By Damola Emmanuel
“I did not relocate anywhere.”
That was the message that rang out from the General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor Williams Folorunso Kumuyi, as he punctured the viral rumour that he had abandoned his flock and relocated to the United Kingdom.
Kumuyi, 83, who is not known to unduly court media klieg light, took to the official Facebook page of Cross River State Deeper Life, to put the lie to the rumour, describing it as “misleading”.
“You must have read that I relocated to the UK,” he said, before asking, “Did I relocate?”
Kumuyi provided the answer to the poser himself, declaring: “I did not relocate anywhere. I travelled for a crusade and conference, and because of the time difference, the events couldn’t be transmitted back home.
“Some countries, like the one I visited in May, have about five hours of time difference. When it is 7 am here, it will be 2 am there. There’s no way I could transmit that here because of the time difference.”
Pastor Kumuyi is not done yet. He opens the page to his travels, locating the fuel that might have stoked the rumour.
“I visited many countries in the United Arab Emirates preaching the gospel,” he informed. “It was a long trip, and after that, I needed a few days to rest to avoid returning weary and unable to preach. So, I waited. And because I spent that time, they told you that I have relocated.”
Expressing shock at the rumour, the Deeper Life Bible Church General Superintendent recounted how someone wrote a letter to him and addressed it to the UK branch of the church, thinking that the man of God had actually relocated.
“I need prayers,” the unnamed worshipper began in the letter. “I need counselling. But I heard you are now based in London.”
Based on all these, Pastor Kumuyi advised his members worldwide to remain steadfast and not be swayed by misleading information, declaring:
“You will not believe a lie. In our church, people creeping in are careless and corrupt.
“They deliberately want to poison your mind against your pastor.
“Nobody will do that to you. Someone hears that the General Superintendent of Deeper Life has relocated to England, and you read that without understanding.
“They want to scatter us and say, ‘What are you still doing there? Your pastor has relocated to England.’ They tell other people, and those people tell more people. I did not relocate anywhere.”