The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) has suspended Pastor Idowu Iluyomade, the Senior Pastor of the City of David Parish of the church.
According to The Nation, Iluyomade, who is also the head of the Apapa Family of the RCCG, was suspended over the weekend.
Iluyomade, a source said, was suspended for three months by the Governing Council of the church.
A panel has also been set up to investigate some of the allegations against him and the parish.
A top pastor in the church said the decision to suspend Iluyomade was a response to the public outcry against the extravagant birthday party of his wife, Siju, shortly after the death of Herbert Wigwe, former Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank.
Alot of people believed that Siju’s birthday which was celebrated just about a week after the unfortunate death of Wigwe in a helicopter crash in the United States was in bad taste.
The birthday party suggested the church had no emotional attachment to Wigwe, who had been of immense blessing to the church before his transition.
Iluyomade has since been replaced by Pastor Charles Kpandei of RCCG Resurrection Parish of Region 11 of the church.
Kpandei resumed at the City of David on Sunday, June 2 and was allegedly given a cold welcome.
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“Those in the City of David had been expecting Pastor Kpandei. Some top RCCG officials had to meet with some top people in the parish and confided in them that Pastor Idowu would have to be removed from the parish.
“They needed to get the confidence of these top people because of the great influence of Pastor Iluyomade in the parish. The RCCG was not sure of the outcome of its move, so it had to be discreet. He may not be returned to the parish after the suspension.
“We have just three months to the convention. It may be a way of taking him away from the place permanently. He has spent many years in that parish. He needed to be moved.
“It was not Pastor Adeboye that suspended him. The governing council decided to suspend him. I think it’s a decision in the right direction. Though some believe it is coming late. They needed to investigate some of the things people were saying against him and the church,” the source said, according to the platform.
Also, it was gathered that the pastor was suspended on two issues bordering on the audit of the church and the alleged resistance by the pastor to be transferred from the parish.
A source told The Punch that, “The church’s Governing Council met on two issues, the issue of an audit of the church where questions were asked and the issue that the pastor allegedly resisted transfer.
“The council then resolved to suspend Iluyomade for three months, during which time the pastor next to him will be in charge.
“When he resumes from suspension, the council also resolved that he should resume at the church’s headquarters, not the City of David.”
