Ogbomoso-based cleric Joel Olasunkanmi says he spent five years seeking wealth through ritual practices before a devastating car accident in 2001 left one of his legs amputated. He now urges young Nigerians to shun get-rich-quick schemes.

An Ogbomoso-based pastor, Joel Olasunkanmi, has recounted how his alleged involvement in ritual practices in pursuit of wealth reportedly ended in a life-changing tragedy that left him without one of his legs.

Olasunkanmi, who disclosed his experience during an interview with BBC Yoruba, said he spent approximately five years involved with a ritualist while desperately seeking financial prosperity and the material possessions he believed would bring him a better life.

According to the cleric, his involvement began when he became determined to acquire wealth, regardless of the means required to achieve his ambition.

He explained that the ritualist gave him a series of unusual instructions, including a demand involving a young woman he genuinely loved.

Olasunkanmi claimed he was instructed to engage in sexual intercourse with the woman and use a white handkerchief to wipe her private parts. He was subsequently expected to deliver the handkerchief to the ritualist as part of the alleged ritual process.

The pastor said he complied with the instructions and handed over the item as directed.

He claimed that wealth eventually came his way, although he admitted that he could not explain precisely how the money started coming.

However, he said the fortune came with restrictions that appeared unusual at the time.

According to Olasunkanmi, the ritualist warned him against using the money to build a house or purchase a car. Despite his growing financial resources, he was allegedly told that acquiring those particular properties was forbidden.

The cleric said he did not fully understand the significance of the warning until his life took a devastating turn years later.

Accident Left Him Without a Leg

Recounting the incident, Olasunkanmi said his life changed dramatically on May 26, 2001, when he was involved in a serious road accident.

He claimed that the vehicle involved in the crash had an indirect financial connection to him because he had provided the money another person used to purchase it.

Although the car belonged to and was driven by someone else, the pastor maintained that he had funded its acquisition.

The accident left him with severe injuries, eventually forcing doctors to amputate one of his legs.

Looking back, Olasunkanmi connected the tragedy to his earlier involvement in the alleged ritual practices, describing his pursuit of wealth through questionable means as a major mistake.

He said the experience made him reflect on his relationship with God and the decisions he had made in his determination to become wealthy.

Pastor Warns Nigerian Youths Against Get-Rich-Quick Schemes

Now a Christian cleric, Olasunkanmi said his painful experience has become an important lesson he wants younger generations to learn from.b

He urged Nigerian youths not to allow the pressure to become wealthy quickly to push them into dangerous or questionable activities.

According to him, the desire for financial success should not come at the expense of personal safety, integrity and the future.

His account, which reflects his personal interpretation of the circumstances surrounding the accident, serves as a warning against desperation and the pursuit of sudden wealth without considering the possible consequences.

For Olasunkanmi, the experience remains a painful reminder of decisions he says he would never make again.