The Rt. Rev. Prof. Dapo Asaju, Bishop of Ilesha Diocese and the Bishop Theologian of the Church of Nigeria has narrated how he almost lost his life
while he was Vice-Chancellor of Ajayi Crowther University (ACU), Oyo, because of his principles and fight against immoral lifestyles on the campus.
Bishop Asaju recalled the incident while delivering a sermon on Wednesday, June 29 at the West Africa Theological Seminary (WATS), Ipaja, Lagos.
He was the guest speaker at the commendation service held for Pastor Oluwafemi Martins, the institution’s provost who transited on May 28.
The former ACU VC who spoke on the topic, “God does as he likes” described life as transient. He said he would have died after going through five-hour surgical procedures on two occasions consecutively.
He told the bewildered congregation at the commendation service that his food was poised by a close aide while he was the VC of ACU. He ate the food and subsequently landed in the hospital.
Asaju alleged that his assailants still trailed him to the hospital. He said the stitches on his body burst and he had to be taken back to the theatre for another five-hour of surgical procedures.
He words: “When I was VC of the university, I tried to clean up the system. And they conspired against me because I sent away people who were misbehaving. I dismissed cultists and hemp smokers. I wiped out the evil in the place and made the place a godly center by the grace of God.
“But what did they do? They decided to conspire against me and conspired with a close aide to put poison in my food. I brought food from home and put it under the table. And the aide I thought was faithful was used against me. They gave the aide money and they put poison in my food.
“Unknown to me I ate the food and landed at UCH Ibadan. I went through a five-hour operation. Two days after the operation they saw that I did not die, they came to the hospital to attack me the second time, and all the stitches in my body burst. I was taken to the theatre for another procedure for five hours. I saw the other side.”
Asaju said the incident changed his orientation about life. “God has blessed me in all modesty. And it occurred to me that if I had died in that hospital my professorship would have terminated. My son can’t bear the title. He can’t use my certificate.
“As a bishop in the Anglican Communion, if I die today, it won’t take them more than two weeks to elect another bishop. My son can’t inherit my title. It occurred to me that I have to be careful how I lived my life. Titles, wealth, and other worldly acquisitions are vanities,” he said.