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The Pastor of the Celestial Church of Christ Worldwide, Reverend Emmanuel Mobiyina Oshoffa, the Board of Trustees and the Pastor in Council wish to condemn, in very strong terms, a video production titled ‘Juba F’Olorun’ produced by Funmi Ade Bank Anthony, whose contents portray the Celestial Church of Christ and its faithfuls in very negative light.
The said video production which has been given extensive exposure on YouTube and on the social media viz Facebook, Instagram, et all parades scenes where people clothed in the Sutana ( the Celestial Church garment) and scenes shot within the confines of a Celestial Church of Christ parish, engaged in lurid dance steps, smoking of Marijuana, reckless display of violence and use of very foul language.
We wish to categorically state that the foregoing portrayals do not represent what the Celestial Church of Christ stands for. We are a Bible believing church that operates under the divine direction of the Holy Spirit. Our rules and tenets forbid our faithfuls from smoking cigarettes, Marijuana, use of hard drugs and consumption of any type of alcoholic beverages. Bona fide members of our church must not engage in any form of immorality. Fornication, adultery, night crawling and ills like fighting and back biting are an anathema.
The damage done to the image of the Celestial Church of Christ by this totally condemnable video production is indeed enormous. It is true that as a church of God, we are slow to tow the path of seeking redress in a court of law but even at that, we cannot continue to fold our arms while the image of our church is continuously battered by others. This is not the first time that this is happening. We say enough is enough!
The following steps have been taken by the authorities of the church to address this unacceptable development:
-The Parish where the scenes in the said video was shot has been identified and the Shepherd has been summoned to appear before a disciplinary panel. Appropriate sanctions would be meted out thereafter.
-A letter of complaint has been sent to the Director General of the Nigeria Film and Video Censors Board to register our displeasure and to demand for the necessary intervention of the Board in the case at hand and actions to prevent any future recurrence.
-Letter of complaint to the leadership of all associations governing the production and marketing of local movies across genres.
-A letter of complaint, registering our displeasure to the producer of the offensive video production. And a demand of an apology to the church by the producer in at least two national newspapers.
-In the weeks to come, the Pastor of the Celestial Church of Christ Worldwide, Reverend Emmanuel Mobiyina Oshoffa will issue pastoral proclamations that would spell out very severe sanctions on any Shepherd, Parish and Parochial Committee that allows such derogatory video productions to be shot in their parishes.
-In the weeks to come also, the leadership of the Celestial Church of Christ Worldwide will address a press conference on this and other issues affecting our great church.
Finally, we wish to appeal to all members of the church spread across continents to remain good ambassadors of the church. We salute all those who stood up to condemn this unsavoury video production, just as we call on all Celestial faithfuls to remain calm and not to take the laws into their hands.
Be assured that corrective measures are being taken. May the Lord continue to bless His church. Amen.
SVMSE Kayode Ajala Jp, M.P.I.C
Chairman, Committee on Publicity, the Press and Publications.
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