The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) has reportedly suspended Idowu Iluyomade, the Senior Pastor of the City of David parish, a branch of the church situated on the Island in Lagos state.
Iluyomade was said to have been suspended by the Governing Council of the church over the weekend with his suspension set to run for three months.
According to the report, a panel has also been set up to investigate some of the allegations made against Iluyomade and the City of David parish.
“A top pastor in the church said the decision to suspend Iluyomade was a response to the public outcry against the extravagant birthday party of his wife shortly after the death of former CEO of Access Bank, Herbert Wigwe,” the report read in part.
Iluyomade who is also the head of the Apapa Family of the RCCG had thrown up a lavish party in the United Kingdom (UK) to celebrate his wife, Siji Iluyomade’s 60th birthday in February 2024.
The birthday party was organised only one week after the tragic demise of Wigwe, his wife, his son and one other person in a helicopter crash in the United States of America (US) on February 9.
Meanwhile, the embattled Iluyomade has been replaced as the City of David’s pastor with Pastor Charles Kpandei of RCCG Resurrection Parish of Region 11 taking over from him.
“Those in the City of David had been expecting Pastor Kpandei. Some top RCCG officials had to meet with some top people in the parish and confided in them that Pastor Idowu would have to be removed from the parish,” the report added.
“They needed to get the confidence of these top people because of the great influence of Pastor Iluyomade in the parish. The RCCG was not sure of the outcome of its move, so it had to be discreet. He may not be returned to the parish after the suspension.
“We have just three months to the convention. It may be a way of taking him away from the place permanently. He has spent many years in that parish. He needed to be moved.”
According to the report, it was not the general overseer of RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye that suspended Iluyomade but the governing council of the church made the decision.
