The hope for reunification between Qua Iboe Church Nigeria and United Evangelical Church appears still far-fetched for now, Straightnews has gathered.
Indications were rife that after 20 years, the two feuding ecclesiastical bodies were on the verge of reunion following the Appeal Court ruling that the break-away UEC’s claims lacked merit.
Recall that in an appeal no. CA/C/292/2016, UEC laid claims to some assets of QIC particularly land/premises, possession/occupation and interest in land/church buildings.
Sequel to this, some trustees of QIC had in 2015 instituted a suit at the Federal High Court in Uyo in a suit no: FHC/UY/CS/50/2015, seeking to recover the properties of QIC from UEC which broke away from the parent church.
But Federal High Court in Uyo had on May 10, 2016 overruled the defendant’s preliminary objection in favour of Qua Iboe Church.
However, the court declared that the claimants (UEC) lacked locus standi to initiate and maintain the action.
Among the issues included that Qua Iboe Church is a corporate body, none of the claimants is shown to be Registered Trustees of the church, adding that ‘’the claimants have failed to specify or disclose the right they have to institute this action.’’
Other contending arguments were that ‘’the standing to sue in respect of the corporate body is donated by statute – Companies & Allied Matters) Act CAP, C20 LAW, 2004, the claimants have failed to show sufficient interest in the subject matter which affect personally, the action of the claimants is statute-barred on the ground that the 5th defendant is a public officer.’’
Dissatisfied, UEC took the matter to the Court of Appeal in Calabar presided over by Justice Muhammed L. Shuaibu held that ”the appeal is umeritorious and it is hereby dismissed.’’
Delivering the ruling on March 5, 2021, Justice Shuaibu affirmed ‘’The ruling of the lower court delivered on 10/5/2016 is hereby affirmed. The court trial shall commence expeditious trial of the substantive suit.’’
However, following the collapse of the case might have forced UEC to explore an option of soft landing by seeking a truce bearing in mind that Supreme Court might tow the same line of Federal High Court and Court of Appeal.
At the 12th AGM/reunion of the old boys association of Samuel Bill Theological College, Abak on Saturday, July 3, UEC led by Rev. Samuel Ebukiba, and the Chairman of conference of QIC, Rev. Ekpedeme Moffat Effanga, stood side-by-side and hugged themselves for the first in two decades.
The two gladiators pledged reunion of the factional bodies to end the long-drawn battle for the soul of the QIC.
“When people talk about division, l tell them that there is nothing like that. There is nothing like division, we only have one church, two branches…the idea is for this branch to expand and the other branch to expand, then from there we merge.
”We are together, nothing will separate us. I love this platform for bringing us together,” Rev. Ebukiba said in an extempore remark at the event.
In his reaction, Rev. Effanga said “We will always long to see when the branches would come together to join the stem. For the first time in 20 years, this is the first time the church is meeting outside police station and the court. This is the first time we are meeting to celebrate. It is an epoch-making event.”
“After a 20 years expansion, I think it is time to converge. This church is ready to do anything to earn reconciliation. The only thing we can do to get our children satisfied is to get back the church as one. With God everything is possible, and this church will come back together.”
But feelers gathered by Straightnews indicate that the road to this anticipated reconciliation appears strewn with thorns.
According to the Chairman of QIC, 2 Abak Road, Uyo, Mr. Udo Joseph Asamudo, a lawyer explained that for genuine reunification and reunion under one fold to hold, the UEC must remove the last wedge.
He said, reunification of the bodies is not possible. How can the members talk about reunification when the Church has not been de-registered with Corporate Affairs Commission?’’
”The whole thing is fraud. What UEC is doing is cosmetic. There is no seriousness with what the UEC members are trying to do.’’
Asamudo who is also a Trustee of Qua Iboe Church Nigeria announced ”Very soon, we in QIC will begin a substantive suit on the matter.’’
Speaking with Straightnews on Saturday, July 16, Asamudo doused the idea of UEC discontinuing with the matter in the Supreme Court, remarking ”We have not received any correspondence from UEC suing us in Supreme Court. Until then, we are waiting.’’
Qua Iboe Church was founded by an Irish missionary, Samuel Bill in 1887 at Ibeno in the present day Akwa Ibom State.
