In a captivating episode of the MIC ON Podcast, hosted by the engaging Seun Okinbaloye, the renowned and often controversial Nigerian pastor, Abel Damina, who is the visionary founder of Kingdom Life Network (KLN), candidly shared his insights on LGBTQ issues.

Pastor Damina’s remarks aimed to challenge negative stereotypes and promote a more inclusive perspective within religious communities, encouraging dialogue around acceptance and compassion for all individuals.

He attributed them primarily to identity crises rather than inherent evil or demonic forces.

“LGBTQ people are not bad people. They’re just people who need to realise their true identity. When a person is suffering from an identity crisis, he’s not a bad person; he just needs guidance,” Pastor Damina stated.

He emphasised the importance of understanding one’s origin, saying, “For a man to know who he is, he’s got to know where he came from. It is the revelation of Jesus that unveils the identity of a man.”

When asked about his approach to helping LGBTQ individuals, Pastor Damina highlighted the need for spiritual teaching rather than condemnation.

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“These people need teaching. It’s not demonic,” he clarified, adding that unresolved identity crises could open the door for demonic influences over time.

“If nothing is done, Satan will come in. It begins as an identity crisis and eventually becomes demonic,” he said.

Pastor Damina gives clarity on deliverance

On the controversial topic of deliverance, he explained the biblical interpretation of the term.

“Deliverance, or ‘aphesis’ in Greek, means forgiveness of sins. It’s different from casting out devils,” he said.

Pastor Damina underscored that born-again Christians could possess authority over demons but clarified, “A man who has Jesus in him has no demon to cast out.”

Addressing whether one can be a born-again Christian while identifying as LGBTQ, Pastor Damina acknowledged the complexity.

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“Yes, you can be born again and still struggle with an identity crisis,” he stated, urging for patience and understanding in addressing such issues.

The interview provided a nuanced view of LGBTQ matters from a spiritual perspective, urging compassion and education over judgment or sensationalism.

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Pope Francis assumed the papacy in 2013 following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI. He was known for his action on climate change and being critical of consumerism

Beloved Pope Francis has died after spending his entire life “dedicated to the service to the Church”, the Vatican has confirmed.

Cardinal Kevin Ferrell, the Vatican camerlengo, announced the sad news the Pope passed away at around 7.30am. The 88-year-old was admitted to the Gemelli hospital in Rome for treatment for bronchitis on February 14, after he had difficulties breathing during one of his meetings.

As a result of his hospitalisation, the pontiff’s events were subsequently cancelled. Since he was taken to the hospital, the Vatican released regular updates on his condition.

Cardinal Ferrell said in a statement. “At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church.”

Pope Francis, whose birth name was Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on December 17, 1936. At high school, he earned a chemical technician’s diploma before entering the Jesuit novitiate in March 1958.

He became a Catholic priest in 1969. Four years later, he was appointed superior of the Jesuit province of Argentina. In 1992, Pope John Paul II – who was pope from 1978 until his death in 2005 – named him an auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires and then in 1997, he was promoted to coadjutor archbishop. He became head of the archdiocese in 1998 and three years later, Pope John Paul II named him to the College of Cardinals.

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On March 13, 2013, he became pope at the age of 76, succeeding Pope Benedict XVI, the first pope in 600 years to resign from office. In his February 2013 announcement, Pope Benedict, who was 85, said the modern world was changing so quickly and profoundly that someone of his age and era was “no longer suited” to the papacy.

Bergoglio – the first Jesuit pope and the first to take the name Francis – was considered a modern pope, as he advocated for progressive issues and worked to reform the Catholic Church. Some of the issues he had at heart and addressed in his role as Pontiff included climate change, human rights, immigration, modern slavery and LGBTQ+ rights.

He travelled widely across the world, mostly to areas where there are few Catholics and they feel marginalised. His first trip outside of Rome was to the Italian island of Lampedusa, off the coast of Tunisia, which is considered the gateway to Europe for hundreds of thousands of migrants making the perilous sea crossing on the Mediterranean Sea. During his visit, Francis attacked what he described as the “globalisation of indifference” that leads to tragedies like the deaths of refugees who perish while seeking a better future.

The Pope also promoted outreach to other religions and pushed for the Church to improve its dialogue with Islam. He said: “Sincere and respectful dialogue between Christians and Muslims is a duty for us who want to obey the will of God.”

With his critique of capitalism and his staunch environmentalism, Francis angered many conservatives inside and outside the Catholic Church. During a visit to Bolivia in 2015, he gave a speech saying that behind the harm being done to the environment is what he called the “dung of the devil, the unfettered pursuit of money”. The Pope said: “Once capital becomes an idol and guides people’s decisions, once greed for money presides over the entire socio-economic system, it ruins society, it sets people against one another, it even puts at risk our common home, our sister mother Earth.”

While visiting Mexico, he famously prayed at the US border. On his flight back to Rome, the Pope was asked about Donald Trump’s position to build a wall along the border and replied: “A person who only builds walls and not bridges is not Christian.”

Francis also called for the Catholic Church to implement a more welcoming approach to divorced people, saying they may be able to receive communion in certain circumstances. Part of his legacy will undoubtedly remain his approach towards the LGBTQ+ community.

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When asked about gay priests during a spontaneous exchange with the press, he replied: “If they [gay priests] accept the Lord and have goodwill, who am I to judge them? They shouldn’t be marginalised. The tendency [same-sex attraction] is not the problem… they’re our brothers.”

In 2023, the Pope formally approved letting Catholic priests bless same-sex couples, a radical shift in policy that aimed at making the Church more inclusive while maintaining its strict ban on gay marriage. Sharing his support for civil unions, Francis said: “I support civil unions. Homosexual people have the right to a family.” He added: “They are children of God and have the right to a family. No one should be ousted or made miserable because of this.”

Before his health took a turn for the worse, Pope Francis issued a rebuke of US Vice President JD Vance’s characterisation of Ordo Amoris – a theological concept relating to love used by Vance to justify Trump’s migrant policy, including mass deportations. His pushback caused fury from the White House, raising the prospect of a highly politicised succession battle following the Pope’s death.

Pope Francis also sent a message of support to Ukraine from his hospital bed, as he delivered his regular Sunday message. In the message, shared by The Vatican, he also thanked his doctors for their care and well-wishers for their prayers. And in a poignant reference to Ukraine following US President Donald Trump ’s bust-up with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky in The Oval office, the Holy Father said: “From here, war appears even more absurd,” he said, adding: “Let us pray for tormented Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Myanmar, Sudan and Kivu.”

The senior pastor of the Fountain of Life church, Jimmy Odukoya, has reiterated that God instructed him not to cut his dreadlocks.

The Nollywood actor cum clergyman in a recent sermon recalled seeking divine clarity about his appearance before resuming pastoral duties at the church.

Jimmy, who succeeded his late father, Taiwo Odukoya, said his sister had raised concerns about how his hairstyle might affect public perception, and he told her to pray about it.

Odukoya also narrated how God used his dreadlocks to save a woman who travelled from Zimbabwe to Nigeria to attend service.

He said, “Before I came back, one of the things I asked the Lord was whether or not I should cut my hair. And the Lord told me not to cut my hair.

“I knew what God had said to me so I told my sister to go pray and that God will speak to her. She goes back and told me I wasn’t supposed to cut my hair, to which I replied, ‘I know, because God already told me.

“A couple of weeks ago, someone had come to see me all the way from Zimbabwe just to come to church. I said please bring the lady in and she begins to tell me her story.

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“She says, ‘People think I’m crazy. I told everybody I am coming to Nigeria for the next three to four weeks. I’m just coming to church’.

“She says, ‘It was 2016, I was in New York, it was Thanksgiving and I had a vision, it felt so real. In this vision, I see you with your hair and you’re speaking to me and I have been dealing with somethings in my life.

“There was this dog on my shoulder. I knew the dog represented the weight I was carrying and you had this long sword. You began speaking to me and it looked like thunder and lightning was coming out of the sword and it burnt the dog into ashes. And you began to declare over me and gave certain instructions’.

“She said, ‘Fast forward 2025, after that vision I went through a tough break-up, I lost everything in a divorce. My ex took the house.’ She said, ‘Everything I worked for… It was a tough time. To compound issues, my mom got sick and I watched her die in my arms’.

“She said she was trying to find God so she went on YouTube to hear sermons. And all of a sudden my preaching popped up.

“And she said, ‘You don’t understand, because when I had this vision, I didn’t know you existed. The person I saw, I did not know it was a real person. So when I saw the man from the vision with a long hair I screamed. I didn’t know any pastor would have long hair.

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The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele has revealed that the administration of President Donald Trump will be a threat to global peace and will likely spark several wars among nations.

In a statement signed by his media aide, Osho Oluwatosin, Primate Ayodele recalled how he warned citizens of the United States and the world at large against voting for Donald Trump in order to avoid the issues being faced at the moment.

The prophet stated that Trump’s administration will be full of negativities and that the world is yet to see anything, indicating that more difficult times are still coming under the administration of Donald Trump.

However, he stated that no matter how powerful Trump thinks he is, he will be disgraced.

“I warned the world before voting for Donald Trump that his administration would be majorly negative. America voted for the wrong person, and as a matter of fact, with the way it is now, the world hasn’t seen anything yet.”

“Trump will use the military to do a lot, and the world will go to war. I am not seeing peace across the world, but as powerful as he is, he will be disgraced.”

Speaking on his relationship with Elon Musk, Primate Ayodele revealed that they will have issues which will lead to separation.

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“Elon Musk and Trump will still fight; they will have serious issues sooner or later. I warned the world, but they didn’t listen; they should expect war in his administration.”

The autopsy on Dogo, a Hausa labourer, who died while clearing the soak-away pit of Celestial Church of Christ, Overcomers Parish, Ajah, Lagos in June 2023, has absolved the church shepherd, Venerable Superior Evangelist Aso James, and his two assistants of culpability.

According to Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Chief Superintendent of Police Benjamin Hundeyin, the result of the autopsy exonerates the cleric and his assistants, who had been victims of a mob attack shortly after Dogo was found dead in the pit.

“What I can confirm is that the case has been to court and the people that we (the police) took to court are people that we found culpable of arson by setting the church on fire, assault by attacking the shepherd and stealing. We do not take people that we have not found culpable to court. The shepherd was not taken to court for anything. He wasn’t found culpable of anything. The autopsy did not indict him. If the autopsy had indicted him, definitely, we would have taken him to court,” Hundeyin said.

He added: “The reason I am not talking specifically about the autopsy is because it is written in medical jargon, which I cannot really interpret. But the interpretation we got from our medical officers confirmed that the shepherd or any other person at that, is not culpable.”

Apostle Festus Alilu, the senior pastor of Word of Power Gospel Church International in Ughelli, Delta State, was arrested by the police late Thursday following controversial statements he made against Pastor Korede Komaiya of The Master’s Place International Church, a well-known prosperity preacher.

The arrest comes after Apostle Alilu posted a video on his official Facebook page in which he accused Pastor Komaiya of misleading church members with fabricated prosperity teachings.

Alilu alleged that Komaiya’s sermons were designed to exploit congregants’ faith by promoting financial breakthroughs and success through offerings and tithes, a practice commonly associated with the prosperity gospel.

In the video, Apostle Alilu referenced activist Omoyele Sowore’s ongoing criticism of certain Nigerian pastors, suggesting that Komaiya’s teachings contributed to the growing distrust and scepticism toward Christian leaders.

Sowore, a well-known human rights activist, has been outspoken about corruption and manipulation within Nigerian churches, often targeting prosperity preachers for exploiting vulnerable worshippers. Alilu warned that if Komaiya and others did not abandon such deceptive practices, it could deepen the divide and confusion within the Christian community.

While some commenters supported Alilu’s bold stance, others criticised him for publicly challenging a fellow pastor, arguing that internal matters within the church should be handled privately.

A video obtained by SaharaReporters shows the moment Alilu was arrested.

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Pastor Komaiya is a senior figure within The Master’s Place International Church, a rapidly growing church with a large following in Nigeria.

Known for his charismatic preaching style, Komaiya has built a reputation on the promise of divine prosperity. He teaches that faith and consistent giving lead to material wealth and personal success.

Despite ongoing criticism, his teachings reflect the broader prosperity gospel movement, which has gained significant influence in Nigeria and Africa.

As of the time of reporting, neither Pastor Komaiya nor The Master’s Place International Church has issued an official response to the accusations or the arrest of Apostle Alilu.

Source: SaharaReporters