‘’There are two sides to every issue: one side is right and the other is wrong, but the middle is always evil. The man who is wrong still retains some respect for truth, if only by accepting the responsibility of choice. But the man in the middle is the knave who blanks out the truth in order to pretend that no choice or values exist, who is willing to sit out the course of any battle, willing to cash in on the blood of the innocent or to crawl on his belly to the guilty, who dispenses justice by condemning both the robber and the robbed to jail, who solves conflicts by ordering the thinker and the fool to meet each other halfway. In any compromise between food and poison, it is only death that can win. In any compromise between good and evil, it is only evil that can profit. In that transfusion of blood which drains the good to feed the evil, the compromise is the transmitting rubber tube.”
― Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged
PREAMBLE:
On Thursday 6th March 2014 Rev Paul Emeka was suspended and dismissed from Assemblies of God ministry by the General Committee of Assemblies of God Nigeria in her special session attended by over 200 delegates.
The public needs to understand the system of operation and the peculiarity of Assemblies of God Nigeria as against other sister independent churches.
Assemblies Of God Nigeria is governed by two major instruments: The Bible and its Constitution. The Bible and the Constitution are sacrosanct and are not to be toyed with by any Pastor or leader under the Church. These two documents have held the Church together for the past 84 years of existence.
The Church Constitution is no respecter of person(s) or office/position. When any provision of the Constitution is violated, the prescribed disciplinary action shall be applied to the person(s),Paul Emeka was brought into office by the act of the Church Constitution which he swore to abide and protect by this Biblical principles and by the provisions of the AG Constitution that brought him into the office in November 2010 as the then General Superintendent,throughout the three years of Rev Paul Emeka as the General Superintendent of Assemblies of God Nigeria; broke several aspects/provisions of the Constitution with impunity. To say the least, Rev Paul Emeka has no iota of regard for AG Constitution,Paul Emeka doesn’t respect members of the Executive Committee who are supposed to be working with him. He runs AG Nigeria as a personal ministry without regard to the then 15-man Executive Committee. The EC members had tolerated his excesses for 3 years believing that he would change but he became more flagrant by the day.
The crisis that rocked the Church began when Rev. Paul Emeka single handedly sacked the Principal Officers of Evangel University without consulting the EC members. The EC members only read it on the pages of News papers that Evangel University was advertising for the post of Vice Chancellor, Registrar and Bursar. He claimed he did that because he is the Proprietor of Evangel University. He also single handedly removed and replaced the members of the University Governing Council and the Board of Trustees without consulting with EC members and as against National University Commission guidelines.
The EC members tried to call him to order but he would not listen to ANY body. The Retired General Superintendent, Rev Dr. Charles Osueke also tried to mediate by meeting with the EC members in their September 2013 sitting because the issue was eating deep into the polity of AG Nigeria but Rev. Paul Emeka wouldn’t bulge. The members of the body of Ambassadors also came to meet with the EC over the issue and other anomalies that were happening in AG Nigeria, but Rev. Paul Emeka stood his ground. It was at this point that the National Constituency got to know what the EC members were going through in the hands of Rev Prof Paul Emeka for the past 3 years, a man they elected to serve them now playing the role of a LORD.
When the body of Ambassadors saw how Rev. Paul Emeka had slighted them and the retired General Superintendent Rev Dr. C.O Osueke, they wrote to all the District Superintendents and members of their various Presbyteries and explained what they felt where anomalies going on in AG Nigeria. The allegations were serious and were all indicting the person of the General Superintendent and EC in several ways. The EC met and advised Paul Emeka to allow the EC to meet with the Ambassadors with the view of resolving the issue. He refused also well meaning members of the church both Clergy and Laity who made frantic effort to broker peace without success. This refusal continued for 6 months. When all efforts did not work, the EC met again and advised that an independent committee be set up to look into the allegations, but Rev Paul Emeka vehemently refused in the setting of any Committee to look into those allegations, rather he said “Are you setting up a panel on me the GS of AG Nigeria”. Earlier a meeting of EC with all the District Superintendents and their Presbytery was fixed. When the Presbyter came for the meeting, the EC members were shocked that the Rev. Paul Emeka had prepared a twelve page defense against the 3 page write up of the Ambassadors.
In his defense, he was rather abusive and calling members of the Ambassadors monsters and jobbers. He then encouraged the District Superintendents to go back to their Districts and resist and fight them. He described the members of the body of Ambassadors as monsters that must be removed from the church. At this point, it was clear the church was in for trouble because AG Nigeria is a democratic denomination where people are free to air their views within the confines of Scriptures and Constitution. You may need to know that the Ambassadors are distinguished members who were honored because of their numerous contributions to the development of the gospel in AG Nigeria.
After that meeting with the District Superintendent and their Presbyters, the EC had their regular meeting. In the meeting, over 11 members of the EC expressed disgust at his approach in handling that issue but Rev. Paul Emeka insisted he had no apologies for his actions, at this point the EC was divided, it was now 11 EC members against 4 members.
The EC then felt that since we were no longer making progress in our meetings on the account Paul Emeka’s attitude of always insisting on having his way in every matter, the EC proposed to Rev Paul Emeka to call for a meeting of the General Committee which is the higher ruling body to look into the issues but he refused. The EC then decided to explore Constitutional means of calling for the General Committee by writing to all the Unit Heads. Constitutionally speaking, if 33% of National Leaders signed and supports, the General Committee should be convened. More than 40% signed that the General Committee should hold even after Rev Paul Emeka had gone round the Districts of the General Council of AG Nigeria trying to convince people not to sign for the convening of the meeting.
The EC didn’t know why Rev. Paul Emeka was afraid to meet with the Leaders of his church as to address the issue that were almost tearing the Church apart.
On March 6th 2014, the meeting of the General Committee was attended by who-is-who in AG Nigeria; Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai was the preacher in the occasion. Unfortunately, the then General Superintendent of AG Nigeria, Rev. Paul Emeka absented himself. The EC tabled to the house the issue on ground and a seven-man committee was set to look into all the allegations that were leveled against Rev. Paul Emeka.
As nominees were been presented, the General Council Legal Team came with a true certified copy of a suit filed against the church by The Rev. Paul Emeka. At that instant, the house was angry and a motion to suspend him was moved according to the provision of AG Constitution. He was therefore suspended on three count charge:
a. For taking the church to court. (The suit Nos E/82/2014 E/202M/2014)
b. For refusing to appear before the General Committee to defend himself which was seen as contempt to the General Committee.
c. For breaking several provision of AG Constitution.
From all that has been mentioned above, Rev. Paul Emeka was given every opportunity to defend himself but due to his arrogant nature, he was not ready to listen to anybody. Most of his personal friends of long standing fell out with him because he will never take corrections.
Rev Dr Chidi Okoroafor became the acting General Superintendent or a Child of Circumstance and on the 29th of October 2014,The General Council in Session Elected him as the Substantive General Superintendent of Assemblies Of God Nigeria
After the Suspension/Dismissal,Rev Paul Emeka activated Media War against the Church by Sponsoring all manner of maligning Publications against its Leaders.
Since Two weeks ago ,I decided to pause and hang my pen back to my suit,not because anyone asked me not to write but because I was thinking Rev Paul Emeka will give peace a Chance.
I decided to go into a little Preamble for those who may be reading me for the very First Time,those who have the penchant of calling me on phone to act God and those who will advise me not to fight for God.
Since my 27Years of Existence on this Planet,I have never seen who can show the Level of Brotherly Love,Sportsmanship that Rev Dr Chidi Okoroafor,Rev Pst Ejikeme Ejim,Rev Dr Godwin Amaowoh and Rev Dr Vincent Alaje have demonstrated despite having the Holy Spirit,the Larger Membership of the Church and the Supreme Court Judgement in their Favour.
The Kind of Terror and attack unleashed on Assemblies Of God Nigeria Leadership by Rev Paul Emeka using some Compromised Security agencies between 2014-2016 was unfortunate,most of these Leaders lost their Cherished ones at the battle Field,some were Insulted simply because of their resolve to defend the Doctrinary believes of Assemblies Of God Nigeria.
In 2014,Rev Paul Emeka got a Favourable Judgement from the Enugu High Court presided over by Hon Justice Anthony Onovo,without waiting for the Church to Appeal,he Executed it in a comadoe Style,and in 2015,a Three Member Panel of the Court of Appeal Enugu Division Presided over by Hon Justice Emmanuel Agim upturned the ruling of Justice Onovo,Upheld the Suspension/Dismissal of Rev Paul Emeka by Assemblies Of God Nigeria,yet tl the Church did not rush into Executing the Judgement following the Appeal of Rev Paul Emeka.
After Wasting Years trying to bury the matter at the Supreme Court,the Supreme Court in a Judgement on the 24th of February 2017 Upheld the Ruling of the Court of Appeal, Suspension of Rev Paul Emeka and went Further to rule that it is not the right of any Pastor to be a General Superintendent of a Church.
Despite losing at the Supreme Court,Rev Paul Emeka a man known for thuggery,Propaganda and Lies instead of accepting the outcome of the Judgement,was First to rush to the Press to declare that the Supreme Court did not Sack him, with the help of Charge and Bail Lawyers who are always on standby for the next available Customer.
Rev Paul Emeka Sued the Church to Court,and the same Court he wanted to use to Destroy the Church was used to Destroy Him,while several Leaders including Religious and Political have advised the Former Assemblies Of God Leader on the need to accept the decision of the Church and even the ruling of the APEX Court in Nigeria,Rev Paul Emeka continued in his desperation to turn black into white.
The Leadership of Assemblies Of God Nigeria have demonstrated much Love,willingness for peace and it is high time the Church Leaders move On,since it is clear that Rev Paul Emeka is not ready for Reconciliation.
A Man who is on the loosing side cannot give Condition to those on the winning Side,activating Media War against the Church will not work this time because we shall defend the Church against any form of Media Virus.
In Assemblies Of God Nigeria,wether you think you were rightly or wrongly treated,the best way is to accept the decision of the Church and later softly tell the Church where you think it erred.
No Man can Fight this Church and Win ,no matter the Force.
Assemblies Of God Nigeria under the able and Dynamic Leadership of Rev Dr Chidi Okoroafor as General Superintendent is Marching on and the gates of Hell cannot Prevail against It.
Promise Uzoma Okoro,a Member of Assemblies Of God Nigeria wrote from Umuahia
N/B : Opinions Expressed in this Piece does not Represent that of Assemblies Of God Nigeria as Promise Uzoma Okoro is not the Spokesman of the Church.
