Alleged Heresy: CAN Moves To Avert Pastor’s Expulsion From Akwa Ibom

Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Akwa Ibom State has sued for calm amongst feuding Christian leaders in the state as angry reactions continue to trail allegation of preaching heresy and blasphemy against the God Almighty, levelled against Dr. Abel Damina, founder of the Power City International, Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.

In his recent sermon, the Kaduna-born cleric and senior official of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), had reportedly countered the power challenge between Prophet Elijah and the Prophets of Baal, on who had the power to invoke fire from heaven to consume the sacrificial entrails on a platter, after being drenched with water.

According to the Biblical narrative, each camp was to call on their God to send down fire to consume the sacrificial materials, and the Prophets of Baal called their god, who refused to answer, but Elijah called his, positive response came as fire descended from Heaven and consumed the sacrificial offerings to the utter amazement of witnesses.

But Pastor Damina, popularly called Global Baba, was quick to counter the narrative in his own perspective, maintaining that “It was not God that sent down the fire; it was Satan,” a disposition that jolted the Christian community in Akwa Ibom State, and drew the ire of some clerics, who questioned the authority and sources of such diversionary preachment.

Faulting the distorted narrative of the original Biblical story, Pastor Nyenime Andy, founder of the Holy Ghost Ambassadors Church, along Ekpanya Street, Uyo, condemned the Pastor Damina version of the story, describing it as “heresy and blasphemous preaching against the Almighty God.”

Warning the fiery Kaduna -born cleric against such irregular and interpretative preachings, Andy threatened to expel Pastor Damina, from Akwa Ibom, where he lived and operated his Church for so many years back to his state, in order to stem the tide of imbuing the populace with false gospel preachings, noting that such illogical dispositions have created confusion in the body of Christ.

But the state Chairman of CAN, Bishop Chris Nyong, has sued for peace, saying “no Nigerian has right to expel anybody from any part of Nigeria,” and appealed to aggrieved members of the Christian community in Akwa Ibom State to sheathe their swords as “only God has the right to judge.”

Speaking with LEADERSHIP yesterday on the matter, Bishop Nyong said: “Both the weeds and the plants must grow together until the owner of the farm would come to separate the two.”

“Whatever anyone preaches, it’s left for the followers to determine which one to accept. Abel Damina, has followers and those working for him, what happens to their economic well-being if he (Damina) leaves?” he queried.