Celestial Leader Crisis: Court Fixes April 7, For Hearing Of Suit Against Oshoffa led-Committee

A Federal High Court, Lagos, Tuesday, fixed April 7 and 8, for hearing of a suit against the Reverend Emmanuel Mobiyina Oshoffa led-committee of the Celestia Church of Christ.

Justice Ayokunle Faji, who presided over the court, fixed the date upon an agreement reached by lawyers representing parties in the suit marked FHC/L/CS/389/18, filed by Reverend Josiah Kayode Owodunni against Reverend Oshoffa and five others.

Other respondents in the suit are: Samson Olatunde Banjo, Pius Olanrewaju, John Omotosho, Professor Bola Akinterinwa and Kayode Okaisabor.

Also joined as seventh respondent in the suit is the Church’s Registered Trustees, Nigeria Diocese.

At the hearing of the suit Tuesday, the plaintiff, Reverend Owodunni was represented by his lawyer, Martins M. Nnebedum, while Reverend Oshoffa, Banjo, Olanrewaju, Omotosho, Okaisabor and the Church trustees were represented by Modupe O. Odugunwa, Opara David and Akinwole Okenile.

The plaintiff, Reverend Owodunni, in his statement of claims is asking the Court to restrain Reverend Oshoffa, from parading himself as the Pastor of the church worldwide.

He also asked the court for an order setting aside the purported appointment of Olanrewaju, Omotosho, Akinterinwa and Okaisabor as members of the Church’s Board Trustees. And to also set aside all official act(s) undertaken and performed by them or anyone of them in the name of the member of the Church’s Board of Trustees from December 24, 2015, onward.

The plaintiff also asked the court for an order to set aside the purported appointment of third and fight defendants as treasurer and secretary of the Church’s board of Trustees.

Reverend Owodunni also asked the court for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the third, fourth, fifth and sixth defendants, either by themselves, privies servants and any other persons whoever connected or related to them, from performing the  or continuing the performance of the functions of the Board of Trustees of the Celestial Church of Christ (Nigeria Diocese), as enshrined in section 155 of the 1980 Constitution of the church.

He also asked for order of perpetual injunction restraining all the defendants

either by themselves, privies servants and any other persons whoever connected or related from operating the two bank accounts belonging to the Church, account number 0009148230 and 0811030001106 of CCC International Headquarters Harvest and Pastoral account, respectively.

The Plaintiff also want the court to Declare that the only extant Constitution of the Celestial Church of Christ, Nigeria Diocese (”the Church”) is the Celestial Church of Christ, Nigeria Diocese Constitution 1980 promulgated on March 29,1980 (”the 1980 Constitution”). And that, by the provision of Section 184 of the said 1980 Constitution of the Church, it is only the Pastor by himself or on the recommendation of the Pastor-in-Council that may revoke, alter or add to any of the provisions of the Celestial Church of Christ, Nigeria Diocese Constitution 1980.

Also, a Declaration that, by the provisions of Sections 107, 108 and 109 of the 1980 Constitution of the Church, the’ Celestial Church of Christ worldwide at any given time shall have one head which shall be known as ”Pastor” and who shall be the ultimate Spiritual Head of the one and indivisible Celestial Church of Christ worldwide.  And a declaration that, by the provision of Section 111 (i) of the 1980 Constitution of the Church, only the incumbent Pastor of the Celestial Church of Christ worldwide can name and proclaim his successor.

He also sought a declaration of the court that, having not been appointed in accordance with Section 111 (i) of the 1980 Constitution of the Church, Reverend has no rights whatsoever to parade himself as the Pastor of the Celestial Church of Christ worldwide.

However, the respondents in their notice of preliminary objections urged the court to dismiss Reverend Owodunni’s suit for been abuse of court processes and court lack jurisdiction to entertain.