UK-based Nigerian reality TV star Natasha Akide, popularly known as Tacha, has publicly criticised the behaviour of some Nigerian Christian pastors.
In a strongly worded video message, Tacha claimed that many religious leaders in Nigeria act in ways that would never be tolerated outside the country.
She alleged that “90% of Nigerian pastors” engage in misconduct that would result in serious consequences abroad. According to her, such religious figures benefit from a system that often overlooks their wrongdoings simply because they hold spiritual authority.
Adefarasin’s controversial encounter goes viral
Tacha’s comments follow a viral video involving Paul Adefarasin, Senior Pastor of the House on the Rock Church. In the clip, Adefarasin is seen confronting a young man, identified as a car spotter, who was filming his luxury car.
The pastor, holding what appeared to be a pistol-like object, told the young man, “Don’t do that, don’t do that.” The video quickly spread across social media, drawing public outrage and debate over the pastor’s conduct.
Many viewers questioned whether a religious leader should be carrying what seemed to be a weapon and whether his reaction to the car spotter was justified.
Pastor denies holding a gun
In response to the backlash, Pastor Adefarasin issued a public statement. He denied holding a firearm in the video and said the object in question was not a weapon. He also claimed that the car spotter had been aggressive toward him, which prompted his reaction.
However, Tacha disagrees with this explanation.
Tacha accuses pastor of gaslighting
Reacting to the incident in a video shared on her X (formerly Twitter) account, Tacha accused the pastor of gaslighting the public. She said the video clearly showed who the aggressor was, and it wasn’t the young man with the phone.
“I didn’t want to speak on the church drama until I saw clips from today’s service,” she said. “Because there’s nothing I hate more than gaslighting.”
She continued, “Everybody saw the video. From the video, we can tell who the aggressor was. This pastor stopped his car, wound down the window, and held something that looked like a firearm.”
No signs of aggression from spotter, says Tacha
Tacha argued that the car spotter was not aggressive and was only filming and praising the pastor. She pointed out that car spotting, taking videos of luxury vehicles, is a common and harmless practice worldwide.
“There are car spotters everywhere. What did this boy do wrong? He wasn’t threatening anyone,” she said.
She also expressed frustration with the pastor’s church members who applauded him during the service after the incident.
“Nothing pains me more than the gullible congregation that was clapping and cheering. What exactly are you cheering for?” she asked. “Didn’t you all see the same video?”
Double standards and religious privilege
Tacha went on to highlight what she sees as double standards in how Nigerians react to such incidents.
“If it was someone like Seyi Tinubu or Wike’s son that did this, Twitter would be on fire for days,” she said. “But because he’s a pastor, people are making excuses.”
She also recalled another incident involving Adefarasin. According to her, the pastor had once smashed the windshield of a bus that hit his car, endangering passengers.
“This same man now wants to call a content creator ‘aggressive’ just for holding a phone,” Tacha said.
A call for accountability
Tacha’s message ended with a call for Nigerians to hold their pastors accountable. She said religious leaders should not be above criticism, especially when their actions are questionable.
“We must stop being hypocrites,” she said. “If these same pastors tried the kind of Christianity they practice here anywhere else, their churches would shut down in a year.”
Her comments have sparked renewed debate on social media about the role of religious leaders, the boundaries of public respect, and the need for consistent standards of behaviour, regardless of one’s title.
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