A Nigerian lady's first-time experience at the annual Shiloh programme has ended in a vow never to return, following a frightening incident at a viewing centre in Benin City, Edo State.
A Frightening First Experience at Shiloh
The lady, identified as Sophie, attended the Shiloh 2025 event via a livestream at a viewing centre located on Agbor Road in Benin City. Shiloh is the yearly programme hosted by The Living Faith Church Worldwide, popularly known as Winners Chapel, at its headquarters in Ota, Ogun State. For members unable to travel to Ota, various church branches across Nigeria serve as viewing centres to broadcast the event live.
In a TikTok video posted by the user @mostprettyend, Sophie documented her experience, which she declared would be her first and last time ever attending Shiloh. The video showed scenes of worship inside the crowded church venue, followed by the chaotic aftermath that prompted her flight.
She captioned the clip: "POV: You attend Shiloh 2025. First and last Shiloh." In the comments section, she provided chilling details of the event that forced her to run. "They were firing gun. Everyone was just running for their lives. I ran for my life. My life flashed before my eyes," she wrote. She also mentioned that the venue was "overflowed," meaning the church was filled to capacity with extra chairs placed outside.
Mixed Reactions Trail Viral Video
The viral video sparked a flurry of reactions online, with many Nigerians expressing shock and seeking clarification, while others questioned the location's authenticity as a genuine Winners Chapel branch.
User @ÂSK ÔF DÊSTÎNY DY commented: "this one nor be winner for agbor road." Another user, @Pearl, reacted with concern: "Oh chim and I be wan go today own." The incident raised alarm, with @Tife asking, "Omorrr , this is not nice, what happened?"
However, some commentators cast doubt on whether the venue was an official Winners Chapel facility. User @_just_laurel stated: "Make una try Dey talk true winners don’t use white chairs. Viewing center right? Cos I attend winner and no such thing happened." Similarly, @darasimi noted: "This is not faithtabernacle at Oto sha.cos the security guard here are very good. Na una know where una Dey go." Others, like @_Goodnews___ and @likedlyt, simply asked for the specific location of the incident.
Context and Related Events
This incident adds to a series of shared experiences from large-scale gospel events in Nigeria. In related stories, other attendees have come forward with mixed reviews from events like the Hallelujah Festival and The Experience gospel concert.
Legit.ng previously reported on another lady who attended The Experience 2025 and vowed not to return next year due to what she witnessed at the venue. Her video also went viral, with many agreeing with her observations while others argued such occurrences are normal at massive gatherings.
The Shiloh 2025 experience shared by Sophie highlights the potential security and crowd management challenges that can arise at overflow viewing centres for major religious events, even away from the main host venue.
