Church decries member’s blackmail over vehicle gift, false debt

By Adewale Banjo

Grace Nation Church has decried attempts by a former member, one Omolayo Ibukun Michael, to use the media to blackmail it over two vehicles he gifted it about three years ago.
In a statement, yesterday, the legal representative of the church, Ilesanmi Akinwale, acknowledged that Omolayo, indeed, gave the church two SUVs three years ago, out of his own freewill in an open church service, but denied owing him any amount for any transaction.
Akinwale stated that the church was shocked when Omolayo recently began to ask for return of the two vehicles and a non-existent amount in debt which he claimed the church owed him for supply of diesel.
Akinwale, who further stated that the church never at any time solicited nor requested any gift from Omolayo, noted that the two vehicles were parked for over three years at the church premises until it decided to sell one and gift the other to a member of the church.
“Sometime in 2021, Omolayo, in an open service, gave two cars to the church as his modest way of expressing and appreciating God’s faithfulness in his life, family and business and thereafter, gave the original documents of these vehicles to the church secretariat.
“For close to three years, the vehicles were really never in use and were parked in one spot until the church management decided that rather than allow the vehicles to rot, one of them should be sold and the proceeds remitted to the church coffers for the promulgation of the gospel.
“The church management also agreed that the second jeep should be given as a gift to a member in an effort to support and encourage its members.

“Sometime in March this year, Omolayo approached our presiding pastor for N10 million financial assistance stating that his business had not been doing quite well. As a church with the well-being of members at heart, efforts were made to assist him to obtain a loan from a bank.
“We were shocked when recently Omolayo petitioned the police claiming that the church refused to return the two vehicles and is owing him N50 million for the supply of diesel. We have also been inundated with calls from the media threatening to publish negative reports against the church.
“While we reiterate our commitment to stand by any of our church members going through difficult times, we will not sit back and allow anyone to damage our hard earned reputation and integrity through cheap blackmail, character assassination and extortion.
“We will also not hesitate to take all lawful steps to ensure that we seek redress in response to all the false allegations and shenanigans being deployed against us,” the church said in the statement.