Okpalaume Mary
Youths of Christ Anglican Church, Sapele Sunday staged a protest over alleged misconduct of the Bishop Sapele Diocese’s Anglican Communion Bishop Rt. Rev. Dr. Blessing Erifeta demanding accountability and fairness.
The youths who carried placards of with inscriptions like “enough is enough”, “bishop pay your shop rent, “bishop stop calling us witches and wizards,” “we don’t want to kill another venerable” and “Christ Church elders stand up for the right of the church,” alleged that the bishop accused their parish, Christ Anglican Church, of killing their late venerable, Oyovwevotu Ehwe Okpara, who died about in March this year opposing vehemently the posting of a new vicar, Ven. P. E. D. Tagbare to their parish.
They also accused the bishop of financial misconduct and alleged that he burdens the church with heavy assessment which has led to underdevelopment of the church and drastic reduction of members.
Affirming their grievances, the youths’ spokesperson, Daniel Ndefo, said, the youths are tired of the silence by the elders and PPC of the church, hence their peaceful protest.
“If he says we killed our venerable, fine. We don’t want to kill another venerable. We are okay with the one we have. We have so many pressing issues and we cannot keep quiet. The assessment in this church is too much. We are paying through our noses. There is no development in this church. Before we can boast of more than 500 worshippers in the two sessions, 7am and 10am, but now even with combined service, this church cannot boast of 200 members. The church is dying but everything they want is money,” he said.
Efforts to speak with the venerable in charge of the parish proved abortive as journalists were denied audience by some of the church’s elders and the bishop is said to be out of town as at the time of filing this report.
It would be recalled that trouble started at the Cathedral Church of St. Luke when similar protest was made by some of the parishioners who locked the church demanding a fair hearing from the primate
