Members protest demolition of Lagos church building
Some members of Omega Power Ministries have expressed displeasure over the demolition of the church building located along the Cele Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, Lagos, by the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority officials.
The demolition which was carried out some days ago was said to be meant for development purposes.
In a viral video, pupils of the church’s free orphanage school were seen displaced outside the premises of the demolished building, while some of them were being consoled by their teachers.
A mild drama had ensued between some of the church members and officials of LAMATA who were unperturbed by the resistance put up by the church as they continued with the demolition.
But the Head of Corporate Communication for LAMATA, Kola Ojelabi, said they had offered N123m for the property.
The church had opposed the payment saying, “the demolished parts of the church were worth about N900m, stating what the government was offering was meagre compared to the value.”
Our correspondent who visited the church met some members who couldn’t hide their sadness over the demolition, lamenting that some children would no longer go to school due to the situation.
Meanwhile, scavengers, traders, and others were observed at the site engaging in negotiations with the church members to purchase items salvaged after the demolition.
Speaking to Sunday PUNCH at the site of the demolition, the Cele Branch Chairman of the Church instrumentalist, Emmanuel Chimnonso, said the decision by the state government to demolish the church was sad.
He said, “I’m not happy with what happened…”
While Chimnonso was speaking to our correspondent, a female church member named Purity, visibly unhappy, interfered and whisked him away, whispering that he should not discuss the matter with our correspondent.
With a sad facial expression, one of the church’s leaders, a woman who didn’t give her name, said, “You can report what you’ve seen here as a journalist. Because of the level we’ve gone with the state government, we’re not permitted to say anything.”
