The Celestial Church of Christ, Acts of Apostle Parish in Ketu, Alapere, Lagos, is embroiled in a major crisis following a N5 million donation by the church authorities.
The conflict reportedly escalated during a Sunday service when Muyiwa Oluponna, claiming to be the son of the church’s founder, disrupted the service in a bid to assert himself as the church’s shepherd.
Witnesses said Oluponna interrupted Acting Shepherd Adetayo Adetola mid-sermon, seizing the microphone and declaring his right to deliver sermons every second Sunday of the month. A viral video of the incident shows heated arguments between Oluponna and church members.
In response, the church’s task force, led by Akinbode Adjovi, shut down the parish for 40 days to restore order.
Adetola recounted the disruption, alleging that Oluponna demanded the N5m earmarked for church renovations and clergy housing be handed over to his family.
“That Sunday, our shepherd was not around and I was put in charge of the church. I was also assigned to give the sermon. We started the service and everything was going well until he (Oluponna) snatched the microphone from me, demanding to speak.
“I respected him and gave him the microphone because I knew him as a family member of the church founder. Immediately he collected the microphone, he said the N5m given to the church by the headquarters for renovation does not belong to the church but to the family of Oluponna who founded the church.
“He also demanded that money be given to the family, insisting that the church belongs to the family and not the community or the CCC authorities.
“He also demanded that he be made the church shepherd and be allowed to give sermons every second Sunday of the month. We all kept quiet until he finished.
“After that, I took over to deliver the sermon, but to everybody’s surprise, he came back and snatched another microphone from one of the choristers and came to the pulpit to give the sermon. That was when we all resisted him”, Adetola said.
When Oluponna attempted to deliver a sermon, tensions peaked, leading to resistance from church members.
Shepherd Emmanuel Iperepolu also accused Oluponna of repeated threats and confrontations, which he believes escalated after the donation was announced.
“He has been causing trouble and demanding the money, claiming the church belongs to his family. The authorities and police are now involved,” Iperepolu stated.
Kayode Ajala, Head of Media and Publicity for the CCC, confirmed the temporary closure of the church to prevent further violence.
“The church is a house of God but when things are going wrong and people’s lives are being threatened we have to do something.
“The church authorities cannot fold their arms and allow people to get killed; we have to intervene and this is why we shut down the church temporarily, while investigation is going on.
“All those involved in the conflict are being talked to and resolution is going on and once all that is done, the church will be reopened,” Ajala said,” Ajala said.
Oluponna declined to comment on the allegations, stating that the matter remains between the family and the church.
