There was pandemonium on Sunday at First Baptist Church, Okelerin, Ogbomoso, capital of Osun State, when some members of the church engaged in a free-for-all following a call by some factions for the removal of the church pastor, Reverend (Dr) John Ademola Aworinde.

“Trouble started after the President of Ogbomoso Baptist Conference, Reverend (Dr) Israel Olubi Olaniyan, had concluded reading the report of the conference to the congregation on various happenings in the church, which had caused division among members,” says a report in Nigerian Tribune.

“The content of the report, 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,” the report adds.

Continuing, Tribune says: “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 clothe was torn and another’s car windscreen smashed.

“Reverend 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.”

•Photo shows Reverend (Dr) J.A. Aworinde, whose fate is tearing First Baptist Church, Okelerin, Ogbomoso apart.

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