By Abiola Olawale
Following the suspension of Pastor Idowu Iluyomade, the Redeemed Christian Church of God has reportedly initiated an audit of the financial accounts of the City of David parish located in the Victoria Island area of Lagos State.
A report emerging on Monday indicated that the leadership of the RCCG are reportedly looking into an alleged debt of N320 million incurred by the City of David Parish.
The New Diplomat reports that Iluyomade was suspended for three months by the church’s Governing Council.
Though the reason for the suspension is yet to be announced officially, it came after a panel was constituted to investigate the allegations against Iluyomade and the parish.
However, an insider source who spoke with the press said that the parish is currently being reportedly audited by an audit firm which is not an RCCG financial and audit practice.
The source added that the RCCG had contacted the services of KPMG to conduct the internal audit.
The source said: “Iluyomade, the erstwhile pastor of the church, was suspended on June 1 following complaints and allegations against him. He was asked to resume at the church’s headquarters.
“The parish is currently being audited by KPMG, which is not an RCCG financial and audit practice. It was necessary to get an external auditor because before now, most of the provinces under the Apapa Family were not audited by RCCG auditors, ” the source noted.
During Sunday’s church service on June 9, one of the pastors made the announcement, stating that the church paid about N15 million for the construction of the Trinity Tower between June 1 and 8.
It would be recalled that Iluyomade has been facing stormy waters since the lavish 60th birthday celebration of his wife, Siju Iluyomade, shortly after the death of Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Plc, Herbert Wigwe.
The lavish party which was held at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, was greeted with criticism, as it came days after the death of an influential member of the Church, Wigwe.
Wigwe died along with his wife, Chizoba, their son, Chizi, former Chairman of Nigeria Exchange Group, Abimbola Ogunbanjo, the pilot and co-pilot, in a Di Airbus Helicopter EC 130B4 with registration number N130CZ, near Halloran Springs, California, on February 9.
The family of the Wigwes had shunned the City of David in the burial programme, as they held a combined Service of Songs at another parish of the Church in Lagos, RCCG, Resurrection Parish, Lekki, among other events in Lagos and Rivers states.
