…as police arrest parish pastor, two church elders
Following the death of a Dubai-based socialite, Kayode Badru, during a prayer session in a Lagos branch of the Celestial Church of Christ, the church’s authorities have directed its pastor-in-council to come up with a policy document to stop alien practices infused into the tenets and doctrines of the church to safeguard its divine culture.
Badru, allegedly suffered burns at the Imole Parish of the CCC in the Alagbado area of Lagos State, when during a prayer session, perfume sprayed on him sparked off fire from the lighted candles he was surrounded with.
The socialite, it was gathered, flew into the country to celebrate the graduation of the 40 students he sponsored to the Academic for Innovative Art and Technology.
Badru was said to have gone to the church last Wednesday, after the event, for a programme where he knelt for prayers with lighted candles and surrounded by seven elders of the church.
Pastor in charge of the CCC parish, Felix Alebiosu, allegedly sprayed perfume on the victim, who was holding a lighted candle, resulting in a fire outbreak that severely burnt him.
Badru was said to have been rushed to a hospital in Gbagada, where he later died.
The administrative office of the CCC, in a statement signed by one Stephen Adeniyi, blamed the incident on the abuse of spiritual perfumes.
According to the statement, “Due to the incessant abuse of spiritual perfumes within the church, His Eminence has found it imperative to state for record purposes and correction that henceforth, spiritual perfumes intended to be sprayed, sprinkled, or poured with a lighted candle should be diluted with water.
“The spraying or pouring of undiluted spiritual perfumes in their volatile state with a lighted candle is an imported culture not originally part of the tenets of the Celestial Church of Christ. The laid down usage of spiritual perfume within the spheres of a lighted candle by the pastor founder, Saint S. B. J. Oshoffa, is by mixing it with water. It is high time we retraced our steps for a greater Celestial Church of Christ.
“We are all advised to adhere to this directive; any parish or member that goes against this directive will be solely responsible for the resultant effect. The pastor has also directed the pastor-in-council to come up with a policy document to curb alien practices that have been introduced into the tenets and doctrines of the church to safeguard the church’s divine culture as instructed by the spirit of God through the pastor founder.”
Already, police have arrested the pastor in charge of the parish and two of the church elders.
State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Muyiwa Adejobi, could not be reached for comments on the incident.