Youths of Christ Anglican Church, Sapele, on Sunday staged a protest over alleged misconduct of the Bishop of Sapele Diocese’s Anglican Communion, Bishop Blessing Erifeta, and demanded that he should give account of his handling of church affairs.
In protest, the youths carried placards with various inscriptions like: ‘Enough is Enough’; ‘Bishop Pay Your Shop Rent; ‘Bishop Stop Calling Us Witches And Wizards’; ‘We Don’t Want to Kill Another Venerable’; and ‘Christ Church Elders Stand Up for the Right of the Church’. They alleged that the bishop accused their parish, Christ Anglican Church, of killing their late Venerable, Oyovwevotu Ehwe Okpara, who died in March this year and opposed vehemently the posting of a new Vicar, Ven. P. E. D. Tagbare to their parish.
They also accused the bishop of alleged financial misconduct and heavy financial burdens on the church through heavy assessment which has led to underdevelopment of the church and drastic reduction of members.
As stated by the spokesman of the youths, Daniel Ndefo, the youths were tired of the silence maintained by the elders and PPC of the church, hence their peaceful protest.
“If he says we killed our venerable, fine. We don’t want to kill another venerable. We are okay with the one we have. We have so many pressing issues and we cannot keep quiet. The assessment in this church is too much. We are paying through our noses. There is no development in this church. Before we can boast of more than 500 worshippers in the two sessions of 7am and 10am, but now even with combined service, this church cannot boast of 200 members. The church is dying but everything they want is money,” he stated.
Efforts to speak with the venerable in charge of the parish proved abortive as the church elders refused to give journalists audience and the bishop was said to be out of town as at the time of filing this report.