There is probable division and mass exodus of members of one of the biggest Pentecostal churches in Africa, Winners Chapel, Ota, Ogun State over the recent visit of President Goodluck Jonathan to the church. The members were said to have disobeyed their General Overseer, Bishop David Oyedepo, when he implored them to stand and pray in unison for the embattled President to have victory at the poll. The visibly angry members were said to have ignored their revered Bishop while some grumbled about the romance of their G.O with the President whom most people have been saying has disappointed them in his 6 years in office.
A member of the church who pleaded anonymity argued: “Why would the number one man in the country choose to go to the Redeemed Christian Church Of God, RCCG, kneel down for prayer during his first term in office and not Winners Chapel, but now that the G.O of Redeemed has been indirectly supporting the candidacy of Buhari and Osinbajo, the latter, a pastor in the church and the explosive outburst of popular Catholic priest, Father Mbaka on Jonathan, he has decided to turn to us as his last resort?”
During the President’s visit to the church on Sunday, January 25, 2015, the super rich preacher was alleged to have said he would open the gates of hell on whoever opposes Jonathan in the February 2015 presidential elections. Which reports claimed didn’t go down well with members of the church.
On Thursday, January 9, YES INTERNATIONAL! Magazine spoke with one of Oyedepo’s aides, Pastor Emmanuel Ibam, on the report that Winners members are threatening a showdown that might probably result to mass exodus. And he said: “I’m not the right person to talk to. Why not come to the church to meet the church’s spokesman so that he would be able to talk to you on that. I know what you just want to hear from me is just to say yes or no, but journalism has gone beyond that. Do you understand? When you are reporting issues that concern the church and a prophet, it’s always good to be factual and you satisfy your conscience that you have done a good job that is guided by the ethics of your profession. So, in order to do that, I would advice you go to the church and ask the relevant person and they would be able to answer you. The corporate affairs officer of the church is the right person to talk or alternatively, you can also talk to the resident pastor”.