Temitope Kolawole, a former armed robber who spent over 25 years in and out of prisons, has opened up on how he descended into crime at a young age, targeted churches across Nigeria and neighbouring countries, and eventually found redemption in 2021.
Originally from Ekiti State and raised in Ondo, Kolawole now lives in Ikorodu, Lagos, where he works as an independent evangelist, regularly preaching in communities and visiting prisons to share his testimony.
Speaking on his viral TikTok video where he claimed to have robbed over 1,000 houses and churches, Kolawole clarified that while the figure reflects years of criminal activity, churches—especially those of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG)—were frequent targets.
According to him, the choice was not personal or spiritual, but purely criminal.
“They usually had what we needed — money, musical instruments, and equipment,” he said.
He revealed that whenever he entered a new area, his first instruction was often:
“Take me to the RCCG headquarters.”
From there, he would observe the environment, study the church layout, surroundings, and internal partitions before striking.
Despite his dark past, Kolawole says his life took a new turn in 2021, when he encountered what he describes as a genuine spiritual transformation. Today, he attends Royal Church Ministry as a regular member, without holding any leadership role, and focuses solely on personal evangelism.
His story has sparked widespread reactions online — from shock and disbelief to calls for deeper conversations about crime, repentance, forgiveness, and rehabilitation.
Post a Comment