Controversial Nigerian pastor, Chris Oyakhilome, has claimed without evidence that Pope Francis’ death was caused by the COVID-19 vaccine he took years ago.
Mr Oyakhilome, president of LoveWorld Incorporated, made the statement during a sermon on Saturday, reigniting his history of promoting conspiracy theories related to vaccines and global health issues.
The Vatican had announced that Pope Francis, aged 88, died of a stroke triggered by a coma and heart failure. However, Mr Oyakhilome insisted during a recent LoveWorld prayer programme that the vaccine administered to the late pontiff about five years ago was responsible for his death.
In his sermon, the cleric criticized the pope’s public endorsement of COVID-19 vaccines during the pandemic. Recalling the pope’s earlier remarks that if Jesus Christ were present, he would have taken the vaccine, Mr Oyakhilome described the statement as insulting and misleading.
“He believed them and encouraged the world to take the vaccine. And he too took the vaccine. And I’m stating that the vaccine killed him,” Mr Oyakhilome said. He suggested that blood clots, which he linked to vaccines, caused the pope’s fatal stroke, claiming, “They will not tell you the truth. That’s what I’m telling you.”
Despite overwhelming scientific evidence confirming the safety and efficacy of WHO-approved COVID-19 vaccines, Mr Oyakhilome has repeatedly warned his followers against vaccination. He maintains that vaccines were designed to make people sick and eventually cause death.
“They called his own Sudden Death Syndrome. Remember that I warned you. Once that substance is injected into your body, it doesn’t leave,” he said, alleging that there was no scientific method to remove the vaccine from the human body and that it was “planned for death.”
Mr Oyakhilome has a long record of spreading conspiracy theories. In 2020, during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, he falsely linked the 5G network to the virus and the coming of the Anti-Christ. His comments drew widespread criticism from health experts and regulatory bodies.
In 2021, the British Office of Communications (Ofcom) sanctioned Mr Oyakhilome’s Loveworld Television Network for airing “unsubstantiated claims” that connected 5G technology with the coronavirus pandemic. Ofcom fined the network £125,000 for broadcasting misleading information that could endanger public health.
Despite facing regulatory actions and scientific discrediting, Mr Oyakhilome continues to challenge mainstream narratives on global health issues, recently extending his controversial opinions to topics like genetically modified foods.
Meanwhile, following Pope Francis’ burial in Rome, the Catholic Church has begun the process of selecting his successor.
