Fellowship at orita: a critical analysis of the leadership crisis in the Assemblies of God, Nigeria

Abstract

This article is a critical analysis of the present crisis in the Assemblies of God, Nigeria (AGN). A background history of the church is given to show how growth had taken place and how decline had set in. Doing this involves analysing the factors responsible for the present crisis that has brought the church to its knees. The article finds that the AGN's membership and leadership are dominated by the Igbo ethnic group whose worldviews are known to be highly competitive, individualistic and 'pantomimic'. The AGN's constitution and bye-laws do not include a clause that prevents pastors from the same ethnic group from holding the two top-most positions of the General Superintendent and the Assistant General Superintendent at the same time. Therefore the article submits that the AGN should amend its constitution to deal with these pertinent issues. The significance of the article is that it calls the attention of other Pentecostal denominations in Nigeria and the rest of Africa to the crisis-ridden AGN, whose eschatological and Pentecostal persuasion is at orita [the crossroads] and urges them to learn from it.