N65.5 Million Land Dispute: Parishioner Pleads for Refund from Prophet Marcus Tibetan and Mrs. Akintonde

In Lagos, a tense dispute has erupted involving Prophet Marcus Tibetan, a prominent Celestial Church of Christ shepherd, and Mrs. Omolara Akintonde, wife of former Ogun State Military Governor Daniel Akintonde. The controversy centers on an alleged botched land sale worth N65.5 million involving a church member and real estate businessman, David Timilehin.

The saga began in early 2022 when Prophet Tibetan introduced David to Mrs. Akintonde’s land purportedly located near the Dangote Refinery in Lekki, Lagos. The offer was for 30 plots sold at N2 million per plot, totaling over N65 million. Muhammad, trusted spiritually as a “mentor” and “father,” was persuaded by Tibetan not to get a lawyer despite concerns about legal formalities.

David transferred the money in several tranches to Prophet Tibetan’s account, who was acting as the middleman facilitating payment to Mrs. Akintonde. However, after nearly two years, David has neither received land allocation, receipts, nor official documents for the property. Instead, he alleges evasions and denial about the transaction from both Tibetan and Akintonde.

Suspicion deepened when David independently inspected the land. Contrary to assurances that it was near the Dangote Refinery, the site was found to be remote, mostly uncultivated land in Epe—an area with land values far below the N2 million per plot originally quoted. Further complicating matters, Mrs. Akintonde later increased the price to N5 million per plot, bringing the purported valuation to N150 million, a claim David rejects as absurd given the land’s location and status.

David’s worries escalated as both parties avoided giving him documentation or a payment receipt and resorted to blocking his communication. He disclosed that Prophet Tibetan expressed anger and issued ominous warnings, discouraging him from seeking legal counsel and casting doubts on the likelihood of a refund. Tibetan allegedly questioned the wisdom of involving lawyers with insinuations of harm, an act perceived by David as intimidation.

Driven by frustration, David engaged a lawyer, Mr. Ayo Durojaiye, who formally demanded a refund, labeling the transaction fraudulent. The lawyer also revealed that Lagos State Government had allocated the land to Mrs. Akintonde for commercial use, not for private sale, supporting Timilehin’s claim that the sale was irregular and possibly illegal.

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Efforts to reach Prophet Tibetan and Mrs. Akintonde yielded conflicting claims. Tibetan admitted to acting as a go-between but denies receiving the funds, insisting that Timilehin and Mrs. Akintonde settle the matter between themselves. Mrs. Akintonde, for her part, denies any business dealings with David, claiming the transaction was legitimate and promises a refund within six months, despite David’s lawyer’s allegations of fraud.

David says he no longer desires a protracted legal fight but urgently calls on the public and Lagos authorities to press Prophet Tibetan to refund his N65.5 million. He stresses the land deal was a betrayal by spiritual leaders he trusted and hopes his case serves as a cautionary tale to others.

The case remains unresolved amid public scrutiny, highlighting the complexities and risks often associated with land transactions involving intermediaries and spiritual figures, especially where proper legal processes are disregarded