The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), established in 1985 following the transformative ‘Greater Lagos Crusade’ by Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai, is facing significant challenges under the current leadership of Bishop Francis Wale Oke from the Sword of the Spirit Ministries.
PFN’s governance structure includes a board of trustees, a National Advisory Council (NAC), and a National Executive Council. However, concerns have arisen over a growing trend where state chairmen sidestep their National Vice Presidents to directly approach the president, undermining established by-laws and potentially leading to organizational disarray.
Critics accuse Bishop Wale Oke of autocratic leadership, alleging that he makes unilateral decisions without consulting key figures like the National Deputy President, Archbishop JohnPraise Daniel. Sources within PFN claim, “The Deputy President is consistently sidelined in major decisions.”
A recent incident involving a letter dated July 1st, where Bishop Oke directed the National Administrative Secretary, Pastor Damilare Akinwale Akinola, to proceed on terminal leave upon turning sixty, has stirred controversy. One insider noted, “The PFN has no law stating age sixty as its standardized process of exit for its staff.” Despite counsel from the National Deputy President to retract the letter, Bishop Oke reportedly ignored the advice. This move was particularly controversial given that Bishop Oke himself is nearly seventy years old.
Further complicating matters, Bishop Oke has been involved in controversial election practices. In Port Harcourt, the PFN State Chairman, an ally of Bishop Oke, conducted an election without following due process, yet Bishop Oke allowed the results and asked for the chairman’s inauguration for a second term. Conversely, Archbishop John Osa Oni resigned after conducting the Lagos election as the National Vice President for the Southwest. His election was canceled despite having more participants, and a new election was held, overseen by the National Publicity Secretary Bishop Emma Isong. Critics allege this election was heavily influenced by Bishop Oke’s associates, Bakare and Akinsanya, resulting in the appointment of a new Lagos chairman who is not even registered with the PFN.
Additionally, financial transparency has been called into question, with allegations of misappropriation surrounding expenses like an eight million naira trip for the chief of staff and discrepancies in property acquisitions.
Notable voices within PFN, including Pastor E.A. Adeboye, have expressed apprehensions over these developments, urging corrective action to preserve the organization’s integrity. Concerns mount that failure to address these issues could irreparably alter PFN’s longstanding reputation and unity ahead of the critical February 2025 elections.
As PFN navigates these challenges, the need for adherence to its founding principles becomes paramount. The outcome of current deliberations will likely define PFN’s role in Nigeria’s religious landscape, echoing the biblical adage that “Judgment must begin from the house of God.”