{"id":1839,"date":"2024-06-16T18:26:20","date_gmt":"2024-06-16T17:26:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thechristian.ng\/?p=1839"},"modified":"2024-06-16T18:26:20","modified_gmt":"2024-06-16T17:26:20","slug":"confusion-trails-pastors-resignation-after-suspension-from-nigerian-mega-church","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thechristian.ng\/?p=1839","title":{"rendered":"Confusion trails pastor\u2019s resignation after suspension from Nigerian mega church"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_1833\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1833\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1833\" src=\"https:\/\/thechristian.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Idowu-Iluyomade-300x158.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"158\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thechristian.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Idowu-Iluyomade-300x158.webp 300w, https:\/\/thechristian.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Idowu-Iluyomade.webp 668w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1833\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Pastor Idowu Iluyomade<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is confusion over the reported resignation of Pastor Idowu Iluyomade, a popular pastor with the Nigerian mega church, Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pastor Iluyomade was the pastor of the City of David, a parish of RCCG in Region 20, Lagos, the nation\u2019s commercial capital, until his removal and suspension for three months on June 1 in controversial circumstances.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He was asked to report at the church\u2019s headquarters in Ebute Metta, also in Lagos.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The RCCG authorities also ordered an audit into the financial records of the City of David to ensure transparency and accountability in the church\u2019s financial dealings.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was learnt that KPMG, an external auditing firm, is undertaking that task.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The parish, which has the best RCCG building in the world called \u201cTrinity Towers\u201d is reportedly in debt to the of over N300 million.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1836\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1836\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1836\" src=\"https:\/\/thechristian.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/City-of-David-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1836\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Trinity Towers City of David<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On Sunday June 9, Charles Kpandei, was posted to replace Pastor Iluyomade, assumed duty.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Until his new posting, Kpandei the pastor-in-charge of RCCG Resurrection Parish of Region 11.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Following his suspension, there have been reports that Pastor Iluyomade, who is also the Special Assistant to the RCCG General Overseer, Enoch Adeboye, on Christian Social Responsibility, has resigned from the commission.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_308\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-308\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-308\" src=\"https:\/\/thechristian.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Pastor-Enoch-Adeboye-biography-300x169.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thechristian.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Pastor-Enoch-Adeboye-biography-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/thechristian.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Pastor-Enoch-Adeboye-biography-768x431.jpg 768w, https:\/\/thechristian.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Pastor-Enoch-Adeboye-biography-1024x575.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/thechristian.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Pastor-Enoch-Adeboye-biography-750x421.jpg 750w, https:\/\/thechristian.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Pastor-Enoch-Adeboye-biography-1140x640.jpg 1140w, https:\/\/thechristian.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Pastor-Enoch-Adeboye-biography.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-308\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Pastor Enoch Adeboye<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, neither the church authorities nor the embattled pastor have come out to speak on the purported resignation.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A popular Christian newspaper, Church Times, quoting a source, reports that Pastor Iluyomade\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/churchtimesnigeria.net\/how-rccg-exit-procedure-is-frustrating-pst-idowu-iluyomade\/\">resigned<\/a>\u00a0but because of the exit procedure of pastors of his calibre, it\u2019s difficult for him to make the resignation public.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The newspaper also said the special relationship Iluyomade enjoys with Pastor Adeboye is also making the resignation impossible.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Genesis<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although no reason was given for Iluyomade&#8217;s removal and suspension, there are suspicions that it was done following public outcry over the 60<sup>th<\/sup>\u00a0birthday party organised by his wife, Siju, in January.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Siju, a lawyer and the founder of Arise Women Conference, a faith-based NGO for women empowerment and Handmaidens women in Leadership Series, threw the lavish party on February 18, a few days after one of the prominent members of the branch, Herbert Wigwe, died in a plane crash in the United States on February 9.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1835\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1835\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1835\" src=\"https:\/\/thechristian.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Siju-Iluyomade-300x171.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"171\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thechristian.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Siju-Iluyomade-300x171.jpg 300w, https:\/\/thechristian.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Siju-Iluyomade.jpg 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1835\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Siju Iluyomade<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was attended by some prominent Nigerians, including billionaire businessman, Tony Elumelu, and pastor-turned-traditional ruler, Gandhi Olaoye, the soun of Ogbomoso.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wigwe, a popular banker and Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Plc, died alongside his wife, Chizoba, son, Chizi, and others.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1837\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1837\" style=\"width: 238px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1837\" src=\"https:\/\/thechristian.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Wigwe-and-wife.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"238\" height=\"190\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1837\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Wigwe and Wife<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Also on the ill-fated plane was his friend and a former Group Chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group PLc (NGX), Abimbola Ogunbanjo.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They were travelling to Las Vegas to attend the super bowl when their plane came down near the California-Nevada border.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many viewed the organisation of the lavish party held at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, as insensitive and in bad taste.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wigwe was said to have made enormous financial contributions to the church, which many regarded as a place of worship for the rich and upwardly mobile people in the society.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/thenationonlineng.net\/how-herbert-wgwe-helped-in-building-rccg-city-of-david-by-iluyomade\/\">service<\/a>\u00a0in February, Iluyomade himself recalled how the deceased donated generously to the church.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He said Wigwe spent about N500 million for God children\u2019s great talent project and adopted a lot of children.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He also said as the chairman of the church\u2019s financial committee, Wigwe also contributed immensely to its fund raising. According to him, at the event held at Eko Atlantic, about N600 million was raised for a project.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Iluyomade, who described the deceased as God\u2019s general, said when the church was \u201cground zero\u201d he paid five years rent for a branch.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1832\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1832\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-1832\" src=\"https:\/\/thechristian.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/City-of-David-300x165.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"165\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thechristian.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/City-of-David-300x165.jpg 300w, https:\/\/thechristian.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/City-of-David.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1832\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Trinity of Towers<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWhen we needed to take finance from the bank, when the contractors left the site, he gave us the money. Hebert was supporting us. His wife was supporting him. He\u2019ll call his wife, bring N20 million, bring N10 million and she\u2019ll support. He\u2019ll call his friends too,\u201d the pastor added.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are however reports the church held two special services in Wigwe\u2019s honour.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There is confusion over the reported resignation of Pastor Idowu Iluyomade, a popular pastor with the Nigerian mega church, Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG). Pastor Iluyomade was the pastor of the City of David, a parish of RCCG in Region 20, Lagos, the nation\u2019s commercial capital, until his removal and suspension for three months [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":{"source_name":"","source_url":"","via_name":"","via_url":"","override":[{"template":"1","single_blog_custom":"","parallax":"1","layout":"right-sidebar","sidebar":"default-sidebar","second_sidebar":"default-sidebar","sticky_sidebar":"1","share_position":"top","share_float_style":"share-monocrhome","show_share_counter":"1","show_view_counter":"1","show_featured":"1","show_post_meta":"1","show_post_author":"1","show_post_author_image":"1","show_post_date":"1","post_date_format":"default","post_date_format_custom":"Y\/m\/d","show_post_category":"1","post_reading_time_wpm":"300","zoom_button_out_step":"2","zoom_button_in_step":"3","show_post_tag":"1","show_prev_next_post":"1","show_popup_post":"1","number_popup_post":"1"}],"image_override":[{"single_post_thumbnail_size":"crop-500","single_post_gallery_size":"crop-500"}],"trending_post_position":"meta","trending_post_label":"Trending"},"jnews_primary_category":{"id":""},"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1839","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thechristian.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1839","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thechristian.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thechristian.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thechristian.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thechristian.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1839"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/thechristian.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1839\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1841,"href":"https:\/\/thechristian.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1839\/revisions\/1841"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thechristian.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1839"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thechristian.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1839"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thechristian.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1839"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}