By Adewale Ayeni from Washington DC
What is AVS Michael Odubanjo still doing in CCC Metro Parish? This is the question on the lip of every genuine member of the Celestial Church of Christ in the USA Diocese at the moment.
Recall that Assistant Venerable Superior Evangelist Michael Odubanjo was recently dismissed as the Head of Department in Italy as a result of some allegations made against him by Celestial members and leaders in Europe.
In his magnanimity and act of benevolence, the Pastor and Spiritual Head of the CCC Worldwide, Reverend EMF Oshoffa against all odds appointed him, Odubanjo, as the Shepherd in charge of CCC Metro Parish in Washington DC late last year but the leopard refused to change its skin even after his new posting.
Firstt, there were discrepancies in his Immigration Status which was contrary to what he told the Pastor’s Office in Nigeria. He had made the pastor to believe that he had perfected his working papers in the US but this later turned out to be untrue.
On getting there, there were allegations that he had splitted the Parish into two factions. One faction with some corrupt elders are loyal to him while the other faction is loyal to Pastor Mobiyina Oshoffa.
Along the line, there was a rumour that AVS Odubanjo had gathered some elders in the name of the Parochial Committee to seek for an independence for the Parish. This was denied by Odubanjo many times when asked but the truth later revealed itself when the disgruntled elders wrote the Pastor’s Office that the parish would no longer operate under the leadership of Papa Oshoffa. They had voted to be neutral.
Also, some parishioners had accused Odubanjo and some elders led by the self-acclaimed patron of CCC Metro Parish, Elder Pius Adebowale of moving a sum of $121,000 from the parish bank accounts without explaining what it’s meant for.
Elder Pius Adebowale eventually agreed in a leaked voice note which was recorded during his January, 2025 telephone conversation with some people that the said $121,000 was truly moved from the church accounts “FOR SAFETY”. He said the money was safe but feelers have it that the funds had been shared by the elders.
Unable to cope with the allegations against AVS Michael Odubanjo coupled with the irregularities in his Immigration Status, Pastor EMF Oshoffa in January, 2025 wrote a letter to terminate his posting as the Shepherd in charge of CCC Metro Parish in Washington DC.
Apart from that, his clergy status worldwide was also suspended indefinitely by the pastor’s office with a warning not to work as a shepherd in any CCC Parish worldwide.
To fulfill the immigration rule he was given at the Port of Entry in the United States the day he flew in, AVS Odubanjo, a holder of an Italian Passport left the soil of the USA before ninety days, and returned back to the USA again within a short period to be able to spend another ninety days as a Visitor in the country.
As a Visitor but working as a shepherd!
Immediately he returned back, AVS Odubanjo excommunicated those he considered as EMF Oshoffa’s loyalists. He also refused to let the illegal Parochial Committee he has been working with to hand over to the newly-elected Parochial Committee.
Assisting Odubanjo in his fight against the pastor’s order to vacate CCC Metro Parish as its shepherd is Elder Pius Adebowale who till this present moment has his names on the Deed of the Church building despite instructions from Pastor Mobiyina Oshoffa to remove his name from the said Deed.
While a member of the church was said to have reportedly rented an apartment for AVS Odubanjo with his papers, the embattled shepherd has been reportedly taking his bi-weekly salaries by hands.