Rt. Rev. Adeyemi, head the African Church, Ifako Diocese, who also supervises the presiding Chaplain of the Chapel of Christ the Light, Ikeja Venerable Femi Taiwo, has condemned the eviction of the latter in strong terms.
The senior cleric, in his reaction, got personal, comparing wife of Lagos State Governor, Bolanle Ambode, to Abimbola Fashola, heartthrob of ex-Governor and current Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola.
Recall that the face-off between the Church and Lagos first family started when Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, allegedly prompted the Governing Council, Chapel of Christ the Light branch in Alausa, to remove Taiwo as Chaplain.
Taiwo got the sack letter without any query nor official reason and was ordered to exit his official quarters where he lived with his wife and two children within 24 hours of receiving the letter.
Pleas from church leaders and elders failed to save the cleric, who still had two years to spend as the presiding chaplain.
Taiwo had allegedly angered the governor’s wife, Bolanle Ambode, who had visited the chapel on Sunday, May 14, when the church held an anointing service.
He was accused of not recognising Ambode’s wife during service and also did not give her preference while giving anointing to some members of the congregation who stepped forward to be blessed.
On Saturday, it emerged that evicted Venerable Femi Taiwo has been blessed with a fully furnished apartment, by church members who were angered and touched by the way the priest was treated.
Reacting to the saga, Rt. Rev. Adeyemi, insisted that the action of Bolanle Abimbola was wrong and asked her to apologize.
He said, “Anointing oil is a personal thing. Nobody has the right or power to force anybody to take anointing oil. It is even ungodly to say a worshipper should take it by force. Even Holy Communion is voluntary; there is no protocol when it comes to that.
“When you are in the House of God, rich or poor, old or young, you are all equal before God. If Ambode will recall, anytime she comes for service, she will be the one to sit in the front and she has the right and privilege of going to the stage first if she is interested.
“I have tried to confirm from Taiwo what really happened on that Sunday and he said the service held as usual. There were three of them who stood to minister the anointing oil and few of them who wished to receive the oil came forward. Ambode’s wife later joined the queue. And she even participated in the thanksgiving service.
“From my findings, her point of annoyance was that she was not recognised. She was not duly recognised and I asked that at what point was she expecting that recognition? I was told that Venerable Taiwo mounted the pulpit to deliver the sermon, she expected him to recognise and welcome her to the service.
“As a church, we are demanding apology from the governor and the government of Lagos State. We demanded that we wanted a Christian governor. We came out en masse and supported the political ambition of Ambode. We told our members to go out and vote for him. Unfortunately, people have started mocking us.
“What has happened is a sacrilege and Mr. Ambode should know that. We have been appreciating his efforts in Lagos. Why will he allow himself to get involved in such a trivial issue that can spoil his public image? You are the governor and the image of Lagos State and the father of all. When any report comes to you, you should dissect that report and know what steps and action to take”.
Asked to comment on the experience of the pastors of the church with Mrs. Ambode and former first ladies in Lagos State, the cleric said told Punch that “As a church, we are very much at home with Dame Abimbola Fashola than with Mrs. Bolanle Ambode.
“Mrs. Fashola is a mother, very humble, knowledgeable and mature. She has a way of dealing with men, women, young, old, men of God of different cadres and she knows how to appreciate people. Many of these attributes are somehow lacking in Mrs Ambode.
“Maybe this is because of her tender age; she needs to acquire more experience,” he said.
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