Worshippers shut down church in protest of pastor’s transfer

Posted by admin Headlines Sunday, January 16th, 2011

Members of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Oke Iye in Dallimoore area of Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, on Sunday, sealed off the church premises in protest against the transfer of their pastor, identified as Rotimi Oluwatusin, to Sokoto State.

The placard-carrying protesters, who sang all sorts of derisive songs to condemn the transfer of the cleric, who was described as the architect of modernity and development in the church, hinged the step taken by the authorities of the church on conspiracy and hatred.

All the doors leading to the church auditorium as well as the gate leading to the premises and the one-storey pastor’s lodge were closed, while occupants of the building were chased out.

The protesters alleged that the pastor “being proposed as replacement for Pastor Oluwatusin” is not competent to lead the church because his ordination was honourary, rather than by calling.

They added that the in-coming pastor was a polygamist, a status they said was not allowed by CAC codes and ethics.

While addressing journalists over the matter, the youth leader of the church, Elder Gbenga Ojo, faulted the transfer of the cleric, saying he had just spent three years and wondered why pastors who had spent 12 years in their respective churches were allowed to stay.

He said the members of the church had been battling with the knotty issue since December when it came to their notice that the man of God had been transferred, adding that the members were not playing politics with the issue.

Ojo said the protest was meant to show their concern about the sustainability of the ongoing developments initiated by Oluwatusin and not a way of undermining the authorities of the CAC.

He commended the achievements of the cleric in his three years he had spent in the saddle, saying he had developed the church in all facets and that he should be left to consolidate on his achievements.

The youth leader said it might be difficult for the members to re-open the church for service procession, except the CAC authorities hearkened to their request and allow the cleric to stay.

He advised that the church’s authorities should give the church autonomy, a development he said would allow the man of God to stay endlessly to develop the church, rather than victimizing him for his firm stand ion issues.

“This man has just spent three years and to the best of our knowledge, pastors use to spend about five years before they are transferred. So, I don’t know the rationale behind the transfer. We suspected a foul-play and we will not allow this to stand,” he threatened.

-Tribunewp_posts