•Why Buhari sacked Obazee, dissolved FRC board

From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

The Federal Government has suspended the law which forced Pastor Enoch Adeboye to step down as the Nigeria General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
The Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRCN), under Jim Obazee, had directed Not-For-Profit Organisations (NFPOs)— including churches and mosques — to comply with a corporate governance code stipulating a term of 20 years for heads of such entities.
It was by this provision that Adeboye, who had spent over 20 years as GO of RCCG, named Pastor Joshua Obayemi to head the Nigerian church as national overseer while he remained the worldwide general overseer of the church.
Yesterday, President Muhammadu Buhari fired Obazee and approved the reconstitution of the board.
Also, in a statement yesterday, Constance Ikokwu, media aide of Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enelamah, said the law has also been suspended, in order to review it. “The code issued by the FRCN has been suspended pending a detailed review, extensive consultation with stakeholders and reconstitution of the board,” he said.
Obazee’s sack came hours after Adeboye retired as RCCG general overseer.
In a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the president named Daniel Asapokhai as Obazee’s replacement and appointed Adedotun Sulaiman, as board chairman.
Daily Sun, however, gathered that Obazee was relieved of his job following Enelamah’s report to the president, on reconstitution of the FRC board.
“President Buhari has appointed a chairman and a new executive secretary for the council. The new council, as approved by the president, has Mr Adedotun Sulaiman, as chairman. Sulaiman was a former Managing Partner/Director of Arthur Anderson and later, Accenture.
“He is a chartered accountant and a product of the University of Lagos and Harvard Business School.
“The president has also approved the appointment of Asapokhai as the executive secretary of the Council. Asopokhai is a partner and a Financial Reporting Specialist at PricewaterHouseCoopers, Nigeria.
“He is a product of the University of Lagos and the University of Pretoria.
“President Buhari has also instructed the minister to invite the 19 ministries, departments and agencies of the Federal Government and private sector organisations specified in the FRC Act to nominate members of its board,” Shehu’s statement said.


…We’ll make our stand known soon –CAN

By Adetutu Folasade-Koyi

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), yesterday, night, brushed aside the Federal  Government’s suspension of the new corporate governance code of the Federal Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRCN) for Not-For-Profit-Organisations (NFPO).
In Part B of the NFPO’s code, published on the FRCN website, financialreportingcouncil.gov.ng, the federal agency listed them to include homeless shelters, hospitals, clinics, rights groups, para-military (scout, brigade, etc), philanthropic organisations, schools, temples, church, mosques, synagogue, seninary/Bible college,  any other religious body, mission or society, among money others.
General overseers, founders and leaders of religious organisations, including churches and mosques, who  have been in the saddle up to 20 years or more, or who have attained of 70 years of age are affected by the now suspended FRC code.
Perhaps, in fulfilment of the law, Pastor Enoch Adeboye stepped down last week as general overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) in Nigeria.
In his stead, he appointed Pastor Joseph Olayemi as the church’s national overseer in Nigeria.
Regardless,  CAN President, Mr. Supo Ayokunle, who spoke through his spokesperson, Mr Bayo Oladeji, yesterday, said the association will study the new law and react appropriately.
“The  Holy Bible says; ‘touch not my annointed and do my prophet no harm.’
“We are aware that FRCN’s exeucitve secretary, Jim Obazee has been sacked and that, the new corporate governance code has been suspended.
“At the right time, we will talk; we will make our position known, soon. This government should respect the church because the church has not been against government but the government has been against the church.”
Ayokunle, a reverend, took over CAN leadership from Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor. The election was conducted at the National Ecumenical Center, Abuja in June 2016.
Oladeji also added that CAN leadership would likely meet on the matter next week since Ayokunle is presently out of the country.
Regardless, Bishop Samuel1 Olumakinde Alawode, presiding bishop of Maranatha Lord Cometh Ministries International, with headquarters in Ibadan, Oyo State, insisted government cannot regulate succession in churches.
“CAN has its succession procedure enshrined in its constitution and some of these churches have existed for centuries, before the birth of Nigeria in 1914! These churches have procedures for running their organisations.
“The excesses of some churches and general overseers should not be encouraged but, not to the point where government would now decide succession plans of each denomination. It will simply cause crisis…”
Retired Bishop of Akure Diocese of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Emmanuel Bolanle Gbonigi also said it was wrong for government to attempt to regulate how churches are  administrated in Nigeria, just as the President of Mount Zion Faith Ministries International , Evangelist Mike Bamiloye said there is no cause for alarm.
Gbonigi told Daily Sun, yesterday, that he was not aware of the law as he only heard of it on radio last Sunday, after the  appointment of a National Overseer by Pastor Enoch Adeboye, of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
The RCCG national overseer will administer the church in Nigeria.
Gbonigi, who retired as bishop of Akure Diocese, after serving for over 43 years, said he retired in accordance with Anglican regulation that a bishop should retired after the age of 70.
“It is not right for government to be involved in how a religious organisation is administered. Religion is personal and the fundamental right of every individual. Government cannot dictate how they must be administered.
Also speaking, Bamiloye said he won’t comment until he fully understands the new governance code “because I don’t how church, mosques, charity organisation and orphanage homes will be grouped together.
On its website, financialreportingcouncil.gov.ng, FRCN explained why the new governance code became necessary in a its 29-page rules set for Not-For-Profit-Organisations (NFPO).
“Many NFPOs operate with unknown frameworks, with governments completely in the dark as to both their ownership and principal accountability. In the context of current global insurgency, the operations and funding of NFPOs raise serious security concerns, hence the need for good governance of NFPOs in the country.
Although the new code was suspended in May 2015, it came into effect on October 17, 2016.