Celestial Church of Christ, like many other denominational organizations worldwide has faced internal crises throughout its present history. Since the passing of our founding father in 1985, the church has found itself entangled in legal disputes that have hindered its growth and progress.
One of the most pressing issues the church has faced remain leadership crisis, which has led to conflicts between the registered Board of Trustees and the Pastor. The Board of Trustees, as the governing body responsible for making decisions that impact the church as a whole, has been at odds with the Pastor over various administrative matters.
The Pastor made a controversial decision to dissolved the Registered Board of Trustees on the 3rd of May 2021, citing section 144 of the Church Constitution as justification. However, this action was met with resistance from the oldest member of the dissolved board, Most Superior Evangelist Banjo. A longstanding member of the Board of Trustees since the early 1970s, contested the Pastor’s decision, arguing that It exceeded his authority under Nigerian law, specifically the Corporate Affairs Commission Act and the CAMA Act.
The Pastor and the dissolved registered board of Trustees (BOT) of the church are at odds with each other. The Pastor believes that the dissolved registered BOT does not respect his authority, while the registered BOT argues that the Pastor makes decisions without consulting them. The dissolved registered BOT claims they tried to bring certain issues to the Pastor’s attention, but all their efforts was reduced useless.
On the 7th of July 2021, the oldest member of the BOT, who has been involved in various legal battles concerning Celestial Church of Christ, including cases such as
Owodunni vs BOT Celestial Church of Christ
Shonekan vs Mobiyina Oshoffa and Others,
Omotosho vs BOT Celestial Church of Christ,
Suddenly, he became a plaintiff in a lawsuit against the seat he had fought to defend for over 70 years.
OPINIONS OUTSIDE THE COURT’S JURISDICTION OF CELESTIAL CHURCH OF CHRIST.
Opinions regarding the role of Most Superior Evangelist Banjo in Celestial Church of Christ fall outside the jurisdiction of the court. Arguing that his influence is insignificant is unfounded, futile and uninformed. The elderly gentleman possesses a wealth of knowledge about the church and has made significant sacrifices to defend its interests. He has dedicated his resources to the church’s cause, unlike some of the Pastor’s aides who currently serve under him. It is worth pondering why Pastor S.B.J Oshoffa appointed Baba Banjo as a member of the first Board of Trustees if he did not see something exceptional in him. When the Ketu Faction, led by Rev EMF Oshoffa had fewer than 50 parishes when he assumed office, Baba Banjo steadfastly supported him, taken the Pastor to various parishes to establish his acceptability.
It is important to note that if all the financial returns from Parishes in the Church are directed solely to the Pastor’s account, it could lead to the Pastor becoming wealthy while the Church as a whole may face financial instability. It is crucial for both Most Superior Evangelist Banjo and Rev Emmanuel Mobiyina Oshoffa to align their perspectives on the Church, viewing themselves not as winners or losers, but as soldiers of Christ working towards a common goal.
Halleluyah! I kept wondering why some of us are refusing to agree that CCC is God's project and He decides who sit on the church administration throne.
The issue extends beyond the leadership of the church; it concerns whether the Celestial Church should grant the Pastor the power to single-handedly dissolve the Board of Trustees. It's important to remember that regardless of how long EMF remains in charge, he won't be the last pastor of the CCC. We must consider the implications of setting a precedent that could potentially end the legal existence of the CCC in the future.