Emmanuel Oshoffa

Last updated
Rev. Oshoffa leading over 100,000 pilgrims in the Christmas Eve service at the Celestial Church World Headquarters, Imeko. Emmanuel Oshoffa.jpg
Rev. Oshoffa leading over 100,000 pilgrims in the Christmas Eve service at the Celestial Church World Headquarters, Imeko.

Emmanuel Mobiyina Oshoffa (full name Emmanuel Mobiyina Friday Adebowale Abiodun vihan Oshoffa, born 25 December 1948 [1] ) is the pastor and spiritual head of the Celestial Church of Christ (CCC). [2] Although Emmanuel Oshoffa controls the overwhelming fraction of the church, and the Holy Pilgrimage city in Imeko where the founder, his father, was buried, a rival faction considers Beni Omoge, ostensibly the successor to Maforikan Surulere to be the leader of their own faction . [3] [4] Oshoffa was installed as head of the CCC in December 2002. [1] as successor to pastor Philip Hunsu Ajose, who died in March 2001. Mobiyina Oshoffa is the first son of the Pastor Founder (Late Reverend Prophet Samuel Bilewou Joseph Oshoffa) and he is the pastor of the major faction of Celestial Church of Christ, worldwide.

Oshoffa was born in 1948 at Kpave, French Dahomey (now Benin), and he has been part of the choir at Port Novo church before his migration to France. As instructed by his father, only him and First Shadrach hospital management knew about the whereabouts of the founder of the church for over twenty-four hours following the accident of September 1985. He was therefore in position to give some account of the prophet's final moments. [5] Oshoffa attended university in Paris, earning his bachelor's degree in animal biological science in 1976 and a master's degree from the University of Biological Science, Nancy, France in 1977. [1] The Diocese of France and the Overseas Départements and Territories largely founded by Ivory Coast Celestial Christians and frequented by many West Indians, among others; since 1986 has been led by Emmanuel Oschoffa. He was appointed head of the CCC Diocese of France by predecessor, Reverend Abiodun Bada in 1997. [6] Other sources state 1987. [7] In 1989, Emmanuel Oshoffa baptized the congolese doctor and Catholic, Malela, who had come to Paris for a surgical operation, hence starting the church at Brazzaville. [8] In December 2002, while preparing to travel to Port-Novo from France, he was called to Imeko to pastor the church.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Porto-Novo</span> Capital of Benin

Porto-Novo is the capital and second-largest city of Benin. The commune covers an area of 110 square kilometres (42 sq mi) and as of 2002 had a population of 223,552 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Same-sex marriage in Ontario</span>

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Ontario since June 10, 2003. The first legal same-sex marriages performed in Ontario were of Kevin Bourassa to Joe Varnell, and Elaine Vautour to Anne Vautour, by Reverend Brent Hawkes on January 14, 2001. The legality of the marriages was questioned and they were not registered until after June 10, 2003, when the Court of Appeal for Ontario in Halpern v Canada (AG) upheld a lower court ruling which declared that defining marriage in heterosexual-only terms violated the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Episcopal Diocese of Hawaii</span> Diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States

The Episcopal Diocese of Hawai'i is the ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Episcopal Church of the Anglican Communion in the United States encompassing the state of Hawaii. It is led by the Episcopal Bishop of Hawaii pastoring the Hawaiian Islands from the Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew in Honolulu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Celestial Church of Christ</span> Church founded in Africa by Samuel Oshoffa

The Celestial Church of Christ (CCC) is a Pentecostal church in the Aladura movement, which was founded by Samuel Oshoffa on 29 September 1947 in Porto-Novo, Benin. It has spread from West Africa to countries in Europe, such as Belgium, France, and the United Kingdom, but a number of its parishes are located in Nigeria, particularly in Lagos and Ogun State.

The term "Aladura" means "praying person" in Yoruba. Aladura is a classification of indigenous churches that started in Yoruba land in the early 20th century. These churches believe in the efficacy of prayers and practical guidance by the Living God through his Holy Spirit in all its programs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament (Altoona, Pennsylvania)</span> Church in Pennsylvania, United States

The Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament is a Roman Catholic cathedral located at One Cathedral Square in Altoona, Pennsylvania. It is within the boundaries of the Downtown Altoona Historic District, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. It is the mother church of the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown and is the seat of its bishop, the Most Reverend Mark Leonard Bartchak. The Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament Pastor is Rev. Monsignor Stanley B. Carson, Administrator.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christ Apostolic Church</span> First Aladura Pentecostal church in Nigeria

Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) is the first Pentecostal church present in Nigeria. It arose in the first half of the 20th century, in the then-British empire. It was founded in Ijebu-ode named Precious Stone Society in 1918 but was formally established in 1941 after a split from the Apostolic Church which the original Aladura organization had invited to Nigeria. Its growth was led by Joseph Ayo Babalola, a road construction driver who became its first General Evangelist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ordination of women in Christianity</span> Taking place in Protestant churches

In Christianity, the ordination of women has been taking place in an increasing number of Protestant and Old Catholic churches, starting in the 20th century. Since ancient times, certain churches of the Orthodox tradition, such as the Coptic Orthodox Church, have raised women to the office of deaconess. While ordination of women has been approved in many denominations, it is still a very controversial and divisive topic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samuel Oshoffa</span> Nigerian religious leader (1909–1985)

Samuel Bilewu Joseph Oshoffa was the founder of the Celestial Church of Christ after reportedly resurrecting people from the dead. He founded the church in 1947 after being lost for three months near Porto-Novo in Benin. The church now has its main offices in Bénin and Nigeria. Five percent, or 400,000, of the 8 million people of Benin are Celestial Christians. This church was founded by him, claiming a "divine order" was given to him by an angel of God, investing his belief of the need for Evangelism to the world. This visitation is noted by followed as marking the birth of said church.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexander Hamilton (priest)</span>

Alexander Schuyler Hamilton was an American Episcopal priest and great-grandson of Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury of the United States. He was the rector of Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Weston, Connecticut, by 1893; St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Woodbury, Connecticut, by 1915; and Christ Church in Westport, Connecticut, until he retired in 1920. Hamilton was the chaplain for the Society of the Cincinnati and the Connecticut Society of the Sons of the Revolution. He was also a member of the Advisory Council for the Daughters of the Cincinnati.

Alexander Abiodun Adebayo Bada was the second Pastor of the Celestial Church of Christ (CCC), succeeding the founder Samuel Biléhou Joseph Oschoffa in December 1985.

Philip Hunsu Ajose was the third Pastor of the Celestial Church of Christ (CCC), succeeding Alexander Abiodun Adebayo Bada on 2 October 2000 and being formally declared leader on 24 December 2000. Shortly after being appointed he fell ill, dying on 2 March 2001.

Gilbert Oluwatosin Jesse was a factional Pastor and Spiritual Head of the Celestial Church of Christ (CCC) from 30 December 2002 until his death. He succeeded Philip Hunsu Ajose, who had died on 2 March 2001. There was a dispute over his leadership, with the International Headquarters of the church declaring that the Reverend Emmanuel Oschoffa, son of the church founder Samuel Oshoffa, was the leader. Following Jesse's death, his faction declared that Superior Evangelist Paul Suru Maforikan was the new spiritual leader of the church.

Paul Suru Maforikan was appointed Pastor and spiritual leader of the Celestial Church of Christ following the death of Gilbert Oluwatosin Jesse in October 2003.

Celestial City, Imeko, is the Holy City of the Celestial Church of Christ (CCC). It is located in the Imeko Afon Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria, very close to the border with Benin. Celestial City is known as "Jerusalem" by the Celestians. The city has potential as a tourist location.

The Church of Universal Triumph, Dominion of God is a predominantly African American Pentecostal holiness church. It began as a breakaway congregation of the Detroit branch of the Triumph the Church and Kingdom of God in Christ in the 1940s. It was founded by James F. Jones, often known as Prophet Jones.

Steven Allen Breedlove is an American prelate of the Anglican Church in North America. He was elected as the first Presider Bishop of PEARUSA, a missionary district that was formerly part of the Anglican Church of Rwanda, in 2012. In 2016, Breedlove became the first diocesan bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Christ Our Hope.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A. C. Solomon Raj</span>

A. C. Solomon Raj is the seventh successor of Frank Whittaker and eighth Bishop in Medak of the Protestant Church of South India Society and shepherds the Diocese from the Cathedra of the Bishop housed in the CSI-Medak Cathedral in Medak Town, Telangana, India. On 12 October 2016, the Church of South India Synod headquartered in Chennai, appointed Solomon Raj to assume the ecclesiastical Office of the Bishopric of Medak and was consecrated the next day on 13 October 2016 at the CSI-St. George's Cathedral, Chennai, ending four years of sede vacante in the Diocese of Medak which was without a bishop during the intervening period of 2012–2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uma Ukpai</span> Nigerian Evangelist

Uma Ukpai is a Christian leader, an international evangelist, and preacher from Nigeria. He is the founder and president of Uma Ukpai Evangelistic Association (UUEA), a non-denominational gospel ministry based in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. He is also a key leader of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, being a founder of the movement.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Tabiti, Niyi (25 July 2016). "Pastor Mobiyina Oshoffa Set To Receive Meritorious Service Award At Makoko's Annual Harvest". Archived from the original on 9 April 2017. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
  2. "I bluntly refused when asked to head CCC worldwide –Rev. Oshoffa". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 2019-05-29.
  3. Yemi Akinsuyi (October 11, 2003). "Celestial Church: Oschoffa Renews Call for Peace". ThisDay . Archived from the original on October 1, 2011. Retrieved 2011-06-12.
  4. BISI ERETAN. "Cele: Maforikan succeeds Jesse". Celestial Church of Christ. Archived from the original on 2011-10-01. Retrieved 2011-06-12.
  5. Obafemi, Olu (1986). Pastor SBJ Oshoffa God's 20th Century Gift to Africa. Lagos: Pathway Publishers Limited. pp. 17, 18. ISBN   978-234-020-0.
  6. Mabayoje, Alex (28 Feb 2003). "Over, At Last". Newswatch (Nigeria) (published 10 March 2003). 37 (9). Archived from the original on 2013-01-29. Retrieved 7 Apr 2017.
  7. Ben-Nwankwo, Nonye (September 30, 2017). "I bluntly refused when asked to head CCC worldwide –Rev. Oshoffa". Punch.
  8. André, Mary (October 2, 2003). "Visionary Journeys and Border Crossings Visionary Journeys and Border Crossings". Anthropologie et Sociétés. 27 (1): 111–130.