Is Tope Alabi’s estranged spiritual father, Elijah Ajanaku dead or alive?

Elijah Iretiola Ajanaku, estranged spiritual father of gospel singer, Tope Alabi has reportedly died of anundisclosed illness.

Although the church spokesperson and some members insist the prophet is alive, NET has gathered from multiple sources that the founder and General Overseer of the Christ Revival Victory Church may have passed on at an undisclosed hospital in Gbongan, Osun State following a brief illness.

We’re told the prophet had been sick for a while, hence his absence from the ministry’s anniversary which held on July 18, 2013 at the church’s auditorium.

At about 12:50pm on Monday 19 2013, when Nigerian Entertainment Today visited the church, the No. 17, Koya Akinwale Street, off Aina Obembe Street Ipaja Ayobo property was almost deserted.

However, a church member who simply identified himself as Bamidele refuted reports of Ajanaku’s death, adding that it has not been confirmed whether the prophet is dead or not.

Bamidele, a member of the church choir rebutted claims that the prophet was even in the country. ‘Daddy has been out of the country for about a month now, and when he was leaving he was very healthy’, he said.

While some members were made to believe that the cleric had travelled abroad for a ministration, only a few actually knew that he was sick and under hospital care.

Another church member, Olayinka Adeniji however confirmed the cleric’s death. He said, ‘Yesterday, the news of daddy came to us all as a surprise. Some of us knew he had been sick for a while and he was taken to his home town in Osun. We are really shocked by this news’.

Speaking in a telephone chat with NET, the church’s PRO, Tosin Kaleye denied the reports. ‘As I speak to you it has not yet been confirmed that daddy is dead…and you know it is not possible for somebody to be dead for three days without it being confirmed.’

Kaleye also confirmed that Ajanaku travelled but not out of the country as earlier reported.

When contacted, one of Ajanaku’s spiritual sons, singer, Paul Play Dairo refused to comment on the prophet’s death. ‘At this time, I have no comments on this’ he told our correspondent.

In recent times, the prophet had become more popular on tabloids as a result of a bitter feud between him and his spiritual daughter, Tope Alabi on allegations of sexual harassment.

NET gathered that the gospel singer is away in the US and Canada to honour performance engagements.

Ajanaku who was named Abass by his biological father was born into a Muslim home. He was later christened Elijah at becoming born-again.

According to his profile on the church website, Ajanaku was denied access to basic education in all forms (primary, secondary and university education) and was never opportuned to go near the four walls of any school, thus his usual communication in the Yoruba language.

He learned several artisan works ranging from driving, plumbing, truck loader, houseboy, welder, bus conductor etc, but he was not able to graduate from any of the disciplines.

He was the General Overseer of Christ Revival Victory Church International and President of the Ajanaku World Outreach.

Ajanaku is survived by his wife, Joy Ajanaku and two children.