Senator Dino Melaye has given a surprising reason for not attending the annual Shiloh gathering of the Living Faith Church in 2024.
The event, held by the church led by Bishop David Oyedepo, is one of the biggest Christian gatherings in Nigeria.
In a post shared on his verified Facebook account, Melaye explained that he stayed away because of the recent retirement of Bishop Abioye.
Bishop Abioye, a prominent figure in the church, retired following the church’s operational guidelines, which set a retirement age for pastors.
However, Melaye questioned the reasoning behind Abioye’s forced retirement.
The senator made it clear that he felt the absence of Bishop Abioye left a noticeable void at Shiloh 2024.
He said that without Abioye, the event seemed incomplete.
“I did not attend Shiloh 2024 because Shiloh without Bishop Abioye is somehow,” Melaye wrote.
He also raised concerns over the decision to retire Bishop Abioye, who is younger than Bishop Oyedepo, the church’s founder.
Melaye wondered why Bishop Oyedepo, who is older, had not retired yet, while Bishop Abioye, who is younger, had been “forcefully retired.”
“God did not retire Abioye, only Oyedepo did. Let’s watch,” Melaye added.
The senator’s comments have reignited discussions and criticisms over the church’s decision to retire Bishop Abioye.
Some church members and observers believe that the retirement age rule is unfair.
In earlier reports, it was revealed that Bishop Abioye retired after reaching the age limit set by the church.
The Living Faith Church follows an operational guideline known as the “Liberation Mandate.”
The guidelines had been updated to lower the retirement age from 60 to 58.
This new policy became a point of contention among church members, many of whom were surprised by Abioye’s departure.
The retirement of Bishop Abioye had been anticipated for some time.
On October 18, 2024, during a special service, Bishop Abioye gave his farewell speech, thanking Bishop Oyedepo for his guidance throughout the years.
“I stand here with a deep sense of gratitude and appreciation to the Lord for the grace he has rested on me which puts me in continuity in the path of exploits,” Abioye told the congregation at the Goshen City venue in Abuja.
Abioye, who is 63 years old, praised Bishop Oyedepo as a “trailblazer” and said that under his mentorship, he had gained “security of destiny.”
He explained that his journey in ministry was never driven by personal ambition but by a desire to fulfill God’s purpose for his life.
“I simply find myself growing up loving God and the things of the kingdom,” Abioye said.
He also expressed gratitude for the spiritual growth he had experienced through Bishop Oyedepo’s teachings.
Abioye described his 44-year journey in ministry as transformative.
“My adventure in ministry is not a subject of being desirous or having an ambition but simply fulfilling purpose,” he said.
He recalled first meeting Bishop Oyedepo in 1980 when he was about to turn 19 years old.
Since then, he had followed Oyedepo’s teachings and guidance, which shaped his life and ministry.
“My wife and I have been well fed with the word of God by Bishop Oyedepo. He has been used by God to guide us on the path of destiny,” he said.
