The Celestial Church of Christ, Acts of Apostle Parish in Ketu, Alapere, Lagos, is currently facing intense internal turmoil after a N5 million donation led to a dispute over church leadership and funds.
The disagreement came to a head during a recent Sunday service, where Muyiwa Oluponna, who claims to be the son of the church’s founder, disrupted proceedings to assert his right as the rightful leader.
Eyewitnesses reported that Oluponna interrupted Acting Shepherd Adetayo Adetola mid-sermon, taking the microphone and announcing his entitlement to preach on the second Sunday of each month. In a video that has since circulated widely, he can be seen in a heated exchange with church members, asserting his family’s claim to church authority.
Following the incident, the church’s task force, led by Akinbode Adjovi, took decisive action by closing the parish for 40 days in an effort to calm tensions and restore order.
Recounting the events, Adetola explained that Oluponna had demanded control of the N5 million donation, which was intended for church renovations and housing for clergy members. “On that day, our regular shepherd was absent, so I was leading the service and giving the sermon,” Adetola said. “Everything was going smoothly until Mr. Oluponna abruptly took the microphone from me, insisting he had a right to speak.”
Adetola further shared that he initially yielded the microphone to Oluponna out of respect for his connection to the church’s founder. However, once he began speaking, Oluponna claimed that the donation from the church headquarters rightfully belonged to his family rather than the parish itself, demanding that the funds be handed over to him.
“He insisted that the church was the family’s property and not that of the community or the Celestial Church authorities,” Adetola continued. “He also demanded the role of church shepherd and the right to preach on the second Sunday of each month.”
Tensions reached a boiling point when Oluponna attempted to deliver his own sermon, prompting a strong response from church members who were taken aback by his actions. According to Shepherd Emmanuel Iperepolu, Oluponna had been challenging the church authorities for some time, especially after the announcement of the large donation. Iperepolu added, “He has repeatedly made threats and claims, asserting that the church belongs to his family. This recent outburst pushed us to involve both church leaders and the police.”
Kayode Ajala, the Head of Media and Publicity for the Celestial Church of Christ, confirmed that the parish would remain temporarily closed to prevent any potential violence. “The church is meant to be a place of peace,” Ajala explained. “When safety is threatened, the church authorities cannot stand by. We had to step in to avoid any harm, and that is why we decided to close the church until the matter is fully resolved.”
Ajala also reassured members that discussions are ongoing to find a peaceful resolution. “All parties involved in the conflict are being spoken to, and once a satisfactory resolution is reached, the church will reopen,” he stated.
Oluponna, when contacted for his side of the story, declined to comment on the allegations, simply noting that the dispute remains a private matter between his family and the church.
