“At 37, he keeps monitoring me around,” Gospel Singer Adelakun reacts as daughter accuses him of restricting her freedom

Nigerian gospel singer and televangelist Joseph Adebayo Adelakun has broken his silence over recent reports concerning his family, describing the allegations as false, misleading and defamatory.

His response comes after his daughter, Funmi Adelakun, released a video accusing him of limiting her freedom and attempting to locate her after she left home.

The 37-year-old alleged that despite repeatedly expressing her desire to live independently, she later discovered that the 77-year-old cleric had been making efforts to trace her, particularly after learning the state where she currently resides.

She alleged that he had deployed security personnel and set up traps through various means to locate her.

“Tell this person who calls himself my father to give me my freedom,” she said.

“Despite insisting that he gives me my freedom, I learnt from trusted people that he is looking for me, especially now that he knows the state where I am.

“He has sent security personnel to look for me. He has set traps for me through different means. If they have any idea or sense of an identity that looks like me, they should just pick up the person.”

Funmi further claimed that people close to her father had contacted her under the pretence of offering help, only to press her for her exact location.

She alleged that this was not the first time such tactics had been used, adding that security agents had previously been instructed to detain anyone resembling her and bring her back home.

“Despite crying out to you that at my age, I am not a kid that you should give me my freedom. Give me my liberation. Stop making my life be around your compound, your house, and your so-called church… let me have my own life,” she said.

“It is not like I don’t have a work that I am doing; let me have my freedom, and if anything happens to me, which I don’t pray that nothing bad will happen, but I am trying to cry out to Nigerians that nothing must happen to me.”

In a statement issued on Thursday, the family dissociated itself from the publications and urged the public not to rely on or share any unverified posts, videos, audio recordings or messages relating to them.

They warned that legal representatives had been instructed to take appropriate action against anyone found creating, publishing or distributing what it described as “false, defamatory or privacy-infringing” content.

“The family of Evangelist Joseph Adebayo Adelakun (Ayewa) has noted the circulation of false, misleading and defamatory content concerning him and members of the Adelakun family on various social media platforms,” the statement reads.

“The family strongly dissociates itself from these publications and urges the public not to rely on or share any unverified posts, videos, audio recordings or messages relating to the family.

“Legal representatives have been instructed to take appropriate action against anyone found creating, publishing or distributing false, defamatory or privacy-infringing content. Individuals responsible are advised to immediately remove such materials, cease further dissemination, and refrain from harassing or disclosing confidential personal, medical or family information.”

The family added that it would not engage in public discussions of private family matters and called on bloggers, media organisations, content creators and the general public to verify information before sharing it.

“The family will not engage in public discussions of private family matters and calls on bloggers, media organisations, content creators and the general public to verify information before sharing it,” it wrote.

“The family appreciates the prayers, understanding and support received during this period.”