Outrage as Lagos pastor boasts of Ebola cure

The Founder of Trinity House, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, has claimed that he has found a solution to the deadly Ebola disease, which has killed no fewer than 670 people and infected more than 1,000 in Africa.

Following the death in Lagos of a Liberian, Patrick Sawyer, who flew in from his country to Nigeria last week, Ighodalo said he had a "message of hope and faith" that would uncover the solution to the highly infectious disease.

He said that God's "anointing" and the "living words of Jesus," were all that are needed to cure the deadly disease," adding that mere laying of hands on those afflicted with the incurable Ebola virus was all that was required to liberate them.

Ighodalo claimed that he was drawing inspiration from the late Canadian–American Pentecostal pastor, John D. Lake, who, according to him, cured those infected by the virus.

Writing on his official Facebook page, the clergyman, who is also a chartered accountant, said that he could perform the same feat as Lake who reportedly laid hands on some Africans infected by the Ebola virus and healed them.

"Several years ago, the Ebola virus erupted in Africa, killing thousands of people without restraint or cure. The medical world was perplexed. A great man of God by the name John G. Lake came to the rescue by laying hands on infected people who were not to be touched.

"With bare hands, cleaning secretion and curing every victim, John. G. Lake along with his Holy Ghost filled team, brought to an abrupt end to the spread of the deadly virus. The higher life that put out Ebola in the days of John. G. Lake will do the same through you in your day! At the name of Jesus, Ebola will bow out! Stop the fear! Lake and team are long gone! But I am here, you are here! We can save our world! We have the life of God in us!" Ighodalo wrote in a post on his Facebook page.

Buttressing his claim that Ebola could be cured by the simple laying of hands on the infected individuals, Ighodalo quoted from portions of the Holy Bible.

According to him, if he and any member of his deliverance team laid their hands on those infected with the virus, they would not contract the disease.

"And if they drink any deadly thing (Ebola virus included) it shall not hurt them, they shall lay hand on the sick (those already infected) and they shall recover," he said, paraphrasing a verse in the Bible.

However, Ighodalo's claim has attracted angry reactions from Nigerians accusing him of misleading members of the public on the dangers posed by the deadly virus.

In the comments dropped on his Facebook page, Ighodalo was accused of spreading misinformation and falsehood, which according to them is capable of putting more Nigerians at risk of contracting the virus.

An obviously enraged respondent, Oyenuga Lanre-Paul, described Ighodalo's cure to Ebola as a "suicidal prescription" adding that the clergyman should immediately pull down the post from his Facebook page.

Lanre-Paul challenged Ighodalo to embark on a "journey of salvation" to Liberia, which is currently plagued with the virus and test the efficacy of his cure.

He said, "Ighodalo has prescribed his solution to Ebola virus: laying of hands in faith on those afflicted with the incurable virus! He has, however, failed woefully by biblical standards, by not personally walking his talk: he should demonstrate his faith!

"Let Ighodalo and his band of followers embark on their 'journey of salvation' to Liberia and begin to cure by laying their hands on those afflicted with this virus. This is certainly a sure deal for him and his followers, as their success will earn them fame here on earth and a pride of place in heaven.

"Until Ighodalo's faith shows proof, may I request he pulls down his post and stop teaching us this nonsense?"

Another Nigerian, Ruona Meyer, said Ighodalo should desist from further endangering lives with his said Ebola cure.

"Pastor Ituah! Do you know that this (Ebola outbreak) is so serious that Liberia made it criminal to hide patients and refuse to report Ebola cases? Why are you using your position to say what can make others refuse to get the help they need? I am disappointed," she said.

Also, a self-employed businessman in Iboro, Ogun State, Adegbenro Makinde warned that the cure being propagated by the cleric was misleading and capable of sending gullible Nigerians to early graves.

Makinde stated that though God is reputed to be "omnipotent and omniscient," He demands that human beings exercise their discretion on issues as sensitive as the Ebola outbreak.

"Any human being that stretches his hand beyond his protective range will not receive any direct help from the Light. Jesus never jumped from the cliff even with His authority and power over death," he said, warning Nigerians to be wary of Ighodalo's Ebola cure.

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