3 weeks ago
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The Anglican Diocese of Ekiti has debunked a viral assertion by a verteran writer and erstwhile statesmanlike aide, Babafemi Ojudu, alleging that a burial work astatine St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Ise-Ekiti, was turned into a fundraising exercise.
Recall that Ojudu had successful a Facebook station connected Monday titled “The Day Mourners Rebelled successful Church,” claimed that mourners “rebelled” during the ceremonial of a trader and politician, Mrs. Kehinde Ajifolawe, popularly known arsenic Kenny Ise, aft the officiating curate allegedly demanded donations and publically shamed the deceased’s household for contributing “too little” arsenic thanksgiving.
The post, which rapidly went viral, stirred nationalist outrage and renewed disapproval of the perceived commercialisation of spiritual ceremonies successful Nigeria.
However, successful an authoritative rejoinder connected Tuesday, the Diocese described Ojudu’s relationship arsenic “inaccurate and misleading,” insisting that the work was conducted peacefully and successful accordance with Anglican liturgical standards.
The statement, signed by the Diocesan Communicator, Venerable Samuel Agunbiade, connected behalf of the Bishop of Ekiti Diocese (Anglican Communion), Rt. Rev. Andrew Ajayi, stated that an interior probe recovered “no fundraising oregon exploitation took place.”
“The precocious Mrs. Ajifolawe was 60 years old, not successful her fifties arsenic reported, and though not a fiscal subordinate of the church, she was graciously granted a burial work successful the tone of bid and communal harmony,” the Diocese said.
Clarifying the contentious ₦200,000 thanksgiving offering referenced successful Ojudu’s post, the religion said the magnitude was voluntarily announced by the deceased’s niece connected behalf of her children, with 2 different individuals making spontaneous donations.
“Contrary to claims that the Vicar of the Church, The Venerable Kehinde Adeona, complained oregon rejected a donation, the niece (on behalf of the children) of the deceased voluntarily announced a ₦200,000 thanksgiving offering,” the connection explained.
“In addition, 2 different individuals voluntarily joined them successful making donations — a motion that was spontaneous and heartfelt, not solicited oregon coerced by the church.”
The Diocese further attributed the reported commotion astatine the burial to a indebtedness dispute, not the actions of the officiating minister.
“The work itself was peaceful and orderly from each eyewitnesses. However, 3 individuals who arrived during rainfall approached the Vicar, alleging that the deceased owed them ₦18.5 cardinal and insisted that the burial should not proceed until the indebtedness was paid,” the religion said.
“The Vicar, exercising pastoral discretion, declined their petition to code the congregation implicit the matter. The lone disturbance occurred aft the religion service, astatine the graveside, owed to this outer indebtedness quality — not owed to immoderate behaviour of the officiating curate oregon religion officials.”
Reaffirming its committedness to transparency and decorum, the Diocese stressed that the Anglican Church successful Ekiti “has nary contented of commercialising burial services.”
“The Diocese of Ekiti upholds the highest standards of pastoral behaviour and Christian ethics. We promote the public, the media, and the household of the deceased to stay calm and beryllium assured that information and justness volition ever prevail,” the connection read.
“Again, the Church remains a refuge of religion and compassion, not a marketplace, and we are committed to preserving that ineffable trust.”
The Diocese besides warned against the dispersed of mendacious narratives intended to malign the church, urging restraint from individuals “peddling a incorrect communicative for immoderate crushed whatsoever.”
Ojudu, successful his viral post, had alleged that mourners were repeatedly called retired to marque donations and that the officiating curate frowned astatine the family’s ₦200,000 contribution, describing it arsenic “too small.”
“When mourners revolt wrong a church, it is not rebellion, it is simply a outcry of conscience,” Ojudu wrote.
The Diocese, however, maintained that the burial had been “grossly misrepresented,” reaffirming that the Anglican Communion successful Ekiti remains committed to “pastoral integrity, information and compassion.”
“We proceed to commune for the repose of the psyche of the precocious Mrs. Kehinde Ajifolawe and comfortableness for her family,” the statement concluded.
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