The Apostolic Church Nigeria, TACN a foremost Pentecostal denomination has announced Ministers’ retirement age to be 75 years.

The Church with Gospel orientation and Evangelism fire operates under the full leadership of the Holy Spirit and gives room for Prophesy as a Ministry and sound doctrinal teachings by Teachers and administration by the Apostles.

One unique outlook of TACN is the National body, with a National President; the incumbent being Pastor Sampson Igwe.

Similarly, the National body is further divided into the Lagos And Western/Northern Areas (LAWNA) Territory having Lagos, Ijesha Land, Kaduna, Kaba, Ibadan, Abeokuta and a few other locations leading within the Territory.

As the name implies, the LAWNA Territory consisted of the present-day South Western States with two South Southern States of Edo/Delta and all nineteen (19) Northern-West, Central and East divides of Nigeria.

Similarly, TACN National consisted of the remaining four South Southern States in Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Bayelsa which are further classified into Calabar (Cross River) Field; Igbo Field, Maritime Field; Akwa Igbo Field; and, Andoani Sub Field.

These operated with the LAWNA Territory whereby the Presidency of the Church rotates (National President, National Vice President) and other principal officers.

However, the Church operates full-time ministerial work for all categories of Pastors; these Clergy men work till death or incapacitation  (whichever one) in the past.

Similarly, the offices of the National President, the Vice and LAWNA Territorial Chairman; and other Fields/Territorial Chairmen too, with some other top officers are always in office till the time of death.

But, one seasoned Cleric, now late Pastor Gabriel Oladele Olutola who has been a Bible College Teacher, an Area Council Secretary cum District Apostle; an Area Superintendent, and then LAWNA Administrative Secretary changed the tides.

It happened that Pastor Olutola left the Admin Secretary’s office to go and become Area Superintendent, then at Mushin and Benin Area; in 2009, he became Acting Territorial Chairman for LAWNA.

Upon confirmation after a year, the National President passed on and by Divine order, Pa Olutola once stepped in, to become National President and Territorial Chairman for the Church.

In his time, some unification steps for the Church in Nigeria saw the Church adopting a single Annual Motto.

Then, in 2017, Pastor Olutola came up with an idea of retirement for the National President and LAWNA Territory Chairman; other Fields/Territories later adopted this novel idea.

Upon the retirement of Pa Olutola who was then tagged Emeritus President during the period of retirement before his passage in 2024 at 91; two personalty in person of Pastor Igwe and Pastor Emmanuel Segun Awojide (retired) respectively became National President and National Vice President/Territorial Chairman, LAWNA in TACN.

That dispensation saw the LAWNA Territory appointing a Vice Chairman for the first time rather than Admin Secretary which has always been next; the other six Fields/Territories also adopted Vice Chairman status for ease of administration.

The reformations also saw the Church moving the office of National President to Convention Grounds in Olorunda-Ketu, Lagos from Calabar, Cross River State, where the late Pastor E.E. Okon operated.

It was however agreed that these leaders would embark on retirement so other younger elements could take up executive posts in the Church.

Pastor Senior Gideon Ukpako Uyeh thereafter, became the very first Vice Chairman for LAWNA Territory.

As of last year, 2023, Pastor Awojide went on retirement and Pastor Uyeh stepped in as the 6th LAWNA Territorial Chairman/5th National Vice President for TACN.

In a similar development, Pastor David Oluwasegun Ajibade emerged as the second Vice Territorial Chairman for LAWNA.

So, with the turn of events in these new developments where other Fields/ Territories are adopting good innovations spearheaded by LAWNA Territory, the issue of retirement age for all Clergymen crept up and was robustly debated.

However, it was the second day and Sunday service of the 48th Annual LAWNA International Convention held at Olorunda-Ketu on August 4, 2024:

Pastor Uyeh publicly dropped hints about the agreed retirement age to effectively be 75 years of age.

He also hinted likelihood of forcing whichever Clergy men that won’t want to go based on the new policy.

Pastor Uyeh also announced that he too, would soon go on retirement.

The high point of this development was the appointment of 7 – a male Steering Committee that was prayed for, right inside the National Temple –

PST. A.B Geoffrey – Chairman; PST. S.A Akolo; and, PST. E.O Abe.

Others are:

PST. E.E Okon;

PST. I.E Omohoro; PST. D.A Oyeleke with an Overseer.

– FUNMI OWOYEX

IKOTUN 

LAGOS

…Tasks congregants to prioritise God, in whatever they do

The Doyen of the Nigerian Maritime industry, High Chief Adebayo Babatunde Sarumi was on Saturday described as a great man, who through enduring humility, gradually worked his way before the Lord, until he became godly.

 The Vicar of Our Saviour Church TBS, Ven Ore Agbelusi made the observation in a Special Thanksgiving Service sermon, on the occasion of Chief Adebayo Sarumi’s 80th Birthday, at the Race Course, in Lagos.

The big Church was heavily occupied by a huge population, comprising core maritime industry operators, Sector decision-makers, political juggernauts, families and friends of Chief Sarumi, trying to dwarf the large numbers of actual congregants of the church.

Also Read: Echoes From ABS @80

Addressing the revered audience, the Vicar highlighted Sarumi’s virtues, dwelling especially on his selflessness, capacity to sow in seasons and out of season, and his unspared commitment to touching the lives of everyone who came in contact with him.

Leveraging on the 3rd Bible reading, taken from Matthew 6: verses 25- 34 which dwelt on not worrying over anything, but trusting the Lord to provide everything; while seeking His righteousness as everything else shall follow;  the Vicar stressed that Sarumi owed his success to his unhindered fear of God 

Ven. Agbelusi said while he had a strong desire to posit that Chief Sarumi had enjoyed some special favour of God, he was still restrained by his realisation that the celebrant always, especially prioritises everything about God, particularly the art of maximally giving glory to God!

Emphasising the symbolism of touching lives and demonstrating extreme gratitude to God, the Vicar recalled how once the Church decided to train some of its youths on skills acquisition; and at the end of the training, the church needed a certain number of Laptops.

The Church had vigorously and helplessly sought until the Celebrant’s wife brought it to her husband’s attention: pronto, a significant number of laptops were provided.

The elated Preacher stressed that a good number of those who obtained the laptops had since moved up the ladder of life, not necessarily because of the acquired skills, but because of the availability of the vital equipment!

He also recalled another instance of a seemingly lacklustre church building development, until Sarumi heard about it, and he wholeheartedly mobilised everyone to swoop on the project, and the uncompleted church building became a thing of the past!

“How then will God not be partial unto a man who prioritizes the things that touch Him!?”, he asked, adding that Sarumi knows that on whatever he had gone through, be it thick or thin, God is always there with him,

Ven. Agbelusi tasked his revered audience, to understand the need not only to serve God, wherever they are, but more importantly, to do so with genuine humility.

“God will never share his glory…”, he stressed, and strongly warned that the easiest way to go into oblivion, is to try to share God’s glory.

“Therefore, if anyone wants to go into oblivion, that person should strive to share God’s glory”, he stated, drawing sharp examples of the legendary King Nebuchadnezzar, who ate grasses of the fields like a beast until he repented; aside from another King, who was struck by an angel and instantly devoured by worms.

The sermon, obviously was tailor-made for the occasion. There was not a single poor man in the Church; and nobody slept or dosed in the excitingly, vivacious environment.

Some of those in attendance were the nation’s foremost shipping mogul, and Chairman, the Starzs Group, Engr. Greg Utomwen Ogbeifun; Chairmen of Seaports Terminal like Chief Obvude; the President, Nigerian Masters Mariners Association NMMA, Capt. Tajudeen Also; NMMA former president, Capt. Ernest Ishola.

Also in attendance were Maritime experts, the former Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency NIMASA, Barrister Mfon Usoro and her husband, a guru and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Usoro, a Prince of Ibadan and President General, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria.

Other Maritime industry experts in the church included Capt Iheanacho Ebubeogu, and Capt Olopoenia, amongst several others.