It is provided that the church, which attributes poor discipline to evil spirit and witchcraft, wants to establish a school in Kent.
According to the report, human rights activists and National Secular Society categorically opposed the move asking the authorities to turn down the school bid.
The report recalls a recorded incident when during the service Bishop of the Living Faith Church Worldwide, David Oyedepo, slaps a woman who he accused of witchcraft. “Devil!”, the clergyman shouted.
The European chapter of the church, where Oyedepo’s son David Oyedepo Junior is the pastor, is located in the UK, and it saw the investigation of 27 cases of child abuse related to witchcraft this year. Several groups raised alarm over the teachings of the church, which says in its official website that “disobedience is as terrible as witchcraft”.
Stephen Evans, from the National Secular Society (NSS) expressed concern by saying:
“There’s a need to be vigilant and there’s a need to tackle this. You don’t do this by allowing organisations that believe in witchcraft and are associated with witch-hunting to open in the UK.”
The decision was supported by several other organizations, including the Charity Commission.
Commenting on the intention to found a school in Kent, the Evangelical Alliance, which represents the UK’s evangelical Christians, said the idea should be supported as its spokesman Yemi Adedeji said:
“The context of what happens in Nigeria and what happens here is very different. Most parents want their children to go to a faith-based school because of moral issues and I think we must salute that.”
He stressed the fact that every institution of the kind should meet strict rules before being given the permission.
“All independent schools must meet stringent standards before they are registered. These include tough rules on welfare and safeguarding. Police intelligence and criminal record checks are also carried out on the proprietor of the school, and any links to organisations which suggest the school might not meet the standards are investigated.”
It would be recalled that Oyedepo, who has recently turned 60, was involved in the controversy regarding his wealth as he was called the richest cleric in the world with an estimated net worth of $150 million.
In his reaction to the report, the bishop expressed surprise over the figure adding that the income generated from offerings in his church was used for building schools and serving the needs of the poor.
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