Five members of the Celestial Church of Christ Worldwide have been barred from worshipping at its New Jerusalem Parish 9 in Ilorin, Kwara State, for two years due to an alleged breach of the church’s peace.
The suspension letter, bearing the reference number CCC/EMF/PO/AD-FCE001/02-22 and signed by CCC’s Spiritual Head, Revd Bilehu Oshoffa, and seen by newsmen, stated that the affected members, who were senior elders, would be placed on a two-year suspension during which they would not worship or participate in other church activities.
Mayaki, Bolaji, Awofadu, Fashakin, and Olajide are among those who have been suspended, according to the letter.
According to some members, the letter was read during Sunday service by the church’s task force chairman, F.A. Adjovic.
Adjovic stated that the decision to suspend the members from worshipping at the parish was for peace to reign in the house of God.
He, however, urged members who had already registered as church workers at the administrative office to report at the headquarters of CCC at Imeko, Ogun State, for postings.
A church member, who spoke on the issue with our correspondent, alleged that the affected leaders were fuelling a crisis in the parish by claiming that they were the foundational members and that new members had no say in the church.
“This is against the fact that the CCC owns the church,” he said.
Reacting to the development, one of the affected elders, Mayaki, who claimed to be a worker appointed from the headquarters of the church, said he had accepted the decision.
“They didn’t say we should not attend other Celestial church; it’s only the New Jerusalem Parish 9 that they said we should not worship in. We can worship God anywhere. For me, I am totally okay with the suspension because the church is supreme,” he said.
Answering a question on alleged breach of peace at the church, Mayaki, who said that he was posted by the headquarters of the church to minister in Kwara State, said the other four suspended members were laying claims to owning the parish as foundational members.
Efforts to get the reaction of the other four suspended members proved abortive.