- by Deborah Longe
- March 16, 2026
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The following is a transcription of On the Lord’s Side Podcast presented on GospelBellsRadio on March 16, 2026 by Olufemi Oguntokun. It may not fully match with the audio, but represents a near perfect transcription of the broadcast.
On the Story of Asake at the Kaaba
And yes, good morning to you once again. It’s Monday, the 16th of March 2026. The programme is On the Lord’s Side: Christian Perspectives on News and Current Events. My name is Olufemi Oguntokun.
You can follow me on X at @OlufemiOguntokun. You can follow GospelBellsRadio on X at @GospelBellsRadio.
This morning, we are beginning by engaging with a story about Asake. Do you know him? Well, if you are Nigerian or if you are active in the entertainment space, perhaps I can even say now in the global African entertainment space, you must know who Asake is.
His stage name is Asake. His given name is Ahmed Ololade. He was born on January 13, 1995, in Lagos, Nigeria. He is now a global brand. His genre of music is referred to as a unique blend of Fuji, Afrofusion, Amapiano, and street pop, often featuring high-tempo beats and Yoruba lyrics.
Before his breakout, it was reported that he was a dancer and backup singer for comedian Broda Shaggi. That is interesting.
He has been doing so well for himself from a commercial and career perspective. However, that is not the purpose of bringing up his story today.
About two days ago, many platforms reported something that really caught my attention. Punch Newspapers reported that Afrobeats star Asake was seen in a viral video struggling to get close enough to touch the Black Stone during the pilgrimage to Mecca.
From his name, Ahmed, you can deduce that he is Muslim. Muslims observe pilgrimage to Mecca as one of the stipulations of their faith.
It was quite fascinating to see him in that video, struggling to touch the Black Stone. Some people even carried him on their shoulders as he stretched out his hand.
For those unfamiliar with Islamic practice, you may wonder what is so significant about that stone. The Black Stone, known in Islam as Hajar al-Aswad, is set into the Kaaba, the cube-shaped structure at the center of Masjid al-Haram in Mecca.
Muslims believe it dates back to the time of Adam and Eve, that it descended from paradise, originally white but turned black from absorbing the sins of humanity. They also believe the Prophet Muhammad kissed and touched it, making it a precedent for pilgrims.
As Christians, we look at this and reflect. The Bible warns us against idolatry. Our faith is not about objects, places, or things, it is about Christ alone.
We have been given direct access to God through Jesus Christ. Hebrews 4:16 tells us we can come boldly before Him at any time. We do not need to touch any object for our sins to be forgiven.
There is no other name under heaven by which men must be saved except the name of Jesus Christ.
So when we see this, we give glory to God for the freedom we have in Christ—freedom from objects, from places, from rituals. We worship God in spirit and in truth.
On the Story of a Ritual Killing in Lagos
I want to move to another story, a very sad one shared on Instagram.
It is said to be a real story.
A struggling tailor in Lagos, named Babatunde, had gone five years without customers. A friend introduced him to a babalawo, a ritualist who gave him a small covered pot to bury in his shop after performing a ritual involving a pigeon.
The pot was said to require human blood after a year to sustain the success that followed.
As his business began to flourish, bringing money, cars, and houses, the demands escalated to the blood of newborn babies.
Afraid of losing everything, Babatunde allegedly began buying newborns from a doctor, draining their blood into the pot, and secretly burying the bodies.
The crime was exposed when a mother refused to accept that her newborn had died. A police investigation followed. The doctor confessed. Babatunde was arrested, led officers to the pot, and later died in custody. The doctor was sentenced to 25 years in prison.
This is an abhorrent story.
From a human perspective, we see the moral lesson: no amount of wealth is worth the life of an innocent child. Justice for the victims is essential.
But as Christians, we must go deeper.
This reveals the modus operandi of Satan.
He does not begin by demanding something extreme. He starts small. “Just a pigeon.” Something that seems harmless. Then it escalates.
That is how sin works.
The devil is the father of lies. He deceives gradually. He invites people into compromise step by step.
What began as killing a bird became the killing of children.
Scripture asks: What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?
We must be spiritually alert. We must ask God for discernment to recognize the enemy’s schemes.
May the Lord grant you the grace to say no when temptation comes.
Closing Remarks
I want to thank you so very much for joining us this morning on On the Lord’s Side: Christian Perspectives on News and Current Events.
By the grace of God, I will be with you again tomorrow.
Whatever you do today, please remain firmly on the Lord’s side.
God bless you.
You are listening to GospelBellsRadio.com, the Christian internet radio with a mission to engage the culture with the mind of Christ.
Keep listening and invite others too.
The Christian Internet Radio with a mission to engage the culture with the mind of Christ. Keep listening and invite others too. God bless you. Amen.