Constitution Celestial Church of Christ
Constitution Celestial Church of Christ
The following is a list of all officers (Board of Trustee) of the Church that signed
the Constitution:
• Certificate of incorporation
• Enactment of deed of Constitution of Celestial Church Of Christ
• First Schedule- Executors of the Deed of Constitution
• Second Schedule-
o The Church
o Divine Order
• Foundation History
o Divine Order
o Open Air Meeting
o Entry into Nigeria
o Appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ
• Supplement to Foundation History
o Injunction to found a new Church
o Covenant with Christ
o Heavenly Song of Praise
o Injunction about Holy Communion in the new Church
o Injunctions about Candleholder
o Injunctions about Pajaspa
o Injunctions about call to Worship
o Christ administration of Holy Communion to Pastor/Founder 26
o Injunctions about ringing of the bell to worship
o Injunctions about praises facing the four corners of the earth
o Songs of entreaty for Gods power and Glory
o Injunctions for Monthly (New Moon) Watchnight service
• Historical Reflection
o Registration of the Church
o Particulars of Registration
o Miracle behind registration
• The Church under the absolute dictate of the Holy Spirit
o Name of the Church
o Tenets and Mode of worship
o Tenets
o Mode of Worship
o Order of Service
o Announcement and Sermon
o Holy Rites or Sacraments
o Baptism
o Holy Communion
The drafting of this New Constitution, which was commenced on the 29th
day of February, 1976, was, by the Grace of God, completed on the 29th day
of February, 1980. The New Constitution was promulgated on the 29th day
of March, 1980.
No. 489
NIGERIA
Given under my hand at Lagos this.. .... .......... day of November 19..58.
Governor.-General.
the 29th day of March, 1980 and duly executed for and on behalf of
CELESTIAL CHURCH OF CHRIST, NIGERIA DIOCESE (hereinafter referred to as
"THE CHURCH") by persons whose names are set out in the first Schedule to
this Deed having been authorised to do so by the Reverend Pastor Prophet
Founder in whom resides the authority of the Church.
AND WHEREAS the Church was duly incorporated in Nigeria on the twenty-
fourth day of November 1958 under the Land (Perpetual Succession)
Ordinance CAP. 107,as a Spiritual Community of Christian believers and
worshippers.
FIRST SCHEDULE
SECOND SCHEDULE
THE CHURCH
1. The Name of' the Church is "Celestial Church of Christ (Nigeria Diocese)".
Celestial Church of Christ (Nigeria Diocese) is part of the one spiritual,
world-wide, united, indivisible Holy Church which came into the world from
heaven by DIVINE ORDER on the 29th of September 1947 in PORTO NOVO,
REPUBLIC OF BENIN (formerly REPUBLIC OF DAHOMEY) through a single
individual, a man who is the founder of the Church, the Reverend Pastor
Prophet Founder SAMUEL BILEHOU JOSEPH OSHOFFA. The Church is a
Diocese of the world-wide Celestial Church of Christ with National
(Diocesan) Headquarter-, at 12/15 Church Street, Makoko, YABA, LAGOS
STATE, the Supreme Headquarters in Porto Novo, Republic of Benin and with
International Headquarters at Mission House, KETU, I.AGOS STATE, FEDERAL
REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA.
DIVINE ORDER
3. The name of the Church came down from Heaven by divine revelation
through MR. ALEXANDER YANGA, who was at that time undergoing spiritual
healing at the residence of the Pastor Founder and who was held in trance
for seven days. At the end of the seventh day, he asked for a piece of chalk
and wrote the name of the Church on the wall thus.. "EGLISE DU
CHRISTLANISME CELESTE", meaning "Celestial Church of Christ".
4. Apart from also being a prophet, the Founder was allowed by DIVINE
ORDER to use the name "EPASTORAL" in angelic language, which was also
translated for him' as "PASTOR". This was after he had spent the first five
years since the birth of the Church as "EVANGELIST".
5. The final sole authority in the Celestial Church of Christ Nigeria Diocese is
vested in the Pastor or the person who succeeds him on his death.
9.The Pastor asserts that his burial ground wherever it is should be set aside
as Holy ground and a place of pilgrimage.
FOUNDATION HISTORY
11. "It is a thing of pleasure that I am still alive today twenty one years and
some months after the birth of Our Church. "Right here today at MAKOKO,
the Headquarters Church of Celestial Church of Christ in Nigeria, I have been
asked to give a short history of the Church for posterity. But before doing
so, I shall start by giving a short history of myself to clarify matters.
12. "My father was a Methodist born and bred in Dahomey (now Republic of
Benin). His Father, OJO, and his mother, KOSHINA, came from Abeokuta in
Nigeria to Dasatre where they settled. The artificial boundary between
Nigeria and Dahomey set up by Europeans meant that my father was - a
Dahomean. His name was OSHOFFA (this is obtained from 'OJU KI ISE OFA TI
OTA LE TA BANI KA SUBU, or, for short, 'OJU KO SO FA", which was
shortened further to OSOFA' in Yoruba' language; and it means, in English,
'the human eye is not a missile that an enemy can fire at one to make one
fall'). He had many wives each of whom bore him up to five to six children.
All the children were, however, female and only one survived. This made
him entreat God according to Methodist doctrine: '0 Lord if, thou would give
me a boy, I shall give him up to thy service just as Hannah and Elkana did".
As a result, I was born in 1909 in Porto Novo of a Nigerian mother named
ALAKE IYAFO from IMEKO Egbado Division,' Abeokuta Province. I was named
SAMUEL and also BILEWU (BILEAIYEBAWU KOGBE, SUGBON MO MO WIPE MO
TI TORO RE LODO OLORUN) which means 'if you prefer to live in this world,
then you are welcome but if you prefer to live above in heaven, then you
13. "In fulfilment of my father's vow to God, I was sent at the age of seven
for God's service to a Methodist Catechist MOSES YANSUNU, father of
Evangelist NATHANIEL YANSUNU of our Church. Because my father was not
happy with the way I was treated he brought me back home and later sent
me at the age of thirteen to stay with Revd. Bishop David Hodonu Loco, the
Methodist Bishop of Porto Novo, formerly of Methodist Church, Olowogbowo,
Lagos, Nigeria. I was there with some other children. After a number of
years, Rev. D. H. Loco was replaced by Bishop Garner from London. The new
Bishop ordered that we pupils should participate in making blocks for a new
College building. We all refused and so he sent us all back to our parents.
When I got back home, my father admonished me that I was different from
the others because he had specially requested for me from God and so I had
to do the work. Whereupon he took me back to the Bishop, but the Bishop
would not reverse his decision. Whereupon, my father said there was no
alternative but that I should learn to be a carpenter like himself.
15. "After my father's death, I continued to bear the burden until December
1946 when I decided that I would henceforth trade in ebony. I would myself
go into the forest to purchase ebony and bring this into the town to sell to
carpenters. I began this trade, going into the forest areas in search of
ebony. I bought it cheaply and brought it to town to sell at a premium. I
continued this lucrative trade until one such trip in May 1947 during the
floods. As usual I had my Bible with me. I also loved much to pray.
16. "On the 23rd May 1947, the day of the eclipse of the sun, as I was
praying in the forest on this trip, I heard a voice and could not open my
eyes. The voice I beard was 'LULI', and the same voice told me 'This means
The Grace of Jesus Christ'. When I opened my eyes, I saw a white monkey
with two teeth each top and bottom with winged hands and feet like those
of a bat. When it wants to fly, it flaps its wings forward. But it was
stationary. I saw a bird with yellow feet, yellow beak and long tail. It would
sometimes fan out its tail like a peacock does, and it was rnulti-coloured. It
17. "I had been rowed to the forest by a canoe paddler I hired from TOFFIN
in GANVIE. I always gave him money for his own food. But he stole some of
my soup. Soon after, he began to have stomach pains and groaned to my
hearing. I ran to him enquiring what was the matter. He said all he did was
taste some of my soup. I then admonished him that he should not have
eaten any of my soup since I gave him money for his own food. I lay my hand
on his stomach and the pains left him. He ran away leaving me alone and
saying that he did not wish to stay with this odd man who lives in the forest
and whose soup he tastes only to find he has stomach pains which this odd
man removes simply by placing his (odd man's) hand on his stomach. I was
thus left with a canoe without paddler, and I myself did not know how to
paddle. This was precisely why I wandered about in the forest for three
months.
18. "During these three months, I did not cook and I could not paddle the
canoe. But I soon discovered a hole in a tree into which bees flew. I soon
made fire by lighting two pieces of dry wood together. I would take a dry
leaf, light it and stick it in the hole at night. Once the bees have run away,
the bees' honey was my food. My drinking water was the flowing stream
nearby.
19. "But there I saw many visions and experienced many changes in me. The
forest was so thick that one looked up and saw no skies but trees, snakes,
boar, monkeys and birds singing. In the midst of all this, I prayed a lot. I did
not hunger, I felt no fear and I had no illness but basked in the glory of Jesus
Christ.
20. "As I wandered about in the forest, I came to a hillock called FAGBE
(after the township of ZINVIE) where I met a man who became Senior Leader
MICHEL when he subsequently joined Celestial Church of Christ. It was he
who told me the name of the village. I saw a lot of children and prayed
there. I returned into the forest wandering round looking for the canoe and
soon came by a lake called GODRO near which there is a village named
21. "Not knowing how to paddle, I got into the canoe and just allowed
myself to be carried down stream by the current of the stream which was
then in full flood. While the canoe was thus carried from side to side by the
current, snakes fell from trees into the canoe, but I carried them from the
canoe with my hand back into the stream unhurt. I continued my trip down
the river and soon got to AGANGE. There I found a Methodist young man
called KUDIHO at the point of death who was reported to have been very ill
for a long time. I touched him and Jesus raised him up. He is alive today and
so are his children, all in AGANGE.
22. "I now went to collect more ebony wood from the forest. On my return
after five days from the forest, the whole of AGANGE was in ferment. 'What
kind of a man is this?' They said, 'We will certainly follow him in his Church'.
I told them I did not have a Church. They would not listen and I prayed for
them. I stayed with YESUFU in AGANGE who was a neighbour of mine back in
Porto Novo. After the miracle of raising KUDIHO on the first day of my
arrival in Agange and before my return from the forest, YESUFU had gone
back to Porto Novo to tell my relations that he had seen me at Agange, that
I looked very odd and like a mad man, that my hair was long, unkempt and
matted, that even my dress was rough and untidy and that I touched the
dead and they rose up, he did not know what was the matter. with me. My
relations replied him that the reason for my untidy appearance could not be
anything but laziness.
23. "I began to prepare to return home to Porto Novo on the fifth day. I
engaged ZINSOU as my new paddler. On my return there, all those who had
known me before were curious. I began to have crowds of visitors. "About
three days after my return to Porto Novo, my elder sister, ELIZA.BETH
EKUNDAYO, came to me to say that her son, EMMANUEL MAWUYON (i.e.
O'LORUNDARA) GUTON, had died. I went to him and found native doctors
there who had tried unsuccessfully to bring him back to life. When they saw
me, they quickly packed out of the room. What the native doctors failed to
do, Christ did: for I touched the deceased, and he came back to life all in
the name of Jesus Christ. It was this miracle that made my sister leave
U.A.M. (Eleja) Church and follow me. Her son, Emmanuel, immediately
received the holy gift of prophecy and thus became the first prophet of the
DIVINE ORDER
24. "On the 29th of September 1947, while, I was praying in my house with
some visiting friends, I saw a strong ray of light rather like that from the
headlamp of a car. I then saw a winged being whose body was like fire and
whose eyes were tiny flying towards me behind the beam of light. As it
approached me, the beam of light shortened until the being stood about a
yard from me. This being then proceeded to say to me: 'God wishes to send
you on an errand of preaching to the world. Many Christians there are who,
during their lifetime, when confronted by problems and difficulties of this
world they seek after fetish priests and other powers of darkness for all
kinds of assistance. On their death, they think they are Christians, but they
are no longer Christians because Satan has left his mark on them. For this
reason, such people, after death, cannot see Christ. God wants to send you
to the world on a mission of preaching and exhortation, but the world will
not believe you. To assist you in your work so that men may listen to and
follow you, miraculous works of holy divine healing will be wrought by you in
the name of Jesus Christ. These works of divine healing and God's spiritual
mark on you will testify to the fact that God sent you.
25. "Immediately after I got this message, MARRIE, the wife of FREDERIC
ZEVENU, one of those present, exclaimed that she saw Jesus. I asked her
how? She said she saw a cross made of wood, tall, big and wide. She said He
came down from the cross, stretched His hand, and she could see blood
oozing out of both left and right hands where nails had been driven in, she
could see the same on the feet and from other parts of the body. She said
Jesus then displayed His sides and she could see where He had been speared
and that Jesus came down from the cross, stood before him (Pastor) and
took him (Pastor) into a room. When they both re-emerged, the woman
continued, he (Pastor) was dressed in a white tunic full of stars, and the
Pastor's eyes were so full of blinding light that she could not look at them.
But now, she continued, she was surprised to find him (the Pastor) without
the tunic or the blinding light. I also related to her what I had seen and
heard. She, her husband and others all departed.
27. "This led to gossips throughout Porto Novo that I had commissioned and
bought magic. All the Churches were bewildered, the Methodist Church was
shaken to its foundations and alive with gossips that I was dealing with the
powers of darkness and so on. When I found that thirteen days passed by
without my being able to sleep because my house was full of Moslems,
Catholics, Methodists, idol worshippers (some two hundred of them) I sent
word through DOMINIC ADANDE on the Friday to the expatriate police officer
in charge of the town at the time that I, whom he must remember as a
music player in the town, implore him to dispatch police officers to my
house to drive away all these people in my house because I have not been
able to sleep for the past thirteen days. Dominic confirmed to him that I was
a citizen of the town and he asked to see me. I went to see him and related
to him the entire episode. He replied that he had no right to send police
officers to drive people out.
Rather, since he suspected that God wished to use me for a certain purpose,
he would suggest that I arrange an open air meeting the following Saturday
to which I should invite people all round by means of notices to offices and
other forms of publicity. He said that he himself would be there. As his own
father was a Christian, he did not have the power to drive away anybody.
This reply made me thoroughly fed up with the whole situation. But those
who were with me agreed readily to the officer's suggestion and those
among them who were literate went and prepared notices and distributed
them throughout Porto Novo.
28. "On reading these notices, many people who had earlier only
prophet seated either side of me. I was spiritually guided to open a Bible
before me but not to read it, and to light three candles before me which I
did. Whenever a question was asked, the reply I should give usually came to
me from Him that sent me. I sat down.
29. "The first question was from one man whom we called Alex Aganyimi, a
member of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church. He was a Togolese.
Whenever a question was asked, one of my ears gave a high pitched noise
while the other was silent, the noisy ear did not hear what was being asked,
while the quiet one did. Alex said he understood that Moses Orimolade was
sent by God and he performed all kinds of spiritual works, now I came along
again and claimed that God sent me, which should they accept? The noisy
ear became quiet and I heard as follows: 'With regard to your question, John
the Baptist came before Jesus; you must surely know that Cherubim and
Seraphim’s are angels all of whom wait upon and worship our Lord Jesus.
The Celestial Church of Christ is Christ’s Church , while the Cherubim and
seraphim’s belong to the angels and is no more than a fore runner to
prepare the way for Celestial Church of Christ. Whether the world likes it or
not, its glory will soon become known to all mankind". As I heard this, I
relayed it to Alex.
30. "Catholic and other Churches were there because the publicity had
kindled interest in the answers I would give to the various questions they
would put to me. And I myself had no idea how to answer except to transmit
the answers given to me. A Catholic said that it was common knowledge
that St. Peter and St. Paul took the Catholic Church to Rome, and he knew
that it was by the authority of Jesus. Would the same Jesus again send me
as I claimed there then? Which should they follow? As he spoke my ears went
into action, the noisy one gave out its high pitched noise, while the quiet
one listened. I then heard as follows: 'Young man, we gave you one Kobo to
hold to, and you held on to it; now we are telling you to reject the one kobo
and accept two kobo, because the glory of two kobo is more than that of
one kobo. But if you refuse to relinquish one kobo in time, when in future
31. "Now, I was born a Methodist. I now wish to speak about the visit of REV.
PARRINDER, A Methodist Pastor, who had been transferred from Porto Novo
(where I was under him) to an Institute in Ibadan. He was a tall man. He
heard about me and came to see me. The Church was about three months
old then. He asked me why it was that, since I was a Methodist, I did not
deploy this spiritual power that had just been bestowed on me for use
within the Methodist fold. I replied that his point was well taken, but the
Methodist Pastor in Porto Novo at the time named GBEYANGBE was the one
who went on the pulpit and preached that no Methodist should come to my
house because I had acquired magical powers by purchase and was deceiving
people about. This turned many Methodists against me and they did not
come near me. Moreover, my dear Reverend, I continued, if the Methodist
Pastor at the time had sent word to me to inquire truthfully and diligently
about me don't you think that I would quite gladly have joined forces with
the Methodist Church because I myself had no understanding of the whole
episode as shown in the fact that I sent to the police to help to send
multitudes away from my. house.
32. "However, before you came, I continued, He who sent me told me that a
European will be coming to see me and that I should speak with him
patiently and calmly. I was then asked to tell you that you should stay
awhile until next Sunday and worship with them at the Methodist Church in
Porto Novo. After service, position yourself at the exit with one half of the
door closed so that they can also shake your hand as they file out. Note
their fingers for any rings which are not engagement or wedding rings and
which are made of metal or such like, you should know for sure that in such
peoples homes are to be found idols, witches and other powers of darkness
and that they are idol worshippers. It is they who use the powers of magic.
And those who would truly worship and serve him must serve no other god.
The message given to me is that many Christians there are who on their
death do not see Christ because they had become idol worshippers before
their death. This is the task entrusted to me. After giving him this message,
he stood speechless for some half-hour in thought beating his forehead with
33. "But, according to God's promise (and God never fails to fulfil His
promise), at the same time that these things were happening, a woman in
Porto Novo called TINAVIE from ZEVU district died in hospital after a short
illness. The Church was barely two months old. Tinavie's younger sister,
MAWULOWOE (God will oblige), it was who prophesied that Tinavie's dead
body should be brought to me and that Jesus would raise her from the dead.
Church members in. the area came to tell me of her death and I asked them
to bring her dead body to my house. When it was brought on a stretcher, I
told them to put it on the bare floor.
34. "Now all my relations in our compound were all Moslems.. Only my
father was a Christian. But we were all Yoruba. We have eight marks on our
cheeks according to Yoruba tradition. When the dead body was brought in,
my relations, who were all Moslem’s, exclaimed in Muslim fashion 'I-LAHILA,
HILALAWU, what has this boy done again? Brought in a corpse!' But I asked
them to leave the dead body on the floor. In short, Jesus Christ my Saviour
raised TINAVIE from the dead. She became alive and I asked that she be
taken to the hospital to greet the doctor who had treated and certified her
dead. The doctors name was Alexandre. When the doctor saw her alive, he
ran slamming the door thinking that a dead person was about to speak to
him. He did not realise that it is God the King who brings the dead to life
again. It was also MAWULAWOE who at the first seaside Christmas festival
gave the song (in Yoruba):
Nibi mimo yi
35. "Another miracle related to a friend of mine MOISE SURU AFOYAN from
ZEVU district of PORTO NOVO who died. His relations came to tell me that
my friend had died and that they had come to buy the coffin with which to
bury him but had merely called to let me know. I went to the house of
MOISE and I saw his dead body lying on the floor. He was my friend. I was
wearing three sets of clothes. I took one off, covered the dead body with it
and told everybody to leave the room. When it was the wish of Jesus, MOISE
SURU was brought back to life at twelve midnight.
36. "I went back the following day. MOISE SURU said he very much wished to
tell me what happened. He said he saw an old man with hair and beard all
white standing on the balcony of a storey building. The old man brought me
to show him (MOISE) and asked him whether he knew me. He said he replied
that he did. The old man then told him that he (MOISE) was already dead
but because of and to honour me (PASTOR), he would be returned to life;
and moreover, he (MOISE) would not die again until the person (PASTOR)
who raised him from the dead shall have built a storey building.
37. "It was thus MOISE SURU who foretold the event of my building a storey
house. And yet, at this time, I did not even have the financial strength to
buy a single brick. I went along with it because I knew that my God's word
never fails. I am thankful to God that MOISE SURU and his children are still
alive today, and the storey building has been built in his lifetime as he
foretold.
38. "The next notable event was at the town of GRANPOPO where the sea
had overflows its banks thus constituting a serious problem. Because of the
news reaching him of various miracles wrought by Christ through me, the
chief of the town sent word to me in PORTO NOVO that the sea had
.39. "When we got to the sea front at GRANPOPO, I saw a European Catholic
Reverend Father carrying a curved shepherd's staff standing by the sea, and
the sea pushed him back as he prayed with the staff. But when I got there, I
was told by HIM that sent me that to HIM the entire world was like an egg
and that similarly the sea was like a needle. I was further instructed that I
should, therefore, insert a needle in an egg in full view of all the inhabitants
of GRANPOPO and throw the egg with the needle into the sea which would
carry it away. I did as I was instructed as it was not my wish but that of HIM
that sent me. A miracle happened, the sea receded completely.
40. "It was noteworthy to record a further development of this event. There
was a Lagoon in the town (Granpopo) which normally emptied into the sea.
The Point of entry was dangerous as many boats had been carried away
there. The sea had now receded so much that the whole area at the Point of
entry of the lagoon to the sea was dry. When the idol worshippers in the
town who did not accept Jesus Christ saw what happened, they became
annoyed and protested that the recession of the sea had gone too far. They
brought cows to offer as sacrifice and dragged them along until they-threw
them in the sea. Because of this faithless act, the sea returned with doubled
fury after three months and did more havoc than before.
41. "The fame of these deeds spread far and wide. Consequently, people in
TOFFIN rushed to join the church. From AGANGE, the Church spread to
GBEKO, from GBEKO to GOGBO. As the Church spread far and wide, the
Catholics in Porto Novo, the Moslems and Methodists began to plot and
mobilise against me. They all had informants in my house - the Catholics had
theirs, the Methodists had theirs and the Moslems also had theirs. Any
Catholics who worshipped in my house were immediately informed upon by
the Catholic agents. Any Methodist who worshipped in my house were
immediately informed upon by Methodist agents. Similarly, any Moslem who
worshipped in my house were immediately informed upon by the Moslem
agents. Consequently, I moved to WEME, a district of TOFFIN.
42. "When my detractors did not see me in Porto Novo, they imagined that
the Church was reducing in strength. But the opposite was happening among
the few I left behind. Meanwhile, some of the members in TOFFIN
established another branch in GBAJI from where it spread to Lagos in
Nigeria. Those who introduced the Church into Lagos were fishermen, about
seven in number - people like the present LEADER SAMUEL FRANCOIS, the
present Senior Leader Leyon who is right here among us, people like
JOHANA from GBAJI and the late SEPO.
43. " Their unique church and spiritual works which people in Lagos noticed
about them led to persistent demand to see me. I was then already back in
Porto Novo where the Church had then grown and become big and firmly
established. When word came that LAGOS wished to see me, I feared to go
either to LAGOS or indeed anywhere in Nigeria. Being the only surviving
male of my father, I feared for Nigeria which I understood was a fast and
difficult country. The emissary from LAGOS was always MOSES AJOVI from
IJOFIN, Nigeria, now a Senior Leader. After refusing twice to go to Lagos, I
relented the third time on the understanding that MOSES AJOVI would be
with me always. And so we both travelled to LAGOS together during the
Passion Week 1951.
44. "Soon after my arrival here in LAGOS I learnt of a young woman who was
mad and laid up in a room. I went to see her and Jesus cured her
instantaneously. This caused a stir, and by Maundy Thursday word had gone
round of this famous miracle.
45. "A number of clergymen from various Churches sent for me to meet
them on the Good Friday in a hall in YABA which had a piano in one corner.
They told me they had heard stories of miracles of the dead rising and so
on. Although they were all Christians, they wished to make it clear that I
should consider them to be thorough-going doubting Thornases. They very
much wished to believe that God sent me, but they would not unless they
saw miracles performed there right before their eyes. I agreed. I asked them
which of them would like to see the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ and to
know that God sent me. They all replied that they would.
46." I then selected two women from among them, one married, the other
unmarried and asked them to lie down. I removed two of the clothes I was
wearing, placed one each, on the two women. After about one hour, nothing
47."I then remembered and sang the song which the eleven month old child
of MARIE ZEVUNNU gave, the world through the HOLY SPIRIT some time
before which runs thus (in Yoruba):
Agbara t'awa yio fi segun, 0 ki ise 'Ieri re lai mu u se, Ranti ileri re to se'.
meaning in English:
s: s: 1: s: -: -m: s: f : m: r: m: -m:
s:s:d:m:-:-d:r:-t:-d:-:-:-:-
48. "Suddenly, as they sang, the Holy Spirit descended upon them. Among
them, somebody said: 'He is my beloved. I sent him, hear ye him'. Another
said: 'you married woman, you are in your menstrual period, you want to see
49. "Now, these people at Yaba that day knew many Christian songs of their
own denominations; they were so impressed with what they saw that they
declared that they would do nothing but sing when they saw Jesus. So they
began to have a feast of songs. After sometime, I told them it was time to
go home. They said I should not go home and they would not stop singing
until day break. And moreover, they continued, it was raining and once it
started raining in those parts, they said, it was a long time stopping. I
replied that what they took for raining was indeed part of God's work; it was
a special down pour which would stop as soon as I wished to go home. When
I saw that they had contributed a lot of money, I told them I wanted no
money. One woman among them gave me two shillings loaves of bread
which I accepted, saying 'Jesus said a worker deserves to have his food'. I
then said I was going and they said I could not go yet. I peeped out,
stretching my hand in the rain. It stopped and I left. This fresh miracle
really startled them and started a rush of people to the Church here. That
was how the Church really started in Nigeria.
50. "Next occurred here the miracle of the rising from the dead of HUNSU, a
seven-year old boy. He was found in a room clasped to the bosom of an old.
woman. The body of the boy was forcibly removed from the woman and
brought to me in front of the Church. As directed by the Holy Spirit, I
sprinkled holy water on him and he rose lip immediately. This caused a
sensation. The Chief Imam of Lagos who was on his way to dedicate a new
mosque (Owodunii Mosque at lwaya) stopped by together with his followers
determined to see whether or not the name of "ANOBI YISA" (Jesus Christ)
would work miracles as had often been claimed. After seeing the miracle
happen, he and his followers exclaimed: 'LAIIAILA HILALAWU' (God is
mighty).
51. "Shortly after this, word came of the death of another young woman
named THERESA HUMPE. She had died early that morning in the fishermen's
quarters. Because they could not find a doctor to certify her dead and issue
a death certificate, they intended, as was often the case in Makoko at the
52. "This was why the owner of Makoko, the late RAMOTU EMMANUEL, a
Moslem woman, approached me to say that she had a dream that a holy man
had just entered Makoko, and that if she wished the landed property of
Makoko to be hers, she should go and see the man. She told me that I was
the man and requested me to pray for her so that Makoko could remain hers
and she wanted to know my terms. She came with her son RAIMI, her clerk
and BALOGUN, her caretaker. I replied that I took nothing. I asked her to
bring a single white candle which I used to pray for her. Her prayers were
heard. The town of Makoko became her undisputed property during the third
month from then. Even though she was a Moslem she remembered that God
had helped her through this Church and so she gave the Church the land on
which the present Church is situated. Because of future possible litigation
after her death, she conveyed the property to the Church (although it was in
my name) and obtained one KOBO in payment. It was thus a gift because of
the miracles observed. May God bless the family. RAMOTU EMMANUEL died
on 23rd March 1952, Easter Sunday.
53. "The miracles performed by our Lord Jesus Christ through me were
numerous. I shall now make particular reference to that of the young
woman named OLUSOLA who died and whom Jesus raised from the dead
after the third day.
54. "A young member of the Church who was fond of saying 'Please say
Halleluyah with me' and who, for short, was nicknamed 'Halleluyah' came
one Sunday morning and reported the death of a woman at 3.00 p.m. the
previous day (a Saturday) in a house which belonged to him. He said that in
view of the many miracles performed by Jesus through me right there in
Makoko, particularly those of IIUNSU and THERESA, he felt sure that
OLUSOLA could be raised from the dead. He first spoke to me at ten o’ clock
on the Sunday morning as service was about to start. Service finished at
three o'clock in the afternoon and he kept on worrying me but I still did not
answer him. Owing to his persistence, however, at 4 o'clock that afternoon,
I sent Evangelist BADA (then a LEADER) with one of my robes to follow the
56. "Now there was a young man from Ondo who came with them. He
belonged to one of the other spiritual Churches, but I do not know which.
When he saw that we left OLUSOLA's dead body in the vestry for hours
without bothering to pray or go near it but that we went on talking
generally, he came to me and counselled that instead of doing nothing we
should pray for the dead body as it was already stinking. I replied that I was
not the one going to bring OLUSOLA back to life and that he should be very
careful and not go near the dead body. I told him that if he did, he would
have to accept responsibility for whatever happened to him. But he would
not listen. He continued to pace up and down. Finally at about twelve
midnight, he suddenly went to have a look at the dead body. He ran back to
me startled, and reported that he had seen a man clad in white with his hair
parted into two standing at the head of the corpse. I retorted to him that I
had warned him not to go near the dead body. He ran away and I went to
bed. OLUSOLA's mother also went to bed. I did not bother about the dead
body. These miracles are not done with my own power I am no more than a
servant for HIM that sent me. There was therefore no need for me to go into
a bout of prayer or staying up all night or fasting or such flagellation.
57. "In the morning of the third day of OLUSOLA's death, her mother,
watching the hours go by, became restless. At nine o'clock in the morning
she came to me and said in despair that as the body of OLUSOLA was still as
dead, stinking and lifeless as ever, and already covered with ants, she
should be allowed to take the body home for burial. As she said this her loin
cloth fell off her. This aroused my sympathy and I got up and followed her
to where the dead body lay. I asked her the name of her daughter and she
replied that her name was OLUSOLA. I struck the body and called 'OLUSOLA'
and the dead girl replied 'SIR'. I struck her again and said: 'In the name of
58. "With regard to our LORD JESUS CHRIST, LORD of heaven and earth, who
sent me, it was time for HIM to reveal HIMSELF in all HIS power and glory
right here in Makoko. This happened in 1954 on the Friday following the
Harvest Thanksgiving Service for that year which was the third Harvest
Thanksgiving service in Nigeria. For three months previous to HIS coming,
spiritual messages had been pouring out of our prophets to the effect that
the Lord Himself would soon pay us a visit, suddenly walking into our midst,
and that we should always be prepared to be able to identify Him on arrival.
"At about 3.00 a.m. on the day of his arrival, I was possessed by the Holy
Spirit and, as reported to me later, I continually uttered the following
words, until about 5.30 a.m. during which time the whole house reportedly
shook to its foundations: ’Jesu, Jesu eniti iri re dabi iri oju omo kiniun, eniti
nti ori ekanna re tan imole', that is, in English ‘Jesus, Jesus, thou whose
eyes are like those of a lions cub, and from whose finger tips light beams
out’.
59. The Lord came, as a blindman. He appeared walking towards the Church
at about 9.00 a.m. He spoke first to my wife CHRISTINE and asked her for
tobacco. She replied that she had none. Then He asked her for cigarettes,
and again. she replied that she had none. Then He asked her for kolanuts,to
which she replied angrily that she should be left alone, particularly as the
three things He asked are forbidden to Celestians. At this point YAMAN, who
was nearby, intervened and offered Him some money to buy the things He
wanted will never be empty. He, then, told YAMAN to caution her daughter
CHRISTINE to beware because the world is delicate. He left them.
60. ‘ I was not there, I was in the other house some fifty yards away. I saw a
man coming towards me. He was tall and graceful and covered Himself with
a single piece of white cloth wrapped round His whole body from Head to
toe. As He approached. I saw spiritually a sudden beam of light before Him
61. "I went to meet Him. He was blind, the usual black spot being totally
absent from the eyeball which were totally white. I then asked:' 'My Lord,
whence cornest thou and whither goest thou?' He replied: 'the son of Man
comes from nowhere in particular nor does He have any destination but goes
wherever the wind guides HIM" I replied: 'I thank you my Lord'. I then said:
'Very well, my Lord, would you not like to come with, thy son into the
house?' He replied as He walked with me: 'Art thou not the prophet? You had
been given to know me because of your loving kindness. I will come with you
to your house'. As we walked, I put my hand in my pocket and offered HIM
money as aims. He declined and said: 'Mine is, not money but Love. May it
be so for you as well'.
62. "We walked together, I on the left, He on my right. Now, them was a
trench at the time near the entrance to the Church to drain away
underground water oozing from under the Church into the lagoon. As we got
to the trench, I said: 'My Lord, take care here, there is a trench, let me take
your hand so that you can cross safely'. He replied: 'Not at all, the Son of
Man may not have visible eyes, but He has spiritual eyes which see better
than yours'. Before He had finished, He had smartly crossed the trench
ahead of me. We walked along and entered my house together.
63. "When we entered, He asked me for water, and I gave Him water in a
bowl. He asked for sugar. Makoko was not as developed as it is now. I saw
this as an opportunity to please Him. He did not accept alms from me, but
perhaps I could please Him with a whole packet of sugar. I searched through
Makoko for sugar to buy, but there was none came back to tell Him I could
find no sugar. He then said the lumps in my room would do. I went into my
room and searched and indeed found seven lumps there and brought them
to Him. He asked me to put them in the water and said; 'As from today, let
there always be sugar in your house'. He stirred the water with his hand,
sipped seven times and gave to me saying. "Men will, rush to you with
various problems. and went on to tell the various uses to which water could
be put. I also sipped seven times and kept the remaining water which I
retain till this very rnoment.
64. "He then asked for a cloth large enough to wrap, around a dead body. I
looked round and could only get a yard of white material from my wife
65. "He spoke many things with me. Among other things, He confirmed: 'All
your services of worship in the Church are acceptable unto the Father. Tell
all members of the Celestial Church that they should be steadfast in their
services of worship because worship will be the ultimate salvation of
mankind. The love of money will constitute the downfall of many in their
bid to enter the kingdom of God". He said I should fix my eyes on Him as
much as I could because I would not have the opportunity again of seeing
Him as I saw Him then and talking to. Him in this fashion. He said I would
surely see Him again, but how He could not tell me at that point in time.
This referred to the time when I myself would leave this world.
YANSUNU from Porto -Novo (he was not even Leader then) was sleeping in
the other room. He was paralysed on one leg. But as soon as he heard us
talking in the other room he woke up and sprang up his leg straightening at
the same time. It will be recalled that this NATHANIEL YANSUNU was the son
of MOSES YANSUNU with whom I stayed when I was at the age of 7.
67. "At that time, logs of palm tree were positioned either side of the bridge
to retain the road and stop it being washed away by the stream. We stood
on the palm tree log to the right and we both faced
the West. He then requested me to bring out the clothes and drop them in
the mud. I did so and He put His left foot on the cloths while His right foot
remained on the log. I remained standing on the log. Then with His left foot
still remaining on the cloths which were bubbling under His foot, He said:
'SON OF MAN, HERE AT THIS SPOT WE PART. GO AND DON'T LOOK BACK'. I
turned round and started to go. After taking three steps, I felt curious to
know how He would go. I turned round and could no longer see Him. He had
disappeared.
68. "On the third day, there was an incident concerning a particular woman
who professed to be a member of our Church, but had secretly been visiting
and seeking for help from the powers of darkness fetish priests and so on.
Apparently, as she was passing by APENA CEMETERY ' the white robed man
who had appeared to me here earlier also appeared to her and she was
frozen stiff and could not move. She was taken into a house nearby. As this
was happening there, it was being prophesied to me here in the Church at
Makoko that there were those who came to me claiming to be Christians but
who were worse than idol worshippers; that one of them had just been
caught and would be brought to me. On her arrival, I should inquire from
her why any member of the Celestial Church of Christ should still seek help
from herbalists and other Satanic agents. I should inform her that it was He,
CHRIST, who appeared unto her.
70. "Another appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ was at the Lagos Bar Beach
in 1954 on the occasion of the anointment of some members of the Church
in Nigeria amongst whom were LEYON, SAMUEL and a few others. (It is
pertinent to mention that LEYON and SAMUEL were the first to be elevated
to the rank of LEADER in the Church in Nigeria). Our Lord appeared from the
sea. "As had happened prior to His first visit to us in Makoko, I was possessed
by the Holy Spirit at about 3.00 a.m. on the day and reportedly prophesied
His coming in my sleep. At about mid-day while we were on the beach
performing the anointment, a boat suddenly appeared lying far out to sea.
In the twinkling of an eye, it came within about two hundred yards from the
beach. The next moment we saw a man on the beach in a reclining position
wearing a piece of blue loin cloth round His waist reminding one of the one
on Him in the usual picture of Him on the cross. His body showed signs of
having come out of the sea. He had by His side a well worn old Bible
wrapped round with a piece of string, a copy of the Koran and some sun-
dried crayfish. I knew it was our Lord and I went immediately towards Him.
He spoke to me giving me further injunctions and explanations on a number
of things. In particular, He directed me not to engage in any form of eye
service to any one.
-While this was happening, a woman wearing a simple apparel moved around
Him, coming not too close, to look at Him with some concern, then moving
away again. She did this repeatedly. I knew it was MARIA, the gracious
mother of our LORD JESUS CHRIST. It was midday and the sun was high and
we had sought to assemble under the shade of the trees which were still on
the beach at the time. As I walked towards Him, the sand burned under my
feet, but immediately I got near to Him, everything became cool as if under
a shade. After He spoke to me, I returned to the congregation of our
members and disclosed to them that He of whom I had prophesied had
arrived and was reclining up there. Members present rushed towards Him
and He spoke to many of them. Notable among them was a particular lady,
Mrs. Adedoyin Adekoya, who was gorgeously dressed in Yoruba attire. When
she related her own experience, she told us that our lord queried why she
came naked. This puzzled her. At this juncture, YAMAN cut in and pointed
out that it was because she was not dressed in her sutana like the others.
Some members of other spiritual Churches worshipping on the beach that
71. "We went on with our prayers and all the time , l kept an eye on Him
and continued to see Him. We closed our eyes to say the grace. After the
grace, we opened our eyes and discovered that He had disappeared. So also
had the woman MARIA and the boat. Members searched up and down for Him
but He was nowhere to be found.
72. "The miracles that take place daily are too numerous to mention. Before
God and man, prior to 1958, several persons had been raised from the dead.
And in 1958 alone three were raised from the dead two in ABEOKUTA and
one in IBADAN. They are all with us here. Glory be to God in HEAVEN.
HALLELUYAH.
73. "The blind see by the GRACE OF JESUS CHRIST, sometimes as many as
eighteen, a day, the dumb speak, the lame walk, the sick (too numerous to
count) are healed, the barren become mothers, those who are pregnant but
are prevented from giving birth to their children by the powers of this world
are released from these powers -one of such, you all remember, is. NIMBE's
mother who is with us here. When she was brought to the Church, medical
opinion said she was not pregnant and so did everybody, you all remember
what I am talking about. But by the power and .glory of our Lord Jesus
Christ, it was disclosed that the woman was pregnant. She eventually gave
birth to the child whom we all call OLUWAMBE (that is, God is indeed
present). He has now become a young man. Similarly Mrs. SOMORIN whose
pregnancy was denied by medical opinion, also gave birth to a female child
named MOJISOLA.
74. "Miracles are indeed an everyday occurrence with us. These testify to
the fact that He who sent me and who promised that these miracles will
happen through me so that the world may believe that He sent me - that He
is still with me. Glory be to His name in Heaven. Halleluyah. May the
Celestial Church of Christ continue to wax strong. Amen".
76. "A few days after my return to Porto Novo from my sojourn in the bush
through AGANGE where, you will recall, KUDIHO was raised from the dead
by our Lord Jesus Christ through me, word came from my elder sister
(ELIZABETH OSHOFFA married to GUTON) that her only child and son,
EMMANUEL MAWUNYON GUTON (who later became our Evangelist in Ivory
Coast) had died. I was in my praying attire and I sent word that he was not
dead. On my arrival, I found the dead body and I sent everybody out of the
room. The idol worshippers, who had earlier been trying to revive him,
hurriedly left the room and, as I touched him, Jesus raised him and he
immediately received the gift of the Holy Spirit and became the first
prophet in Celestial Church of Christ.
77. "During the first week in October,1947 and on the fifth day after I
received the DIVINE ORDER on September 29, 1947, we were gathered
together early in the morning when word came to me (I regularly heard
voices and still do) that the DIVINE COMMISSION I was given was to found a
new Church and that I should start it right there in my house. The first song
given to us was (in Yoruba).
Ere di re t'e fl wa s: d: d: t: 1: s: s:
Le e wa a sin wa lo m:s:f:m:r:f:m:-:-
Wa ma sin wa lo f:m:r:r:d:-:-
78. 'Later the same day, in the evening, while I was alone in an inner room
of my father's house, I heard a voice (I still regularly hear the same voice
until now) telling me to go and bring a short strip of wood.
I went out and cut a short length of wood from the first tree I saw. Being a
carpenter, I planed it neatly and brought it inside. I was then instructed by
the voice to put it down somewhere as He Christ wished to make a covenant
with me and I was going to be betrothed as a bride of Christ. I then saw a
hand which indicated the sign of the cross. I was instructed to use the cut
stem of a leaf (fetched from outside) and purple ink to make the sign of the
cross in remembrance of Christ. I was told: "THIS IS THE SYMBOL OF THE
COVENANT BETWEEN YOU AND ME". I dipped my finger thrice into the ink we
used and was then asked to pray for the most wonderful and unfathomable
power of the Holy Spirit. I slept late that night because of visits from
heavenly visitors talking to me.
at the same time translating it into Egun (a major language of the Republic
of Benin).
'Mi pa oku na
Won di pa emi
0 ji re lo
Ko soso';
Asiko
Na tide
Is at hand'.
80. "It was also Mawunyon who that same night gave us an injunction that
we should not use wine for Holy Communion but rather a mixture of
(a) pineapple
81. "Mawunyon it was who gave the injunction that we should worship with
seven candles and also took a piece of wood and drew out the shape of the
candle holder. In this connection, he also gave us a Powerful song which we
seem to have also forgotten lately.
'Mawunyon it was who also gave us a description of what we should use for
collection at services and named it PAJASPA - a metal ringed Pouch with a
handle and a socket for a candle which should be lit during collection.
83. "Mawunyon it was who indicated how in heaven a pot of incense was
being swung accompanied by the following song:
'Wa ka. lo
Sodo Oluwa
Wa ka 1(?
Sodo Oluwa'
But he said that, before singing this last one, we should build a box which
we should call MATTAH. At the bottom should be kept the cross and stick
which is the symbol of Christ's covenant with me topped by candles for use
at the altar. Having thus removed our shoes, worn our white sutana or tunic,
taken the candles one by one from Mattah (thus becoming candles used in
heaven above) and having lit them in Position, we should wholeheartedly
sing above song and ring the bell to worship (this came much later) and
draw near to God forgetting all about this world, kneeling on our knees and
our forehead touching the floor in obeisance to Almighty God and in
readiness to commune with Him. Mawunyon did not leave that night until
about 2.00 am.
84. "Soon after that night, I was in a trance (1 was wide awake) with my
eyes closed. I saw. myself climbing steps in-space towards the sky until I got
to the top where I saw a table top suspended. I knelt on one side of it while
on the other side standing was my Lord and Master, my Creator. He gave me
Holy Communion - I ate and drank from His hand. Then, all of a sudden, the
table top dipped and I realised for the first time that below me was
85. "This came through me seven years after the birth of the Church. You
will remember., Supreme Evangelist Bada, that when 1 related this incident
to the congregation at Makoko, I held a Bible in my hand as witness. I was in
a trance and saw in space a house without solid walls or roof, but a house
nonetheless. Some were on the upper floor and we were on the lower floor,
both floors not being solid but suspended in space and real nonetheless. As a
bell ring three times, both those on the upper floor and we on the lower
floor knelt down touching our forehead to the floor and said in Yoruba
The bell ringing three times and our response was done three times. It was
after this that we started the service in my trance. This is how it formed
part of our service of worship in Celestial Church of Christ.
86. "This came through JOSEPH AWANGONU, Baba Martha. He said that he
saw a Church without walls or roof but apparently with four entrances in the
four cardinal directions, and as a bell rang, he saw people of all races
running into the Church from the four corners of the earth. As they ran, they
were singing (in Yoruba):
The more the multitudes, the more room the Church seemed to have.
87. "The following song came as I was travelling on a boat in mid-sea from
IGBESU to the spot where I prayed onto God and the tree I had specifically
come to destroy burnt for seven days and seven nights. As my boat was
about to land, I heard a song which it appeared I was singing with others
(unknown and unseen) as follows (Yoruba):
'Baba a a
Ni wakati yi
That was Jesus speaking. This was the only song Jesus-sang in the Garden of
Gethsemane that night. As he sang and prayed intently, he sweated so much
that the drops of sweat began to fall from his body like blood and a voice
answered our Lord Jesus on that occasion thus 'I have, glorified you on earth
and in Heaven'. We sing this song in Celestial Church of Christ during the
monthly watch night services (on the first Thursday night/Friday morning of
each month) in remembrance of the occasion and also during Easter at the
watch night service of Holy Communion on Holy Thursday/Good Friday
" Another song used on the same occasion and which came at another time
was:
Jari Barn
, Emi Mimo
Adaba Orun
E sokale wa'.
Historical Reflection
89. "It is interesting to note that, although my father firmly believed that
my birth was in answer to his prayers referred to above, none of us
(including my father) had any inkling whatever that the nature of service to
God to which I would be called would be such a very important one. In
hindsight, the nearest my father came to predicting this important future
was on his death bed when he called me and prayed thus (in Yoruba):
Meaning in English,
90. Particulars of Registration: The Church was duly registered under the
Land (Perpetual Succession) Ordinance, Cap. 107 on November 24, 1958.
On being told of the reluctance of the authorities, the Pastor remarked that
there was no cause for anxiety because He who owned the Church (i.e. our
Lord Jesus Christ) would reveal Himself to the official concerned. A few days
later, the Pastor asked the late LEADER OWOAJE to check on the
application. When he got there, he had a pleasant surprise in that the
Certificate of Registration, signed and sealed, had been waiting for him for
a few days. He was also informed that the then Governor-General Sir James
Robertson, had related that, in his dream, a tall white man with long hair
parted in the middle and robed in white, appeared to him and instructed
him to sign the certificate of registration of Celestial Church of Christ
because the Church was His. The following morning he signed the
certificate. This was the miracle of the registration.
b.the service hymns of the Church are all revealed through the Holy Spirit as
promised by our Lord Jesus Christ (see John 14:25,26) thus: "These things
have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter,
which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall
teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I
have said unto you".
'Celestial Church of Christ' in English, and 'Ijo Mimo ti Kristi lati orun wa’ in
Yoruba was revealed by the Holy Spirit as stated earlier in clause 3, page 3.
TENETS
(3) consumption of any form of alcohol, wine or any strong drink that can
intoxicate is forbidden to members of Celestial Church of Christ as the odour
of all these - cigarettes, tobacco, alcohol, etc. - are repugnant to the
presence of the Holy Spirit;
(6) members should not wear shoes when wearing their sutana or within the
premises of the Church;
(7) male and female members are forbidden to sit together side by side
within the Church and its premises;
(8) female members during menstruation are not allowed to come within the
precincts of the Church until after their sanctification after seven clear
days; and where the menstruation extends beyond seven days, two clear
days should be allowed for after stoppage before sanctification;
(9) female members are forbidden from entering the altar area or leading
the congregation in worship;
(12) Holy is the Celestial Church of Christ and all who worship in her should
endeavour to be clean in body and in soul..
MODE OF WORSHIP
94. All forms of worship in the Celestial Church of Christ are entirely as
revealed by the Holy Spirit. This includes the setting of the altar, and the
seats therein, the number of candles used for the various types of services
and the seating arrangement. In particular, it should be noted that the
seating arrangement was revealed through a prophetess who under the
influence of the Holy Spirit in the wilderness on Friday 5th October 1947,
sketched the seating arrangement using oranges.
ORDER OF SERVICE
95. There is an Order of Service laid down in the Celestial Church of Christ
for different occasions such as Marriage, Funeral, Mass in remembrance of
the Dead, etc. The order for the respective occasion is strictly as revealed
by the Holy Spirit and is set out in the booklet titled "Order of Service"
obtained from the Supreme Headquarters in Porto Novo, the Nigeria
Diocesan Headquarters, Makoko, Lagos and indeed from many parishes all
over the country.
96. The Order of Service, as revealed, contains certain Holy Names which
usually precede reading from the books of Psalms. The meaning of some of
these Holy Names are given as follows:-
(a) The sermon shall be taken from the Bible texts appointed to be read for
the day. Strict adherence to the text shall always be an overriding principle.
(a) BAPTISM
respective parishes on Sunday (i.e. the Palm Sunday) and would perform the
washing of feet to members of their respective parishes on the following
Thursday-John 13:5-9
It is ordained by the Holy Spirit that all members of the Celestial Church of
Christ, wherever they may be, shall convocate for Christmas at the sea side
in Porto-Novo, Republic of Benin. This is in remembrance of the birth of
Christ during the census decreed by Caesar Augustus - Luke 2: 1.
Then on Easter Sunday morning, there will be a full devotional service of joy
and victory in the Church.
It is also laid down that each Parish of the Celestial Church of Christ shall
annually observe the Harvest by holding Harvest Thanksgiving. Service
followed by Harvest Sales. This will be celebrated in two parts - Juvenile
and Adult. The Juvenile Harvest will be celebrated by all parishes on the
first Sunday in June each year, while for the Adult Harvest, parishes shall
inform and agree their respective dates with the Diocesan Headquarters in
Lagos, always provided that no parish shall hold its Harvest Thanksgiving
The significance of Holy Mary to the Celestial faith can be traced to the
earliest days of the Celestial Church of Christ; for the very first spiritual
hymn that was given to the Church through one of the early prophetesses of
the Church (WOLISATA) was the hymn which reads thus
Ere di re te fi wa s:d:d:t:l:s:s
Le e wa sin wa lo M:s:f:m:r:f:m:-:-
Significantly, thirty years later, on 15th day of July 1977, the Pastor, in a
trance, saw himself climbing a number of steps until he got to a plane full of
fallen leaves and sighted a fair white lady clad from top to toe in blue
apparel and standing in a posture as if shielding something away from him.
Then the Pastor found himself descending steps until he sighted a Church
from which a Reverend Father emerged and bowed in homage to him
repeatedly. Then the Pastor found himself ascending again back to the spot
where he earlier saw tile fair lady. This time, the fair lady opened up to
show that what she was shielding away earlier was a baby having a crown on
His head and she said, pointing to the baby:
"Jesu yi,
meaning in English
He is Holy in Spirit,
He is Holy in Mind,
He is Life everlasting.
At this juncture, the Pastor realised that the fair lady was Holy Mary. She
repeated the injunction in song thus:
Continuing, she told the Pastor that he should remain undaunted by the
colour of his skin because race is of no significance in things of the Spirit.
She added:
Almost exactly a year after the incident described above, the Pastor fell ill
during which it was spiritually revealed (also in trance) that due recognition
shall be accorded to Holy Mary in the Celestial Church of Christ by
commemorating the above incident annually. In consequence, the Pastor
declared first Friday of July every year as Holy Mary's Day to be observed by
full congregational Service throughout the Celestial Church of Christ all over
the world. The first observance of Holy Mary's Day took place on Friday 7th
July, 1978.
CHURCH LITERATURE
I 00. The Pastor-in-Council shall have sole responsibility for the publication
of all Church Literature of the Celestial Church of Christ. Included in this
Literature are Gospel Diary, Almanacs, Hymn Books, Calendars, Church
Periodicals and such other Literature as shall be purported to be authorised
by or to emanate from Celestial Church of Christ.
MEMBERSHIP
101. All persons who earnestly and sincerely desire to be saved and
therefore accept Jesus Christ as the son of God and only Lord and Saviour of
mankind and who wish to worship and serve Him in the Church;
demonstrating their sense of conversion by taking up such duties and
privileges as are entailed in the fellowship, are welcome into the fold.
(iii) desist from the worship of Satan and all his works, from following any
fetish priests and from engaging in magic or any powers of darkness,
(v) declare that living or dead, he is a full member of the Celestial Church of
Christ and that on his death, he should be buried in accordance with the
tenets and rites of the Celestial Church of Christ,
All the above are based on the teachings of the Holy Bible: Exodus 20:3
"Thou shalt have no other gods before me"
And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that
104. Members shall use within and outside the Church only those
appellations and/or prefixes relating to their rank within the Church. In
addition, members may use outside the Church those appellations and/or
prefixes that relate to their professional titles (e.g. Engr., Arch., Dr., Brig.,
CHURCH STRUCTURE
(b) DIOCESE: refers to the entire Church within Nigeria with its National or
Diocesan Headquarters at 12/15 Church Street, Makoko, Yaba, Lagos State.
It also includes for the time being those Parishes outside Nigeria (e.g. in
United States of America, United Kingdom, Western Europe) which are
administered from Nigeria.
(c) DISTRICTS: denote groups of Parishes within the Diocese ministered unto
by Pastor's Representatives of the rank of Assistant Evangelist and above.
Such Assistant Evangelists (and above) shall normally be based in a Parish
from where they would administer to the parishes within the group to which
they are assigned such Holy Rites as can only be administered by those with
the rank of Assistant Evangelist and above.
THE PASTOR
108. The Pastor as the ultimate Spiritual Head of the Celestial Church of
Christ world wide shall be vested with the sole ultimate and
unchallengeable authority on all matters affecting Church life, be it
109. The Celestial Church of Christ world-wide shall have one Head who
shall be known and called "The Pastor". (John 10.14-16).
1 10. In the History of the Celestial Church of Christ, there can be only one
Founder. The use of the title "Pastor and Founder" or "Pastor/Founder" is
exclusive to the very first Head of the Church, the one and only one Founder
of the Church, Rev. Pastor Samuel Bilehou Joseph Oshoffa. Any future head
of the Church shall be called simply "The Pastor".
111. Whereas the Pastor and Founder of Celestial Church of Christ has
proclaimed publicly that, by divine inspiration, it has been revealed unto
him concerning the mode for the appointment or selection of a Successor to
the post of Pastor and Spiritual Head of the Church, it is here firmly
established that:-
(i) The successor to the office of Pastor can be from any rank in the
hierarchy of the Church and shall, at a time chosen by God to reveal this
unto the erstwhile incumbent of the post of Pastor, be named and
proclaimed the successor;
(ii) On succeeding after the transition of his predecessor in off-ice, the new
Pastor shall occupy the Pastor's Chair in the inner altar.
CHURCH ADMINISTRATION
CHURCH FUNCTIONARIES
Pastor's Representatives
Oath of Allegiance:
(b) to the total commitment to impart the teachings of Christ based on the
Holy Bible;
(c) to the strict observance of the Rules and Tenets of the Church;
a.to perform his duties free of any charge whatsoever (Matthew 10:8).
PAROCHIAL COMMITTEES
122. The Parochial Committee of each Parish shall have the power to apply
disciplinary measures in minor cases affecting its Parish Church. Parochial
Committees shall have no power to suspend or expel and must not, under
any circumstances whatever suspend or expel any of its members from the
Church. Parochial Committees may, in circumstances requiring such stem
disciplinary action, make recommendation to the General Committee whose
function it is to investigate, arbitrate, conciliate and take appropriate
action.
123. Notwithstanding the provisions in Clause 122 above, the Pastor may, on
his own or, in consultation with the Board of Trustees, take such action as
he considers appropriate.
125. Every Parish Church must have a Parochial Committee drawn from
within its members and which will be responsible for the day-to-day affairs
of the Parish. The composition of the Parochial Committee shall be thirty-
three made up as follows:
However, the Pastor, at his sole discretion, may approve a smaller number
and composition of the Committee.
126. Where the Pastor is of the opinion that a Parochial Committee is not
functioning for the best interests of the Church, he shall dissolve such
Committee and order a re-election.
GENERAL COMMITTEE
127. The General Committee shall be the first governing body to which all
Parochial Committees shall report. It shall perform its functions under the
superior authority of the Supreme Committee to which it reports and the
ultimate authority of the Pastor.
of:
All Evangelists of all grades within the Diocese Members of the Parochial
Committee of the National or Diocesan Headquarters Church.
(vi) Such other members as the Pastor may nominate from time to time.
and such other officers as the Committee may from time to time designate.
133. He shall hold office for a period of two years and shall be eligible for
re-election thereafter for further period of two years.
134. He shall be responsible for the proper recording of the notes of the
meetings and also monitoring the implementation of all decisions of the
General Committee.
135. Subject to the provision of clause 131 the General Committee may
appoint a member to act as Secretary for any of its meetings where the
Secretary and his assistants are absent.
(i) The Honorary Treasurer of the General Committee shall be elected by the
General Committee by popular vote.
(ii) The Honorary Treasurer shall hold office for a period of two years and
shall be eligible for re-election and shall:
(a) collect and administer such funds of the General Committee as directed
by the General Committee;
(b) carry out such other functions concerning finance as may be directed by
the General Committee from time to time.
(i) The General Committee may designate and co-opt such other officers as
may be required for proper and due execution of its business from time to
time.
138. The General Committee shall meet at such time and place as fixed at
the preceding meeting or as may be provided for by the Regulative
Procedures, provided that:-
(i) If the last General Committee meeting has omitted to fix such time and
place or for any other reason it becomes impracticable to meet at the time
or place so fixed, the Pastor shall fix a time and place for the meeting of
the General Committee. But, in the absence of the Pastor, the Head of the
Diocese shall fix a time and place for the meeting of tile General
Committee.
(a) If the Pastor is absent from a meeting of the Representative Session, the
Head of the Diocese shall preside or, in his absence, any member nominated
by the Pastor or Pastor-in-Council.
b.In all such meetings of the General Committee, where the Pastor is not
present, the decisions taken shall always be subject to ratification by the
Pastor.
(ii) The Agenda for the meetings of' the General Committee shall be
prepared in such form as Regulative Procedures may provide.
(iii) Minutes Book shall be kept, into which shall be recorded all minutes of
all business transacted at General Committee meetings and copies of such
documents as the Committee may by resolution or by Regulative Procedures
require to be recorded therein.
(iv) Entries in the Minutes Book shall be read or laid before the General
Committee during its session and shall be verified in such manner as
Regulative Procedures shall provide and such verified entry shall be
conclusive proof for the proceedings of the meeting of the General
Committee to which it relates.
(vi) Any defect in the procedures stated in 141 (i) to 141 (iv) above shall not
by itself invalidate the proceedings and decisions reached at such meetings
provided that such decisions receive the ratification of the Pastor.
REGULATIVE PROCEDURES
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
143. There shall be a Body of Trustees for the Celestial Church of Christ
Nigeria Diocese to be known as "Celestial Church of Christ Nigeria Diocese
Board of Trustees", hereinafter referred to as "The Board".
145. The first Trustees of the Church under the Constitution are:
AJANLEKOKO
The Pastor Founder, Rev. S. B. J. Oshoffa, hereby emphasises that the last
four members have attained the rank of full Evangelist but have not been so
anointed because of the nature of their day to day work.
146. The Board shall so far as the law allows be vested with the
following: -
147. The Board shall from time to time have the power to demand from the
General Committee, or from any other ad-hoc Committee, from any officer
or officers concerned with the Management or administration of property of
Celestial Church of Christ, ad and every information or report that they may
require relating to or concerning such Property deemed to have been vested
in the Board by virtue of this Constitution or under any Act, Law or other
enabling Authority.
149. The Board may from time to time issue directives for the investment in
any manner as the Board may consider necessary and adequate of the funds
of any committee, Sub-Committee or other Organisation of Celestial Church
of Christ. Such Financial directives from the Board shall always be binding.
150. The Board shall have authority to make such arrangements and give
such directions as it thinks fit for the management and disposition of Church
Property referred to it in Clause 146.
152l. In the absence of the Pastor. or where the Pastor is not available, and
where it becomes necessary to convene a meeting of the Board, the Head of
the Diocese (wherever possible with the consent of the
153. Under the circumstances as set out in Clause 152 such a meeting is
deemed to be "Emergency". Decisions taken at all such Emergency meetings
of the Board shall only be valid after ratification by the Pastor in writing.
154. The Board shall appoint a Secretary from among its members. The
Secretary to the Board shall by virtue of this Constitution be vested with the
following:
(ii) lie shall act as Secretary at all times when the Board is holding a
meeting in any capacity of its various functions as conferred upon it by this
Constitution.
(iii) he shall send out circulars to convene a meeting of the Board and shall
ensure the validity of such circulars by taking due care that they are signed
by the Pastor;
(v) in the absence of the Secretary, the Board may appoint a member from
amongst its membership to act as Secretary for any particular meeting and
for any specific period;
(vi) under such circumstances where the Secretary to the Board is absent or
is unavailable, the Pastor may instruct another member to act in the
capacity of Secretary and so send out circulars to convene a meeting subject
to the provision of Clause (154(iii) and (iv) as enumerated above;
155. The Board shall appoint a Treasurer from among its members. The
Treasurer shall, by virtue of this Constitution, be vested with the following:
(ii) he shall collect and administer such funds of the Board as directed by
the Board;
(iii) under the authority of the Board he shall carry out on behalf of the
Board such duties relating to all aspects of the property and finances of the
Celestial Church of Christ Nigeria Diocese of an advisory, consultative,
investigative, legislative and executive nature as the Board shall direct;
(iv) he shall keep up-to-date and proper books of account of the finances of
the Board and of such finances and property of Celestial Church of Christ
Nigeria Diocese as the Board may direct;
(v) he shall perform such other duties as the Board shall direct from time to
time;
(vi) whenever the Board so directs, he shall have an Assistant who shall act
for him in his absence.
THE PASTOR-IN-COUNCIL
Such non-permanent members as the Pastor may from time to time ask to
be co-opted.
159. The Council shall meet at such time and at such place as shall be
determined by the Pastor, who has the sole authority to summon a meeting
of the Council.
160. In the absence of the Pastor, or where the Pastor is not available, and,
where it becomes necessary to convene a meeting of the Council, the Head
of the Diocese (wherever possible with the consent of the Pastor) may cause
a meeting to be convened through the Secretary to the Council and in
accordance with Clause 162(iii) and (iv) hereunder.
162. The Council shall appoint a Secretary from among its members. The
Secretary to the Council shall by virtue of this Constitution be vested with
the following:-
(iii) he shall send out Circulars to convene a meeting of the Council, and
shall ensure the validity of such Circulars by taking due care that they are
signed by the Pastor;
(v) in the absence of the Secretary, the Council may appoint a member from
amongst its membership to act as Secretary for any particular meeting and
f6r any specific period;
(vi) under such circumstances where the Secretary to the Council is absent
or is unavailable, the Pastor may instruct another member to act in the
capacity of Secretary and so send out circulars to convene a meeting subject
to the provision of Clause 162(iii) and (iv) as enumerated above;
163. The Council shall appoint a Treasurer from among its members. The
Treasurer to the Council shall, by virtue of this Constitution, be vested with
the following:-
(ii) he shall collect and administer such funds of the Council as the Council
shall direct:
(iii) under the authority of the Council, he shall carry out on behalf of the
Council such duties relating to the finances of Celestial Church of Christ
Nigeria Diocese as the Council shall direct from time to time;
(v) he shall perform such other duties as the Council shall direct from time
to time;
(vi) whenever the Council so directs, he shall have an Assistant who shall act
for him in his absence.
164. Members intending for whatever reason to set up new parishes shall, AS
THE VERY FIRST STEP, obtain IN WRITING, the approval of the Pastor who is
vested with the sole and ultimate authority for the approval of the
establishment of new parishes.
165. In the absence of the Pastor, however, the Head of the Diocese may
give approval for the establishment of new parishes subject to ratification
by the Pastor.
167. Original purchase receipt in the case of land purchased for the Church
or a deed of transfer to the Church in the case of land surrendered as a gift
to the Church shall be submitted to the Board of Trustees who will make
appropriate arrangement for its custody and safe keeping.
DISCIPLINE
169. The Parochial Committee of each parish shall have the power to apply
disciplinary measures in minor cases affecting their parishes.
or (b) The
174. A Church which was already fully registered shall before merging into
Celestial Church of Christ surrender its Certificate of Registration to the
Board of Trustees. Such a Church shall also intimate its decision to merge
into Celestial Church of Christ to the proper Government Agency responsible
for this purpose.
176. The Pastor may, after due consideration of all facts before him, decree
on his sole responsibility and authority as follows:
(b) Approve the merger with or without modifications to any or all the
provisions above stated;
(i) order the closure of such an existing Church seeking merger into Celestial
Church of Christ while directing all its members to nearby established
parishes of Celestial Church of Christ
CHURCH BUILDINGS
177. To conform with the Revelation made by the Holy Spirit, the Altar area
within all Church building of' Celestial Church of Christ shall be rectangular
in shape and shall face EAST. The alter shall be cut off from the rest of the
Church by a handrailing extending along the full width of the Church.
178. The inner altar shall be demarcated by low handrailing with a single
central entrance; the seating arrangement within the inner altar apart from
the Table and High Altar shall comprise the chairs of the Pastor Founder on
the right (facing the altar) close to the wall and that of the Supreme
Evangelist A. A. BADA on the left further away from the wall, both chairs
being unequal in size. The arrangement is modelled on what obtains at the
Supreme Headquarters Church in Porto Novo.
CHURCH PROPERTY
180. All Church property at a parish such as land, money, and musical
instruments and other materials and things used for glorifying God, belong
not to any individual or group of persons, nor are they things which a group
of people can share among themselves or their family. In this connection, it
is hereby emphasised that all properties of the Church should be registered
and retained in the name of the Celestial Church of Christ.
181. Property acquired for specific Church use must be reserved only for
that purpose. Any parish which for one reason or the other is closed down
must send all its property to Headquarters to further the work of God.
Anybody or parish which flouts this regulations and proceeds to share Church
property as forbidden is liable to prosecution by the Law.
PASTORS SHARE
182. Pastor's share is that from which the Pastor, Supreme Evangelist,
Superior Senior Evangelist, Senior Evangelist, Evangelist, Assistant
Evangelists and all other full time Church workers receive their stipends.
These stipends, not being fixed amounts, are not salaries but shares of the
monthly takings (Malachi 3:8-12; Numbers 18:8-26; 1 Corinthians 9:13 & 14,
16:1-3).
185. Celestial Church of Christ has a hierarchy in which the different ranks
are distinguished by the robes worn. Members shall adhere strictly to the
provision relating to seniority, robes and ranks as contained in the Church
publication "ORDER OF SENIORITY AND PROMOTION AND DRESSING RANK BY
RANK" together with the accompanying chart and drawings of robe.
186. Normally, the highest rank in the hierarchy of the Church to which
members may be elevated by promotion is that of the corresponding ranks
of Superior Senior Leader, Superior Senior Wolida and Superior Senior Elder.
Consequently, those who have attained these ranks should not expect
automatic promotion to the higher ranks of Assistant Evangelist and above
whether or not they are full time Church Workers.
187. Where vacancies occur in the higher ranks of Assistant Evangelist and
above, selection from the corresponding ranks of Superior Senior Leader,
Superior Senior Wolida and Superior Senior Elder shall be made after serious
188. The Pastor, in whom resides all authority in the Church, may at his sole
discretion 'make direct appointments to any rank including that of Assistant
Evangelist, Evangelist and above.
clear days should be allowed for after stoppage before sanctification. (Lev.
15:19; Matt 5:17-19).19).
190. In Celestial Church of Christ, women are not permitted to preach the
sermon or read the lesson or make announcements during Church devotional
services. Indeed, they are not allowed to perform any spiritual functions
connected with conducting of services in the Church other than saying the
prayers when asked and reading portions of the Bible quoted by' the
preacher.
193. Female members are not permitted within the precincts of the Church
until forty-one days after child birth when they are obliged to go to Church
for thanksgiving.
194.Female members in their period after eight days shall go to the Church
for sanctification in the prescribed manner before entering the Church. The
process of sanctification in this regard shall be as follows:
the female member concerned shall come to the Church premises with a
pail of water, candle, sponge and soap. She shall kneel at the Western
entrance outside the Church building facing the altar before the Pastor's
Representative or his appointees and shall hold her candle with the pail of
water, sponge and soap in front of her. The Pastor's Representative or his
appointee shall light the candle and, after singing appropriate spiritual
songs, he shall say a prayer of forgiveness and sanctification. After this, he
shall put the candle in the pail of water and the female member shall go
and have a bath with the water, sponge and soap. She is now free to enter
the Church.
This process of sanctification shall not be confused with the normal one
obligatory to all members, male and female, on entering the Church by any
of the entrances when they should dip their hands in the Holy water by the
side of the door and make the sign of the cross before entering the Church.
MARRIAGES
ANOINTMENT
198. Anointment is a spiritual act whose raison d’être dates back to the fall
of ADAM. Following that fall and the subsequent destruction of the world by
water during the time of NOAH , God sought to give through MOSES the ten
Commandments regulating human conduct to the people of Israel and the
world. While MOSES was away communing with God to receive the
commandments, AARON sinned by erecting graven images for the people to
worship. When MOSES saw this on his return, he was so annoyed that he
broke the tablet; but he subsequently entreated God on Aaron’s behalf. God
then said that if Aaron’s' sin 'was to be wiped out, he, MOSES, would have to
anoint him with oil. This MOSES did and so AARON became the first man to
be anointed. After his anointment, he was renamed LEVI. He thus started
the anointment which all "sons of LEVI" followed.
Again, when the people of Israel asked for a King like other tribes, GOD was
pleased with their
request. He chose SAUL for them and SAUL's anointment marked his
coronation. But when SAUL
disobeyed God's word just as ADAM had done, he lost the support of God
and, therefore, the crown
With regard to our Lord JESUS CHRIST, His uniqueness had been foretold in
the Old Testament (Isaiah 7: 14 - 15) where He was referred to as
"EMMANUEL", meaning "God is with us". His two names, JESUS CHRIST, define
two different aspects of HIM. JESUS means "SAVIOUR" while CHRIST means
"the ONE who is anointed KING from his mother's womb". (Luke 1: 30 - 33;
2:11). It was the name CHRIST that most worried Herod. He, Herod, had
been anointed King like those before him, but it seemed to him that, by the
very definition of the word CHRIST, this new born baby had been anointed
King even before He was born. (Matt. 2: 1 - 5 and : 6).
Early in the life of Celestial Church of Christ on earth, the Pastor made a
supplication (which was granted) that God should allow that those anointed
by him should be endowed with a portion of the power (Holy Spirit) given to
him so as to foster in his absence the power and glory of God (Numbers 11:
16 & 17). This is manifested by the fact that whenever an anointed person
prays unto God for any specific purpose, the Holy Spirit, in recognition of
the mark of anointment on the supplicant, will descend to fulfil that request
and then leave (Numbers I 1: 24 & 25). This is different in character from
that which permanently resides in God-sent messengers like Moses, Elijah,
Elisha, the Pastor Founder S. B. J. Oshoffa etc.
200. Members of the Board of Trustees are SEVEN in number, four of whom
(listed last in clause 145 above) are not full time Church workers. These
four, however, have already long attained the rank of full EVANGELIST and
will have the insignia of their special position as members of the Board of
Trustees displayed on them. These four will take precedence at all times
over all Church members who were appointed Assistant Evangelist and
Evangelist during the anointing period 1979/1980; that means that, in filing
into or out of the Church or any assembly for services, these four members
of the Board of Trustees shall file behind all Assistant Evangelists and
Evangelists. Only those just appointed Senior Evangelists in 1979/1980 shall
file behind these four members of the Board of Trustees.
APPENDIX
In Republic of Benin
6. MOSES AFOYAN
The above List is by no means exhaustive. Many more persons have been and
continue to be raised from the dead by Christ through Rev. S. B. J. Oshoffa
since the last of the above List occurred. Glory be to God on High.
Halleluyah.