Abeokuta, Nigeria - Bishop of Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) in charge of Egba Diocese, Rev. Emmanuel Adekunle, has stepped into the disruption of last Sunday's thanksgiving service by thugs allegedly brought to protest harsh sermonising by venerable-in-charge of the St' Paul's Anglican Church, Olumuyiwa Ilekoya.
The Secretary-General of Afenifere and senator representing Ogun Central senatorial district between 1999 and 2003 (names withheld) allegedly disrupted the service at the church where he is the substantive Baba Ijo in Sodubi, a suburb of Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.
Assistant Diocesan Communicator, Mr. Remi Sotonwa, who spoke on behalf of the Egba Diocese on phone said, "The Lord Bishop is away to the Bishops Conference in Delta State; he is quite aware of the happenings and is already looking into it."
The cleric's blunt preaching, which is seen as "too touching," is believed not to go down well with a section of the leaders of the church.
The accused, who is a septuagenarian (names withheld), was said to be arrowhead of the faction which sponsored thugs to disrupt the 2010 thanksgiving service, which saw many worshippers running helter-skelter on Sunday.
Daily Independent gathered that trouble started when the cleric was prevented from entering the church by some young men.
"In a twinkle of an eye, what started like a child's play saw the emergence of thugs numbering about six, manning the church entrance to prevent the cleric and other supposed opposition of the politician's faction from entering the church.