Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo, leader of the Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA), has apologised to the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) following public backlash over remarks he made about the late Apostle Joseph Ayo Babalola, the church’s first General Evangelist.
In a viral sermon clip, Fatoyinbo had described Babalola as “so anointed” but claimed “all the grace just went like that” because he “had no money.”
The comment drew strong criticism from the CAC, which, in a statement signed by its Director of Publicity, Pastor Ade Alawode, accused him of making an “insensitive and ill-informed” link between ministerial success and material wealth.
Responding on Thursday, Fatoyinbo expressed regret over the controversy, insisting he meant no disrespect to Babalola, his family, or his ministry.
“I would never in any way take lightly the grace over Apostle Babalola, his children or his ministry,” he said. “I apologise if any statement made by me has caused distress to the CAC, the family of the late Apostle Babalola or his associates.”
Describing the late evangelist as a “highly revered father of faith” whose ministry had influenced many churches, including his own, Fatoyinbo prayed for Babalola’s legacy to “continue to grow in leaps and bounds.”
The CAC, however, maintained that equating anointing with material wealth was “biblically flawed,” quoting Luke 12:15: “One’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”