It was a mixture of surprise and anxiety
on Saturday for ministers in the Redeemed Christian Church of God when
the respected cleric and General Overseer of the church, Pastor Enoch
Adeboye, announced a new leader for the church arm in Nigeria.
Adeboye made the declaration at the church’s Annual Ministers Thanksgiving held at the Redemption Camp in Ogun State.
SUNDAY PUNCH gathered that
Adeboye started his speech at the service by telling the stunned
ministers that he initiated a pension scheme for the church’s retired
full-time pastors that would enable them earn 100 per cent of their
salaries as pension.
He reportedly said that government had
been meddling with the affairs of churches in Nigeria and he had to
discontinue with the scheme when the government introduced a
contributory pension scheme which the church later joined.
been meddling with the affairs of churches in Nigeria and he had to
discontinue with the scheme when the government introduced a
contributory pension scheme which the church later joined.
Ministers present at the gathering told PUNCH that Adeboye said the government also
interfered in the administration of the church by stipulating mandatory
office tenure for general overseers of all registered churches in the
country through a regulation.
interfered in the administration of the church by stipulating mandatory
office tenure for general overseers of all registered churches in the
country through a regulation.
He noted that this regulation also
extended to clergymen like Bishop David Oyedepo of the Living Faith
Church Worldwide International aka Winners Chapel, Pastor W.F. Kumuyi of
the Deeper Christian Life Ministry and Bishop Mike Okonkwo of The
Redeemed Evangelical Mission, among others.
extended to clergymen like Bishop David Oyedepo of the Living Faith
Church Worldwide International aka Winners Chapel, Pastor W.F. Kumuyi of
the Deeper Christian Life Ministry and Bishop Mike Okonkwo of The
Redeemed Evangelical Mission, among others.
Kumuyi, Oyedepo, Olukoya, others to follow
Some of the general overseers to be
affected by the regulation include Dr. Daniel Kolawole Olukoya of the
Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, who has spent 22 years as the
general overseer; Bishop Mike Okonkwo of The Redeemed Evangelical
Mission (35 years); Pastor Kumuyi (43 years); Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor of
Word of Life Bible Church (29 years); Rev. Chris Okotie of the
Household of God ( 29 years); Kingsway International Christian Centre’s
Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo (24 years); Winners Chapel’s Bishop David
Oyedepo (35 years).
affected by the regulation include Dr. Daniel Kolawole Olukoya of the
Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, who has spent 22 years as the
general overseer; Bishop Mike Okonkwo of The Redeemed Evangelical
Mission (35 years); Pastor Kumuyi (43 years); Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor of
Word of Life Bible Church (29 years); Rev. Chris Okotie of the
Household of God ( 29 years); Kingsway International Christian Centre’s
Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo (24 years); Winners Chapel’s Bishop David
Oyedepo (35 years).
Others are Pastor Chris Oyakhilome of
Believers’ LoveWord International (26 years); Pastor Samuel Abiara of
Christ Apostolic Church (39 years); Pastor Sam Adeyemi of Daystar
Christian Centre (21 years); Pastor Tunde Bakare of Latter Rain
Assembly (27 years); House on the Rock’s Pastor Paul Adefarasin (22
years), among others.
Believers’ LoveWord International (26 years); Pastor Samuel Abiara of
Christ Apostolic Church (39 years); Pastor Sam Adeyemi of Daystar
Christian Centre (21 years); Pastor Tunde Bakare of Latter Rain
Assembly (27 years); House on the Rock’s Pastor Paul Adefarasin (22
years), among others.
When contacted by PUNCH, the Public Relations Officer of the Deeper Christian
Life Ministry, Mr. Segun Babatope, declined to speak on whether Pastor
Kumuyi would also step down like Pastor Adeboye did.
Life Ministry, Mr. Segun Babatope, declined to speak on whether Pastor
Kumuyi would also step down like Pastor Adeboye did.
He referred PUNCH to the church secretary, who also declined to speak on the matter.
Babatope said, “I cannot speak on behalf
of the church. We are not fully aware of what Pastor Adeboye said and
we cannot comment on rumours.”
of the church. We are not fully aware of what Pastor Adeboye said and
we cannot comment on rumours.”
Also, calls made to the mobile of Rev.
Chris Okotie were not answered. He did not also reply the text message
sent to his mobile as of press time.
Chris Okotie were not answered. He did not also reply the text message
sent to his mobile as of press time.
Similarly, when contacted on Saturday,
one of Pastor Olukoya’s media aides, Mr. Idowu Ajanaku, did not respond
to calls made to his mobile phone, neither did he respond to the text
message our correspondent sent to him.
one of Pastor Olukoya’s media aides, Mr. Idowu Ajanaku, did not respond
to calls made to his mobile phone, neither did he respond to the text
message our correspondent sent to him.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Dele Adesina, who is an ally of Bishop David Oyedepo, told SUNDAY PUNCH that he needed to read the FRC’s code to give “an informed opinion” on the issue.