OLAMIDE FALANA CONDEMNS PASTOR’S RAPE OF DAUGHTER, URGES MEDIA TO RAISE AWARENESS ON SEXUAL VIOLENCE

The former Special Adviser to the Ondo State Governor on Gender, Hon. Olamide Falana, has condemned the shocking case of a 42-year-old pastor, Samson Ajayi, who was remanded by an Akure Magistrate’s Court for allegedly raping his 17-year-old daughter for over four years.

Reacting to the incident, Falana described the development as “very sad” and a reflection of multiple societal failings, stressing the need for stronger awareness and vigilance to protect children from sexual predators.

“This is a tragic case. A teenage girl enduring rape for four years is an indication of fear, while a mother not noticing is a sign of lack of skills to identify abusive circumstances and overrated trust. A father raping his daughter is simply a lack of self-control, any available female would have been targeted, whether a daughter or a church member,” she said.

The gender advocate also dismissed Ajayi’s claim that his actions were influenced by a “generational curse” as “laughable,” insisting that it was an attempt to excuse criminal behavior.

Falana urged the media to step up its role in raising awareness and mobilizing solidarity against sexual violence, particularly during the long school vacation period when children may be more vulnerable to predators.

“We hope the media can really help raise awareness, especially now that children are on long vacation and accessible to rapists, perverts, and paedophiles lurking around,” she added.

Pastor Ajayi, a father of five, was ordered remanded at the Olokuta Correctional Centre pending legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). The case has been adjourned to November 20, 2025, for further hearing.