The Redeemed Christian Church of God has suspended, Pastor Idowu Iluyomade, Senior Pastor of the City of David parish of the church. He is also the head of the Apapa Family of the RCCG.
His suspension according to sources in the church was done via a letter over the weekend. He has since been replaced by Pastor Charles Kpandei of RCCG Resurrection Parish of Region 11 of the church.
Church Times gathered that Kpandei resumed at the City of David on Sunday, June 2, and was given a cold welcome.
The sources said, “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. ”
According to sources, Iluyomade 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 who prefers to be anonymous told Church Times that the decision to suspend Iluyomade is a response to the public outcry against the extravagant birthday party of his wife shortly after the death of the then CEO of Access Bank, Herbert Wigwe.
“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.”
Fondly called PID, Pastor Iluyomade has been in the eyes of the storm following the 60th birthday of his wife, Siji Iluyomade.
Many people believed the birthday which was celebrated just about a week after the unfortunate death of Wigwe in a helicopter crash in the US was in bad taste. Wigwe had been of immense blessing to the church before his transition. But the birthday party suggested the church had no emotional attachment to him.
Apart from being in charge of the City of David, Iluyomade is the Special Assistant to the RCCG General Overseer on Christian Social Responsibility through His Love Foundation. It’s not clear yet if this responsibility has been taken from him too.
Iluyomade is a lawyer of close to 40 years with interests in Advocacy and commercial practice especially in the areas of International Trade Finance, Mergers and acquisitions, international Joint Ventures, Energy Law, and a host of other engagements.
