RCCG suspends Pastor Iluyomade from City of David

The Redeemed Christian Church of God has suspended the Senior Pastor of the City of David Parish in Lagos State, Idowu Iluyomade.

The suspension of Iluyomade, who is also the head of the Apapa family in the church’s branch area, came after the lavish celebration of his wife Siju’s 60th birthday.

According to a source who spoke to Church Times, the pastor received the suspension letter over the weekend and was replaced with immediate effect by Pastor Charles Kpandei of the church’s Resurrection Parish Region 11.

The source added that Iluyomade was suspended for three months by the church’s board of directors after a panel was set up to investigate the allegations against him and the congregation.

A senior pastor at the church, who preferred to remain anonymous, told Church Times that the decision to suspend Iluyomade was in response to public outcry against his wife’s extravagant birthday party shortly after the death of then Access Bank CEO Herbert Wigwe.

Iluyomade, affectionately known as PID, found himself in the eye of the storm following his wife Siji’s 60th birthday.

Many people thought the birthday party, which was held just a week or so after Wigwe’s death in a helicopter crash in the United States, was in bad taste. Wigwe had been a great blessing to the church before his death, but the birthday party suggested that the church had no emotional attachment to him.

In addition to his responsibilities for the City of David, Iluyomade is also the Special Assistant to the General Overseer of the RCCG for Christian Social Responsibility through His Love Foundation. It is not yet clear whether this responsibility has also been removed from him.

Meanwhile, PUNCH Online has also learned that the pastor was suspended for two reasons: one in connection with the church audit and the other in connection with his alleged resistance to his transfer from the parish.

Our source, who asked to remain anonymous due to the seriousness of the matter, said: “The church’s board of directors met on two issues: one was an audit of the church where questions were raised, and the other was the pastor’s alleged resistance to a transfer.

“The Council then decided to suspend Iluyomade for three months. During this period, his deputy will take over the office.

“The Council also decided that after the suspension, he should resume his work at the Church’s headquarters and not in the City of David.”