Exposed; The Real Reason Behind crisis in Brotherhood of the Cross and Star

Exposed; The Real Reason Behind crisis in Brotherhood of the Cross and Star

The crisis within the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star (BCS) has exposed deep divisions within the organization, as worshippers reject the leadership of Bishop Roland Obu because of rebellious tendencies and what they called disrespect to Leader Olumba Olumba Obu’s directives.

Tensions continue to mount within the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star (BCS) as worshippers increasingly reject the leadership of Bishop Rowland, son of the  founder, Olumba Obu. The crisis reached a boiling point recently at the Nsikak Edouk Avenue branch in Uyo, where congregants openly revolted against Rowland’s leadership.

In a widely circulated video, a man clad in a white cassock is seen removing Rowland’s portrait, which was displayed alongside that of his father, and smashing it to the ground. The act was met with thunderous applause and shouts of support from the congregation.

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/15bdaRf51G/?mibextid=UalRPS

see the video above

In response to a press release by Brother Amah William at Four Towns Bethel on November 16, 2024, Senior Christ Servant Lawrence Ubah has responded as the Spokesperson for BCS worldwide.

BCS Spokesperson Responds to Amah William’s Claims, Addressing Alleged Falsehoods and Ownership Disputes

In a statement released by the spokesperson for the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star (BCS), Senior Christ Servant Lawrence Ubah the organization addresses recent claims made by a self-proclaimed spokesperson, Brother Amah William, regarding the ownership of the Nsikak Eduok Cathedral. The BCS denies these claims and categorizes the statements as “unfounded and baseless.”

Senior Christ Servant Lawrence Ubah, emphasizes that the cathedral is not owned by Bishop Rowland, the proclaimed new leader of the BCS by William and his followers. He states that these false claims have led to a deep divide within the organization, further fueling tensions between the two factions.

The official spokesperson also addresses the labels of “rebels” and “hoodlums” that have been used by Brother Amah William’s group to describe the worshippers of the BCS’s founder, Olumba Olumba Obu. Ubah stresses that these terms are an attempt to mislead and indoctrinate young worshippers into following the new “Jesus” movement led by Bishop Rowland.

Despite these claims, the BCS leadership maintains that there is no crisis and that Leader Olumba Obu remains the sole spiritual head of the universe. 

How Bishop Rowland Defies Leader
Obu’s (the Founder’s) Directives

The conflict within the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star (BCS) began as Bishop Rowland Obu challenges the authority of the Leader Olumba Obu. 

Rowland has been signing official documents and asserting his control over the BCS, despite Leader Obu’s appointment of his first daughter as the head of administration and signatory to all BCS official documents since October 13, 2000 according to Spokesperson Ubah.

Bishop Rowland’s decision to expel members further contradicts the teachings of Leader Obu, who opposed excommunication within the BCS. 

In response, followers of Leader Obu have begun worshipping separately in small groups, prompting generous donations of property, including the contested Nsikak Eduok Cathedral said to have been built from the scratch by the Faithful members allegedly excommunicated by the Roland sect.

Accusations have been made against Bishop Rowland and his followers by followers of Leader Obu for using aggressive tactics to seize property and intimidate opponents. 

New Kingdom Ministry Defends Legitimacy

The New Kingdom Ministry, amid Brotherhood of the Cross and Star (BCS) tensions, has clarified its purpose. Registered in 2018, the ministry focuses on spreading the teachings of Jesus Christ. It functions as a subsidiary of BCS, similar to other affiliated groups like Triple Star Printing Press etc also established by Rowland’s sect to do business.

The ministry reaffirms its commitment to BCS founder Leader O.O. Obu’s values and teachings, emphasizing its legitimate connection to the organization.

BCS Leadership Dispute: Bishop Rowland Obu’s Coronation Video

The leadership of the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star (BCS) has questioned    the legitimacy of Bishop Rowland Obu’s alleged coronation as leader of the organization. Lawrence Ubah, the spokesperson argue that the purported coronation video, which has been circulated by Rowland’s followers, does not provide clear evidence of the Father transferring leadership to him.

see Video of the Holy Queen Mother’s reception during her promotion as Secretary General and Head of Administration of BCS

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1B8BFcGNEF/?mibextid=UalRPS

He challenged that the video has been edited to support Rowland’s claim to power. They maintain that the Father had already appointed the Holy Queen Mother as the Head of Administration and signatory of brotherhood documents, thus rendering any subsequent appointment of another deputy or successor as invalid.

Ubah is now calling on Rowland’s faction to release the full video of the coronation, including evidence of the Father’s explicit transfer of leadership to Rowland. He argued that without such evidence, Rowland’s claim to leadership is unfounded and goes against the principles of the religious body.

SEE THE FULL PRESS STATEMENT

Press Statement

Invasion and Reclamation of our Cathedral, Nsikak Eduok Avenue, Uyo: The Many Lies of the new Acclaimed ‘’Jesus’’ vs the Naked Truth

Discerning Christians and the entire world have, for the past few days, been greeted with unpleasant and embarrassing videos, statements, and several publications from some people who claim ownership and kingship of the revered and sacred kingdom of God, Brotherhood of the Cross and Star, founded by Leader Olumba Olumba Obu. 

This is the same kingdom we were all called into by the Holy Father himself many years ago.

In a press conference organised by an acclaimed spokesperson of BCS, Brother Amah William, at the Four Towns Bethel on November 16, 2024, he made several unfounded and baseless statements regarding our place of worship. In the statement, Amah William asserted that the Nsikak Eduok Cathedral is owned by Bishop Rowland, whom they erroneously now worship as God Almighty and proclaim as the leader of BCS.

In the same statement, the faithfuls of God were labeled ‘hoodlums’ and ‘rebels,’ names that they have continued to use in their indoctrination bid to sway young worshippers into buying into their new ‘Jesus’ movement.

Ordinarily, we would have ignored the persistent invasion, threats, intimidation, and profiling by these people, but for posterity and record purposes, it is imperative for the world to hear our side after 23 years.

The incident leading to the brawl, which is now a subject of widespread discourse, deserves clarity to dispel falsehoods and uphold the integrity of our faith and doctrine under the leadership of Leader Olumba Olumba Obu.

Amah William and His New ‘Jesus’s Many Lies’

Brother Amah William stated that the faithfuls of the Father are ‘rebels and hoodlums.’

He also claimed that the Nsikak Eduok Cathedral is a Bethel owned by his new ‘Jesus.’

Before we address these lies, it is imperative to reveal the truth regarding the drama and theatrical dance Amah and his new ‘god’ have been displaying for 23 years now.

On October 13, 2000, the Holy Father Leader Olumba Olumba Obu promoted Her Holy Queen Mother, Ibum Olumba Obu, from General Secretary to Secretary General/Head of Administration and signatory to all Brotherhood documents. Bishop Rowland Obu, in blatant disregard of the Father’s pronouncement, went about signing letters and documents (as stated in the BCS Standing Order Vol. 6) and imposed himself as the new leader of BCS.

Some members, having observed this deviance, pushed for adherence to the instructions of the Father. In response, Bishop Rowland Obu started using brute force against those who insisted on obeying the Father.

On June 15, 2001, he made a publication and further moved to court to file a case for a disclaimer, which the Holy Father has said himself is unnecessary, as there is no excommunication in BCS, and no one has the right to excommunicate anyone.

Since he (Bishop Rowland) didn’t call us into BCS, we decided to assemble as a small group and started worshiping Leader Olumba Olumba Obu in our small corners. Today, that small gathering is what Bishop Rowland and his people ferociously want to take from us.

Because of that small gathering, some brethren, in their magnanimity, started donating their lands and property for our assemblage. One of these is the Nsikak Eduok Cathedral, which they are battling in court to grab from us, as is their usual stock-in-trade.

As faithfuls of Leader Olumba Olumba, we have continued to worship him in spirit and in truth in our small corners for more than two decades now without disrupting their worship or infringing on their freedom of worship.

 However, they have continued to use grab-and-maim tactics to confiscate our property, threaten our existence, and inflict bodily harm on our brethren each time they invade our property.

The Naked Truth Before the World – Separating Lies from Facts

Brother Amah William claims Nsikak Eduok Cathedral is their own. Now, the pertinent question discerning Christians and the entire world should ask him and his new ‘Jesus’ is this: How can a property acquired in 2003 by a group of people you reportedly excommunicated in 2001 now become your property?

You tag the faithfuls ‘rebels’ and other derogatory names because we insist on following the instructions of the one who called us, to teach and lead us into the accurate knowledge of truth. 

Yet, it is you who have introduced extraneous doctrines into the kingdom and made for yourself a god whose personality is questioned everywhere.

The doctrinal differences, which include the refusal to reference our Lord Jesus the Christ in your prayers (as was taught and always proclaimed by the Holy Father), are clear manifestations of grave aberration and grievous defilement of the sound doctrine of the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star, as established by Leader Olumba Olumba Obu.

 Yet you profile us as ‘rebels.’ If you say we are ‘rebels,’ tell the world what led to the supposed ‘rebellion,’ as your sect has taunted us for 23 years now.

You claim we rebelled against the Father, yet it is you who replaced his portraits with Bishop Rowland’s and proclaimed Rowland as Lord of Lords, a belief you are still battling to prove to the world today.

Truth can only be hidden for decades, but at the fullness of time, it will be revealed to the entire universe. The world knows where it stands today.

On the Issue of the contested Nsikak Eduok Cathedral:  It is shameful and laughable that the same cathedral the Rowland sect invaded on July 14, 2023, and carted away monies paid as tithes, desecrated the altar, vandalised property worth millions of naira, stole documents of some of our landed property, and made away with our sophisticated media equipment, now becomes a subject of ownership. Something they shamelessly denied the invasion in court.

All for what?

To enforce dominance on a people you excommunicated 23 years ago? With reckless abandon, they flung out the Holy Father’s portrait and replaced it with that of their new ‘Jesus’ when they invaded Nsikak Eduok Cathedral. 

This is not the first time the Rowland sect is perpetrating this evil. Over the years, the faithfuls of the Father have faced repeated attacks such as the invasion of lkot Abasi township cathedral, Essene bethel in lkot Abasi in Akwa lbom State, Akpajo bethel and Ogbumnabali bethel in Rivers State and Deco road Bethel in Delta state, among others.

They have misquoted the scripture in Matthew 11: 12 which says, “And from the days of John the Baptist until now,the Kingdom of God suffereth violence and the violent take it by force. 

They have misapplied this biblical statement to unleash mayhem on innocent faithfuls of this glorious kingdom who have decided to obey the Holy Father’s declaration and are strictly in compliance with Brotherhood doctrine. 

Despite claiming to work with their new found Christ, they have refused to practise and operate with positive scriptures like seek peace and pursue it, live in peace with one another,blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called children of God. 

They rather choose to brutalise, maim and use every available thuggery means to invade our bethel with impunity. It is true that whenever they invade our bethel,they will display the portraits of their new found Christ side by side with that of the Holy Father and use the name of their new found Christ to pray rather than using the name of our Lord Jesus the Christ, who’s blood is used for the salvation of Mankind, as was taught and always proclaimed by our Holy Father. 

As law-abiding citizens, we took legal steps to address the invasion. A fundamental human rights case was filed at the High Court 3, Uyo, on October 17, 2023. The Rowland sect denied the invasion in court, claiming they merely visited the premises to pay respect to their ‘boss’, His Holiness Obu Olumba Obu, someone who they excommunicated 23 years ago. 

Technically, what this means is that we can resume activity in our premises because we are the legitimate owners of this place. 

Consequently, if you denied in court of not invading Nsikak Eduok cathedral where, when and how suddenly did the same place now become your bethel as claimed by Amah William in his statement? 

In spite of this setback, we have continued to exercise our rights to worship in the cathedral we painstakingly built lawfully in accordance with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria but Bishop Roland Obu is hellbent on extinguishing innocent worshippers.

We want to state categorically that this place now known as (Nsikak Eduok Cathedral) was acquired in 2003 and built from the sweat of those Bishop Rowland excommunicated.

On the issue of the New Kingdom Ministry raised by Amah William, we want to clarify the air that what they are using to mislead the public is false. The new kingdom ministry was registered in 2018 as an auxiliary unit with a mission to preach the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. You can clarify this on CAC website.

 In essence, it’s like having a subsidiary in an organisation which they too have. For instance, they have different subsidiaries such as triple star printing press, first royal microfinance bank, star cross oil Nigeria limited, Brotherhood communications limited, among others. So, the issue of the new kingdom ministry raised by them is baseless and laughable. We are Brotherhood of the Cross and Star members called by Leader O.O.Obu. 

On kingship – we want to state again that our God is a universal God and cannot be subjected to any culture that promotes primogeniture. However, the much talked about coronation of Bishop Rowland Obu as the leader of Brotherhood of the Cross and Star is a farce.

 The Father does not double speak. Since the father had already appointed our Holy Queen Mother as Head of Administration and signatory of brotherhood documents, there is no way he could have appointed another person as his deputy or successor.  

On the purported coronation video circulated by the Roland sect, the Father did not make any pronouncement about the coronation in the two occasions. In the vestry, the only statement he made was “no one should ever seek his own glory but we should rather seek for the father’s glory. If we seek the father’s glory, he will glorify us.”

Then in the hall where the acclaimed coronation was going on, he said, “do not allow the little joy you have seen today deprive you of the great joy that you should see in the future.”

If the Holy Father truly coronated him as his successor like they claim, they should show the world the full video of the entire coronation, and the Father transferring the leadership of BCS to him (Bishop Rowland). If they can’t, then they should retrace their steps and seek the face of God now that it’s day because we know very well that purported video was an ‘arranged and haphazardly’ edited video to suit their quest for ownership of a kingdom they didn’t establish or know who the members were called into. 

Even the claim of the ownership of BCS is another unimaginable antics by these forceful ‘power grabbers’. Would they also deny the fact that a Federal High Court in Calabar did not strike out the case of the trustee-ship of BCS and charged all parties to maintain the status quo?

In the suit FHC/CA/CS/34/2020, they lost woefully but have failed to admit the truth to their members. 

Additionally, a Disclaimer Notice purported to have been issued by Leader Olumba Olumba Obu on June 15, 2001 expelled Mrs Helen Johnson Udoh and 130 Ors. from BCS. Pastor  Reginald Nwankwala & 4 Ors acting on the order of his master Bishop Roland Obu instituted the suit. 

The matter filed at High Court Rivers State in suit PHC/1546/2001 was struck out as well. 

We have continued to urge them to meet their lawyers to give them sound interpretation of the law and not act in contempt of the court but they have continued to play the role of Cain in BCS. 

We want to state here that we, the entire faithfuls of the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star, remain resolute in our faith and commitment to the teachings of the Holy Father, Leader Olumba Olumba Obu, the Sole Spiritual Head of the Universe. 

To show how ambitious and wicked these people are, there is a suit no : CA/C/199/2022 in calabar Appeal court of Roland and his people filed in order to fulfill their selfish desires by an affidavit in the court swearing to the fact the Holy Father is incapacitated. This is to show a high level of the fact that The Holy Father has to place in their lives,  thus replacing him with Roland who has nothing to offer.

We have been subjected to years of fear, intimidation and oppression in our bid to worship who called us into his kingdom. 

We want to state in the full glare of the world and the eyes of the law, that we will reject all attempts to coerce us into abandoning our doctrine or to subject our worship to Bishop Rowland Obu. We are aware of their nefarious antics and we shall resist any attempt of further infringement on our fundamental rights and to malign the dignity of our human persons as well.

However, we urge the public to disregard the falsehoods propagated by the Rowland sect. The Nsikak Eduok Cathedral is not a property for dispute but rather a revered place of worship built by us from meagre funds gathered from our members. 

We will never run away from this property or be coerced by anybody to forfeit this particular property like we did in Ekpeyong Cathedral, here in Uyo. Enough is enough. 

Gentlemen of the Press, thank you for listening. 

Signed

Senior Christ Servant Lawrence Ubah

For: BCS Worldwide.

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