Confusion as Angry Members Shut Down Ondo Church, Sack Cleric

There was a confusion yesterday on Palm Sunday at St. David’s Anglican Church, Ibulesoro, in Ifedore Local Government Area of Ondo State, as aggrieved church members shut down the church and forced out the presiding cleric, Venerable Adebanjo, over allegations of high-handedness and financial impropriety.

The dramatic scene saw men, women, and youths barricade the church entrance, locking both the main building and its gates, while openly declaring their rejection of the cleric’s leadership.

We are not fighting God, and we are not fighting the church,” one of the aggrieved members said. “But we are no longer interested in his leadership. He should not come here again to preside over our services.”

The protest, which had been building for weeks, reached a boiling point as congregants accused the cleric of sidelining church elders in decision-making, particularly on financial matters.

A senior member alleged, “On the issue of expenditure of church money, the Reverend awards contracts without involving the elders. He will then ask those he gave the jobs to return a percentage to him. That is unacceptable to us.”

Beyond financial concerns, members also decried what they described as verbal abuse and spiritual intimidation from the pulpit.

“He mocks this community and says we are ‘light’ and have no value,” another member lamented. “Imagine a Reverend cursing members of his own church. We cannot continue like this.”

Youth members of the church appeared particularly aggrieved, accusing the cleric of repeatedly insulting them during sermons.

“One of the youth leaders said, “Every Sunday, he turns us into sermon topics, calling us ‘Yahoo boys.’ Because of that, many youths have stopped coming to church.”

The youth further revealed that internal tensions disrupted key church activities, including the cancellation of the church’s annual harvest last year.

We were not allowed to hold our harvest because he said the offerings were from fraudsters and ritualists. That statement drove many people away,” the youth leader added.

Members disclosed that complaints had earlier been lodged with the Anglican Bishop of the Diocese, who reportedly visited the church. However, they expressed frustration over what they described as the bishop’s failure to take decisive action

We informed the Bishop and asked for his redeployment,” a church elder said. “He came, but since then, there has been no response. We have even paid all the cleric’s entitlements as requested, yet nothing has changed.”

Determined to press their demands, the congregation insisted that the church would remain shut until their grievances are addressed.

“If the Bishop is ready to redeploy him, let him do so,” another member declared. “If not, we will not open this church again. We cannot continue in this situation.”

Despite the tension, the protesters maintained that their actions were peaceful and aimed solely at restoring order and dignity within the church.