Insider sources within the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) have dismissed viral reports of the alleged suspension of the Senior Pastor of City of David Parish, Region 20, Idowu Iluyomade.
Reports made the rounds on Monday that Pastor Iluyomade had been suspended for three months.
However, a source who reportedly spoke to Vanguard about the situation, said the cleric was only transferred to another parish, Throne of Grace, Ebute Metta, Lagos, which serves as the mission’s headquarters.
The transfers are said to be a common practice in the RCCG and are often based on the church’s needs and the pastor’s skills.
A source within the church told reporters that Pastor Iluyomade’s transfer was officially announced and confirmed during service last Sunday, June 2, 2024, amid 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.
However, it was revealed that Pastor Iluyomade had earlier expressed dissatisfaction that he had yet to reach the retirement age of 70. This dissatisfaction stems from his desire to continue serving the RCCG community at the City of David Parish, where he has been for several years.
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 said the two pastors were due for transfer after serving eight years in the two parishes.
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.”
However, as of the time this report was filed, the media platform had not been able to get comments from Pastor Iluyomade.
The City of David Parish was embroiled in disputes following the 60th birthday celebration of Siju, the wife of Pastor Iluyomade, Siju, just nine days after the death of one of the parish’s major backers and the former CEO of Access Holdings, Herbert Wigwe, in a helicopter accident, alongside his wife, Doreen, and their son, Chizzy, in the United States.
This development was reported to have upset Pastor Enoch Adeboye, the General Overseer of RCCG.