The United States Embassy in Nigeria has debunked media reports that it rejected a visa application by the presiding bishop of the Living Faith Church aka Winners Chapel, David Oyedepo.
A section of the media had on Friday reported that Oyedepo was denied visa to the U.S. by the embassy in Nigeria on January 30.
The report said the embassy did not provide any reason for its action and that the popular clergyman created a scene after his application for visa was turned down.
One of the reports said, “David Oyedepo in anger created a scene while querying the grounds for his refusal, stressing that he had been travelling to the States as far back as 1980s and had not violated any rules or committed any crime to have warranted being denied a renewal of his visa.
“Sources say that he (Oyedepo) immediately sent for his bodyguards to get his phones so he could make some calls, but the embassy allegedly told him he could not make calls within the area of the visa-issuing section of the embassy.”
But in a series of tweets on Friday, the embassy said the report that Oyedepo was denied visa was “manufactured.”
“Be advised, the reports making the rounds about visa being denied to Nigeria Bishop Oyedepo are false,” it said.
“If you have seen this manufactured item in the media, help defeat this misinformation by communicating to everyone that it is completely false.”
Also, the church authorities denied the report, stating that at no time was Oyedepo denied a visa to enter the U.S.
Chairman of the Editorial and Media Board of LFC, Professor Sheriff Folarin, said Oyedepo could not have applied for a visa during the week as he still had a valid visa.
“Mainstream and online media spaces this morning were abuzz with the news that Oyedepo was denied an entry visa to the U.S. on Thursday January 30, this year,” he said.
“We wish to put it on record and categorically submit that this information is not true. At no time was the bishop denied a visa, nor did he create a scene at the U.S. Consulate in Lagos, as purported by some mainstream and online newspapers.
“The bishop renewed his visa last year without any initial denial or drama or scene. He was not at the embassy or consulate yesterday (Thursday) or even anytime this year. Bishop has been in Canaan Land all this week. The last time he applied for a visa, which was last year, he was issued without delay.
“We have contacted the U.S. Embassy and they are as surprised as we are about this fake news, which some media houses decided to spread.”
Folarin asked media practitioners to crosscheck their information before publishing.
He said, “We encouraged the Nigeria media to always follow the line of due diligence before rushing to press and try to at least reach the church from time to time whenever items try to pass through the rumour mill.
“Professionalism and wisdom requires this, so as to maintain integrity and make the media trusted in society, particularly at this age that fake news has become the news.”