How Ambition, Power Struggles Fuel UMCN Crisis

·       We Won't Share UMC-N Properties With GMC - Rev. Iliya

 

The United Methodist Church in Nigeria is currently facing a significant leadership crisis. Bishop John Wesley Yohanna and his cabinet have recently left the denomination, prompting the church's Council of Bishops to appoint an interim leadership team. This interim team is headed by Bishop John Schol and will serve until new episcopal elections are held in December 2024.

On July 29, 2024, Bishop Yohanna held a press briefing to announce his departure from The United Methodist Church. He declared his intention to join the Global Methodist Church (GMC), a more conservative breakaway denomination that was established in 2022 by former United Methodists seeking a church aligned with their values. On the same day, Bishop Yohanna submitted his resignation to the United Methodist Council of Bishops. He was scheduled to retire at the end of this year, but his move to the GMC means he will continue serving as an active bishop and be eligible for re-election during the GMC General Conference in 2026. Bishop John Wesley Yohanna has since been appointed as a Bishop with the Global Methodist Church in a letter signed on 5th August 2024 by Keith Boyette, the Chief Executive Officer of GMC. The West Africa Central Conference of the United Methodist Church is set to elect three new bishops in December 2024, one of whom will be appointed to oversee the Nigerian Episcopal area.

Deep-Seated Factional Conflicts

The United Methodist Church in Nigeria has long been plagued by internal conflicts, primarily between factions led by Bishop John Wesley Yohanna and his former assistant, Rev. Ande I. Emmanuel. Rev. Emmanuel has vowed to remain with The United Methodist Church despite controversies on the Church's stand on LQBTQ. Yohanna's exit has significantly disrupted reconciliation efforts that had been ongoing for years, led by the West Africa Central Conference College of Bishops and the denomination's Council of Bishops. These efforts aimed to restore peace within the church in Nigeria, where conflicts had escalated to unhealthy levels, including incidents where pastors and lay members were arrested under instructions from the bishop's office.

The Southern Conference and Its Independent Claims

Adding to the complexity is a third faction, the Southern Conference of The United Methodist Church. This group separated from the episcopal area and Global Church about 11 years ago, refusing to acknowledge Bishop Yohanna's authority. Despite claiming independence, the Southern Conference continues to use The United Methodist Church name and emblem without following the official procedures for disaffiliation or becoming an autonomous Methodist entity as outlined in church laws.

Governance and Legal Framework

The governance of The United Methodist Church is dictated by its Book of Discipline, which lays out specific rules for decision-making within individual annual conferences. Paragraph 572 of the Book of Discipline outlines a multistep process for conferences outside the United States to achieve autonomy. For the Nigerian conferences, this process includes formal votes by the annual conferences, followed by approval from the West Africa Central Conference, the Standing Committee on Central Conference Matters, and the General Conference. However, the factions led by Rev. Dr. Philip Micah Dopah and Bishop Yohanna did not adhere to these prescribed steps. In contrast, four Eurasian annual conferences, encompassing congregations in Russia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan, followed the Paragraph 572 process and received approval to leave and form the autonomous Christian Methodist Church at the recent General Conference held in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. This departure will become official in April 2025.

Leadership Ambitions and Power Struggles

The leadership ambitions within the church have further complicated reconciliation efforts:

• Bishop John Wesley Yohanna: Serving as bishop for twelve years, Yohanna's decision to join the GMC allows him to remain an active bishop and positions him for potential re-election in 2026 during the GMC General Conference. His quest for continued influence and power motivated his move to the GMC.

• Rev. Dr. Philip Micah Dopah: As the leader of the Southern Conference faction for nearly twelve years, Rev. Dopah has shown little interest in reconciliation. His leadership role provides him with significant control and financial independence, which he is reluctant to relinquish. Although his faction claims independence, Dopah attended the General Conference of the United Methodist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States in April/May 2024 as "an observer", raising questions about his true intentions and the permanence of his position. Is Dopah's position as the leader of the Southern Conference Permanent? Dopah is running a pentecostal orthodox church. He is the leadership.

• Rev. Ande Emmanuel: Favored by the current interim leadership, Rev. Emmanuel is considered a strong candidate for the episcopal office in the upcoming December 2024 elections. His focus on securing this position (Bishop) makes him less inclined to engage in reconciliation efforts with Dopah's faction, as it might undermine his chances of becoming a bishop. His body language suggest he maybe open to reconciliation after the December 2024 elections.

• There are also credible candidates that have the capacity to unite the Church – Rev. Dr. Eunice Musa; Rev. Abainitus Akila Hamman Jnr, Rev. Dr. Isa Duna, Rev. Dr Pena Auta, Rev.Abbo Zinas Wakili, Rev. Eli S. Yakku amongst others.

Implications for Reconciliation

The leadership ambitions and power struggles among these key figures pose significant obstacles to reconciliation within The United Methodist Church in Nigeria. The interim leadership appointed by the Council of Bishops faces a formidable challenge in navigating these issues. To move forward, members of the United Methodist Church in Nigeria must rise up and speak against the so-called spiritual leaders who are only interested in leadership and power. With the confirmation from Council of Bishops on the definition of Marriage (Marriage between a man and a woman) and the exit of Bishop Yohanna from the UMC, there should be alignment between faction led by Rev. Ande I. Emmanuel and Rev.Dr. Philip Micah Dopah. The church must prioritize addressing these power dynamics and refocus its efforts on service to God and humanity, rather than personal ambitions. Only by overcoming these internal conflicts can the church hope to achieve lasting peace and unity.

 

We Won't Share  Properties With GMC - Rev. Dr. Eunice Iliya

One of the pastors of the United Methodist Church in Nigeria (UMC-N), Reverend Dr. Eunice Iliya has emphasized that they remain in possession of UMC-N properties because all structures were built in the name of the church, and nobody has the right to change its signboards or transfer them to another church.

She questioned the appropriateness of relocating with someone else's property and stressed that those who want to relocate should build their own structures.

Reverend Iliya stating  that the church remains opposed to same-sex marriage and has dissociated itself from this practice.

 further emphasized that the church remains committed to the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ as outlined in the Holy Book and will not embrace same-sex marriage.

She also mentioned that the church will maintain a good relationship with American friends but will not accept their decision to embrace same-sex marriage.

She urged their members to remain calm and wait for the next steps, believing that God would guide them as they engaged in prayers and fasting.

Additionally, she assured them that measures were being taken to address the issue, as a high-powered delegation from America is expected to visit Nigeria soon.

Finally, she reassured members that the church would continue to adhere to the correct teachings of the Bible.

In an interview, the former Bishop of UMC-N, Bishop John Wesley who joined the Global Methodist Church (GMC), emphasized that he and some of his followers left the church due to the legalization of same-sex marriage.

 

He expressed surprise at the church's acceptance of such practices and stated that they pray for forgiveness and repentance for those who engage in it.

 

Regarding the controversy over the church's property, Bishop John Wesley insisted that those claiming ownership had left the church over three years ago and, by law, ceased to be members.