A fresh controversy has drawn attention to the relationship between Christian comedians and brothers, Femi Ajewole, popularly known as Alfa Sule, and Ayo Ajewole, better known as Woli Agba.
The latest development centres on allegations by Alfa Sule that Woli Agba has taken over their late father’s church, renamed it and removed traces of their father’s legacy.
The claims have renewed interest in the brothers’ long history together, their work in Christian drama and the circumstances surrounding Woli Agba’s eventual departure from the ministry.
Who are Alfa Sule and Woli Agba?
Femi Ajewole, popularly known as Alfa Sule, is an evangelist, actor and the founder of Christ Chosen Vessels Dance Drama Ministry, an evangelical drama group based in Ibadan, Oyo State.
His younger brother, Ayo Ajewole, popularly known as Woli Agba, became one of the most recognisable faces associated with the ministry.
The brothers became known for combining Christian evangelism, drama, dance and comedy, with their productions attracting audiences in churches and through recorded films.
The ministry began in 2002 with about 10 members and later grew significantly. The name “Alfa Sule” became widely associated with the group after one of its popular productions, while Woli Agba became known for his popular prophet character.
How did their journey begin?
The brothers worked together for years through Christ Chosen Vessels Dance Drama Ministry.
In a 2017 interview, Woli Agba said the concept for the group came from his elder brother, Femi, and that he joined the initiative as Woli Agba.
He described the ministry as a platform for propagating the gospel through comedy and drama.
The ministry eventually became popular beyond church stages, with productions such as Take Heed helping to establish the brothers as prominent figures in Christian entertainment.
Alfa Sule remained the leader of the ministry, while Woli Agba’s popularity grew through his performances and, later, social media comedy.
Alfa Sule asked me to leave – Woli Agba
Woli Agba had previously spoken about his separation from Alfa Sule in a September 27, 2022 interview with Pastor Funke Felix-Adejumo on Navigate with FFA.
Reflecting on his departure from their shared ministry, the comedian said he did not leave his elder brother willingly, insisting that he loved him and had no plans to abandon the ministry.
He said many people misunderstood what happened, but he viewed the separation as part of God’s plan for his life.
“I didn’t leave my brother, I love my brother, I couldn’t have left him. I don’t know maybe he just pushed me out to purpose.”
Woli Agba said he initially struggled with the decision because it came around the time he got married.
“Get out can mean get up or get there. Though I didn’t find it funny when he asked me to leave, not knowing the angel of the Lord was waiting to hold my hand. It was about the time I just got married…. It was a long story but it was so deep.”
He went further, explaining that Alfa Sule had directly told him to leave the ministry.
“He told me to go.”
According to Woli Agba, he had been working with his brother for about 15 years and did not expect the relationship to end that way.
He recalled going to plead with his elder brother after the decision and said members of his family also intervened.
“I did not do anything; he just said leave me my group. Go. I went to prostrate; my family went to him; they went to ask him. I went to prostrate; he said he did not do anything wrong to him.”
Woli Agba said the decision was particularly difficult because Alfa Sule had supported him financially for years.
“I said, Uncle, where do you want me to go? He has been paying my salary for 15 years.”
He also recalled taking his wife to Alfa Sule to receive his blessing after their marriage, saying he had never planned to leave his brother.
“I even took my wife to him so he could bless my wife because I did not have any plan of leaving my brother.”
Alfa Sule’s version is different
In his latest appearance on The Ajibola Akinyefa Podcast, which started trending on Wednesday night, he said he released his younger brother after what he believed was divine instruction.
According to Alfa Sule, he believed God was telling him to allow Woli Agba to go and pursue his own path.
He also claimed that he did not initially know Woli Agba was already considering leaving the ministry.
Alfa Sule further said he had played an important role in his brother’s development and had supported his education, including paying his school fees at Leeds University.
So, what is the new controversy about?
The latest dispute goes beyond the brothers’ old professional separation.
Alfa Sule has now raised concerns about their late father’s church.
According to him, their father founded the church and he played a major leadership role in it while their father was alive.
He said, however, that he deliberately avoided presenting the church as his own.
“I never called it my church,” he said during the podcast.
Alfa Sule said he would remain behind the scenes, only going to the altar when it was time to preach.
Alfa Sule accuses Woli Agba of taking over the church
The most serious allegation came when Alfa Sule claimed that Woli Agba had effectively converted their late father’s church into his personal ministry.
He alleged that the church had been renamed and that the changes happened recently.
Alfa Sule said he learnt about the development through a family member and a lawyer and was shocked when he later visited the church.
“I discovered that they have taken over. They have changed the name of the church. Recently, I realised that it is now his church,” he said.
He insisted that, in his view, the church remained his late father’s.
“Daddy’s church remains Daddy’s church. We were only continuing what he founded there,” he said.
Alfa Sule said the issue was not simply about the name of the church
He alleged that there was now little evidence of their late father’s presence or legacy in the ministry.
“They have changed the name. Anything that has to do with Daddy is not really pronounced again in that church,” he said.
He added that when he visited, he could no longer identify the ministry with his father’s original vision.
“I still hold on to the vision God gave my father. But when I went there, I saw that there is nothing you can trace to my father in that church again,” he said.
He compared the situation with other ministries where the names, photographs and legacies of their founders continue to be preserved after their deaths.
Is Alfa Sule fighting for the church?
Interestingly, Alfa Sule said he was not interested in fighting his younger brother over the church.
He acknowledged that he had his own vision and said he would not engage in a public battle over the ministry.
“I’m not ready to fight over it. I know it is Daddy’s vision, and I also have my own vision,” he said.
He added that if Woli Agba believed he had a different direction for the ministry, he would not fight him over it.
Why are these comedians attracting attention?
The controversy has attracted attention because the Ajewole brothers were once closely associated with the same ministry and helped build a distinctive form of Christian entertainment.
Their separation also marked two different career paths. Alfa Sule continued with Christian dance drama and ministry work, while Woli Agba built a much larger public profile through comedy, skits, filmmaking and social media content.
Alfa Sule has previously defended the relevance of dance drama, saying his ministry’s work goes beyond simply making people laugh and remains focused on ministry and evangelism.
The latest dispute is currently based largely on Alfa Sule’s account. There has been no public response from Woli Agba addressing the specific allegations that he renamed their late father’s church, took it over or removed traces of the founder’s legacy, as of the time of filing this report.
Despite the separation, Woli Agba maintained that he loved his elder brother and did not regard the development as the end of their relationship.
“I love my brother, and we are doing very well. If he calls me, I will answer,” he said in 2022.
Woli Agba’s account is significant to the current controversy because it shows that his understanding of their separation differs from Alfa Sule’s latest account.
(Punch)
