The Celestial Church of Christ (CCC) has started looking into the events around the death of Nollywood actress Temitope Osoba. This comes after allegations involving her fiancé, Prophet Itunu Onadeko, surfaced.
The church expressed concern that Mr Onadeko's involvement has linked its name to the situation. They described the whole matter as “an extremely disgusting mess.”
In a statement released on Wednesday, the CCC addressed the rising public concern and conflicting reports about how the actress died.
Tope Osoba passed away on 4 August at the age of 40, though news of her death did not reach the public until the next day. Initial reports suggested she died after a long battle with breast cancer. She had surgery for this illness and had publicly asked for financial help in 2024.
Later, her family shared different details about her final days. They pointed to emotional distress, self-medication, health issues, and problems in her relationships.
The Osoba family stated that Tope had been suffering emotional distress due to “unmanaged worries, depression, and self-medication” along with personal and marital challenges.
They mentioned that Tope reconnected with her aunt, Revd Mother Kehinde Osoba Eritosin, in May 2025. She came to see her aunt as a mother figure and often sought her advice on personal issues.
On 31 July, the family said Tope made a “frantic call” to her aunt asking for help with her health and her relationship with Mr Onadeko. The actress reached out again on 2 August while she was getting treatment, asking her aunt to speak with her fiancé.
On the day she died, her friend and hairdresser said Tope had not slept and was making strange comments about death. Revd Mother Osoba told them to bring her to her church in Ikorodu.
While Revd Mother Osoba was attending a church program in Abule Egba, Tope ended up at Igbogbo Police Station after reportedly causing a disturbance in traffic.
After being released, she was taken to another spiritual center before her maternal relatives drove her to Sagamu. The family reported that her condition got worse during the trip.
They took her to a private hospital and then referred her to Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital in Sagamu. Unfortunately, they said she died in the vehicle before she could get medical help there.
With all the conflicting stories about her death, the CCC said it shares in the family’s sorrow but is worried that one of its Shepherds is caught up in the issue.
The church stated, “For us in the Celestial Church of Christ, we are quite sad that a promising life has been cut short in its prime.” They added that they feel “particularly disturbed and concerned” about Mr Onadeko’s involvement in the situation.
The church also addressed claims about spiritual practices, saying these do not align with their beliefs. They stated, “At this point, we wish to make it clear that the Celestial Church of Christ is a Christian Bible-believing religious church. Our worship is divinely inspired.”
The CCC emphasized that there is no place for idolatry, black magic, or cult activities in their church. They mentioned that their actions follow spiritual guidelines and a code of conduct in their constitution.
The church described the issues involving Prophet Itunu Onadeko as “murky” and embarrassing.
They said, “The murky allegations surrounding the involvement of Prophet Itunu Onadeko are, to say the least, quite embarrassing to the Celestial Church of Christ.”
The CCC stated they would not sit back while their name is associated with this problem. “As a church, we are already discreetly investigating the circumstances that led to the death,” they added.
The church did not share details on who will carry out the investigation, what it will cover, or when the results will be released.
This situation comes as some people are calling for an independent investigation into Osoba’s death. The unclear accounts of her last moments and the exact circumstances of her death are still unresolved.
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