The Celestial Church of Christ, Acts of Apostle Parish, Ketu, Alapere, Lagos, has been thrown into extremity following the donation of N5m through the church authority.
Saturday PUNCH accrued that the extremity erupted all the way through a Sunday provider terminating age when an acclaimed son of the church founder, Muyiwa Oluponna, stormed the church and disrupted provider in an aim to put in himself because the shepherd of the church.
Oluponna allegedly seized the microphone from the appearing shepherd of the church, Adetayo Adetola, all the way through the sermon and claimed to have the fitting in order sermons each and every 2nd Sunday of the presen.
A viral video that circulated on social media captured the disruption and confirmed Oluponna and a few contributors of the church attractive in a scorching argument.
Our correspondent accrued that the improvement compelled the church authority, via a job drive, led through Akinbode Adjovi, to close i’m sick the church for 40 days.
Narrating the incident to Saturday PUNCH, Adetola alleged that Oluponna demanded that the N5m donated through the church authority to the parish for renovation and development of a clergy space be given to the folk.
“That Sunday, our shepherd used to be now not round and I used to be put in control of the church. I used to be additionally assigned to offer the sermon. We began the provider and the whole lot used to be going smartly till he (Oluponna) snatched the microphone from me, hard to talk.
“I revered him and gave him the microphone as a result of I knew him as a folk member of the church founder. Instantly he accumulated the microphone, he mentioned the N5m given to the church through the headquarters for renovation does now not belong to the church however to the folk of Oluponna who based the church.
“He additionally demanded that cash be given to the folk, insisting that the church belongs to the folk and now not the public or the CCC government.
“He additionally demanded that he be made the church shepherd and be allowed to offer sermons each and every 2nd Sunday of the presen. All of us saved calmness till he completed.
“After that, I took over to deliver the sermon, but to everybody’s surprise, he came back and snatched another microphone from one of the choristers and came to the pulpit to give the sermon. That was when we all resisted him”, Adetola mentioned.
Additionally talking, the Shepherd of the church, Emmanuel Iperepolu, alleged that Oluponna were inflicting hassle within the church, threatening him and alternative church contributors whom he perceived have been towards him.
Iperepolu mentioned the incident were reported to the church government and the police.
“I believe the donation triggered him to do what he did, however sooner than the problem of the cash got here, he were coming to the church to threaten and abuse me and others. Alternatively, in an instant later he heard in regards to the donation, he got here and demanded that the cash be passed over to the folk.
“He said the church belongs to the family of Oluponna, hence the money belongs to the family and not the church. The church authority has taken over the issue, and they have invited me and representatives of the family for questioning,” Iperepolu mentioned.
In the meantime, the Head of Media and Exposure of CCC, Kayode Ajala, mentioned the church used to be close right down to restrain additional breakdown of legislation and form.
“The church is a space of God but if issues are going incorrect and nation’s lives are being threatened we need to do one thing.
“The church government can’t line their hands and make allowance nation to get killed; we need to intrude and because of this we close i’m sick the church quickly, age investigation is happening.
“All those involved in the conflict are being talked to and resolution is going on and once all that is done, the church will be reopened,” Ajala mentioned.
When Saturday PUNCH requested about whether or not the church extremity used to be brought about through the N5m donation, Oluponna declined to remark, pronouncing the problem used to be between the folk and the church.