Pastor Idowu Iluyomade, the former senior pastor of the City of David Parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), has launched his own church in Lagos following his suspension by the church’s leadership last year.
The new church, named The Family Fellowship, is located inside the Civic Center in Victoria Island, Lagos.
In a video circulating online, Pastor Iluyomade was seen celebrating the opening of the church alongside some of its members, marking a new chapter in his ministry after the controversy that led to his suspension.
Pastor Iluyomade and his wife, Siju, faced backlash in 2024 when she hosted an extravagant 60th birthday party just days after the death of Herbert Wigwe, a prominent member of the City of David Parish and former CEO of Access Bank, along with his wife and son, in a helicopter crash in the United States.
The Iluyomades were criticized for hosting the celebration, which featured performances by singer Flavour and other entertainers, despite the recent tragedy.
Following the incident, the couple was disinvited from the Wigwe family’s funeral and subsequently suspended by the RCCG governing council in June 2024. They were reassigned to worship at the church’s headquarters in Ebute Metta, Lagos.
The establishment of The Family Fellowship marks a new beginning for Pastor Iluyomade. The church’s opening has sparked discussions online, with supporters praising his resilience and critics questioning the move in light of his controversial suspension.