BELOW is the Provisions of code of conduct for non-profit organisations, which forced renowned General Overseers of some churches in Nigeria, including Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Bishop David Oyedepo of the Living Faith Church Worldwide, also known as Winners’ Chapel, and Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi of the Deeper Life Bible Church, among others:
Position of the Founder or Leader
9.1. The Founder or Leader of a NFPO occupies a special position in the Organisation and is committed to the success and longevity of the NFPO. Accordingly, a Founder or Leader should not take on too many responsibilities in the organisation or have an indefinite term in the running of the organisation.
9.2. Where for any reason, a Founder or Leader of NFPO also occupies any of the three governance positions of Chairmanship of the Board of Trustees, the Governing Board or Council, and the Headship of the Executive Management (or their governance equivalents), the following provisions shall apply before the end of the organisation’s financial year in which this Code takes effect.
9.2.1. The Founder or Leader shall cease to occupy these three governance positions simultaneously. This is to ensure the separation of powers and avoid possible concentration of powers in one individual.
9.2.2. The Founder or Leader may, however, choose – subject to the agreement of the organisation’s apex authority as expressed in the Annual General Assembly, Annual Meeting, Annual Stakeholder Engagement, Annual Conference, Annual Synod, Annual Fellowship Assembly or their equivalents – only one of these three governance positions subject to his current tenure. This is to ensure a clear division of responsibilities at the head of the organisation between the running of the governing body and the executive responsibility for the management and fulfilment of the organisation’s mission.
9.3. Where the Founder or Leader has occupied all or any of these three governance positions for more than twenty years, or is aged seventy years or above, the choice in Section 9.2.2 above should only relate to the Board of Trustees as in section 9.4(c) below, except the constitution of the organisation otherwise provides. In the case of religious or cultural organisations, nothing in this code is intended to change the spiritual leadership and responsibilities of Founders, General Overseers, Pastors, Imams and Muslim Clerics, Presidents, Bishops, Apostles, Prophets, etc. which are distinguishable from purely corporate governance and management responsibilities and accountabilities of the entities.
9.4. Conflicts with Founders or Leaders should therefore be addressed by: (a) recognising and respecting past achievements and strategy of the Founder or Leader with assurances that change has become inevitable to enable his dream live on; (b) making provisions if not already in existence, or drawing the Founder’s or Leader’s attention to the maximum tenure already stipulated by the Charter and imploring the Founder or Leader to respect it; (c) considering and ensuring Founder’s or Leader’s continued advisory or spiritual role by creating a Board of Trustees (BOT) for which the original Founder or Leader can become the First or Life Chair; and (d) elevating deserving and senior members of the organisation to the Board of Trustees.
Some of the general overseers to be affected by the regulation include: Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye of The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) who has spent 34 years as the General Overseer; Dr. Daniel Kolawole Olukoya of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (22 years); Bishop Mike Okonkwo of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (35 years); Pastor Kumuyi (43 years); Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor of Word of Life Bible Church (29 years); Rev. Chris Okotie of the Household of God (29 years); Kingsway International Christian Centre’s Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo (24 years); Winners Chapel’s Bishop David Oyedepo (35 years).
Others are Pastor Chris Oyakhilome of Believers’ LoveWord International (26 years); Pastor Samuel Abiara of Christ Apostolic Church (39 years); Pastor Sam Adeyemi of Daystar Christian Centre (21 years); Pastor Tunde Bakare of Latter Rain Assembly (27 years); House on the Rock’s Pastor Paul Adefarasin (22 years), among others.
