News Church members chase pastor from church for impregnating maid

Church members chase pastor
from church for impregnating maid

There was commotion on Sunday at the United
Methodist Church, Mafoluku, in the Oshodi area
of Lagos as members of the church chased away
their pasto for allegedly impregnating his
housemaid.
It was learnt that the pastor, Barkuma Andrew,
was stopped from leading the church seven
months ago when the housemaid, who was also a
member of the church, Grace, had complications
after aborting the pregnancy.
Andrew had lived with his wife, children, wife’s
cousin, Favour, and Grace in a three-bedroomed
flat on the church premises before the incident.
It was gathered that the members had petitioned
the Central Conference of the church in Taraba
State to investigate the alleged accusation.
Then sought the service of another pastor three
weeks ago when the district reportedly failed to
probe Andrew.
At 10 am on Sunday, members of the church
showed up for Sunday service only to see that
Andrew and some “unknown” people had
commenced the service.
This angered the congregation which proceeded
to chase out Andrew and his group from the
church.
Men from the Makinde Police Division, including
the DPO, were said to have intervened after the
incident was reported at the station.
A member of the church and a former secretary
to Andrew, Moses Sherima, said that the pastor
sent his wife to her village after he impregnated
Grace.
He said:
“My room is opposite pastor’s apartment
and I was his secretary. When he started
dating that girl (Grace), I called his wife’s
cousin, Favour, on the matter. She said
Grace used to tell her whenever the pastor
had sex with her.
“At a point, I had to move upstairs when I
could no longer bear it. The day that
abortion happened, I was sleeping inside
my room when I heard Grace screaming. I
rushed there and saw blood coming out
from her private parts. When the wife came
back from one of her numerous journeys,
he told her to send Favour away.”
Another church member, John Komboroh, said the
church was embarrassed by Andrew’s conduct,
adding that they were tired of his leadership.
He said:
“The petition of adultery against the pastor
had been sent to the bishop at the Central
Conference. He came here, but did not do
anything about it. That was why we wrote
to the main body, the Southern Conference
to give us another pastor. His (Andrew’s)
action is an embarrassment to us. We don’t
want him again.”
The new pastor of the church, Reverend James
Sunday, said,:
“We were about to start our service this
morning when we met the old pastor and
some unknown people already holding the
service. I calmed down my people to avoid
chaos.”
Another resident and a female member, who
identified herself only as Blessing, said the pastor
had once made sexual advances to her.
“My husband is not always at home. The
pastor would call me in the night and asked
if I had slept. One day he entered my room
and gave me a soft slap on my back. I had
only the wrapper on me.
“I was surprised and told my neighbours.”
Punch