A senior member of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), City of David Parish, Quincy Ayodele, has refuted claims that the former Pastor-in-Charge, Idowu Iluyomade, rebelled against the church before establishing his own ministry.
Ayodele explained that she had anticipated Iluyomade’s reinstatement to either the City of David or another parish after completing his three-month suspension imposed by the church leadership.
In a conversation with Daddy Freeze shared on his YouTube channel on Monday and reported by Church Times, Ayodele, a natural medicine expert and consultant to the World Health Organisation, expressed shock and disappointment upon learning that Iluyomade had received a letter prohibiting him from stepping onto RCCG premises.
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She recounted, “We were expecting that after the three months he would be restored to the City of David. but to our surprise, whatt we heard was that he was given a letter that he must not step into the City of David.”
Ayodele questioned RCCG’s decision, stating, “Pastor Adeboye and Pastor Iluyomade were like father and son. They are so close. There is nothing Adeboye wanted that Iluyomade would not go out of his way to make available.”
Emphasising that Iluyomade never acted in defiance of the church, she reiterated, “He was told not to enter City of David. Why they did that is only known to our daddy, the governing council and God. I cannot answer why. But we are curious.”
Ayodele also revealed that concerned church elders intervened when it became apparent that Iluyomade was permanently excluded.
According to her, these elders drafted and signed letters of appeal addressed to RCCG’s General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, urging reconsideration of the decision. However, there was no response.
Following this, the Iluyomades began attending Kings Court, another RCCG parish that Iluyomade had pioneered years earlier. Initially welcomed, they were later allegedly asked to leave.
Ayodele referenced Pastor Adeboye’s teachings on compassion, questioning, “Pastor Adeboye taught us that if one sheep is missing out of 100, Jesus would go after the lost sheep..I was now asking will he now allow Iluyomade to be lost to the world.”
Having been a member of RCCG for over 32 years, Ayodele said she personally reached out to Iluyomade, determined to bring him back to the church.
She also dismissed speculations that the late Herbert Wigwe, former CEO of Access Bank, was the largest donor to the construction of Trinity Towers at City of David. According to her, numerous individuals contributed, with some giving amounts equal to or greater than Wigwe’s contributions.
Ayodele highlighted Iluyomade’s contributions to RCCG and Pastor Adeboye, questioning what could have led to his alleged expulsion. She cited his initiatives, including free schools, weekly food distribution to the needy and various outreach programs funded by the church.
She added that several influential Nigerians pleaded with Adeboye to reconsider, but their efforts were unsuccessful.
“They went to beg him, and he said he (Iluyomade) was paying loan. But he has been paying loans without coming to ask for money from you. So, why don’t you leave him and let him finish paying the loan?” she questioned.
Ayodele further stated, “He said it’s okay; he will let him come back. He did not. Other people went to beg him, rolling on the floor and asking for his forgiveness..He did not.”
When asked if the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria intervened, she responded, “Who will talk to him if God has not talked to him. My daddy hears from God. It is what God says that he tells us, and we believe him. He will say my daddy says’ and we believe him.”
Ayodele asserted that Iluyomade never intended to start a church, adding that many people whom he had helped abandoned him during his trials.
“He does not even know how to start a church. He was an Anglican before he joined RCCG. His father was a reverend. He had left Anglican for almost 32 years. If he goes back to Anglican, where is he going to start from?” she asked.
Ayodele recalled visiting Iluyomade and finding him in tears, devastated by the instruction forbidding him from entering the church.
Ayodele also shared her dismay over Pastor Adeboye’s remarks during a recent visit to City of David, where he allegedly implied that those who left the church were like demons and that the Trinity Towers was built by devils.
Despite her deep connection to Iluyomade, Ayodele chose not to follow him to his new ministry, believing that reconciliation was still possible.
