Church Vicar finally sacked over Fayemi’s N5m donation

Church Vicar finally sacked over Fayemi’s N5m donation

St Pauls Millennium Anglican Church

Gov. Kayode Fayemi

The crisis rocking St Paul’s Millennium Anglican Church in Odo-Owa Ekiti in Ekiti State over the N5 million donated by Governor Kayode Fayemi has taken another dimension with the compulsory retirement of the church’s vicar, Rev Michael Ogunniyi. This is despite the threats and protests by members of the church that the rank of the cleric, who had earlier been demoted from Archdeacon to Canon by the Anglican Bishop of Ekiti West Diocese, Most Rev Oludare Oke, should be restored.

It will be recalled that the crisis began when the cleric, in defiance of the order of the Anglican Bishop that the N5 million donated by Governor Fayemi during the burial of the former Anglican Primate, Most Rev Abiodun Adetiloye, should be kept in a special fixed account, saying it was an endowment fund and not a gift to the Odo-Owa church alone.
But some members disagreed with the bishop and prevailed on Rev Ogunniyi to use the money to buy a new bus for evangelism and for renovation of the church.
The church consequently bought a new bus for N3 million, spent N1 million on renovation and kept the remaining N1 million in bank. This consequently earned the vicar a demotion.
In a statement yesterday, the Diocesan Communicator Emeritus Dr Kunle Olasope and Diocesan Communicator Prince Sola Adetule, said the Bishop had on March 1, 2013 handed over a letter of compulsory retirement with six months’ notice to the cleric.
The statement reads: “The question of Vicar Ogunniyi is strictly a matter of discipline which must be maintained if the person, position and authority of the bishop are not to be rubbished and dragged in the mud”.
The diocese also allayed the fear of demotion of the Odo Owa church from archdeaconry as it announced the Dean of the Cathedral, Very Revd Julius Olaosebikan, as supervisor of the church until Rev Ogunniyi would bow out.
The vicar, who was originally billed to retire in 2017, said he had accepted the compulsory retirement, adding that he did not regret the action.”
He told journalists on phone yesterday that “the matter is all about purchase of the bus which the church had been longing for in the past 15 years. My loyalty is to the church and not to the bishop. I have no regret”.
Ogunniyi, however, advised members of the church not to engage any violent act because of the bishop’s action.
Some members of the Provincial Church Council (PCC) had last week threatened that they would sue the bishop if he did not restore the rank of the vicar, adding that they might be compelled to move out of Ekiti Anglican West Diocese.
But the Diocese, which said the board had passed vote of confidence in the bishop for the effective way he has run the affairs of the diocese, added: “As for those who threaten court action at Odo Owa, they are entitled to their rights, but the Diocese will not be deterred”.
Mennnnnn....you've got to love this Nigeria's power couple in these romantic and playful pics that will be used for souvenirs and backdrop at the reception of their white wedding in Dubai which is just three away.

While their traditional wedding will hold this Friday 8th March at the Apostolic High School, Esit Urua Community, Eket - Ibeno road, in Uyo, the bride's hometown.