FLASHBACK: Where Is Mummy G.O.?

Nigeria has seen the rise and reign of several preachers. Still, like never before in recent times, early January 2022 took many by surprise, probably because social media triggered some viral moments that got everyone talking. The name on everyone’s lips was ‘Mummy GO’.

Evangelist Funmilayo Adebayo had become the country’s most viral sensation. What stood her out was her unapologetic apocalyptic warnings. Soon, she became famous as Mummy G.O., and her church, Rapture Proclaimer Evangelical Church of God (RAPEC), became a pilgrimage centre for worshipers, content creators, and curious minds alike.

In no time, her sermons went viral because they weren’t the usual ones one would hear in churches. 

And if you thought you were a good Christian, wait to hear the shocker from Evangelist Funmilayo, as she has ‘rare revelations’ of who is going and what would lead people to hell. 

Yet, beyond the memes and viral fame, in recent times, the evangelist has largely vanished from the public eye. Three years on, her voice has been conspicuously absent, even amid recent debates on issues like tattoos, topics she once would have fiercely condemned. It then begs the question, Where is Mummy G.O.?

The making of a viral prophetess

Evangelist Adebayo, founder and general overseer of the Rapture Proclaimer Evangelical Church of God (RAPEC), had been preaching for decades before Nigeria discovered her.

Born in Ekiti State, she built a small Pentecostal ministry in Iyana Ipaja, Lagos, centred on themes of holiness, heaven and hellfire.

Her sermon, once confined to cassette tapes and a modest congregation, suddenly found a global audience when short video clips surfaced online.

In those clips, she declared that seemingly ordinary practices like wearing jewellery, eating certain foods, dancing, or using social media could send believers to hell. 

The videos were turned into memes, soundtracks and comedy skits, transforming her into a pop culture phenomenon. In fact, Nollywood made a movie titled ‘Mummy GO’ featuring Patience Ozokwor playing her infamous character as ‘Mummy GO’.

But beneath the humour lay a more profound curiosity that drew many to her unusual sermons and preaching. Interestingly, she had claimed to have encounters with ‘Jesus’. She wasn’t your regular pastor. 

Part of Mummy G.O.’s mystique stems from her extraordinary testimonies. She once claimed she spent “990 years in the kingdom of darkness” before her conversion, describing a spiritual warfare narrative that captivated and unsettled listeners.

In other statements, she claimed a past life marked by spiritual battles and moral transgressions, framing her present ministry as a divine rescue mission.

Strict rules for heaven

At the height of her virality, Mummy G.O. became synonymous with extreme moral prescriptions.

In her sermons, she claimed that certain hairstyles, clothing, entertainment choices and even technology could spiritually endanger believers. 

Some clips attributed to her warned against trousers, makeup, dancing, and listening to secular music.

She framed her teachings as divine warnings. “God gave me the mandate to preach about things of heaven and warn people against what can make them go to hell,” she said in one interview with BBC Pidgin. 

Her church enforced strict codes: women were expected to cover their hair, avoid jewellery, and adhere to conservative dress standards. And as her fame grew, phones and recordings were discouraged during services.

To critics, these teachings represented religious extremism. To followers, they were prophetic instructions.

Inside the church: Premium Times’ visit

At the height of the viral storm, PREMIUM TIMES visited her church in Lagos, offering rare insight into the ministry behind the memes.

The church reportedly deployed members as “holy police” to scrutinise visitors, seize phones and prevent recordings. Visitors were asked to turn off devices and comply with strict dress codes before entering.

The unusual security measures reflected the sudden surge of curiosity-seekers, journalists, and social media users who flocked to the church to witness the viral preacher firsthand.

Residents around the church described an unprecedented influx of strangers, with officials tasked with monitoring unfamiliar faces and preventing unauthorised documentation.

For a preacher who had spent decades in obscurity, the viral moment had become both an opportunity and a siege.

This newspaper visited the church at Adeyefa Estate, Iyana Ipaja, on 11 January 2022. It was during one of its services called ‘Solution Monday’. 

Although Mummy GO was missing in action, the service was typical of a regular church activity, with praise and worship, until the preacher, ‘Pastor Sam,’ began his sermon on how God will destroy the world. 

During that service, the pastor claimed that God would begin the said destruction in any Nigerian state surrounded by water. 

This newspaper discovered that the ministry had existed for more than 20 years before it became viral. But almost before 2022 ended, many had forgotten about Mummy GO and went about their everyday business. 

The silence: Why Mummy G.O. went quiet

At the peak of the controversy, Evangelist Adebayo retreated from the public eye.

According to reports and accounts from visitors, she reduced her public appearances amid claims of threats and harassment. 

In an interview, she alleged that critics and rival pastors had threatened her life and sent gunmen after her because her messages were driving congregants away from their churches.

She also claimed that many of the viral videos were edited or misrepresented, insisting that some of the most extreme quotes attributed to her were fabricated.

Whether exaggerated or real, the threats certainly made her retreat from public space. But the church still exists, and she is still an active pastor. Although most of the church activities are often shared on her social media platforms. 

Where is she now?

Unlike many viral figures who capitalise on their fame, Mummy G.O. did not reinvent herself as a celebrity preacher or social media personality.

Her church still exists, but its national prominence has faded. Public sightings and new sermons are rare, and media coverage has dwindled

Some may opine that her sermons took a more extreme turn as her church gained attention, while others insist she was misunderstood and caricatured by social media. But the fact remained that Evangelist Adebayo gained significant traction in 2022, drawing everyone’s attention.

Currently, she continues to minister at her church, Iyana Ipaja, and most of these messages are available on the church’s YouTube channel.