Crisis rocks church over alleged fetish object

Tola Gbadamosi
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A crisis of confidence is tearing apart the Promised Land Prophetic Ministry in Shasha, Akure following allegation and counter allegation of fetish deals and practices.

The church, a breakaway faction of the Christ Apostolic Church Promised Land was embroiled in crisis following an allegation by a former member and minister that fetish objects were planted in the bowel of the church.

The church came under public scrutiny recently when the former member, Evangelist Abiodun John raised dust in a petition that a placenta and human corpse were buried in the church.

The petition which compelled detectives to dig the altar reportedly found nothing incriminating.

The Founder of the Promised Land Prophetic Ministry, Pastor Gbenga Akinbiyi told journalists in Akure yesterday that his accusers were jealous of his huge success and trying to pull him down.

Akinbiyi obviously rattled by the allegation coming from a confidant said his accuser was a serial womanizer who allegedly impregnated many women in the church before he was given the boot.

He explained that his accuser, Mr Abiodun John was once his personal Assistant for 15 years before he was relieved of his job.

A week ago, detectives swooped on the church following a petition allegedly written by the breakaway faction headed by Abiodun that a placenta and corpse were buried in the church.

Abiodun, it was gathered had threatened to pull the church down to its foundation as a vendetta for his expulsion from the church.

Investigation by The Hope showed that the allegation and counter allegation by the warring parties have affected the once bubbling church whose membership had nosedived.

A source told our correspondent that no fewer than 200 members have reportedly left the church since the crisis started about five months ago.

All efforts by our correspondent to speak with Abiodun were abortive as his phone contacts were switched off.