By Our Coresspondent
Worshippers of the Sapele Diocese, Anglican Communion (Church of Nigeria) in their large number continued their protest round Sapele metropolis and its environs irrespective of age bracket, Sunday 23rd August 2015 calling for the immediate sack of their spiritual head (Rt) Rev. Dr. B.A Erifeta (JP) on the ground of alleged financial recklessness, maladministration, disrespect to elders, incessant tripsabroad with diocese fund etc.
The protest which commenced four (4) weeks ago with the youth of St. Luke Cathedral Church Boyo road Sapele and Christ Anglican Church Okpe road Sapele, now involve the entire diocese with the church of Christ Anglican Church Okpe road, St Stephen Anglican Church Ogorode road, St. John Amukpe, All Saint Anglican Church, Isoko lane off Ogorode road and St. Peters Anglican Jesse etc.
Those at the centre of the protest, carried placards which bore the inscriptions, “say No to Greed, Bishop Erifeta must go, we are tired of embezzlement, Bishop stop calling us witches and wizards, we don’t want to kill another Venerable, without congregation No Bishop, without Laity no Bishop, stop insulting our elders in Church, Enoughis enough of embezzlement of church funds and intimidation, we needaccountability of church fund, Erifeta stop cursing our people, no to foreign trips” etc.
The church warden of the St. Luke Cathedral, the headquarters of the diocese Mr. Oghenero Onojorhoevwo who led the protest in a speech he delivered to the protesters, said over time alot of waters have passed under the bridge since the pass 4 weeks as their names have been taken to a lot of places including their photographs which were equally shown to people for reasons they do not know with threat messages sent to them on daily basis. Mr. Onojorhoevwo maintained that Christ is their corner stone which their struggle is built on as a solid rock, explaining that they do not have personal quarrel with Bishop Erifeta, since their concern is the diocese that has deteriorated and about going into extinction, pleading with members never to allow it happen because posterity will never forgive them the elders of the church of God if they allow the church to perish in their time as a result of the greed of one man.
He told the congregation who defiled the heavy down pour of the day to press home their demands that Bishop Erifeta and the Archbishop of the Bendel province Most Revd. Friday Imakhae, Bishop of Esan diocese (Anglican Communion) are working hand in hand to ensure the primatedoes not come, as he primate has been told that what is happening at the Sapele diocese is a political issue, adding that some quarters arealready wagging tongues that the matter is a cathedral affairs which he said is never true since the Bishop represent the entire diocese of Sapele.
The church warden also explained to the worshippers who commenced their open air service at Boyo road before the protest that Bishop Erifeta and his cronies must leave Sapele diocese for the Church of God to move forward as he quoted from the Bible, “ Resist the deviland it will flee from you” appealing further that the fight must continue because it is the Lords fight which God is using to liberate Sapele diocese.
He called on Anglican members including the Clergy, to wake up from slavery and rebuild the church of Christ noting that the House of Laity have being treated like dogs by some Bishops in the Anglican Communion.
Mr. Onojorhoevwo at the St John Anglican Church Amukpe where they ended the protest before members departed to their various homes,commended all of them for their doggedness in the struggle so far, assuring that the expected primate will come soon to address all the alleged sins of their Bishop whom they alleged his maladministration has driven members to other denominations in droves across thediocese.
Barrister Lawrence Omughele, former adviser of the diocese who responded to the speech of the peoples warden remarked that it is high time the primate come over to Sapele to solve the problems bedeviling them once and for all or else the church of Christ will go into extinction and consume members who are living en-mass while thanking the people for their peaceful disposition so far.
All the members of the diocese who spoke in an interview said the Bishop must go for his high handedness, greed, disrespect to elders, misappropriation of church funds and all the other offences leveled against him so that their church could move forward, while the headquarter at Boyo road still remain under heavy keys and lock as at the time of filing this report.
“unanimous speaker said St. Lukes Church is 114 years old, we have seen Bishops, Bishop Erifeta is bad news, I don’t know why the Bishop is holding very tight to power if actually there is no material attachment”. The people are saying they don’t want the Bishop he is forcing himself on the people if actually he is called he will walk away honourably. The people are saying the money he is getting from the diocese will not allow him walk away but we will resist every attempt to make him remain the Bishop of Sapele diocese
Meanwhile the Bishop of the diocese (Rt) Rev. Dr. B.A Erifeta (JP) could not be reach at home neither on phone for his comment on the issue, however at the commencement of the protest he told our reporter through a text message while at Jedo during their synod that the protest was orchestrated by some misguided youths and that the matter is under control.
