By Izunna Okafor, Awka
A viral video has surfaced online, showing what many have described as an outrageous and shocking ordination ritual inside a church premises.
The footage, which is currently trending on social media, shows an officiating bishop performing an unusual ‘tongue-to-tongue anointing’ on a bishop-elect, sparking outrage and condemnation among many who have come across it. Although, some netizens alleged that the incident happened in a Cherubim and Seraphim church —a claim the Church authority publicly dismissed in a statement on Tuesday while also joining its voice to condemn such horrific ritual.
In the viral video, the bishop-elect is seen kneeling while the officiating minister pours an anointing liquid over his head, a practice commonly associated with ordination rites. However, what followed left many in utter disbelief, as the minister proceeds to pour the same liquid into the kneeling man’s mouth before extending his tongue. To the shock of onlookers, the said bishop-elect reciprocates, and both men touch the tips of their tongues together three times in a ritual that has been described as bizarre, unsettling, and completely out of place in Christian practice and spiritual ordination.
The video has triggered a chain of reactions, with many Nigerians expressing disgust and questioning the scriptural basis of such an act, which they described as a mockery of Christian ordination and attempt to tarnish the image of the Christian faith. Netizens, religious leaders, and theologians have similarly condemned the act as inappropriate and sacrilegious, arguing that it has no foundation in biblical teachings. Many see it as yet another example of how some so-called men of God continue to introduce questionable practices into the church, taking advantage of their followers under the guise of spirituality and divine instruction.
Watch the video below:
Amid the controversy, however, the Cherubim and Seraphim Unification Church has distanced itself from the video and the said consecration ritual, issuing a strongly worded statement condemning the act in its entirety on Tuesday. The church, which serves as the umbrella body for all Cherubim and Seraphim congregations, made it clear that the individuals involved were not representing the church’s doctrine and that such a practice was unacceptable.
According to the church, the officiating minister in the video has been identified as Alfred Oluwasegun Okikiola Ogunnusi, popularly known as “His Eminence Baba Aladura LAHOJAH,” while the bishop-elect has been named as Benjamin, also known as AJIGBO. The statement also revealed that the said ordination ceremony reportedly held in Ogijo, Ogun State, at a small, self-established congregation led by one Benjamin in Adamo, Ikorodu, Lagos.
It emphatically distanced itself from the individuals involved, emphasizing that they are not members of the Cherubim & Seraphim Unification Church of Nigeria and do not represent its doctrines or values.
The Church leadership, in the statement, expressed deep dismay over the disturbing content of the video, describing it as “horrific” and “despicable before God and man.” The church noted that while it would not ordinarily respond to such incidents, it was compelled to speak out due to the mention of its revered founder, St. Moses Orimolade Tunolase, and the unauthorized use of C&S symbols in the video, including by the said officiating Bishop, His Eminence Ogunnusi.
It also condemned Ogunnusi’s biblical justification for the act, where he referenced Genesis 48:10, stating that his interpretation was flawed and misrepresented the Holy Scriptures. The church also clarified that it strictly abhors idolatrous practices, which were flagrantly displayed in the viral video.
Furthermore, the church addressed common misconceptions regarding white-garment churches, emphasizing that not all individuals dressed in white are members of the C&S organization.
“It is easy for anyone to purchase white garments and claim affiliation, but true members of the Unification Church are recognized by the church leadership,” the statement read.
The church accused the individuals in the video of attempting to exploit the name of St. Moses Orimolade Tunolase for personal gain, warning that merely invoking his name does not confer legitimacy or membership in the organization.
Additionally, the Unification Church disowned a man in the video seen wearing a garment bearing its official logo, stressing that he was neither a recognized member nor authorized to wear the emblem. Reaffirming its stance against the controversial anointing, the Unification Church stated thus: “We strongly abhor idolatrous practices, and we reject and condemn their satanic and gayish acts in its entirety. As a church, we anoint our members with olive oil ONLY and baptize through immersion in WATER, not the other way around.”
The church urged the public to disregard the viral video and the actions of those involved, calling for a collective condemnation of their misleading and unholy acts.
Titled “VEXATIOUS ANOINTING OF A BISHOP BY A SELF-ACCLAIMED CHURCH ELDER: OUR VIEW”, the statement reads in full:
The attention of the Cherubim & Seraphim Unification Church of Nigeria has been drawn to a video circulating on social media which content has sent shock waves among followers of Christ in Nigeria and in the entire global community.
The video in question depicts a horrific scene where the actors, who purport to be followers of Christ, apparently while performing the ordination of a ‘Bishop’, displayed an act despicable before God and man.
The Cherubim & Seraphim Unification Church of Nigeria (the umbrella body for all sons and daughters of St. Moses Orimolade Tunolase) would not have dignified these characters with a word of reaction, but for the audible mention of the name of the founder of our church and the visible display of symbols associated with our church in the video.
Though the lead character in the video has since ‘clarified’ his abominable action in another video also now circulating on social media, It may interest people to note that all the characters in the viral video are NOT known members of the Cherubim & Seraphim Unification Church of Nigeria, which regulates all acts and conducts of member churches in the Cherubim & Seraphim organisation.
Upon investigation, we gathered that the lead character (who was anointing a ‘Bishop’) in the video calls himself in his latest video message as His Eminence Baba Aladura Alfred Oluwasegun Okikiola Ogunnusi (LAHOJAH).
We also gathered that the purported anointing was conducted somewhere at Ogijo area of Ogun State and the man being anointed is identified as Benjamin a.k.a. Ajigbo (who is said to be an Edo State-born self-acclaimed prophet) and who has a makeshift ‘church’ at Adamo area of Ikorodu, in Lagos State.
In defence of his vexatious ‘ordination’, the man Ogunnusi quoted Genesis 48:10 – “Now Israel’s eyesight was poor because of old age; he could hardly see. Joseph brought his sons to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them.” The anointer likened himself to Israel who was said to be advanced in age and could hardly see clearly before he kissed his sons and embraced them. (For sure, the biblical Israel could not have done such an abominable act as was seen in the viral video while ‘kissing’ his children.
For the avoidance of doubt and for the benefit of people that are not members of the Cherubim & Seraphim Church, our church strictly abhors idolatry practices which was flagrantly on display in the video.
First and foremost, it is sad that people misconstrue anyone in white clothing for members of the Cherubim & Seraphim Church. There are other, albeit reputable, Christian denominations whose members are clad in white garments such as ours. Our church has always highlighted this fact that it is easy for anyone to enter into a market place and procure a white clothing material and give it out to a tailor to sow for him or her and hence use that to claim they are members of the Cherubim & Seraphim Church organisation. It should be clear to the Christian community worldwide and general public that all recognised members of the Cherubim & Seraphim organisation are known to and recognised by the leadership of the Cherubim & Seraphim Unification Church of Nigeria.
Inversely, it is clear that these characters probably loved to be identified with a white-garmented church such as ours by cladding in such apparel, but they refused to come into the Unification Church fold because they could not shriek themselves of their idolatry practices.
Secondly, the mention of Moses Orimolade Tunolase in the viral video depicts that these characters understood the spiritual prowess of the Founder of our church and knew that they could use his name to gain followership from unsuspecting members of the public. So, while we will not stop anyone from calling on the name of our Founder to seek the face of God, it is our belief that Moses Orimolade Tunolase’s pedigree would be better appreciated when those calling his name worship God in the beauty of His Holiness. Therefore, the public is urged to understand that, the fact that someone calls on the name of the founder of our church, in no way, makes such person a member of the Church – after all, all non-Jews from across the world call on the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ – without having any affinity with the Israelites.
Thirdly, one of the cohorts of the said Lahojah in the video (holding a microphone) adorned a garment with the official logo of the Cherubim & Seraphim Unification Church of Nigeria boldly emboldened in it. We wish to state categorically here that just as is the case with the garments these characters wore, the man with the logo on his garment is neither a Seraph nor was he authorised to put on the official logo of our church by any tier of the body of Christ. These are impostors parading themselves as Seraphs of which they are not.
In the light of the above, the Cherubim & Seraphim Unification Church of Nigeria wishes to distance itself from these characters seen in that viral video and their despicable act.
We, as a church, strongly abhor idolatry practices which these people displayed in the said video. We reject and condemn their satanic and gayish acts in its entirety.
As a church, we anoint our members with olive oil ONLY and we baptise our members through immersion in WATER and not the other way round. Carrying out this unholy act quoting from the Holy Bible was surely a misappropriation and lack of knowledge of the Word of God.
We urge the general public to disregard these characters as they are NOT Seraphs and their action MUST be collectively condemned squarely.
