Editor's note: The following is a verbatim reproduction of an email sent to United Methodist Insight the week of June 7, 2021 by the Rev. Ande I. Emmanuel in response to a complaint of chargeable offenses filed against him by four members of the Nigeria Episcopal Area Cabinet.
April 7th, 2021
The resident bishop, Nigeria Episcopal Area of The United Methodist Church
RE-COMPLAIN AGAINST THE ACTIVITIES OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT TO THE BISHOP, NIGERIA EPISCOPAL AREA REV. ANDE I. EMMANUEL
Seasonal greetings to the bishop. I hope you had a successful Easter celebration, and you are doing well.
I have been served a copy of a complaint letter filed against me by four clergy persons of the Nigeria Episcopal Area. To be honest with you bishop, I do not understand the basis or the substance of their complaint and which specific sacred trust of my ordination vows was violated? The complainers were mudslinging all over places in their compliant letter and citing our Book of Discipline out of context.
Moreover, I do not understand why the complainers choose to copy the Judicial Council and West Africa College of Bishops in their complaint letter, knowing fully that I am not a bishop. However, bishop I will want to let know that I am copying the same in my response should Judicial Council and West Africa College of Bishops choose to hear the other side of the complaint.
Having said that bishop, I will respond to this complaint letter as follows:
I have served as the administrative assistant to the bishop for almost four years now, and I do not have a single query from the bishop in my record indicating any violation of my administrative work or my ordination vows. The complainers in listing the offenses first alleged what they called "Unauthorized conduct" and cited paragraph 337.c of the 2016 Book of Discipline out of context to support their claims. The complainers were not able to list what offenses amount to “Unauthorized conduct” and how that is related to paragraph 337.c cited. In talking about “Unauthorized conduct” the complainers seem to be concern about “some group of 4 persons, in the Nigeria Episcopal Area met with six in other African countries to discuss issue of collective interest tagged Africa Voice of Unity at the detriment of members of UMC in those areas.” How does this constitute “Unauthorized conduct? The “Africa Voice of Unity” does not claim in any way to be speaking on behalf of any Annual Conference that could warrant the complainers to make these mudslinging claims. Like any other UMC caucuses, the Africa Voice of Unity team has the right to advocate for a just cause in the United Methodist Church, and that does not constitute “Unauthorized conduct” as purportedly claimed by the complainers. "Appendix A" as attached to the complainers’ letter has nothing in it to prove otherwise.
To learn more about Africa Voice of Unity
visit https://umcafricavoiceofunity.blogspot.com/2021/02/introducing-africa-voice-of- unity-team.html. I am equally attaching a flyer and agenda for the Africa Voice of Unity’s meeting (see program at end).
Secondly, the complainers alleged in their complaint letter that I have “Undermine the ministry of another clergy,” citing out of context paragraphs 341.4, 304, 310.2, 324, 330, 333, and 335 of the 2016 Book of Discipline without specifically mentioning how, where and when this alleged offense occurred and who are the clergy whose ministry was undermined. The purported Appendix B attached to their letter does not even have my name on the list. How does it relate to me and paragraph 2702.c of the Book of Discipline?
The complainers also alleged a “Bridge of Trust” by claiming that I “print out a letter for a minutes of a meeting the Bishop attended in 2018 and circulated it to members of the church claiming that the Bishop has exited UMC to a Global Methodist Church…” Honestly, I do not understand what the complainers mean by the above statement and I am not aware of any “letter for a minutes of a meeting attended by the Bishop in 2018”. Therefore, I do not print and circulate any letter or official document of the Episcopal Area which amounts to a “bridge of trust” as alleged by the complainers. I wonder why they could not attach the alleged document to their complaint letter if their allegation was true.
The Complainers cited paragraph 363 of our Book of Discipline 2016 out of context again and there is no justification that I am “organizing a revolt (violence) against the bishop under the guise of campaigning for Christmas Covenant.” Neither am I calling any meeting to incite anyone against the leadership of the Episcopal Area. It makes no sense to me to entice anyone against the leadership that I am also part of. It seems the complainers do not even understand what they are talking about.
I do not “use the office of the bishop to organize a forum” and I did not take any decision against the bishop." These are fabricated lies of the complainers to tarnish my image before the bishop to win a favor that they didn’t merit. The complainers failed to attach Appendix C to their complaint letter because it is a hoax.
I want the bishop and anyone copied in this complaint to note that, this is only a mudslinging attempt on me. Therefore, should be disregarded.
Yours Faithfully,
Rev. Ande I. Emmanuel Administrative Assistant to the bishop Nigeria Episcopal Area of
The United Methodist Church
CC:
Judicial Council of UMC
The College of Bishops, West Africa Central Conference
Board of Ordain Ministry, Nigeria Episcopal Area
Rev. Yunusa Z. Usman
Rev. Baziel Y. Yayuba
Rev. Alexander Sabo
Rev. Salama Hassan
Africa Voice•of•UNITY
(Motto: Ensuring a sustainable United Methodism in Africa)
Presents: 5th International Webinar on the Future of the United Methodist Church in Nigeria
Under the theme: "Maintaining our traditional heritage while rejecting the neocolonial separation agenda"
Speakers:
Rev. Betty Kazadi - Democratic Republic of Congo
Lloyd Nyaroto - Zimbabwe
Rev . Ande I. Emmanuel - Nigeria
Pastor Cesar lodiha Akoka - Democratic Republic of Congo
Sunday March 7th, 2021 times as follows:
6pm Liberia and Sierra Leone time.
7pm Nigeria, Cameroon Cote d’ Ivoire & Kinshasa time.
8pm Mozambique Zimbabwe Lubumbashi. Burundi Zambia Malawi & South Sudan time.
9pm Kenya time.
[Zoom link removed]
This meeting is open to all United Methodists in the 3 Central Conferences in Africa.
Agenda:
Opening prayer
Welcoming address: Rev. Ande I. Emmanuel
1st presenter “Holding on to our biblical principles in Africa” by Dr. Betty Kazadi
2nd presenter Maintaining traditional heritage while rejecting the neocolonial separation agenda" by Rev. Lloyd Nyarota
3rd presenter “The impact of United Methodism in Africa and how this can be sustained
beyond the next General Conference” by Cesar Lodiha Akoka.
4th presenter “Africa, let’s make our own choice,”a review of Africa College of Bishops call by Jeff Knight.
Questions and answers by Rev. Ande I. Emmanuel, next steps and closing.