Masquerades, traditional worshippers invade church

Oladipo Adelowo, Lagos - 11.05.2008

There was stampede last Sunday at Ijedodo Village in Isheri-Osun area of Lagos State following the invasion of the Lion of Judah parish of the Eternal Sacred Order of Cherubim and Seraphim Church by a procession of traditional worshippers led by their masquerade and people suspected to be hired thugs.

Sunday Tribune gathered that, no sooner than the group of invaders, laced with charms and dangerous weapons like cutlasses, Axe, broken bottles and stones, stormed the church auditorium while chanting war songs than tempers rose on both sides.

A couple of minutes later, the congregation and the traditionalists were engaged in a free-for-all that led to several people, including policemen who had come to calm frayed fray nerves, getting injured while others fled in different directions for dear lives.

Further investigation revealed that, by the time the dust of the crisis had settled down, the two sides started counting their losses. The church Sunday Tribune gathered suffered more following the destructions of both the church building and the vehicles parked in the its premises.

Sunday Trbiune further learnt that it took the combined efforts of both policemen from Isheri-Osun and that of the Lagos State Criminals Investigation Department, Panti, Yaba, to bring the situation under control.

Those who witnessed the crisis Sunday Tribune that the intruders forced their ways into the church premises at about 4 p.m., mid way into the ark of covenant celebration by the church for which people were invited both from within and outside the country.

According to the sources, also invited were the Baale (the village chief) of Ijedodo, Chief Tajudeen Ododo, and his chiefs and other important dignitaries, including other religious leaders in the community.

However, the Otun of Ijedodo, Chief Muniru Ododo, said that the traditional worshipers decided to invade the church because of the desecration of the customs and traditions of the community by the church leadership in the person of Special Apostle Michael A. Balogun and his wife, senior Prophetess Mojisola Balogun.

He added in a chat with Sunday Tribune that the couple were in the habit of defying the community leaders by disobeying the rule’s that nobody should either beat drums or ring bells as well as sing aloud and roam the streets at nights when sacrifices were being made to appease the gods during traditional Isese festival.

The shepherd of the church, Special Apostle Michael Balogun, said everything was done by the church to respect the rules and regulations guiding the residents of the village.

The clergyman stated that he and other church leaders went to deliver the invitation letter to the village head as well as informing him of the date the ceremony would be coming up and the time.

He, however, expressed dismay at the perceived negative attitude of the people and the Baale, Chief Ododo, as exhibited against the church last Sunday even at the presence of the policemen invited to keep security at the church.