The embattled Nigerian evangelist, Yinka Yusuf, has decided to look elsewhere for his “1 Million Crusade” after the Akwa Ibom State Government cancelled an approval granted to him and refused to back down despite his apology.
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Recall that the Akwa Ibom State Government, through its agency that manages public facilities, wrote a letter to Mr Yusuf, informing him that the approval to use a government hall, Ibom Hall, for the crusade had been withdrawn due to “security reasons” and the “prevailing security situation in the State”.
The government letter, dated January 27, was signed by Patrick Udomfang, the CEO of the Akwa Ibom Property and Investments Company Limited. The letter went viral on Facebook.
Mr Yusuf had paid the Akwa Ibom State Government for the use of the hall for his crusade, scheduled for February 9 at the Ibom Hall grounds.
The cleric alleged that the Akwa Ibom chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) instigated the state government against him because the two religious blocs had invited a Kenyan prophet to Uyo.
He said the programme by the Kenyan prophet was slated to take place a week before his own crusade, but that CAN and PFN wanted him to postpone his by a week.
He argued that he had already spent millions of naira on publicity and logistics, and that international guests had booked flights to Uyo, making any last-minute shift costly and disruptive.
In a video on X, the evangelist accused CAN and PFN in Akwa Ibom of being behind the plot to scuttle his crusade because of the two associations’ invitation to the Kenyan prophet.
In a Facebook post on Friday morning, the evangelist announced that his ministry had decided to discontinue the plans for the Uyo crusade.
“We have come to the end of the road for Uyo,” Mr Yusuf wrote. “The government, PFN, and CAN have insisted that I must reschedule our crusade to accommodate the Kenya government, PFN, and CAN crusade, moving it forward by a week.
“We have decided to act according to the Word of God and move to the next city.”
He said his team was withdrawing trucks and trailers already mobilised for the programme back to Lagos, adding that he had spent over N43 million on the botched crusade.
“We leave everything to God, from whom nothing is hidden. May the Lord bless the Governor, PFN, and CAN. We wish them a successful programme. May the Lord of the harvest, who sent us to Uyo, send other evangelists to accomplish what we couldn’t do in the city,” he said.
“We apologise to the five thousand evangelists we invited to Uyo from around the world; many have already purchased their tickets from America, the UK, South Africa, Australia, Namibia, etc.”
The announcement came hours after a video clip circulating on social media showed the evangelist making remarks, considered derogatory, about Akwa Ibom, which has a predominantly Christian population.
“The problem is the ancestral demon that controls Calabar and Uyo. Think of Okon, you are thinking about a gateman. Think about Ekaette, you are thinking about a cook,” he said in the video.
“It has made them believe that they are slaves. If you go there, you will see pride that is not in America. The most proud people in this world are from Akwa Ibom. Proud for nothing,” he said.
We Have Come To The End Of The Road For Uyo — Evangelist Yusuf Relocates N43M Crusade After Akwa Ibom GovtThe comments sparked widespread outrage on social media.
Reacting to the backlash, Mr Yusuf, in another video posted on his Facebook page, dismissed the clip as propaganda by people opposed to the crusade.
He said the video was taken out of context and was from a sermon he preached two years earlier on what he described as “pulling down spirit” in the state.
The Akwa Ibom State Government, apparently capitalising on the evangelist’s controversial remarks, backtracked on its earlier reason for withdrawing the approval for the crusade.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the decision was not based on any prevailing security situation, as no such condition exists in Akwa Ibom State,” Aniekan Umanah, the Akwa Ibom Commissioner for Information, said in a statement on Friday.
“Rather, it was informed solely by the vile, denigrating, and inflammatory comments made against the people of the State by Pastor Yusuf in a widely circulated video, in which he crudely stereotyped and insulted the collective identity, dignity, and intelligence of the Akwa Ibom people.
“These comments constitute a direct affront to the approximately 7.9 million citizens of the State, understandably inflamed public sentiment, and must be condemned by all peace-loving, right-thinking members of society.”
The commissioner clarified that the decision by the Akwa Ibom Property and Investment Company Limited (APICO) to deny use of the Ibom Hall Grounds was not due to any security concerns, noting that the state remains peaceful.
The commissioner described Yusuf’s remarks as “inciting” and “morally objectionable”, arguing that such language contradicts core Christian principles of love, respect, and humility.
“Hate speech is not evangelism, and insults are not a substitute for doctrine,” the statement read, adding that “no Akwa Ibomite should be expected to join a ministry built on contempt for their heritage.”
Umanah described Yusuf’s actions as a “conscious attempt to provoke, insult, and sow division” and declared unequivocally that the state does not welcome his “suspicious crusade” due to the hate speech, defamation, and disrespect shown.
Umanah said the cleric showed blatant disregard for due process and established protocol, adding that he failed to engage relevant government agencies responsible for security, crowd control, and emergency response.
“… did not consult the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) or the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) in Akwa Ibom State; and made unverifiable claims of having over 5,000 participants allegedly coming from across the world. The Government hereby challenges Pastor Yusuf to publicly provide credible proof of these claims,” he said.
Mr Yusuf, on Friday, retracted his controversial remarks and apologised to the people of Akwa Ibom.
However, while noting that Yusuf has since relocated the event elsewhere, the commissioner demanded an unreserved apology from the evangelist to the government and people of Akwa Ibom.
He added that the offending video made by Yusuf has been referred to the state attorney-general for review, with legal action possible if no apology is forthcoming.
The Administrative Secretary of PFN in Akwa Ibom, Victor Ukpong, told newsmen on Friday that PFN would “soon” issue a public statement on the matter, but the organisation had yet to do so after several hours.
The Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, is a pastor. He owns a medium-sized church, All Nations Christian Ministry International, in Eket, Akwa Ibom.
Like his predecessors, Mr Eno’s administration has been spending millions of government funds to organise frequent religious programmes, including monthly prayer and fasting.
The clash between the Akwa Ibom State Government and Mr Yusuf coincides with William Kumuyi’s well-publicised crusade in Uyo. Mr Kumuyi is the founder of Deeper Life Ministry, one of the largest churches in Nigeria.
While a disappointed Mr Yusuf was making plans to move his ministry’s equipment from Uyo to Lagos, Governor Eno on Friday received Mr Kumuyi and his delegation at the Government House, Uyo.
As at Saturday afternoon, Mr Yusuf’s billboard for the botched crusade was still in front of the Ibom Hall when visited the place.
“May the good Lord that you serve strengthen you to carry the cross across the nations,” Joshua Iboro Samson, a cleric from Akwa Ibom, said in a consolatory Facebook message to Mr Yusuf, who had previously held crusades in Lagos, Kaduna and other Nigerian cities.
Meanwhile, critics have said the governor does not behave like a pastor as he claims, noting that the same man chased journalists out from government house and is now stopping a pastor from holding a crusade.
The criticism highlights concerns about the governor’s handling of the situation and questions whether his actions align with the Christian principles he professes as a pastor.
Mr Yusuf’s announcement that he had spent over N43 million on the botched crusade underscores the significant financial impact of the cancellation, including costs for publicity, logistics, venue rental, and commitments to international guests who had already purchased flight tickets.
The evangelist’s decision to relocate rather than continue fighting for the Uyo venue suggests a strategic retreat in the face of combined opposition from the state government, CAN, and PFN.
The controversy raises broader questions about religious freedom, government involvement in religious affairs, the use of public facilities for religious events, and the responsibilities of religious leaders in respecting local communities when conducting evangelical activities.
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