By Adewale Ayeni, Washington DC
Celestial Focus, a pressure group in the Celestial Church of Christ in the United States has indicted the former shepherd of Celestial Church of Christ Metro Parish in Washington DC, VSE Michael Odubanjo of looting a whooping $121,000 which he found in the account of the church on assuming duties last year.
Recall that Odubanjo who assumed duties as the shepherd in Metro Parish on the pastoral directive from the Office of the worldwide pastor of CCC, Reverend EMF Oshoffa late last year was recalled last month by the same pastor’s office in Nigeria after finding out that he didn’t posses the rightful immigration status in the USA.
This newspaper gathered that Odubanjo was also sacked because of findings that he has been stealing the parish money and also working against the leadership of Pastor EMF Oshoffa.
Celestial Focus alleged that: “He (Odubanjo) was sacked after reports got to Ketu that he was stealing the parish funds. He was also instigating a faction of the parish against the leadership of the Pastor. Also, has used his power to divide the church apart from fighting the real stakeholders of the parish. So when all these reports got to the Pastor’s office, a sack letter was sent to him on March 22, 2025 but up till now, he hasn’t vacated the church.
“Odubanjo has been working with the likes of Elder Pius Adebowale and some people he fraudulently appointed to handle the church accounts to loot hundreds of thousands of US Dollars, the funds that are meant to develop the church”
According to Celestial Focus, VSE Odubanjo had gathered some fraudulent elders in Metro Parish and they have been discussing with the Beeni Omoge faction of the CCC on how to stop being under the authority of Reverend EMF Oshoffa.
The Celestial group also accused Odubanjo and some fraudulent elders of deliberately victimizing the Financial Secretary of the Parish, Mother-in- Celestial Susan Amusan who was only asking for a proper accounting about some of the church funds which weren’t remitted for several weeks.
Investigation by Nigerian Concord showed that apart from working in the USA as an illegal immigrant, VSE Michael Odubanjo has been collecting salaries bi-weekly from those he fraudulently appointed to handle the church accounts by hand. “This is against the law of the United States” Celestial Focus noted during our investigation.
Also, one of the church members (name withheld for security reason) illegally used his papers to rent an apartment for the embattled shepherd who has been living and collecting salaries illegally on the soil of the USA without a proper immigration status.
“How can a self-acclaimed man of God be taking salaries bi-weekly even after he had been fired by the supreme leader of the CCC, Reverend EMF Oshoffa” Celestial Focus queried.
Findings also indicated that VSE Odubanjo has been charging $1000 each from some of the parishioners who are seeking his spiritual assistance to secure green cards even though none of them has received a green card till now.
Meanwhile, Celestial Focus in a petition has called on the District Attorney in Washington DC to quickly come to the aid of Metro Parish by conducting a full scale probe into the finances of the Parish.
According to Celestial Focus in the petition to the District Attorney, the financial records of the Parish for the last eighteen months must be investigated. “The frauds have been going on even before Odubanjo came” a part of the petition added.
Celestial Focus wondered why The sacked shepherd, VSE Odubanjo is still adamant and parading himself as the shepherd of CCC Metro Parish despite that he had since received a letter terminating his posting to the parish as well as the termination of his clergy status worldwide from the pastor, Reverend EMF Oshoffa.
Celestial Focus challenged Odubanjo to explain to the public why all the monies that are being realized during weekly church services aren’t disclosed to the parishioners again. The group also urged Odubanjo to tell the public why he appointed his fellow fraudsters to positions of authority so that his fraudulent activities won’t be known to genuine worshippers.