A church in Oyo was turned into a wrestling ground yesterday after its members split into factions and engaged in a free-for-all.
The confusion resulted due to calls from members of one faction for the removal of Reverend (Dr) J.A. Aworinde, the pastor of the First Baptist Church in the Okelerin, Ogbomoso area of the state.
This was said to have been brought on by a report read by the President of the Ogbomoso Baptist Conference, Reverend (Dr) Israel Olubi Olaniyan which caused a disagreement between the church members.
The content of the reports, which did not go down well with some members of the church, snowballed into a fracas, just as loyalists to the cleric and those demanding his removal were seen engaging in one-on-one fight right inside the church auditorium.
Efforts by the former General Secretary of the Nigerian Baptist Convention, Reverend (Dr) Ademola Ishola, to put the situation under control proved abortive, as none of the church members involved in the fracas was ready to listen.
After several pleas from Reverend Ishola, the church atmosphere became calm, but after the closing prayer was said, trouble started again as the fight among members continued, this time around, outside the auditorium, leading to a situation where a church member’s clothes were torn and another’s car windscreen smashed.
Revrend Aworinde was ushered out of the church by his loyalists into a building directly opposite the church as the aggrieved party made several attempts to attack him physically and attempted to gain access into the building, but were prevented.