Oshoffa Ends Canada Seniority Row

A long-running seniority dispute between two senior clergy in the Celestial Church of Christ (CCC) Canada Diocese has been resolved through divine guidance sought by the church’s worldwide Pastor and Spiritual Head, Rev. Pastor Emmanuel Mobiyina Friday (E.M.F.) Oshoffa.

The disagreement between Assistant Most Superior Evangelist (AMSE) Rufus Adeoba and AMSE Kunle Lawal had lingered for years. Within the church’s hierarchical tradition, seniority among Shepherds is typically established by factors such as length of service and the date of reception and sanctification into the fold. The unresolved question of precedence between the two leaders had created ongoing tension in the diocese.

Pastor Oshoffa addressed the matter during his recent pastoral visit to Canada, which ran from mid-to-late September 2026. On September 24, he convened a meeting with senior clergy at his hotel and announced his intention to bring the issue to a definitive close.

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In a distinctive process rooted in biblical precedent, the Pastor requested a sheet of paper, divided it into two equal parts, and had the numbers one and two written on them separately. The papers were folded and placed in a bowl. He then prayed over them for more than 15 minutes, citing Acts Chapter 1 and explaining that he was seeking God’s direction to settle the protracted disagreement.

AMSE Adeoba and AMSE Lawal were each invited to select one of the folded papers. Adeoba drew number two, while Lawal drew number one. Pastor Oshoffa declared that the result would determine the order of seniority between them.

The outcome was publicly announced on Sunday, September 27, during the 42nd Annual Adult Harvest Thanksgiving of Celestial Church of Christ Goshen Cathedral in Peterborough, Ontario. Addressing the congregation and the wider Canada Diocese, Pastor Oshoffa stated that the exercise constituted his final decision on the matter and directed that the issue should not be reopened for further debate.

As a result, AMSE Kunle Lawal was pronounced senior to AMSE Rufus Adeoba. The pronouncement is expected to establish a clear line of seniority and put an end to years of disagreement within the diocese. Clergy members are expected to respect the new order going forward.

The intervention builds on earlier efforts by Pastor Oshoffa to restore stability in the Canada Diocese. In late 2025, he had issued directives halting contentious actions, including a proposed parish sale and certain appointments, while summoning stakeholders for discussions amid deepening disagreements among senior clerics. Adeoba has served as Head of the Diocese, while Lawal has been associated with leadership roles linked to Ayo Mother Parish (now Goshen Cathedral).

Church sources familiar with the developments described the resolution as a significant step toward unity and administrative clarity in the Canadian fold. The Pastor’s decision places the long-standing dispute under a final directive from the church’s apex spiritual authority.