The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) has reacted to the report that a church minister identified as Arowosaiye Michael, committed suicide.
Igbere TV gathered that reports making the rounds on social media had it that the deceased was a RCCG minister and member of Shepherd House, Apo and committed suicide due to his inability to pay house rent.
The reports had since stirred reactions online.
Reacting, however, RCCG in a statement issued to Igbere TV on Thursday, said the late Michael was not a minister in the church.
The statement was signed by the Church’s Head, Media and Public Relations, Pastor Olaitan Olubiyi.
While admitting that the late Michael was a singer and keyboardist in one of the Youth Parish in Abuja, Olubiyi said the deceased had left the church for another ministry in 2017.
Full Statement,
“The attention of the leadership of the RCCG has been drawn to reports of the death of one Mr. Michael Arowosaiye said to have committed suicide in Abuja on Tuesday May 14, 2019.
“The report which has been trending on the social media and has also featured in the newspapers, said the man decided to take his own life after going into depression.
“While the RCCG leadership sympathises with the family of the deceased, it has become necessary to clarify the mis-information and absolute falsehood in the report.
“The said Mr. Michael Arowosaiye was not a minister in the RCCG. He was a singer and a keyboardist in one of our Youth Parishes in Abuja until 2017 when he left for another ministry.
“His movement to another ministry notwithstanding, Michael, through his elder brother who is presently one of the coordinators of the RCCG Youth Choir, continued to get invitation to minister in RCCG programmes.
“He had accommodation problem in 2018 and though he was no longer in the RCCG, a family in the Mission gave him the Boy’s Quarters of their house in Sunnyvale Estate in Lokogoma FCT, which was where he lived till the unfortunate suicide incident.
“It is therefore untrue to refer to him as a Minister in the RCCG. It is also misleading and absolutely incorrect to create the impression that RCCG does not care for its Members and Ministers. The RCCG is in the forefront among organizations with robust welfare package in Nigeria.”
