PRESS STATEMENT:
ISSUED IN LAGOS – BY EVANG. OLU OSHODI
Pastor shocks Celestial Church, steps down
Deputy Pastor of the Celestial Church of Christ,
Reverend Olumuyiwa Oshodi has relinquished his office
and stripped himself of his rank and title. The
66-year-old reverend gentleman shocked members of the
public when he alleged that all those parading
themselves as pastors of the 61-year-old church are
self-serving impostors.
Oshodi made this disclosure at a press conference tagged
“Declaration for the Unification of CCC” held at the
Celestial Church of Christ, Ayilara Parish in Surulere,
Lagos Tuesday January 27, 2009. He said, “I, Samuel
Olumuyiwa Oshodi, hereby renounce my titles of Reverend
and Deputy Pastor of the Celestial Church of Christ and
now revert to my 1985 title of Full Evangelist
(Prophet).
“The late Pastor/Founder, Reverend (Prophet) SBJ Oshoffa
anointed me and conferred on me the titles I now bear. I
do this as a personal sacrifice in order to declare my
100 percent support for the unification of the church
because he who comes to equity must do so with clean
hands.”
Until his declaration, Oshodi was deputy to Pastor Paul
Suru Maforikan who heads the second biggest division of
the white garment church.
Since the demise of Oshoffa 24 years ago, the church has
been engulfed by reports of spiritual rascality,
financial impropriety and the usurpation of the office
of pastor by different people and for which reason many
cases have been taken to the police and some to the
courts.
On the issue of pastors and trustees of the church,
Oshodi said: “Today’s so called pastors have tormented
our great church and have made it a family affair. They
should all disrobe and join the CCC Unification
Worldwide. We all must wait upon the Lord to choose the
right pastor.
“If there are any differences between Pa Owodunni and Pa
Banjo – both of whom are the last two surviving and
original trustees of the church that were appointed by
Papa Oshoffa – they should please settle for God’s sake
and restore peace and legitimacy over the church before
they die.”
Oshodi
who 10 years ago began the largest open revival of the
church named ‘Ephphatha Crusade’ said he is determined
to aggressively use the crusade which his parish, CCC
Ayilara, hosts annually to support the unification
process.
“This year as we mark our tenth anniversary, we will be
hosting Ephphatha crusade in the United Kingdom, United
States of America, Benin Republic where the church was
founded by Papa Oshoffa and here in Lagos, Nigeria.”
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