NAME CHANGE CRISIS: . Police Shutdown Udom’s Church . School Pupils, Teachers Barred
By UbongAbasi Ise
The crisis that has been rocking Qua Iboe Church, 112 Ikot Ekpene Road, yesterday took a worrying dimension as pupils of the Nursery/Primary School located within the church premise could not attend school.
Armed Police tightly secured the premises which were under lock and key making it impossible for anyone to have access to the premises.
The church premises was sealed off yesterday by the men of the Nigerian Police Force following the rowdy church service on Sunday after the Church secretary, Elder Sylvester Edem, announced the decision of the committee to remain as the mainstream Qua Iboe Church founded in 1887.
In the wake of the closure of the church premises, The Sensor learnt that Rev. Ndueso Ekwere, the chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN; Rev. Daniel Akwatang, Special Adviser to the State Governor on Religious Matters; Elder Imoh Okon, Uyo local government council chairman; and the Church Committee Chairman, Elder Onofiok Etang, amongst others, were at the police 'C' Division at Ikot Akpan Abia yesterday till the evening. The outcome of the meeting was that the church stay sealed till further directives. This was confirmed to our correspondent through a phone call with the church committee chairman.
The tension was fuelled on Saturday after the church committee, in an emergency meeting, decided that the church secretary make announcement the following day in order to disclose the true position of the church, as it would not be a part of united evangelical movement. This decision caused a stir at the meeting as the opponents argued that such position would embarrass Governor Udom Emmanuel, who is a member of the faction United Evangelical Church.
It took the intervention of some members to halt what could have been a free-for-all fight on Saturday evening, our correspondent observed.
The pastor of the church, Rev. Ibup Emmah, was not at the meeting, but was spotted driving out from the church premises in a saloon car.
On Sunday, the policemen were conspicuously seen at the premises during the church service. They attempted to go into the auditorium in the heat of commotion following the announcement by Elder Sylvester Edem, but were stopped by the youths of the church.
The transfer of Rev. Ibup Emmah was also announced on Sunday. While the church event was on, Rev. Emmah was seen packing his belongings out of the pastor's quarters.
Sources that spoke to The Sensor strongly accused Emmah as being sympathetic to the cause of united evangelical faction.
On what precipitated the recent crisis, a source in the church, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Rev. Ibup Emmah had selected and screened qualified members of the church for appointment as Elders and fixed a date for their ordination. Few days to the event, he announced the cancellation of the ordination ceremony. When the news of cancellation reached the Qua Iboe Church headquarters at Ibeno, the superintendent at Ibeno demanded that the ordination be done at the national headquarters. On the day of the ordinations, while the members appointed for the ordination were making arrangement at the Qua Iboe Church located at No.2 Abak Road in Uyo to move to Ibeno, they were said to have been informed that the police had taken over the headquarters' church auditorium. They had to have their ordination conducted at No.2 Abak Road, Uyo.
It was alleged that the attempt to halt the ordination was masterminded by those apologetic to the United Evangelical Church.
According to the source, when Emmah announced the date of ordination of elders penultimate Sunday, the church congregation roared, saying the ordination had already been conducted. This prompted the church committee to convene the emergency meeting weekend.
The source disclosed that the evangelical movement in the church is mainly fronted by Mr. Henry Morrison Udobong, Iboro Idem, Idongesit Umoh and others.
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