The sum of N5 million donated by Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi to St. Paul's Millennium Anglican Church, Odo-owa Ekiti has set leaders and member of the church against one another.
The said amount, which the governor said should be dedicated to the propagation of gospel was donated to the church during the funeral service of the former Primate of Anglican Communion, Archbishop Abiodun Adetiloye at his Odo Owa Ekiti country home last January.
It was learnt that the Bishop of Ekiti West Anglican Diocese, Bishop Oludare Oke, had ordered that the money be deposited in a special fixed account shortly after the donation, saying that it was not a gift but an endowment fund.
A source who preferred anonymity said the vicar-in-charge of the St. Paul Millennium Anglican Church , Odo Owa Ekiti Rev. Mike Ogunniyi hinted some members of the church about the Bishop’s order, but they countered the position, agreeing that the money would be used to purchase a new bus for evangelism and for renovation of the Church.
For refusing to accede to his order, Bishop Oke , directed that Reverend Ogunniyi be demoted from the position of Archdeacon to Canon.
The Bishop was said to have taken the action against the reverend citing indiscipline, insubordination and his decision not to carry him along on how the money was spent.
The church according to the source was sealed off last week Sunday by some members preventing members and leaders from gaining entrance to register their dissatisfaction at the Bishop's action.
The source confirmed that, “The Archdeacon having got the support of the Church members bought a new bus at the cost of N3 million, while a sum of N1 million was used to renovate the Church and the remaining N1 million was kept in the Church’s Account.
“The Bishop was not happy with the way the Archdeacon had defied his order and this led to his demotion to the rank of a Canon”, the source narrated.
But a statement signed by a member of the Church Council, George Ogunjeta and aired in some notable Ekiti based electronic media yesterday, denied the story.
The statement said that the cash donation has not created any crisis in the Church , while it claimed that the service has been going on unhindered contrary to widespread rumour that the Church had been sealed off.
Source: Daily Times
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