Posted by By Chris Ikwunze, Port Harcourt on
The refusal of professed leaders of the body of Christ to separate themselves from the world is threatening to consume members of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rivers State chapter.
* Quest for CAN leadership causes furore in Rivers
The refusal of professed leaders of the body of Christ to separate themselves from the world is threatening to consume members of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rivers State chapter.
At daggers drawn is Apostle G.D Numbere, General overseer of Greater Evangelism World Crusade, who, incidentally is the CAN president, South-South zone and leaders of other denominations afflicted to CAN .
The bone of contention, Daily Sun learnt, is the headship of the Rivers chapter of CAN. Leadership of Rivers CAN, being the most buoyant, is being fiercely contested because whoever controls it, is in charge of the millions of Naira that come to it from the government.
Immediate past governor of Rivers State, Dr. Peter Odili, famous for his generous donation of public fund has donated millions to the body during his time. It is expected that the legacy would be maintained by his successor and incumbent governor, Sir Celestine Omehia.
However, the crisis is not just about politics but blackmail, tribalism, backstabbing, incitement among others have been employed.
Genesis
The Rivers CAN had been peaceful till March this year when election of new officers were announced and Apostle Numbere announced his intention to contest. Incidentally, Numbere was in December 2006 crowned the South-South zonal chairman of CAN, comprising six states. Many denominations affiliated to CAN such as pentecostal, methodist, baptists, and catholic, had questioned his morality to contest.
"How can he be the south-south zonal chairman and the state chairman, they asked"?
He was to run against Apostle Eugene Ogu of the Abundant Life Evangel Mission (ALEM) who is the state president of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN). Ogu
Daily Sun learnt way the popular choice because of his integrity, fearlessness and ability to call a peg by its name. He was to be returned un-opposed before Numbere joined the fray.
However, sources said that tribalism was brought to bear on the election when the Numbere camp started campaigning that only an indigene of Rivers should be allowed to head the body. Ogu is from Imo State, but had lived for over 25 years in Rivers. He is married to a Rivers woman and his children were all born in Rivers.
After the election, Numbere was declared the winner. The declaration led to spontaneous reaction from other Christian affiliate who questioned his morality to head the august body both at the zonal and state levels. As a result, the general assembly of CAN has refused to ratify his election.
Blackmail
Blackmail was added to the imbroglio when attempt was made to rubbish the leadership of the PFN where the stiffest opposition to Numbere's emergence as Rivers chairman of CAN comes from. The blackmail came in the form of allegations that immediate past governor of Rivers donated N80 million to PFN, which the accusers said Ogu, the PFN president, was not able to account for. In a paid advert signed by seven pastors, including Bishop Chinasa Nwosu of the Royal Church, Godwin Amaechi of Adonai Spiritual Temple, they also alleged that Ogu employed divide and rule, and was running the affairs of the PFN as a one man show and that he should resign
Politics/Tribalism
Tribalism dressed in political garb was further added to the issue when some indigenous church leaders drew Gov. Celestine Omehia's attention to the fact that the PFN leader has referred the April 14 election that produced him as fraudulent. They urged Omehia to halt further dealing with him and to put pressure on him to relocate to his home state, Imo.
At the June 18 congress of CAN, one of the senior bishops had drew the attention of the body that Government House officials were not happy with the PFN leader because of his comments on the election. He said that the CAN secretariat building construction may be affected as government may withhold its donation for the project.
Reactions
When Daily Sun called at the Isiokpo headquarters of Numbere's church, his second in command, one Evangelist Pepple said: "You've been sent to disturb the peace of my church leader. Our leader Numbere, does not waste his precious time on your like, now get out, shit", he thundered when our reporter told him his mission, which was to find out whether it is morally right for the head of the zonal chairman to also be the head of the state chapter of CAN.
At Ogu's ALEM headquarters, along Omoi Road, he denied receiving a dime from ex-Governor Odili on behalf of PFN, saying that what Odili made was donation to the individual churches and not to the umbrella body.
At Chinasa Nwosu's Royal Church along Ikwerre Road, Rumuokuta, his Personal Assistant said the bishop, who was suspended in 2001 as PFN deputy president has left the body since then and was not a signatory to any allegation against the leadership of the body.
However Pastor Godwin Amaechi of Adonai Church said the whole Imbroglio smacks of tribal jealousy of what God was using Ogu to achieve in winning souls for Christ.