
“We continue to pray for the repose of the soul of the late Mrs. Kehinde Ajifolawe and comfort for her family,” the statement concluded.
