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Remember Deketeke
Herald Reporter
The United Methodist Church, Zimbabwe Episcopal Area resident Bishop Eben Kanukayi Nhiwatiwa yesterday denied that he was arrested in Nigeria claiming he was being protected by the Nigerian authorities from an agitated factional group within the church.
Reports by Nigerian media had indicated that Bishop Nhiwatiwa was arrested last Friday in Yola, Adamawa State, and taken to the Abuja headquarters of the Nigerian Immigration Service.
Bishop Nhiwatiwa had gone to Nigeria to oversee the nomination and transition process of a new UMC bishop in that country after Bishop John Wesley Yohanna recently resigned and joined the Global Methodist Church.
Speaking to journalists yesterday morning upon his arrival at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport from Nigeria, Bishop Nhiwatiwa said what happened in Nigeria was a manifestation of what the church is going through.
“You know what is happening in the United Methodist Church there is a lot of misinformation particularly in Africa with others trying to blackmail the other side saying Nhiwatiwa supports homosexuality and that was the message that was spreading across Nigeria,” he said.
“A pamphlet was circulated across the whole of Nigeria saying bishop Nhiwatiwa is in the country and he supports homosexuality and I asked where was that coming from.”
Bishop Nhiwatiwa said the tensions in Nigeria forced authorities to give him security to ensure his safety.
“Thank God the authorities in Nigeria called me, sat down with the church’s leaders and we went to the immigration offices and I explained to them that I am not aware of anyone who supports homosexuality among all the UMC members within and beyond Zimbabwe,” he said
“The Nigerian authorities feared that I could be harmed, not because of homosexuality but by people who were pushing their agenda, decided to protect me and advised me that I should not go out without state protection.”
Bishop Nhiwatiwa said rising tensions forced the authorities to make him return home.
“So as time went on, the agitation seemed to be piling up then I decided to leave the state (Adamawa) and I went back to Abuja. My departure gave the impression that I had been arrested,” he said.
“In many people’s eyes it seemed as if I was arrested since everything was arranged very quickly, the plane tickets, and transportation among others.”
Bishop Nhiwatiwa said he had gone to Nigeria as part of efforts to replace Bishop Yohanna who had resigned.
“I went to Nigeria as part of the 3-member team of UMC bishops assigned to reorganise our church in Nigeria, following the resignation of Bishop Yohanna,” he said.
“So, what happened is that the people needed leadership, so I had gone there to see how we can reorganise, specifically to hold sessions for nominations for a bishop for Nigeria, who could be then elected in the forthcoming central conference in December.”
The United Methodist Church has been divided into two groups, since the General Conference delegates of the UMC that met in May, in the United States, voted overwhelmingly in favour of homosexual practices in the church that has a footprint globally.
Online Reporter