Olatosho Oshoffa, son of Bilewu Oshoffa, the founder of the Celestial Church of Christ, has shared his stance on polygamy in the church.
Speaking to Sunday PUNCH, Oshoffa who is a shepherd of the CCC International Headquarters in Ketu, Lagos, stated that the church does not prohibit polygamy.
He further defended his late father’s large family, citing biblical examples of prophets who had multiple wives.
“Let me share something with you… In that scripture, Paul was merely giving advice. Can you name a prophet in the Bible who had only one wife? Do your research,” Oshoffa said.
His late father left behind 13 wives and 53 children, sparking discussions about his lifestyle as a Christian leader. However, Olatosho dismissed criticisms, emphasizing that despite his father having multiple wives, God still chose him to start the ministry 76 years ago.
“If God judged based on the number of wives, my father would have been disqualified,” Oshoffa said. “He married his wives legally, under one roof, unlike some men of God today with concubines outside.”
Regarding family unity, Oshoffa explained that his father raised them to see themselves as children of Oshoffa, regardless of their mothers. This strong bond remains even after his father’s passing.
“Let me tell you something, my dear brother. Our father, while on earth, used to gather us together and tell us, never say you are a son or daughter to any of my wives. But tell yourself, you are a son of Oshoffa.”
Addressing the leadership crisis within the church, the cleric said such a crisis was expected after the departure of the founder. He was, however, hopeful that the problems would soon be resolved.