Abuja-based lawyer Pelumi Olajengbesi has advised gospel singer Lanre Teriba Atorise to immediately apologise to cleric Israel Ogundipe aka Prophet Genesis for threatening him over his outburst against Reverend Mother Esther Ajayi.
Genesis, who is the shepherd-in-charge of Celestial Church of Christ Global Genesis Parish, had accused Ajayi of abandoning him while he was in custody.
The cleric was in 2021 convicted and sentenced to jail for defrauding a London-based architect and converting her property for personal use.
Reacting to the public rebuke of the clergywoman, Atorise in a video on his Facebook page on Tuesday said he loved Genesis but condemned his statement about Ajayi.
“Mama Ajayi doesn’t owe anyone anything. She is our benefactor. She prayed for you. I want to give him 24 hours to reverse what he has said. I will go to his church and fight him, one on one. You can’t talk to an elder like that,” he said.
Olajengbesi reacted in a Facebook message on Wednesday that Atorise needs to apologise or be held responsible for whatever happens to Genesis.
“Lanre Teriba Atorise is advised to quickly caution himself with his nature of utterances in the dispute between Prophet Israel Ogundipe Genesis and Reverend Mother Esther Abimbola Ajayi. He should control his emotions now, nothing under the law gives him the right to threaten anybody. A threat is a crime under the law.
“The law allows an aggrieved person to express himself or herself just like Genesis has done, but the law will jail a person who threatens another even if he has not carried out his threats. Atorise is well advised because if anything happens to Genesis negligently, Atorise has bought a case he did not pray for. The person to apologise in 24hours so far now is Atorise,” he said.
