1 of 6
Threat Letter to Police
This letter of complaint was submitted to the Nigerian police in Jalingo, Taraba State by two bishop's assistants, Revs. Beziel Y. Yayuba and Yunusa Z. Usman, against several Nigerian clergy who participate with Africa Voice of Unity.
2 of 6
Heman Summons
A copy of the police summons for United Methodist layman Nicodemus Heman, a participant with Africa Voice of Unity.
3 of 6
Davidson Summons
A copy of the police summons for United Methodist layman Amos Davidson.
4 of 6
Jesse Summons
A copy of the summons issued to Rev. Ignatius Jesse, a participant with Africa Voice of Unity.
5 of 6
Emmanuel Summons
A copy of the police summons issued for the Rev. Ande E. Emmanuel, a leader of Africa Voice of Unity.
6 of 6
Request to Withdraw Complaint
This copy of a request to withdraw the police complaint against Nigerian clergy active in Africa Voice of Unity was received by United Methodist Insight on June 15.
United Methodist Insight Exclusive
Something is rotten in The United Methodist Church in Nigeria. Exactly what it is, and who’s responsible for it, depends entirely on which side you’re willing to believe, but the fact is undeniable that for United Methodists outside Nigeria, the situation is as distressing as it is confusing.
A murky feud has roiled Nigerian United Methodists and their international allies since at least fall 2020. Now it has broken open with a complaint filed against Bishop John Wesley Yohanna alleging three chargeable offenses against United Methodist law, and an apparent counter-complaint filed against the Rev. Ande Emmanuel, Bishop Yohanna’s former assistant in the South Nigeria Annual Conference and a leader of UMC unity forces in Africa (see Insight, June 4).
The Nigerian conflict escalated during the week of June 7 when two members of the Nigeria Episcopal Area’s cabinet filed a police complaint against some 13 clergy and laity. A flurry of emails from both sides, many with attached digital files for documentation, were sent to United Methodist Insight about the incident. Here’s what has been gleaned from the latest reports by the apparent principals in the feud.
Unity participants charged
Some 13 participants with the ad hoc Africa Voice of Unity group that supports the Christmas Covenant, who want to remain in The United Methodist Church, are named in a “Complaint Letter of Misconduct/Threat” sent to the police commissioner in Jalingo, Taraba State, Nigeria (see photo). The complaint to law enforcement alleges that Rev. Emmanuel, along with others including Nicodemus Heman, Deacon Ahmed A. Ahmed, Rev. Ignatius Jesse, Timothy Jakula, Idi Allison, Rev. Abel Lamido, Rev. Danladi Dikko, and Amos Davidson are “rebelling against the leadership of the church.” They are accused of “destablising [sic] the peace we are enjoying as we undergo our legitimate religious activities.”
“They have been going around misleading congregations, instigating them to cause violence in the peaceful environment we are enjoying in this administration. Sir, we want to bring to your notice that our lives are not safe,” says the complaint. The complaint is signed by two assistants to Bishop Yohanna: the Rev. Baziel [or Beziel] Y. Yayuba, Southern Nigeria Conference, and the Rev. Yunusa Z. Usman, Northeast Nigeria Conference.
Those named in the complaint letter and others were summoned to the Nigerian police office in Jalingo for questioning on June 8 and 9. In response to Insight’s email inquiry, Deacon Ahmed sent the following statement, reproduced here verbatim:
“Affidavit of Deacon Ahmed Ayuba Ahmed
“My name in Deacon Ahmed Ayuba Ahmed, a pastor of the United Methodist church in Nigeria Balasa Agure. A former youth and young adult ministry president and youth director, Central Nigeria annual conference.
“I was among the pastors that were invited by the State Investigation Bureau (S.I.P.) police Headquarters Jalingo on the 8th and 9th June, 2021. We were around 13 persons invited. On reaching there, the police asked only 5 to represent the others; among them are Rev Ande Emmanuel, Rev Ignatius Jesse, Mr. Nicodemus Herman, Mr. Amos Davidson and I, Deacon Ahmed A. Ahmed.
“We were charged with instigation of violence and illegal meetings in Southern and Northeast annual conferences. The administrative assistants for the bishop of the two annual conferences, Rev. Baziel Yayuba and Rev. Yunusa Z. Usman, represented the bishop. They told the police that, we are supporting same-sex marriage and promoting it therein in the episcopal area, and that we are supporting Voice of Unity and the Christmas Covenant. We denied all the allegations leveled against us. I told the police that ‘I am a good citizen of Nigeria and a clergy, there’s no way I could engage in any act that is capable of breaching peace.’
“From there, the police officer brought out [a] file containing some online documents and pictures we have sent to the West African College of Bishops to report how the bishop is maltreating us. The police then detained us for snapping pictures in their facility and sending same to international communities.
“We had to hire a team of Lawyers to bail us out. It was a bad experience for me to be in the hands of police as a criminal. We spent the whole day in the police headquarters.
"This is what really happened to me on the 9th of June, 2021.
"Thank you!
“Deacon Ahmed Ayuba Ahmed
"UMCN Balasa Agure”
More Nigeria clergy respond
Insight also emailed four more respondents, Revs. Jesse, Lamido, Dikko, and Rev. Eunice Iliya. Revs. Jesse, Lamido and Dikko confirmed that they participate with Africa Voice of Unity, have signed the Christmas Covenant, and like Deacon Ahmed and Rev. Emmanuel, were detained by Nigerian police for nine hours on June 9.
Rev. Iliya wrote in an email that she wasn't detained because she was excused from interrogation due to her husband's illness. She also confirmed her participation with Africa Voice of Unity. She said that she has had a "series of discussion with other UMC Nigeria members in regards to Christmas Covenant versus Protocol, especially, those who need clarity and those who want to understand what both the Christmas Covenant and Protocol means and why the need for both petitions."
Rev Iliya said that in 2018 she filed a complaint against Bishop Yohanna for gender discrimination, and submitted a follow-up request in late 2020 because nothing had been done regarding her complaint. As with the others named in the police complaint, she said she has been harassed by Nigeria church leaders because of her support for the Christmas Covenant and Africa Voice of Unity.
Request to Withdraw Complaint
This copy of a request to withdraw the police complaint against Nigerian clergy active in Africa Voice of Unity was received by United Methodist Insight on June 15.
On Tuesday, June 15, Bishop Yohanna issued a statement saying that he asked Revs. Yayuba and Usman to withdraw their police complaint (see accompanying photo). No report has been received as yet whether the complaint has been withdrawn.
Church charges filed previously
Behind the public allegations are church complaints of chargeable offenses filed against Bishop Yohanna and Rev. Emmanuel. Insight has attempted to verify the complaint filed against Bishop Yohanna, but neither he nor Bishop Benjamin Boni of Côte d’Ivoire, president of the West Africa College of Bishops, have responded. The complaint against Bishop Yohanna alleges that his administrative actions, including removing Rev. Emmanuel from his conference post in April, are motivated by the bishop’s public affiliation with the Wesleyan Covenant Association and its proposed Global Methodist Church.
Rather than attempt to summarize the complaints, Insight has published the charges against Rev. Emmanuel from the Nigeria Episcopal Area cabinet, which were submitted in photos, and his response in text. Rev. Yayuba also copied Insight on a June 10 email denying the reports of Rev. Emmanuel and others which we publish verbatim. The email was sent to Bishop Boni and a list of other correspondents.
The complaint against Bishop Yohanna will be investigated and processed by the West Africa college. However, because the Book of Discipline casts a cloak of confidentiality over the proceedings, the details and possibly the complaint’s resolution won’t be known unless the officials involved agree to reveal them.
Rev. Emmanuel submitted a rebuttal email regarding the complaint against him. The complaint against Rev. Emmanuel will be investigated and processed by the Southern Nigeria Conference Board of Ordained Ministry. Again, the Discipline provides for confidentiality, but since both parties to the complaint have sent copies of their documentation to Insight, we’ve chosen to publish them to allow the denomination to know something of what’s being alleged in Nigeria.
Insight also contacted Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey (Louisiana Area), current president of the Council of Bishops, regarding the Nigeria situation since it involves a complaint filed against Bishop Yohanna. She responded via email:
“I will simply say that I too am concerned and am doing my due diligence to ensure that due process is followed and that the matter can be handled appropriately and that as much confidentiality is maintained as is possible.”
Despite the Discipline’s confidentiality guidelines, the Nigeria feud has become very public. Whatever the outcome of the movement toward a UMC break-up, it appears from the most recent events that the church in Nigeria already may be irretrievably broken.
Cynthia B. Astle serves as Editor of United Methodist Insight, which she founded in 2011.