*Gov Bago Condemns Looting, Burning Of Parish In Kotangora, Urges Calm
A NEW pastor has been reportedly appointed to preside over the City of David Parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) in Lagos State. He is Pastor Kayode Pitan.
Pitan takes over from Pastor Charles Kpandei, who had been serving as the interim Pastor since the suspension of Pastor Idowu Iluyomade in June this year.
The replacement followed the public outcry that greeted the extravagant 60th birthday bash of Iluyomade’s wife, Siju, which many as insensitive, a few days after the tragic and unexpected death of former group managing director and chief executive officer of Access Bank Group, Mr. Herbert Wigwe, a prominent member and one of the benefactors of the church, alongside his wife and son in a helicopter crash in the United States (US).
A viral video from the extravagant party showed popular Nigerian musician, Flavour, serenading Siju with his hit songs, including ‘Ada Ada,’ ‘Berna’ and ‘Adamma.’
Many Nigerians, including church members, questioned the timing of the party hosted by the senior and popular pastors, and the presence of Flavour, a secular musician.
Following the criticism, the Governing Council of the church in June suspended Iluyomade for three months and replaced him with Pastor Charles Kpandei of RCCG Resurrection Parish in interim capacity.
According to Church Times, a top source in the RCCG said Pitan has been formally designated as the incumbent Pastor of the mega parish by the Governing Council of the church during the just-concluded 72nd Annual Convention of the church.
Before now, Pitan was the Pastor in Charge of Tabernacle of David and Region 51.
His vast corporate experience is expected to contribute significantly to the effective management of the Trinity Tower project and the overall leadership of Region 20, with the City of David as its headquarters, assisted by Pastor Ben Akabueze.
Kpandei, who was temporarily assigned to RCCG City of David, has returned to his previous position as Pastor in Charge of Region 11, Lekki.
Pitan’s appointment seals Iluyomade’s return to the City of David mega parish.
Pitan was managing director and chief executive officer of of the Bank of Industry (BoI) from July 2015 to last year.
Meanwhile, Governor Umar Bago of Niger State, on Sunday, August 11, condemned the looting and burning of a parish of the church in Kontagora, describing the action as “mindless and cowardly.”
Bago said the act was not only an assault on the Christian community, but also a threat to the overall peace of the state.
Reacting through his Special Adviser on Print Media, Aisha Wakaso, the governor expressed concern over the incident and described it as a direct assault on the Christian community and a threat to the state’s peace and unity.
Bago said: “The burning and looting of the church is not just an attack on a place of worship, but a direct affront to the peace and unity cherished in our state.
“We totally condemn this act and assure our Christian brothers and sisters, as well as all Niger inhabitants, that the government prioritises their safety, security and freedom of religion.”
Bago stressed that Niger State values its diversity and the peaceful coexistence of all religious and ethnic groups, assuring that his administration would not tolerate any acts of violence that threaten this harmony.
“Our state utilises its diversity and the peaceful coexistence of all religious and ethnic groups. We will not condone this act of violence,” Bago said.
The governor urged security agencies to conduct an immediate and thorough investigation into the incident, vowing that the perpetrators would be brought to justice.
He urged residents of Kontagora to remain calm and avoid any reprisal attacks, stressing the importance of maintaining peace and unity in the community, noting: “We will continue to take all necessary precautions to protect all places of worship to prevent the recurrence of such regrettable and reprehensible acts.”
Bago pledged the state government’s support to members of the affected church and the broader Christian community, while calling on residents to be vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the authorities to prevent further occurrences of such heinous acts.
Recall that hoodlums looted and burnt down the RCCG zonal parish located along the Federal College of Education Road in Kontagora about 3am on Saturday, August 10.
That was the second time in 10 years that the church had been targeted. In the previous incident, unidentified attackers burned down the building and warned against its reconstruction.
Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the state, Most Rev. Bulus Yohanna, has condemned the latest attack, describing it as barbaric and uncalled for.
He expressed deep pain on behalf of the Christian community and urged the government to take decisive action to bring the perpetrators to justice, saying: “There is freedom of worship in Niger State. I am confident that if the government and security agencies act promptly, it will help prevent any further escalation of tension.”
Yohanna stressed the need for the law to take its course, saying such incidents must be curtailed and those responsible should be held accountable.
The Assistant Pastor of the church, Samson Ogbebor, said the incident happened around 3 a.m. on Saturday, adding: “I received a call that our church was on fire.
“Upon arrival, I found the church, which had stood for 20 years, completely destroyed, with properties looted by the attackers.”
He recalled: “About 10 years ago, hoodlums burned it down completely and we managed to rebuild it with our own efforts. Despite numerous threats and being denied permission to properly roof the building, we continued to use it for worship.
“But now, it has been destroyed again.”
