In a significant development for one of Nigeria’s most influential religious institutions, the Living Faith Church Worldwide, commonly known as Winners Chapel, is preparing to bid farewell to two of its long-serving leaders. Bishop David Olatunji Abioye and Bishop Thomas Aremu, both Vice Presidents of the church, are slated to retire in October 2024, marking a pivotal moment in the organization’s history.
The church, founded and led by the renowned Bishop David Oyedepo, will see these departures unfold within a brief span of three days. Bishop Aremu, who currently oversees the LFC branch in Basorun, Ibadan, will conclude his tenure on October 15, 2024. Following closely, Bishop Abioye, a figure who has been intricately linked with Bishop Oyedepo’s ministry since its inception in 1979, will step down on October 18, 2024.
To honor their decades of service, the church plans to hold valedictory services for both bishops. The ceremony for Bishop Aremu will take place at the church’s Ibadan location, while Bishop Abioye’s farewell will be celebrated at the LFC branch in Durumi, Abuja. This public recognition of retiring pastors is unprecedented in the church’s history, signaling a new era of transparency and appreciation for long-standing leadership.
The retirements come in the wake of recent changes to the church’s operational guidelines, known as the Mandate. This revised constitution has lowered the retirement age from 60 to 58, a modification that directly impacts the tenure of these esteemed church leaders. Interestingly, while this rule applies broadly, an exception exists for the church’s founder, Bishop Oyedepo, who retains the privilege of lifelong service.
Looking to the future, the Mandate outlines a new structure for church leadership. Subsequent to Bishop Oyedepo’s tenure, future leaders of the Commission will be limited to either one term or a maximum of two seven-year terms, subject to approval from the Board of Trustees. This change represents a significant shift for the relatively young church, which has yet to reach its fifth decade of existence.
The departing bishops leave behind legacies of dedicated service and spiritual leadership. Bishop Abioye’s journey with the ministry began in 1979 when he first encountered Bishop Oyedepo. His unwavering commitment saw him appointed to lead one of the church’s five pioneer branches in 1987. In a historic moment, he was consecrated as a bishop in 1993 at the Garden of Faith, Barnawa, Kaduna, making him, at 32, the youngest bishop of a full-fledged church in recorded history.
Bishop Aremu’s path to leadership took a different route. After a career as an accountant in secular organizations, he transitioned to full-time ministry. His consecration as a bishop came in November 1999, alongside six others, at a ceremony held at the Garden of Faith, Kaduna. Notably, Bishop Aremu stands as the sole remaining active bishop from that cohort of seven.
As the Living Faith Church Worldwide prepares for this transition, the departures of Bishops Abioye and Aremu not only mark the end of an era but also herald the beginning of a new chapter in the church’s ongoing story. This change underscores the evolving nature of religious institutions and their adaptation to contemporary governance structures, even as they maintain their spiritual foundations.
