The social media was yesterday awash with reports of the suspension of the Senior Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, City of David Parish, Region 20, Idowu Iluyomade, but Vanguard gathered that he was only transferred to another parish.
Although the reports had insinuated Pastor Iluyomade was suspended for three months, a source said he was only transferred to another parish, Throne of Grace, Ebute Metta, Lagos, which serves as headquarters of the mission.
The source within the church, said Iluyomade’s transfer was officially announced and confirmed Sunday, June 2, 2024, during the monthly thanksgiving service held across all RCCG parishes.
According to the source, his new role is at the RCCG Region 1, Ebute Metta, where he will serve as the Pastor-in-Charge of elders.
Pastor Iluyomade was said to have expressed dissatisfaction that he had yet to reach the retirement age of 70.
Another source also revealed that the Pastor in-charge of RCCG Resurrection Parish of Region 11, Pastor Charles Kpandei, was asked to replace Iluyomade at the City of David Parish.
The source told Vanguard that the two pastors were due for transfer, after serving for eight years in the two parishes respectively.
He said: “It is normal to have a change in leadership. Most RCCG pastors go on transfer. The church transfers pastors around and both Pastors Iluyomade and Kanpdei were due for transfers.
“Both of them have done more than eight years as regional pastors and were actually transferred. RCCG pastors can even been transferred abroad. It has nothing to do with any event or politics. They were both due for transfers.”
Efforts to reach Iluyomade for comments yesterday proved abortive.
Recall that the City of David Parish had been enmeshed in controversies, following the 60th birthday bash of wife of Pastor Iluyodae, Siju, barely nine days after one of the major financiers of the parish and late chief executive officer of Access Holdings, Herbert Wigwe, died in a helicopter crash, alonside his wife, Doreen, and son Chizzy, in the United States.
The development was said to have drawn the ire of the General Overseer of RCCG, Enoch Adeboye.(Vanguard)
