—- Ends 16 months of long lingering disputes.
By Emmanuel Awari-Jalingo
The Federal High Court sitting in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, recognising, and upholding the existence of the United Methodist Church in Nigeria (UMCN), has set a new dawn for the church after about two years of a legal tussle with the Global Methodist Church in Nigeria (GMCN).
The case number FHC/ABJ/CS/1891/2024, which was filed by the UMCN in December 2024, challenged the procedures on it’s change of name from UMCN to GMCN , freezing of the church’s Bank accounts, and forceful claim to it’s properties, the Defendants in the suit were the Corporate Affairs Commission, the incorporated trustees of the GMCN, and Zenith Bank plc.
After sixteen months(16) of been in and out of the court, the long awaited judgement on the matter was delivered on March 30, by Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court Abuja Judicial Division, in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory.
A fifty-one(51) page Judgement document made available to the Communications Department of the UMC Nigeria Episcopal Area and later issue to Journalists in Jalingo, brought to bear the technicalities that culminated in the final decisions of the court.
The judgement was guided by the constitution, and the rules of the Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church, Nigeria’s Company And Allied Matters Act, and previous court cases with similar nomenclature.
The judgement faulted the procedure for the resolution that led to the change of name by the GMCN, due to the failure to be made upon the two-thirds majority votes of the General Conference, subject to ratifications by the Annual Conferences of the UMCN, a duly convened joint annual Conferences of the church in Nigeria, as well as the announcement by the Council Of Bishops on the completion of such voting.
The judge also flawed the change of trustees at the Corporate Affairs Commission, and the failure of the required trustees to certify relevant documents for the change of name.
The Judge further maintained that members of UMCN that wish to leave the church, can only renounce their membership, but are not authorised to change the name of the church, take over properties, monies or bank accounts of the church.
Justice Egwuatu ordered the Corporate Affairs Commission to reverse the name on the Church’s certificate of incorporation to the “United Methodist Church In Nigeria”, and set aside the certificate bearing the name “Global Methodist Church in Nigeria, ” due to the failure by the Commission to comply with the Nigeria’s Company And Allied Matters Act on the change of trustees, and the amendment of name.
The judge also ordered the GMCN to reverse all change of names to UMCN properties, hand over the management and administration of such properties to the UMCN, and vacate the Secretariat of the UMCN in Jalingo, Taraba State.
According to the ruling, the purported new body “does not exist in the eyes of the law,” having not been duly registered in line with legal requirements. The court consequently declared the deregistration of UMCN null and void.
The judgement further directed Zenith Bank plc, to grant UMCN access and control to all the church’s accounts opened and domiciled with their bank.
The Bishop of the UMC Nigeria Episcopal Area, and the Mission Districts Of Cameroon and Senegal Ande Emmanuel welcomed the judgement, in an official statement.
The statement also linked the development to the ongoing Holy Week and Easter season, urging Christians to embrace the values of sacrifice, renewal, and peace symbolized by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
“As we close this chapter, we pray for renewed strength and unity within the Church. This Easter, may we commit to being peacemakers and instruments of God’s love in a divided world,” the bishop stated.
He notably extended an olive branch to the GMCN, highlighting that the UMCN is ever willing to accept those that wish to return to the fold, and is ready to support the GMCN in setting up it’s church in Nigeria.
“As previously shared, despite our hopes to settle matters outside the courts, in December 2024, we were compelled to file a lawsuit to recover the properties and assets of the United Methodist Church that were taken by former leaders who joined the Global Methodist Church.
“We also sought to retain our legal identity by preventing a name change request submitted to the Corporate Affairs Commission.
“Today, we are grateful to the court for its commitment to ensure that truth and justice prevail. We are also grateful to Justice Obiora A. Egwuatu, the presiding judge, who declared that the deregistration was null and void, as the Corporate Affairs Commission failed to comply with the legal procedures for carrying out the change of name and board of trustees from UMCN to Global Methodist Church Nigeria (GMCN).
“The court ordered a reversal of all actions taken as “The Global Methodist Church in Nigeria does not exist in the eyes of the law, having not been duly registered in accordance with statutory provisions.”
We praise God for working through this situation and for blessing The United Methodist Church of Nigeria with provision and allowing us to go forth in ministry unburdened by these distractions and obstacles.
Bishop Ande also urged members of the UMC in Nigeria to be peaceful, and magnanimous in their celebrations of the court Victory.
Members of the United Methodist Church in Nigeria, most of whom have resorted to makeshift places of worship since the conflict began in 2024, have expressed their joy on the judgement, most of them are hopeful and eager to return to their churches.
The court judgement, has ushered a new chapter in the history of the United Methodist Church in Nigeria, paving the way for a fresh start under it’s youngest Bishop, since it’s over one hundred(100) years of inception in the country.
An official statement from the Global Methodist Church in Nigeria said the church will appeal the judgement of the Federal High Court, it also urged it’s members to be peaceful and law abiding.