Prelate, Methodist  Church Nigeria, His Eminence Sunday Ola Makinde, is to remain in office till 2013 when he will attain the mandatory retirement age of 70.

In a release made available by the church’s Media and Public Relations Officer, Rev. Oladapo Daramola, the mandate to continue in office (haven completed his first term of five years) was given by members of the church’s highest organ, the Conference Connexional Council at its 17th meeting and the Bishops’ Consultative Forum (both acting on behalf of the Methodist Conference) in an overwhelming show of confidence and appreciation for the purposeful, transparent and visionary leadership he has shown since ascending the office in 2006.

The meeting which ended last week in Umuahia, Abia State, also saw the re-election of Rt. Rev. Chibuzo Opoko as the church’s Secretary of Conference, the creation of three new dioceses comprising of Lagos North, Abia East and Ngbo, the election of two new bishops namely Very Rev Joel Olu Akinola as (bishop-elect of Lagos North Diocese), Very Rev John Okorie as (bishop-elect of Ngbo Diocese) and the translation of Rt. Rev. Alozie Anyanwu to the newly created Abia East Diocese. 

The church also used the occasion to ordain 83 prie-sts and three deaconesses  at the Zion Methodist Church in Umuahia, Abia State.

In his charge to the new prie-sts and deaconesses, Prelate Makinde reminded them of the need to remain focused on their calling and the mission handed to them by God which is to reconcile the world back to God and should not be derailed by the quest for riches and other earthly things. He said they should stand up and defend their calling, the gos-pel of Christ’s redeeming power and love for mankind.