The presiding chaplain of the Chapel of Christ the Light, at the Lagos Government House, Alausa, Femi Taiwo, has been sacked for allegedly failing to accord preferential treatment to the wife of Governor Akinwumi Ambode, Bolanle.
Punch Metro reports that the sack was carried out by the governing council allegedly on the order of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, a day after the incident happened at an anointing service
The directive was issued in a letter dated, May 15, 2017, and signed by the Chairman, Governing Council of CCTL, Mr. Olugbenga Solomon, which also ordered the Assistant Chaplain, Very Rev. Ayo Oyadotun, to take over with immediate effect.
At the Sunday service, church members reportedly filed out for anointing, and the first lady was said to have spent quite some time on the queue before it eventually got to her turn.
After receiving her anointing, she was said to have stormed out in annoyance, ignoring the women leaders who rushed after her.
A church member was quoted as saying that, “The church had declared seven-day fasting after we lost two prominent members.
“The Sunday service, which was declared as anointing service, was supposed to end the fasting.
“The First Lady, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode, was present with her entourage. She comes to the church once in a while.
“When it was time to be anointed, the cleric asked people to come forward, adding that it was optional. Three people stood at the stage to anoint people. They included the chaplain, the presiding chaplain and one other person.
“People started stepping out one after another. The governor’s wife, after some time, also stepped out and was anointed.”
According to the report, the cleric was axed without any query or official reason stated in the sack letter. Him and his family were said to have been ordered out of their official abode.
Taiwo however refused to comment on the development, saying: “If you have any enquiry, direct it to the church. But one thing I can say is that I have tried as a pastor to live above board. It will not be right engaging the church or the government on the pages of a newspaper.”
The state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Steve Ayorinde, was reported as responding thus; “The former chaplain had been queried a number of times in the past for conducts unbecoming of his office.
“The culmination of various indiscretions led to the Governing Council of the church issuing yet another query that led to his being relieved of his post.
“This has got nothing to do with the First Lady. The Chaplain is looking for an excuse to cover his insouciance. It’s nothing but cheap blackmail.”