AJALA! A MISLAY SPOKESMAN.

Internet has strengthened the citizens’ right to freedom of speech and press, but at the same time, widened the scope of journalism in Nigeria. In other words, dissemination of information is no longer the business of journalists alone. Burkholder once observed that “the internet has created a new sphere where everyone can be journalist, in the modern digital age ”. ( Muobuiku 2023).

The effect of modernization in term of administrative management has spread to Celestial Church of Christ, the Church agrees with the views of adoption in area of leadership but the negative reaction of factionalization has also shoulder down the path of standard set through the Pastor Founder. The Church has the mandate to be an example of leadership to the world regardless of ethics, policies, religion etc.

FREEDOM OF SPEECH/INTEREST IN NIGERIA.   

Nigeria is a sovereign state, the country has a general congregation of laws which override frequency of religious/political laws. The constitution of the country as stated in sections 39, 40 & 41 of our constitution highlighted the fundamental rights of citizens to express their views according to their conscious. Since Celestial Church of Christ operates under the sovereign law of Nigeria; every member of the Church has the right to share their view in term of administrative management of the Church without any interference, oppression or suppression from the authority or elders in the Church. The Nigeria Constitution as well as the Africa Charter of 1979 and Universal Declaration on Human Right, 1948 made provisions for freedom of expression and press. Section 39 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) provides as follows: Every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference. The provision of the Constitution allow members of the public including Celestial Church of Christ members to ask & demand from the authority explanation on how the Church is been managed. 

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT IN NIGERIA.

The Freedom of Information Act ( 2011) which was passed by the National Assembly on the 24th of May 2011 and assented by Former President Jonathan on the 28th of May 2011. The act is aimed at making public records and information available to individuals upon application. The Act further made it mandatory for public/ private/ organization to make such records available to interested persons upon request, except in certain circumstances. With the availability of the Act, interested members of the Church have the right to question, make suggestions and rise observation of the Church management. In fact, Celestial Church of Christ members have the mandate to request for all information from the Pastor’s Office for proper assessment.

POSITION OF CELESTIAL CHURCH CONSTITUTION.

The establishment of the Church was a complete scale and in total compliance with the directives of the holy spirit by the Pastor Founder. The Pastor Founder created an atmosphere of administrative management using the Church Constitution as a tool for guidelines. The Constitution reechoed the proper registration of the Church within the scope of Nigeria laws. The Church Constitution agrees to the provision of Nigeria laws through the character of registration. With above explanation, members of the Church have the right to express their concern in the Church since the church constitution abide with the provision of Nigeria law. 

TARNISHING THE CHURCH IMAGE ON SOCIAL MEDIA. 

Before the advent of social media platforms, the Church image has been battered through our poor administrative mismanagement, since 1985 after the demise of the Pastor Founder; those who are privileged to administer the Church have reduced the image of the Church to public ridicule. Presently, the Church has (2) pending court cases at Federal High Court, Ikoyi & Appeal Court, Ibadan. The question to ask is; 

Was it the Bloggers who took the Church to Court? 

Was it the Bloggers who ask people to fight during service?

Was it the Bloggers who said the Church authority not to be proactive in term of administrative management?

The effect of concerned members to speak out against the lackadaisical attitude and action should not be addressed as attack on the church authority, rather the authority should admit their error, then draw a framework to gather information in a way to set the record for the unborn generation in the Church.

Bloggers get their news through the negative ineffectiveness of the Church management, the trend of tarnishing the image of the Church will stop immediately the Church authority work within the scope and context given to us by the Pastor Founder.

TASK FORCE IN CELESTIAL CHURCH.

In a way to correct the abnormally in the Church, Late Rev AA Bada introduced Task Force to monitor, investigata & make recommendations to the Pastor on issues relating to abuse of church doctrinal practice/ negative behavioral attitude within the jurisdiction of the Church.

Presently, the Chairman of the Task Force of the Church was alleged to have distrupt a parish harvest on the 4th of December 2022. After series of letters written to the Pastor’s Office, a Panel went to Ilesha, Osun State to investigate the alleged case on the 13th of January 2023. Till date, the Church authority has refused to publicly condemn nor release any official statement to correct the abnormal act; either does the Church authority communicate with the affected parishes on the outcome of the Panel. Presently, will the Chairman of the Task Force as the moral right to correct another members after the Church authority treat issues with unbalanced leadership ideals.

This act of cover up by our authority will give power to bloggers to expose any negative behavioral attitude in the Church, while parishes will see social media platforms as the voice of the voiceless rather than taken their dispute to the Pastor’s Office.

REGULATION OF SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM. 

The Spokesman of our Church as usual lost the guard of leadership ideals on 29th of March 2023, when he presented a paper at the International Retreat held at the Church World Headquarter, Imeko. The Spokesman who claimed to be a Journalist but lack the primary instincts of journalism during his presentation, proposed the ban on social media platforms in the Church. Mr Laai Mahammad in our Church must agree that regulations of social media platforms in Celestial Church of Christ will be effective only if independent Committee of high respected members are constituted to meet with all bloggers to draw out framework to establishing an avenue to report any negative activities in the Church; with proper investigation & punishment to whosever fail to abide with correction. Conclusively, social media in Celestial Church of Christ has improved communication network in our Church, members are conscious of what is happening while it has also boosted the level of efficient information in the Church.

Internet has strengthened the citizens’ right to freedom of speech and press, but at the same time, widened the scope of journalism in Nigeria. In other words, dissemination of information is no longer the business of journalists alone. Burkholder once observed that “the internet has created a new sphere where everyone can be journalist, in the modern digital age ”. ( Muobuiku 2023).

The effect of modernization in term of administrative management has spread to Celestial Church of Christ, the Church agrees with the views of adoption in area of leadership but the negative reaction of factionalization has also shoulder down the path of standard set through the Pastor Founder. The Church has the mandate to be an example of leadership to the world regardless of ethics, policies, religion etc.

FREEDOM OF SPEECH/INTEREST IN NIGERIA.   

Nigeria is a sovereign state, the country has a general congregation of laws which override frequency of religious/political laws. The constitution of the country as stated in sections 39, 40 & 41 of our constitution highlighted the fundamental rights of citizens to express their views according to their conscious. Since Celestial Church of Christ operates under the sovereign law of Nigeria; every member of the Church has the right to share their view in term of administrative management of the Church without any interference, oppression or suppression from the authority or elders in the Church. The Nigeria Constitution as well as the Africa Charter of 1979 and Universal Declaration on Human Right, 1948 made provisions for freedom of expression and press. Section 39 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) provides as follows: Every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference. The provision of the Constitution allow members of the public including Celestial Church of Christ members to ask & demand from the authority explanation on how the Church is been managed. 

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT IN NIGERIA.

The Freedom of Information Act ( 2011) which was passed by the National Assembly on the 24th of May 2011 and assented by Former President Jonathan on the 28th of May 2011. The act is aimed at making public records and information available to individuals upon application. The Act further made it mandatory for public/ private/ organization to make such records available to interested persons upon request, except in certain circumstances. With the availability of the Act, interested members of the Church have the right to question, make suggestions and rise observation of the Church management. In fact, Celestial Church of Christ members have the mandate to request for all information from the Pastor’s Office for proper assessment.

POSITION OF CELESTIAL CHURCH CONSTITUTION.

The establishment of the Church was a complete scale and in total compliance with the directives of the holy spirit by the Pastor Founder. The Pastor Founder created an atmosphere of administrative management using the Church Constitution as a tool for guidelines. The Constitution reechoed the proper registration of the Church within the scope of Nigeria laws. The Church Constitution agrees to the provision of Nigeria laws through the character of registration. With above explanation, members of the Church have the right to express their concern in the Church since the church constitution abide with the provision of Nigeria law. 

TARNISHING THE CHURCH IMAGE ON SOCIAL MEDIA. 

Before the advent of social media platforms, the Church image has been battered through our poor administrative mismanagement, since 1985 after the demise of the Pastor Founder; those who are privileged to administer the Church have reduced the image of the Church to public ridicule. Presently, the Church has (2) pending court cases at Federal High Court, Ikoyi & Appeal Court, Ibadan. The question to ask is; 

Was it the Bloggers who took the Church to Court? 

Was it the Bloggers who ask people to fight during service?

Was it the Bloggers who said the Church authority not to be proactive in term of administrative management?

The effect of concerned members to speak out against the lackadaisical attitude and action should not be addressed as attack on the church authority, rather the authority should admit their error, then draw a framework to gather information in a way to set the record for the unborn generation in the Church.

Bloggers get their news through the negative ineffectiveness of the Church management, the trend of tarnishing the image of the Church will stop immediately the Church authority work within the scope and context given to us by the Pastor Founder.

TASK FORCE IN CELESTIAL CHURCH.

In a way to correct the abnormally in the Church, Late Rev AA Bada introduced Task Force to monitor, investigata & make recommendations to the Pastor on issues relating to abuse of church doctrinal practice/ negative behavioral attitude within the jurisdiction of the Church.

Presently, the Chairman of the Task Force of the Church was alleged to have distrupt a parish harvest on the 4th of December 2022. After series of letters written to the Pastor’s Office, a Panel went to Ilesha, Osun State to investigate the alleged case on the 13th of January 2023. Till date, the Church authority has refused to publicly condemn nor release any official statement to correct the abnormal act; either does the Church authority communicate with the affected parishes on the outcome of the Panel. Presently, will the Chairman of the Task Force as the moral right to correct another members after the Church authority treat issues with unbalanced leadership ideals.

This act of cover up by our authority will give power to bloggers to expose any negative behavioral attitude in the Church, while parishes will see social media platforms as the voice of the voiceless rather than taken their dispute to the Pastor’s Office.

REGULATION OF SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM. 

The Spokesman of our Church as usual lost the guard of leadership ideals on 29th of March 2023, when he presented a paper at the International Retreat held at the Church World Headquarter, Imeko. The Spokesman who claimed to be a Journalist but lack the primary instincts of journalism during his presentation, proposed the ban on social media platforms in the Church. Mr Laai Mahammad in our Church must agree that regulations of social media platforms in Celestial Church of Christ will be effective only if independent Committee of high respected members are constituted to meet with all bloggers to draw out framework to establishing an avenue to report any negative activities in the Church; with proper investigation & punishment to whosever fail to abide with correction. Conclusively, social media in Celestial Church of Christ has improved communication network in our Church, members are conscious of what is happening while it has also boosted the level of efficient information in the Church.