Nigerian cleric Prophet MKO Tibetan is currently weathering a storm of intense backlash after a divine prophecy he made concerning the Super Eagles' Africa Cup of Nations semi-final clash with Morocco failed to materialize.
The Bold Prediction That Backfired
Before the crucial AFCON 2025 semi-final match on January 15, 2026, the founder of the Celestial Church of Christ, Elisha Parish, whose real name is Marcus Tibetan, gave a confident interview. He prophesied that Nigeria would defeat Morocco by a stunning scoreline of 5-2. He claimed this revelation came to him through a divine message.
Prophet MKO Tibetan insisted that even if Morocco scored first or referees allowed questionable goals against Nigeria, the Super Eagles would recover and dominate. He warned of an alleged "gang-up" among match officials but maintained that Nigeria's journey to lifting the trophy was divinely decided. "We are going to make five goals out of them, and we will humiliate them," he was quoted as saying.
The Reality on the Pitch
Contrary to the prophet's certain prediction, the actual match played out very differently. After 120 minutes of tense football, the game ended in a 0-0 deadlock, with neither side able to break through in regulation or extra time.
The match proceeded directly to a penalty shootout, where Morocco emerged victorious with a 4-2 win. The Moroccan goalkeeper made key saves against Nigerian players Samuel Chukwueze and Bruno Onyemaechi. This result sent Morocco to the final against Senegal and relegated Nigeria to a third-place playoff against Egypt.
Nigerians React with Fury and Mockery
The failed prophecy sparked immediate and widespread outrage on social media platforms. Many Nigerians took to the internet to express their displeasure, accusing the cleric of spreading falsehoods.
One user, @kingkhone4real, succinctly stated, "Fake pastors everywhere in Nigeria." Another, @mayyor_, suggested stricter consequences: "If CAN is serious any pastor that drops a prophecy that don’t come to pass should never be allowed to preach again."
The mockery was also evident. User @adejare_stephen commented, "Pastor, with all due respect, this one no be prophecy — na pure guesswork wey miss road." Meanwhile, @emmyx4pf advised, "sometimes pastors should just stick with their preaching and leave predictions alone."
The backlash extends beyond the prophet. Popular comedian Bovi Ugboma also criticized the Super Eagles' overall performance in the tournament, urging the players to show more seriousness and focus when representing the nation.
This incident has reignited ongoing debates in Nigeria about the role of religious leaders in making public predictions, especially concerning national events where emotions run high.
