David Oyedepo, the Presiding Bishop, Living Faith Church Worldwide has shouted blue murder over the Companies and Allied Matters Act, CAMA, that gives the supervising minister the power to remove the board of trustees of churches without recourse to the court.
In hos words: “In the document, they said the registrar-general can remove the trustees without recourse to the court. Don’t try it. This must be from somebody who woke up from the wrong side of the bed after dreaming. The person must have drafted that aspect in the bill as their custom is…I am 51 years old in this thing (Christianity), don’t try it. I have been with Jesus for some time and I am sent as a prophet to nations. That a minister can remove the trustees and close the accounts of the church is.”
Is there any difference between the core provisions in this CAMA amendment and that of the Charity act of the UK? Critics asked. According to Otunba Yemisi Shyllon, a lawyer and engineer, “Was it not the British that brought our Christian faith to us?”
According to Mr Ife Babalola, writer and public commentator who has experienced the Western and Nigerian worlds, argued: “There is hardly any difference between the core provisions of our laws and those of western democracies. The difference is in the failure of our institutions in enforcing those regulations as practiced elsewhere. My personal opinion has always been that with the multitude of religious organisations and other NGOs in Nigeria, the establishment of a Charity Commission independent of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) is long overdue.”
Below, for example, according to him, is introducing The UK Charity Commission:
“We register and regulate charities in England and Wales, to ensure that the public can support charities with confidence. We are an independent, non-ministerial government department accountable to Parliament.
As registrar, we are responsible for maintaining an accurate and up-to-date register of charities. This includes deciding whether organisations are charitable and should be registered. We also remove charities that are not considered to be charitable, no longer exist or do not operate.”
However, Oyedepo, on Tuesday waved all arguments off, saying:“I told you, if I ever preach a message where there is no laughter, don’t listen to it. I’ve been laughing like this since 1976 till forever. Since I found Matthew 6:33, I’ve been laughing at the devil, smiling as I serve. You insult me, I enjoy it. You insult me and I stopped going to work because you insulted me, I will be a big fool.
“I am going to work and you say, “see his leg.” Yes, I thank God for my leg. “See his nose.’ He (God) made it and He did it beautifully. “See how short he is.” That’s the size He made me for so I can save more cloths.
“He that sitteth in Heaven shall laugh (Psalm 2:4). If you are not laughing, you are not one of them sitting in Heaven because in Heaven, he that sits there laughs and we are seated in Heavenly places, what should we do? Laugh
As you serve: laugh
“As they insult you: laugh; As they mock you: laugh; As they abuse you: laugh. Anybody insulting me is wasting his mouth: I didn’t hear (the insult). Even if I heard it, it won’t pain me. Anybody praising me is just expressing his opinion
“I didn’t hear it and if I heard, it won’t blow my head because if you praise anything in me, it is Jesus. The greater in me is the One you are praising and you think I’m the one. Thank God for the privilege of stewardship. Ask God for grace to maximize this awesome season in your life. God is changing people’s stories, He has you in mind.”
