An elder in the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), City of David Parish, Quincy Ayodele, has vehemently denied claims that the former Pastor-in-charge of the parish, Idowu Iluyomade, rebelled against the church before establishing his own ministry. In a recent chat with Daddy Freeze, posted on his YouTube channel, Ayodele expressed surprise and disappointment at the treatment Iluyomade received from the church leadership.
Ayodele, a long-standing member of the RCCG and a natural medicine practitioner, revealed that she had expected Pastor Iluyomade to be reinstated following his three-month suspension, as per the church’s leadership decision. She was shocked to learn that, instead of being restored to his former position or reassigned to another parish, Iluyomade received a letter instructing him not to set foot in the City of David. “We were expecting that after the three months, he would be restored to the City of David. But to our surprise, what we heard was that he was given a letter that he must not step into the City of David,” Ayodele said.
Reflecting on her close relationship with both Pastor Adeboye and Iluyomade, Ayodele expressed her concern over the severe action taken by the church leadership, which she found uncharacteristic given the bond between the two pastors. “Pastor Adeboye and Pastor Iluyomade were like father and son. They are so close. There is nothing Adeboye wanted that Iluyomade would not go out of his way to make available,” Ayodele stated, emphasizing how unusual and troubling the situation seemed.
Despite her deep ties to the church, Ayodele firmly denied the allegation that Iluyomade had rebelled against the church. She commented, “He was told not to enter City of David. Why they did that is only known to our daddy, the governing council, and God. I cannot answer why. But we are curious.” Ayodele’s statement reflected her confusion over the church’s decision to bar Iluyomade, especially after years of dedicated service.
Ayodele recounted how certain elders within the church attempted to mediate the situation when it became clear that Iluyomade was being barred from the church. According to Ayodele, these elders wrote letters of appeal to the General Overseer of the RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, urging him to reconsider the punitive action. However, Ayodele revealed that these efforts were met with silence. “They wrote letters and signed their names on the letters to Pastor Adeboye. But there was no response from Baba Adeboye,” Ayodele said, showing the frustration felt by the concerned elders.
Following this, Ayodele explained that Iluyomade and his family sought refuge at Kings Court, another RCCG parish that Iluyomade had pioneered in the past. However, their welcome was short-lived, as they were later told they could not be accommodated. “The pastor in the church welcomed them and accorded them the honour of the founding pastors, only to be told later that they should not be accommodated,” she explained.
Ayodele, who has been a member of RCCG for over 30 years, voiced her personal doubts over the actions of the leadership, questioning whether the church’s leadership would allow someone like Iluyomade to “be lost to the world” rather than extending the same compassion Pastor Adeboye taught the church to show to a “lost sheep.” She continued, “Pastor Adeboye taught us that if one sheep is missing out of 100, Jesus would go after the lost sheep… I was now asking, will he now allow Iluyomade to be lost to the world?”
Ayodele stressed that, despite what happened, she had not followed Iluyomade when he eventually started his own church, believing that the matter could still be resolved. “I did not follow Iluyomade when he started his church because I believed the matter could still be resolved, and that I was mediating,” she said, noting that she hoped for a resolution with the church leadership.
She also denied rumors suggesting that Herbert Wigwe, the late CEO of Access Bank, was the largest contributor to the construction of the Trinity Towers at the City of David. Ayodele emphasized that while Wigwe was indeed a significant supporter, many others had contributed generously, especially when Iluyomade was at the helm. “Many people contributed to the building of the tower, and some gave as much as Wigwe gave. People were as committed to the church as Wigwe,” she stated.
Despite efforts by well-placed individuals to intervene on Iluyomade’s behalf, including asking for forgiveness from Pastor Adeboye, Ayodele noted that the pleas went unanswered. She recalled, “They went to beg him, and he said he (Iluyomade) was paying loan. But he has been paying loans without coming to ask for money from you. So, why don’t you leave him and let him finish paying the loan?” She also mentioned how some went as far as rolling on the floor to plead with Pastor Adeboye, but their efforts were in vain.
On the matter of church intervention, Ayodele was clear that no organization, including the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, could sway Pastor Adeboye’s decision. “Who will talk to him if God has not talked to him? My daddy hears from God. It is what God says that he tells us, and we believe him. He will say my daddy says, and we believe him,” she asserted, stressing her unwavering belief in Adeboye’s spiritual guidance.
Ayodele also clarified that Pastor Iluyomade never had the intention to start a new church, revealing that it was the abandonment of him and his family by those they had helped that ultimately led to their decision to leave RCCG. “He does not even know how to start a church. He was an Anglican before he joined RCCG. His father was a reverend. He had left Anglican for almost 32 years,” Ayodele explained. She added that those whom Iluyomade and his family had supported over the years failed to offer them the same support when they faced trials.
Ayodele revealed that she was deeply affected when Pastor Adeboye insinuated that those who left the RCCG were akin to demons and that the Trinity Towers were built by “devils.” “I started wondering if this my daddy is talking. What is going on?” Ayodele said, her voice heavy with emotion.
Concluding her statements, Ayodele expressed a deep hope for reconciliation. “If I had the grace of meeting Pastor Adeboye, I would beg him frantically and appeal to him to forgive Iluyomade,” she concluded, further highlighting the desire for unity within the church despite the ongoing division.
