3 Lagos Celestial Church Pastors D!e On New Year’s Day

The Celestial Church of Christ (CCC) has announced the tragic deaths of three eminent clerics on the first day of the year 2025.

Evangelist Oladotun Elusanmi, Shepherd Olumuyiwa Michael, and Assistant Venerable Superior Evangelist Johnson Olajuwon were announced as deceased by the church’s communications director in a statement posted on its website.

Superior Evangelist Kayode Ajala, Secretary of the Pastor in Council and Head of Media and Publicity for CCC Worldwide, published the statement, stating that their deaths had caused the church to mourn.

“The death has been announced of Assistant Venerable Superior Evangelist (Prophet) Johnson Olajuwon (JJ). He was, until his death, the prophet of the Celestial Church of Christ, Saint S.B.J. Oshoffa Cathedral, International Headquarters, Ketu.

“The suddenness of his passing has left many in shock, as he had read the second lesson at the cross-over service and was bubbling with life until his death early on the first day of the new year, 2025.”

In a Facebook post, Olatosho Oshoffa, the Shepherd of CCC International Headquarters, characterized Olajuwon as a dedicated, loyal, and sincere servant of God.

The CCC Christ Testimony Parish in Ikorodu confirmed Michael’s death on its Facebook page at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, January 1, while Elusanmi’s death was announced on the Instagram account ‘Celestialgeneration’ the same day.

Ajala urged against making a big issue out of the deaths, stating that it is customary for everyone to die at the appropriate time.

“Death is a necessary end, and it will come at the appropriate time for everyone. People die every day. If three people die in a church as large as Celestial, coincidentally on the same day, I don’t understand why people are making a big deal of it.

“Everyone has a time to come and a time to go. The Bible says there is a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to laugh and a time to cry.

“So when Christians begin to treat these things as mysterious, I begin to wonder if we are truly followers of Christ. People shouldn’t attach superstitious meaning to their deaths. We all have our time to go.”