The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has issued a detailed clarification regarding his prophecy on the Super Eagles’ performance at the ongoing AFCON tournament, stressing that his words have been misrepresented and misunderstood by some members of the public and media commentators.
Over the past few days, several individuals and online commentators have criticised the prophet for allegedly predicting the non-performance of Ademola Lookman, who recently scored a decisive goal for the Nigerian team, prompting widespread debate and confusion about the accuracy of Primate Ayodele’s prophecy.
In a statement signed by his media aide, Osho Oluwatosin, Primate Ayodele explained that certain mischievous individuals had deliberately twisted his statements, taking them out of context to create a false narrative about the prophet’s forecast regarding Lookman’s contribution to the team.
He emphasised that the prophecy was intended to cover the tournament in its entirety and not a single match, such as the recent game against Tanzania. According to him, his comments were a broader warning about the challenges the Nigerian team might face throughout the competition rather than a critique of individual performances in a specific match.
The prophet stressed that his warning about Lookman remains valid when considered within the context of the entire tournament. He accused critics of pushing a mischievous agenda to discredit his prophecy and urged Nigerians to exercise patience and refrain from premature judgment.
“My prophecy about Ademola Lookman in the ongoing AFCON tournament is being misrepresented and misunderstood by mischievous individuals for reasons best known to themselves,” the statement read.
“The prophecy was a warning, and what I said was that Lookman will not help the team in the tournament overall, not exactly the match against Tanzania. People have taken my words to mean something they were never intended to mean.”
“This is just the beginning of the tournament. We have just started the competition and played only one match so far; we should all wait for more results before attacking or discrediting the prophecy. Judging the performance of the entire team or the validity of the prophecy based on a single match is misleading and unfair.”
Primate Ayodele further explained that his prophecy is motivated by a genuine desire to see the Nigerian team succeed. He expressed his hope for the Super Eagles to win the AFCON trophy and highlighted that his warnings are meant to guide the team toward success.
“It would be my greatest joy if the Nigerian team wins the tournament, but that can only happen if they listen to advice,” he said.
“I have always rooted for the Nigerian team, and my prophecies regarding them are meant to offer guidance and insight. I want them to lift the trophy and return home victorious, but this can only be achieved if the players and management heed the advice and instructions that come from careful observation and spiritual insight.”
He concluded by urging Nigerians to support the team positively and to avoid misinterpreting prophetic messages for personal or political purposes. Primate Ayodele reiterated that his intention is purely to encourage the Super Eagles and to see them perform at their best on the continental stage.