The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN)

  • PFN welcomes suspension of FRC governance code

    PFN welcomes suspension of FRC governance code

    The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) on Wednesday announced that the suspension of the Corporate Governance Code issued by the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRC) was a welcomed development.
    The PFN, in a statement signed by its National President, Rev. Dr. Felix I. Omobude, commended the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment for the suspension of the Code issued by FRC, one of the parastatals under its supervisions, pending what it calls “a detailed review, extensive consultation with stakeholders and reconstitution of the board of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria.
    According to the statement, the PFN had consistently expressed its concern at the non-inclusive process that brought about the code and the all-pervasive nature of it, especially as it relates to activities of the not-for-profit sector whose activities are already regulated by provisions of the law under which they were registered.
    “The PFN had maintained that in view of the inability on the part of the Financial Reporting Council to achieve the necessary buy-in from concerned stakeholders on the code of governance and address legitimate concerns raised by many, it was wrong for it to have proceeded to enforce its implementation.
    “The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria notes the concern among many with respect to portions of the suspended Code interpreted by some to have limited the tenure of Pastors and other Spiritual Leaders. We are confident that all the contentious issues will be reviewed under the process ordered by the Government.
    “While the PFN respects the right of the appropriate government agency to make laws for the good of all.
    “PFN states emphatically that she will not sleep on her right especially as it affects our freedom of worship.
    “The PFN appeals for calm, restraint and understanding on the part of all Christians and for continued prayers for the year 2017 to be one of greater peace and prosperity for all Nigerians.”
  • Demolished shrine: Ogun Pastor recounts experience

    Demolished shrine: Ogun Pastor recounts experience

     A Pastor, Prince Adewale Fagbire,  who was alleged to have been struck dumb and motionless when he invaded his community shrine at Ketu – Ayetoro in Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun state while pulling it down, has told The Nation that though the town’s traditionalists assaulted him with “charms and other fetish objects,” but was not “harmed” at all.
    Fagbire, who is a Pastor at the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) in Ayetoro area, said he actually entered the shrine, evacuated all the fetish items that were kept there and also took a position beside the entrance to it in quietness as instructed by God.
    Prince Fagbire, son of the past Alaye of Ayetoro, Oba Taiwo Fagbire, who joined his ancestors in 1981 after his 20year reign in the agrarian community, said his late father and monarch, used to take him to the said shrine occasionally when he was alive.
    Narrating his experience to The Nation and a handful of reporters, at the Office of the  Chairman, Ogun State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Bishop Tunde Akin – Akinsanya, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, Fagbire said he elected to “remain calm and mute” during the assault and interrogation at the shrine by the traditionalists and some villagers.
    Speaking in the presence of over a dozen of Christian leaders from CAN and Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) in Ogun State, said God instructed him to stay calm and not utter a word at the shrine.
    The father of two noted that his not talking or not uttering a word on the site of the shrine had nothing to with his being beaten with “charms and fetish objects” by the traditionalists as what they did had no physical or spiritual effects on him.
    According to him, it was also not true as reported in some section of the media that the priests and custodians of the shrine upon the intervention of the Alaye of Ayetoro, Oba Abdulaziz Adelakun,  treated or healed him before he  could regain his consciousness.
    “I was conscious, physically and mentally sound, during and after the incident because God was already with me. I followed the instruction of the LORD to enter the shrine and packed all the items there away. I followed God’s instruction to be quiet aa instructed by God.
    “God told me to go there (the shrine), create a scene, step aside and watch the film (the unfolding events). They struck me with charms and nothing happened to me. They know the truth, nobody treated me and I spoke when I got to the Palace of the Oba,” he said.
    Our Correspondence gathered that although the traditionalists demanded N300,000 from a church in the community where Fagbire had once preached and also N200,000 from the pastor’s family to perform sacrifices to appease the gods for his alleged sacrilege but nothing was given to them eventually.
    The church in the community incurred the wrath of the traditionalists and was attacked following the allegation that it instigated Prince Fagbire to carry out the alleged sacrilege on the shrine.
  • Edo 2016: PFN sues for peace

    Edo 2016: PFN sues for peace

    The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has urged political parties and their candidates for the September 10 governorship election to embrace peace in their quest to govern the state.

    It said good governance should be the trust of religious groups, policy makers, political leaders and the electorates.

    The religious body noted that development, employment, education, equity in sharing of power and resources, moderate lifestyle and accessibility to the people, periodic evaluation and town hall meeting should be prioritize by the governorship candidates if elected.

    Edo State Director of Social Security Outreach of PFN, Professor Anthony Ogbeide, stated this at an interactive session with some party candidates.

    Ogbeide urged the candidates to be respectful in their campaign statements as well as desist from lies and blackmail.

    Ogbeide noted that the meeting was to streamline ideas, refine methodologies for the interest of the people at large

    According to him, “There should be no campaign of calumny. Use the campaign to respectfully unveil your plans to the people you want to govern. It is not a period of accusations and counter accusations and blackmail.

    “Make the voting field peaceful without scaring away voters.  Accept defeat when it is so obvious and develop the team spirit for successful governance, enduring peace and security in the state “. He said.

    Godwin Obaseki of the APC told PFN that he want to be Edo next governor to put smiles, give hope and transform the lives of people of the state.

    Obaseki denies plots to islamize the state.

    He said, “The gain I am expecting is the smile on the faces of my people, giving hope to put people. Yes I will get gain but the gain is being able to transform the lives of our people.

    “When we came to Edo, they said there was no money to build roads, schools or even provide basis amenities for the people. Every society has enough money for its basic needs but may not have money for extravagant greed”.

    “I am a Christian, I grew up knowing the crucifix and the Bible and it is right for me to promote my faith. We have to understand that there are certain things government can’t do because people can go to court and challenge it.”

  • PFN dedicates Bishop’s court to marks 30th Anniversary

    To celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), the much-anticipated dedication of the Bishop’s Court, a multi-purpose facility built to the glory of God by the PFN for the use of the Pentecostal Community in Nigeria, has been fixed for Thursday, February 25th, 2016 in Lagos.

    The PFN under the leadership of its President, Rev. Dr. Felix Omobude, chose the day to officially open the doors of the multi-million Naira building for its use.

    This is after an extensive consultation with members of the National Advisory Council and the National Executive Council.

    The Fellowship, which had opted, in line with the mood of the nation, to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of its birth without pomp and ceremony, will be dedicating the facility, equally recognising the moment we live in.

    The National Executive Council of the PFN is immensely grateful to God for the vision he gave to the previous Executive that started the project, and all the members who generously pooled resources together and sacrificially contributed towards the completion of the project.

    Rev. Dr. Omobude, on assumption of office as the President of the PFN, had not only expressed his determination to ensure the completion of the project, but promised to dedicate the fund for the project exclusively for the realisation of the objective. The completion of the project, he says, is a testimony to the unalloyed co-operation his team has continued to receive from the leadership and membership of the Fellowship.
    The dedication ceremony scheduled to start at 11 a.m. is expected to be witnessed by all Leaders of the Pentecostal community in Nigeria, top government functionaries and Diplomatic community, will also feature a National Stakeholders Summit and Awards Ceremony, with select Nigerians who have contributed to the development of Christianity in Nigeria and the nation recognised.

    Due to the limited capacity of the venue, attendance at the event is, regretfully restricted to only Delegates who have received invitation.