Popular Nigerian entertainer and self-proclaimed prophet, Bayegun Oluwatoyin, widely known as Woli Arole, has sparked concerns among Lagos residents with his recent supernatural claim about one of the city’s busiest thoroughfares. The comedian-turned-spiritual leader took to Instagram to warn the public about what he describes as a “blood-sucking demon” allegedly lurking around the Otedola Bridge area of Lagos.
“There’s a blood-sucking demon around Otedola bridge in Lagos!!! Life is spiritual!!” Arole declared in his social media post, which has since generated significant buzz among his followers and Lagos commuters who regularly traverse the busy corridor connecting mainland Lagos to parts of the island.
This alarming proclamation comes as the latest in a series of spiritual pronouncements from the entertainer who has increasingly embraced his prophetic calling alongside his comedy career. While some followers have expressed genuine concern and fear following the announcement, others have approached the claim with skepticism, viewing it through the lens of Arole’s comedic background.
The Otedola Bridge, a critical infrastructure on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, has historically been associated with traffic accidents and congestion issues. Whether Arole’s spiritual warning is meant to explain these incidents through supernatural means or serves as a metaphorical commentary on the dangers of the location remains unclear from his brief statement.
This latest spiritual alert follows a pattern of prophetic messages that Arole has shared with his substantial social media following in recent months. Earlier this year, he released what he termed prophecies for 2025, focusing particularly on relationship dynamics and moral conduct. According to his predictions, the coming year “wouldn’t be a good year for girls who carry sugar daddies,” and he foresaw public disgrace for “side chicks” – women involved in relationships with married men.
In the same prophetic message, Arole warned that “men who love young girls and neglect their wives would live in regret,” concluding his prediction with an admonition for everyone to repent. These moral-focused prophecies align with his September caution to young women about what he described as an increase in ritual killings.
The devil is on a rampage against young ladies’ destinies,” Arole had warned, advising women to “stop fornicating around, carrying sugar daddies, and dating fraudsters.” His message emphasized that their “destiny is more than sex and money,” framing his concerns as spiritual protection rather than simple moral policing.
Beyond supernatural warnings and moral guidance, Arole has also positioned himself as a mediator in social dynamics between Nigerians at home and those in the diaspora. Early last year, he made a public appeal on behalf of Nigerians living abroad, asking those at home to temper their financial expectations.
Those working overseas can’t be sending money all the time,” he noted, highlighting how many in the diaspora “are overworking themselves.” His appeal urged recipients to “appreciate the little they sent them, stop being ungrateful, and pray for them,” framing gratitude as both a social and spiritual virtue.
Gratitude appears to be a recurring theme in Arole’s messages. He has previously criticized “those who are fond of being an ingrate,” observing that “a lot of people suddenly get Amnesia when they become successful,” which he condemned as morally wrong. His admonition emphasized the importance of remembering “those that God used for them before they became successful,” presenting remembrance and acknowledgment as spiritual obligations.
Woli Arole’s evolution from pure entertainment to spiritual commentary has created an interesting intersection between Nigerian pop culture and religious expression. This dual identity was particularly evident when he addressed Christians critical of the popular reality TV show Big Brother Naija.
Rather than joining the chorus of religious voices condemning the show as morally corrupt, Arole challenged fellow Christians to create their own alternative. He advised them to “stop complaining about the show and calling it ungodly,” suggesting instead that they “do their own reality show,” pointing out that “there are many Christian billionaires” who could potentially fund such an endeavor.
This practical approach to cultural criticism reflects Arole’s unique position straddling entertainment and spiritual leadership. With backgrounds in both theatrical arts and religious practice, he represents a growing trend of Nigerian entertainers who incorporate spiritual elements into their public personas.
The public response to Arole’s Otedola bridge demon claim has been mixed, with reactions ranging from genuine fear and prayer requests to skepticism and dismissal. Some Lagos residents have reported increased anxiety when passing the mentioned location, while others have interpreted the message as a metaphorical warning about dangerous driving conditions or crime in the area.
Traffic safety experts and psychologists note that supernatural warnings about specific locations can sometimes serve as cultural expressions of very real dangers. The Otedola bridge section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway has indeed witnessed numerous tragic accidents over the years, leading some to view Arole’s spiritual framing as an alternative way of highlighting genuine safety concerns.
As Lagos authorities continue their efforts to improve road safety and traffic management around the notorious bridge, Arole’s supernatural claim adds a cultural and spiritual dimension to the conversation about one of Lagos’ most challenging traffic hotspots.
Whether interpreted literally as a supernatural warning or metaphorically as a commentary on urban dangers, Woli Arole’s proclamation highlights the continued relevance of spiritual frameworks in making sense of everyday challenges in Nigeria’s fast-paced commercial capital.
