Ironically, the Pastor Founder Rev SBJ Oshoffa established a comprehensive system of administration for our Church, adhering strictly to the provisions of the Church Constitution which he himself assented to. This system is based on the principle of separation of powers.
Regrettably, the current leadership of our Church has chosen to operate outside the realm of a well-organized and modern administrative structure. The Office of the Pastor strongly believes in maintaining a secretive administrative setting, where members who voice opposing views are labeled as enemies of the Pastor.
The Church’s financial autonomy is clearly defined in sections 148, 155 (iii) & 160 of the Church laws. These sections empower the Board of Trustees to manage the Church’s finances with sole responsibility for their actions falling under the purview of the Board’s decisions.
Currently, we find ourselves embroiled in a legal dispute regarding the constitutional power to determine the functioning of the registered Board of Trustees under Nigerian law. It is now up to the Federal High Court in Ikoyi to address the following questions:
1) Does the Pastor possess the authority to override the laws established by the Nigerian government?
2) Is the registered Board of Trustees, under Nigerian law subject solely to its own organizational laws?
While these questions await legal interpretation for future reference from the court, it is imperative to reinstate the order instituted by the Federal High Court Ikoyi Lagos on the status quo, which requires both parties to maintain their positions pending the determination of the court. This order prevents the registered BOT from taking further actions and also prohibits Pastor Rev EMF Oshoffa from exercising any functions as the Pastor of the Church until the court reaches a legal resolution on the matter.
The current legal misunderstanding within the Church raises concerns about the financial management of the Church. We are skeptical about who currently authorizes payments of the Church funds. This exposes a level of uncertainty and potential risk for the Church.
Based on the aforementioned explanation, does the Church Pastor have the legal authority to authorize the establishment of committees, approve Shepherds transfers, create bank accounts and make payments? It is a fact that the new secretary of the Board of Trustees (BOT), who also serves as the lead counsel to Pastor Rev EMF Oshoffa has not obtained an injunction from another court to nullify the status quo order of Justice Peter Iifu. Furthermore, the registered BOT has not decided to enforce the status quo of the Church.
As the lead plaintiff, MSE Banjo once stated, “It is unfortunate that Pastor Rev EMF Oshoffa has chosen to listen to wrong information/advice and has also chosen to deviate from the path laid down by his father in managing the Church. We are aware of the legal actions we can take, but I cannot bear to witness any of Papa SBJ Oshoffa’s children being arrested by law enforcement agencies.”
