Following the public (facebook, twitter, blogs, bbm, whatsapp, brothels, pubs etc) outrage over what is seen as indecency and maybe worse, hypocrisy on the part of the ace songster, Tope Alabi and her spiritual father, Prophet Iretiola Ajanaku, now late, one is tempted to look at the issues all over again, maybe with a little more insight, probably differently. This becomes necessary considering the mysteries surrounding the entire incident. The prophet died, according to the grapevine, more than once. Thanks to the mystery world. Prophet Ajanaku, “who was famous with popular gospel singer Tope Alabi’s fame was, before his death, in the public eye when he opened up that the singer had demanded s*x from him.”
Let’s say the grapevine is justified to peer into the private life of Tope Alabi especially with regards to who she sleeps with and who she doesn’t sleep with. Of course, not peer into, but the grapevine was offered the information. Okay. Let’s say the grapevine is justified to pass comments and judgments, some sentimental, on the songster, who they perceive to be, or expected to be without a flaw; some not. By this, we are assuming and maybe also taking for granted the fact that even if she has demanded s*x from her spiritual father, I don’t know what it means (I’m not sure I remember what that means anymore, that’s if there’s any office, position or familial relationship like that ever but let’s assume once again that there is such a title, unordained I guess) but I’m sure the grapevine knows. It’s not like we have quickly forgotten that the world, our world has never stopped since the many many many years that humans, you and I have always demanded s*x from one another, one way or another. Hence, I doubt that by doing it, if she did, that she has done ‘something’ that has never ever been done before.
Again, this piece of news:
“Tope Alabi who is currently on a missionary journey to Canada heard the news that Prophet Ajanaku was dead and she is saddened that they could not settle their dispute before his death.
In her words:
”I am currently in Canada where I am ministering and will go to New York from here. I was sad when I heard the story and it saddened me that we didn’t settle before his demise. If I had known, we would have sorted out our differences” http://news.naij.com/45319.html
The public, of course faceless as usual and monumentally amnesic of self-sins, would quickly bounce at her and banter about english words especially denouncing this in unthinkable ways.
This gets worse as the news pages began to publish the news of the Oro traditionalists performing the final rite for the corpse of Prophet Ajanaku. Here:
” What is so amazing is the role the occult people popular called Ogboni Fraternity played in his death. A very reliable source whispered to us that, two days ago, 27 Ogboni people visited his place and said to have asked every occupant to evacuate. Having spent some time with his corpse, they left, an informed family source revealed.
Not only that, it was also revealed that Oro, the deity that comes out and is forbidden to be seen by women, since his travails, has been shouting his name and all sort of.
The man, according to his church, was confirmed finally dead last night and his remains, the church said, has been deposited in the morgue but the Ogboni people, a source hinted us, has warned the church not to go ahead with his funeral without consulting them first; what this simply implies is that, the late pastor might have fraternized with this sect to aide his pastoral ministries. But can a man help God?” Quoted from Osundefender.
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This I find quite absurd and unthinkable. By unthinkable, I mean ‘something’ that I cannot think of or imagine its possibility even in the realm of impossibility, especially in the African context. However, I’m very much aware that a parallel act, if performed outside the borders of Africa, or in any developing world (if you care), located in the cities that we have shamefully grown to envy with the last of our pride, in a more refined way and by individuals dressed in ‘publicly acceptable’ outfits and whose voices are kept low during ‘convoyed’ procession and who try so much as to still maintain the camouflage of a Christian front, maybe (actually is) if performed so, we would smile, shake hands and smile again at the triumphant exit of ‘a true man of God’. I need the public definition of that. And that would be it.
A friend of mine may want to content himself, and if he does I may not be willing to argue with him soon, with his fact that he doesn’t see the disagreement between several traditional worships and Christianity. “That’s the Christianity under the one true God and not the real hypocrisy (I don’t know which, but the ones God will ultimately identify as such) of the Church leaders we see around”, he would say. Of course, this will never pass without some fight from several quarters for arguably obvious reasons. He believes even the Oro worshippers are so meticulous in their service to the creator of the universe, as they see fit their personal context that they should actually be envied by Christians who he perceives as been disoriented, confused and at loggerheads as to the original or true path to God, maybe or maybe not.
What may be unacceptable to many is the fact that if Prophet Ajanaku flirted in any way with the Ogboni, why did he never mention it? Well, that may be the code of the group – secrecy. And he probably didn’t see any reason why, as a Christian, he could not so flirt with the group as he did (if he truly was a member, that is) and, as an Ogboni flirt, any reason why he couldn’t be a Prophet. Maybe, he believed the interests both serve the same purpose, he might have been wrong. But who’s not prone to errors, misinformation and all-what-nots? Not even the Ps (Prophets, Pastors, Pope, Preacher, People) with their many interpretations of religious texts are without theirs.
And finally, there was a news piece on Osundefender published August, 29th that went on to attempt ratifying or disapproving of the general public appearance of our songster, Tope Alabi. Here’s a quote:
“Her mode of dressing/flashy and reddish skin of late as a gospel artiste has been a major concern to many of her ardent fans.
They were of the opinion that indecent dressing is ungodly and inimical to the growth of the Christian faith.
They believed that dressing is part of the worship but these days gospel artistes say God looks to the heart. It is what the heart sees that the body says.
Others were of the opinion that the sonorous singer is looking much lighter these days; suggesting that she’s bleaching her skin.
But the highly revered gospel singer has remained unperturbed about uncomplimentary remarks flying around about her mode of dressing and color of her skin.
According to her “My current marketer (Galaxy) released a life performance, Amazing Grace, where City People gave me an award as The Best Gospel Singer For the Year. People started criticizing me from churches, telling me that the way I dressed in that video was inappropriate.
They even said because I now apply makeup that I would go to hell. And funny enough I have been putting on earrings since I came out with Oore Ti O Common, I have been putting on trousers to follow my husband wherever we go, except church programmes.But what about my husband, won’t I dress to satisfy him?
My husband does not complain. He actually complains whenever I put on something like ( Iro and Buba).
He prefers it when I wear western clothes. He will even come back home and tell me whatever he saw ladies put on outside that he will like me to wear.
I can’t be going out shabbily dressed because I am singing gospel music” she squealed
The above quote may be sufficient in explaining itself. Who cares how she dresses? Her husband or the press? Well, maybe both but differently. Her husband wants her to sustain her style. The press, or grapevine if you mind, prefers she changes her style. Who would you rather obey? Your husband or the words of people you don’t know, have never met and possibly will never meet in your entire lifetime? No responses required.
Off all the above, lAkUnLeScReWs may simply be okay with the impact rather than the private life, a life I’m sure Tope Alabi will herself want to keep private, of a songster on the people of the world. I have never really been a fan of Tope Alabi until a few hours before writing this reaction to the outrage after seeing a few of the songster’s musical videos. I think they are great and what the world should give to her is praise. She dresses decently in her videos unlike the many acclaimed musicians who parade nude or almost nude ladies to gyrate their round bu**ocks at the recording camera with an intent to pique the erotic sense of the members of the audience; even the ones who are innocently out simply to kill their boredom.
The possible impacts of the many songs of Tope Alabi cannot in anyway be captured here. It can only be advised that in order to glimpse this, you need to see them for yourselves and for what they are without bias. Deep praises to the Almighty Creator of the Universe, Prayers, Encourage to work, service and devotion to man, maybe, and God, and a major concern in terms of prayer and advice for the development of her motherland, Nigeria.
How else to be a good woman? In concluding, Tope Alabi has come out to say his wife never demanded for sex as said in the press. Maybe some respite, maybe not. We are humans and thomases. JustThoughts
lAkUnLeScReWs 