..... as elders protest Ademowo's alleged financial impropriety

The crisis rocking the Diocese of the Lagos Anglican Communion took a new turn yesterday as the Good Friday service at the Church of Christ in Marina, Lagos, was marred by protest and scuffle. The service had started at about 9 a. m with the hymn and followed by the prayers.


The Bishop of Lagos and Dean Emeritus of the Anglican at the Marina, The Most Reverend Adebola Ademowo, as a statutory duty, was to deliver the day's sermon. However, as he was entering the church, Ademowo was met with protest by some elders and members of the church who were against him and his role in the succession plan in the church.

At issue, according to them, was the election and translation of the Rt. Reverend Humphrey Olumakaye as the new bishop of the Lagos Diocese, overseeing the Church of Christ, Marina. Olumakaye was recently translated from the Osun East Diocese to Lagos. He is billed to take over from Ademowo.

Many of the elders and members of the church had through several letters to the Primate of the Anglican Communion, Most Reverend Nicholas Okoh, rejected Olumakaye's election on the grounds that it was an imposition by the outgoing Bishop Ademowo to "cover his tracks" in an election they also criticised to have been influenced by distribution of huge sums of money. They have also accused Ademowo in a letter to Primate Okoh dated 26th February 2018 that Ademowo"s tenure was "a period of disaster filled with economic and financial recklessness

The protest letter was signed by eminent elders including Asiwaju Fola Isibo, Mr. Modupe Alakija, Chief Femi Adeniyi Williams and Chief Layi Ajayi-Bembe.Others are Mrs. Laide Sasegbon, Mrs. Dupe Sagoe, Mr. Ade Abisogun, Mr. Bukola Meadows and Ms. Molara Otuyelu. The protest on Friday had an elder of the church, Chief Yomi Finnih as spokesman as other leaders and members carried placards bearing their complaints. Some of the placards had inscriptions like "Enough is Enough...no to the looting of Lagos Diocese".

"No to bishop looter". "No to women organization looting". An indication that something unusual was in the offing was noticed early in the morning through the cordoning off of the Marina road which was occupied by several members of the Lagos security outfit, the Neighbourhood watch and the unusual huge presence of policemen in and around the church premises.

Shortly after Ademowo delivered his sermon, a man walked towards the altar and angrily threw copies of a published document detailing AdemowoI's sins and walked out. The Marina road stretch was closed to traffic for several hours while the protest lasted The protest also affected proceedings at the church as members were seen discussing the development and the way forward.

Hmmmm. This is what religion has turned to in naija