The Redeemed Christian Church of God has suspended the Senior Pastor of the City of David Parish in Lagos State, Idowu Iluyomade.
The suspension of Iluyomade, who also heads the Apapa Family of the church’s annex, came after the elaborate 60th birthday celebration of his wife, Siju.
According to a source who spoke with Church Times, the pastor got the letter of his suspension over the weekend and was replaced by Pastor Charles Kpandei of the church’s Resurrection Parish Region 11 with immediate effect.
The source added that Iluyomade was suspended for three months by the Governing Council of the church after a panel was constituted to look into 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 Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank, Herbert Wigwe.
Fondly called PID, Iluyomade has been in the eyes of the storm following the 60th birthday of his wife, Siji.
Many people believed the birthday, which was celebrated just about a week after the death of Wigwe in a helicopter crash in the US, was in bad taste. Wigwe had been an 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.
Meanwhile, PUNCH Online also gathered that the pastor was suspended on two issues bordering on the audit of the church and the alleged resistance by the pastor to be transferred from the parish.
A source, who craved anonymity because of the weight of the matter, said, “The church’s Governing Council met on two issues, the issue of an audit of the church where questions were asked and the issue that the pastor allegedly resisted transfer.
“The council then resolved to suspend Iluyomade for three months, during which time the pastor next to him will be in charge.
“When he resumes from suspension, the council also resolved that he should resume at the church’s headquarters, not the City of David.