Winners Chapel: Oyedepo Retires Deputy, Abioye, Others; Will They Set Up Their Own Ministries?

Two top Bishops in the Living Faith Church also known as Winners Chapel owned by popular Nigerian Pastor Bishop David Oyedepo has been asked to retire in line with the church’s rule.

The two bishops, David Abioye and Thomas Aremu, sources informed The Punch have been directed to retire next year having  served the church for over 40 years, and in line with The Mandate, the Church’s rule book which requires that serving Men of God, MOG retires after they clocked 55 years.

Bishop Oyedepo is the only one exempted from this rule, as he can be in his position for life.

Multiple sources in the church, including a pastor in the church, who requested anonymity due to a lack of authorisation to speak to the press, confirmed the planned retirement of Bishops David Abioye and Thomas Aremu to The PUNCH on Thursday.

According to the sources, the retirement aligned with Winners Chapel’s operational manual, The Mandate, which recently revised the retirement age from 60 to 55.

A member who attends the headquarters church in Ota, Ogun State, said, “We have heard that Bishop Abioye and the other Bishop Aremu in Ibadan will leave during the Bishop Oyedepo birthday celebration. That is the new law in the church; only Bishop Oyedepo can remain in his position for life. One of the two bishops has even been considering leaving for a while, so this is not news to some of us in the church.”

Efforts by our correspondent to verify the development with the church’s media officials were unsuccessful, as they did not answer calls or respond to messages sent via WhatsApp.

Bishop Abioye is currently 63, while Bishop Aremu is 67.

Only the church’s founder will be allowed to serve beyond this new age limit, with future leaders permitted to serve one or two terms of seven years each, subject to the Board of Trustees’ approval.

According to Church Times, valedictory services will be held for the two Bishops at their respective churches.

Bishop Abioye’s farewell service is set for Friday, October 18, 2024, in Durumi, Abuja, while Bishop Aremu’s service will take place at LFC Basorun in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Tuesday, October 15, 2024.

Bishop Abioye, currently the Senior Pastor of Living Faith Church, Goshen City, Abuja, first met Bishop David Oyedepo in 1979.

He led one of the church’s five pioneer branches in 1987 and was consecrated in 1993 at the age of 32.

Bishop Aremu, who transitioned to full-time ministry after a successful accounting career, was one of the seven bishops consecrated in November 1999 at Garden of Faith, Kaduna.

Meanwhile, not a few worshipers and well meaning Nigerians who love the church are wondering what is next for Abioye and others after they depart from the church. Will they set up their own ministries?

Recall that Oyedepo’s son,  Isaac Oyedepo had in November 2023 left the church to establish his own ministry following perceived disagreement with his father.