A controversial Nigerian cleric, Chris Oyakhilome, has claimed without evidence that Pope Francis died from the effects of taking the coronavirus vaccine.
Mr Oyakhilome, president of LoveWorld Incorporated, made the claim on Saturday, about five years after he falsely claimed that there was a link between the 5G network, Coronavirus, and the Anti-Christ.
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In April 2020, during the COVID-19 outbreak and the lockdown directives, the pastor slammed his colleagues for consenting to the closure of churches.
In January 2021, Pope Francis said that people have a moral obligation to receive one of the new COVID-19 vaccines, revealing that he was expecting his first dose.
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According to the National Catholic Reporter, the pope said that taking the vaccine was a moral choice because it was about saving lives.
Claim on Pope’s death
While the Vatican announced on Monday that the 88-year-old pope died of a stroke triggered by a coma and heart failure, Mr Oyakhilome claims it was the COVID-19 vaccine that the pope took about five years ago that caused his death last week.
In a sermon delivered during a recent LoveWorld prayer programme, Mr Oyakhilome said that the late pope made a statement that he (Oyakhilome) believed was not good at the time.
“While he was trying to encourage the world to take the vaccines, he stated that if Jesus were here, he would have taken the vaccine.
“I found that very insulting, and I talked about it. At that time, he was still with the globalists. He believed them and encouraged the world to take the vaccine.
And he too took the vaccine,” the founder of Christ Embassy said.
“And I’m stating that the vaccine killed him. They said he had a stroke. Where did the stroke come from? Blood clots.
“And that’s one of the most common causes of death from the vaccine. They will not tell you the truth. That’s what I’m telling you,” he said.
Other controversial claims
Despite scientific evidence that show that WHO-approved vaccines are safe and have saved millions of lives across the world, the preacher has repeatedly warned his congregants against taking vaccines, stating that no vaccine is good.
He claimed that the goal of vaccines is to get people sick until it kills them.
“They called his (Pope’s) own Sudden Death Syndrome. So remember that I warned you. And I told you that once that substance is inside your body, it can’t leave.
“Once injected into your body, it does not leave. It doesn’t go away. They have no scientific way to remove it and never plan to find a solution. It was planned for death, to kill as many people around the world,” Mr Oyakhilome added.
Conspiracy Theorist
Mr Oyakhilome has a long history of promoting conspiracy theories on global issues, like vaccines, the 5G network and, more recently, GMO foods.
In 2021, the British media regulator, Office of Communications (Ofcom), imposed sanctions on his Loveworld Television Network for airing “unsubstantiated claims” linking 5G to the coronavirus pandemic.
The regulator said while it does not oppose broadcasts airing controversial views or those challenging health authorities, the claims in a sermon aired by Christian channel Loveworld News calling the pandemic a “global cover-up” posed serious health consequences to viewers.
READ ALSO: Pope Francis, our father, gone to Heaven, By Owei Lakemfa
Later that year, Ofcom placed a fine of £125,000 on Loveworld Television Network.
In a report, Ofcom said the Loveworld Television Network exposed viewers to “inaccurate and potentially harmful claims about the Coronavirus without providing adequate protection for viewers”.
The agency noted that that was the second time the television network had breached the rules on “accuracy in news and harm in its coverage of the Coronavirus.”
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