To start with, if there is anyone President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should completely avoid, it is definitely Mahdi Shehu — a self-acclaimed public affairs commentator seeking validation from an audience that doesn’t even exist.
If President Tinubu truly values himself and his administration, he needs to distance himself from Mahdi Shehu and his ilk. They have shown beyond all doubt that they do not mean well for him and would prefer to see him fail by any means possible.
This conclusion stems from Shehu’s comments on Primate Elijah Ayodele’s warning to the President about a possible coup. The prophet had urged the President to strengthen his security apparatus and remain vigilant to avoid being removed by powerful Nigerians displeased with his leadership.
These were the prophet’s words:
“There will be an attempt to unseat Tinubu unconstitutionally; the NSA, DSS, and Chief of Army Staff must be careful about this. There are some gangs planning between November and January to unseat him.”
“Even the Navy and Air Force will be part of it, including the Nigerian Army. President Tinubu must be ready for anything and fortify himself. He needs to change his security strategy because these personalities will be unbelievable names.”
This was a warning borne out of spiritual insight — the same way Primate Ayodele consistently warns presidents and individuals. It was, therefore, surprising to see Mahdi Shehu criticize the prophet for his cautionary message to the President, dismissing it as the work of a “false spirit.”
Mahdi’s comments clearly reflect ignorance and a lack of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. If he possessed any of these, he would know that Primate Ayodele has been the only prophet who consistently warned of coups across African nations — and so far, they have all come to pass.
It is on record that, years ago, during a live service at his Lagos church, the prophet called on the then-president of Gabon, Ali Bongo, to resign because he would soon be removed from office. He urged Bongo to step down peacefully to avoid being disgraced, but the president ignored the warning.
These were the prophet’s words:
“Gabonese president, your time is up. I am seeing a crisis — if not a coup d’état — because of your health. Why not resign? Why do you want to die on this seat? I am telling you what the Lord has said: your staying on the throne is killing you because you are self-centered. This is enough warning for you. You are incapacitated, but no one is telling you the truth. I am telling you to humble yourself, resign, and hand over to someone who can do better so that you won’t cause a crisis in your country.”
Not long after, during the presidential election, his government was toppled.
The same thing happened in Burkina Faso, Mali, and several other countries where coups have taken place. More recently, the unrest in Nepal — where youths ousted the president and seized power — was also foretold by Primate Ayodele years before it occurred.
In Madagascar, the president has fled the country following protests supported by the military. He had previously acknowledged that a coup was brewing before finally escaping as the army-backed demonstrations intensified. This, too, was predicted by Primate Ayodele about three years ago, before the last election.
These were his words:
“In the election, the people will try to call for military intervention. The president will win the election, but they will frustrate his government; he needs to be very watchful.”
All these and many more are records of Primate Ayodele’s fulfilled prophecies. For those who still ignore them, President Tinubu must not allow the likes of Mahdi Shehu to lead him into error. He should take divine warnings seriously to avoid the fate of those who failed to heed prophetic counsel in the past.