Presiding Chaplain of Chapel of Christ the Light, Alausa, Venerable Femi Taiwo, who was recently sacked by the church’s governing council, is a former staff of Punch, Qed.ng has learnt.
The newspaper alleged in a report published on Friday that the sack was on the order of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos.
It added that the clergyman was ordered out of his official quarters where he lived with his wife and two children within 24 hours of receiving his sack letter.
According to the report which has since gone viral, Taiwo was relieved of his position on Monday, May 15 presumably because the governor’s wife, Bolanle Ambode, was made to stay on a queue to receive anointing oil the day before.
Mrs. Ambode was alleged to have stormed out of the church in anger because others got the said oil before her.
Chaplain of Chapel of Christ the Light is under the Lagos State Ministry of Home Affairs, while the Office of the Lagos State First Lady supervises church.
The letter sacking Femi was signed by Olugbenga Solomon who is the chairman of the church’s governing council.
Before his appointment as chaplain, Venerable Femi Taiwo worked as graphic artist in the advert department of Punch Nigeria Limited.
Those who knew him in the media organisation describe him as hardworking, easygoing and likeable.
But contrary to claims that he was sacked without prior notice, Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Steve Ayorinde, said: “The former chaplain had been queried a number of times in the past for conducts unbecoming of his office.”
Ayorinde, himself a former editor at Punch, added: “The culmination of various indiscretions led to the governing council of the church issuing yet another query that led to his being relieved of his post.
“This has got nothing to do with the first lady. The chaplain is looking for an excuse to cover his insouciance. It’s nothing but cheap blackmail.”
Punch, however, quoted Taiwo as saying “I have tried as a pastor to live above board. It will not be right engaging the church or the government on the pages of a newspaper.”
Assistant Chaplain, Chapel of Christ the Light, Very Rev. Ayo Oyadotun, has been directed to take over as head pastor with immediate effect.
