28th June, 2015
Kazeem Ugbodaga
The leadership crisis rocking the Celestial Church of Christ (CCC) took another twist, as Oshoffa’s family has denounced Rev. Olatosho Oshoffa as the unification leader of the church.
Last week, Olatoso declared himself the new unification leader of the CCC at a news conference in Lagos, saying that the leadership of the church supported his move.
But at a new conference at the weekend in Ketu, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria, members of the Oshoffa family said the declaration of Olatosho as the new
leader of the church is an act of rebellion.
Spokesperson of the Oshoffa dynasty, Senior Evangelist Ebenezer Oshoffa said the family did not support Olatosho’s leadership of the church.
“The family has always avoided public interference in the affairs of the church, the Celestial Church of Christ founded by our dear father but it has become imperative and as a matter of urgency for us to speak out as a family because of the recent twist in the leadership tussle of the church which unfortunately is personal to us because our son and brother Senior Evangelist Olatosho Oshoffa is involved,” he said.
He said though the genesis of the problem could be related to events unfolding after the recent court judgment in March. “Some unscrupulous, self centered elders of the church who found an avenue for vendetta installed Olatosho Oshoffa with a lot of unwarranted and untrue fallacies.
“It should be known that the family did its best to stop recent happenings, we held meeting and our purpose was for peace and stability of the church.
“The final meeting was held at the Oba of Imeko’s palace and the decision was that we must have an indivisible church. Olatosho was amongst other things, asked to retrace his steps, as rebellion is an act against not only man but God,” he said.
Ebenezer stated that the family did not give their support to Olatosho’s leadership bid, adding that, “Our loyalty remains with Rev. Emmanuel Mibiyina Oshoffa. No one can infiltrate and disrupt the peace our father sacrificed so much for.
“Our dream of a unified CCC, the heritage of our late father, Rev. Samuel Bilehou Joseph Oshoffa who is to us a hero supersedes any other ambition of any individual.
Last week, Olatosho had claimed leadership of CCC worldwide as he assumed the position as the “unification leader” of the church.
At a news Conference in Lagos, 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.
Olatosho said the main mission given to him after being anointed by God was to unite the Celestial family, noting that, past struggles in the church was the handiwork of Satan.