It was a moment of joy for some members of the Celestial Church of Christ nationwide, following the induction of new head in person of Rev. Olatosho Mathew Oshoffa. The induction though was done amidst controversies as some of the children of the late founder believed that the eldest son of the founder, Rev Mobiyina Emmanuel Oshoffa is still at the helms of affairs as the leader of the church worldwide, but Newswatch Times met with some Parishioners from Lagos, Ondo Oyo, Ekiti who lent their support to the choice of Rev Olatosho Oshoffa as their new leader.
According to Rev Olatosho, his vision for the church is to have a unified Celestial Church worldwide. His words: “My vision is to promote the vision of my late father which is to complete the CCC Cathedral situated at Imeko which is the proposed Jerusalem of Africa. Also to have CCC unification.
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At a news Conference on Monday in Lagos, southwest Nigeria, Oshoffa, alongside other notable leaders of the church said his emergence was ordained by God, adding that, his emergence had been foretold even before the demise of his father, Samuel Oshoffa.
According to him, his emergence is sequel to the vacation of the seat by court judgment of his elder brother, Emmanuel Mobiyina Oshoffa.
We want to see ourselves as one and to have a national identity, hitherto, development has been done at the parishes’ level with no concentration on the cathedral, individual parishioners have been developing their own parishes, but now we want to work as one”
The new leader said one of the visions of the late founder is to develop the Imeko town with infrastructure such as an Airport, a University and to make the town a beehive of activities. “I am a leader that has come to rebuild the image of Celestial Church of Christ worldwide, to restore the past glory and to carry out the objectives for which the church was founded, it is a task that must be done and I need the support of all our members because I cannot do it alone without the help of God and the unity of my people”, he said.
On the controversies surrounding his emergence as the new leader at the expense of his elder brother, Olatosho said it has been foretold that this period would come to take place. “It has been prophesied that 30 years after the demise of our father, there would be a revolution in the CCC which would pave way to a new visionary leader and I believe now is the time because I have been destined to lead the church right from the womb but, 13 years ago I was denied the privilege on the ground that I was too young so the post was given to my eldest brother”, he said.
Reacting to the appointment, Superior Evangelist Akossou Severing from Ado-Ekiti said the church needs unity, adding that he believes in the new leader as a restorer of unity and dignity of the church.
He said in particular, the Cathedral that was established by the founder to be the Jerusalem of Africa has since been abandoned and that has been a source of worry to members, adding that the new administration of Olatosho has promised to deliver the cathedral and other visions of the founder in five years. In his own view, Superior Evangelist Noah Atapenu, from CCC, Ore-Ofe Parish, Lagos said it is a thing of joy for them to have a new leader who they all believe would perform better than the incumbent one, adding that Celestial Church is a popular church throughout the world, but all past leaders have not carried out the vision and mission of the founder thus making the church to be underdeveloped.
“For instance one of the aims of the founder is to make Imeko town a beehive of activities with social amenities, but nothing of such has been achieved that is why we have been clamouring for a new leader”, he said.
According to him, what is happening presently about the selection of new leader is not something new as it has been foretold some 30 years ago, adding that the nation is witnessing change and the same applies to the church. “Celestial Church of Christ is the heart of Nigeria, I want to assure all that once the church settles, the country also will settle without crises that is why I said what is happening in Nigeria today is not unconnected with what we are witnessing in CCC because Nigeria is also witnessing transformation during this era of change, likewise the Celestial Church”, he said. On his part, Superior Evangelist Daniel Fadonugbo, Provincial Head of Ikere-Ekiti, said what is happening today in the church has been ordained by God and that the shepherds are just following God’s direction.
He said the founder had foretold that whoever is to lead the church in future must be by prophecy, adding that it has been prophesied before Olatosho was born that he would become the leader of the church.
Contrary to the rumour making rounds that some of the church’s parishioners are out to tear the Oshoffa family apart by appointing a younger son of the founder to take over from the eldest son who is still in charge as the leader, Superior Evangelist Sunday Adebowale Adebanjo of CCC Adanitan and Progress Cathedral, parishes , Lagos said that what they are doing for the Oshoffa’s family is to restore the glory of CCC and not to tear the family apart, noting that some opposition members have already started the process of nominating another leader who is not a member of the Oshoffa family. According to them the glory is about to depart from the Oshoffa’s because of the inability of the eldest son, Rev Mobiyina Oshoffa to develop the church. It is interesting to note that Celestial Church of Christ was founded on the 29th of September 1947 in Porto Novo, Republic of Benin through the founder of the Church, the Late Reverend, Pastor, Prophet Samuel Bilehou Joseph Oshoffa.
The Church is well known with Parishes, Dioceses all over the world with its International Headquarters in Nigeria.
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