Five out of eleven members of the board of elders at the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), Wuse II, have resigned in protest over the church’s refusal to implement an investigative committee’s recommendation to transfer Rev. Nashon Azaki, who has been accused of sexual misconduct.
In addition to the leadership dispute, the church has suffered a significant decline in attendance and financial support.
Rev. Azaki has been under investigation since January 2025, following a petition submitted to ECWA Headquarters by concerned church members calling for his removal. The petition was supported by a letter from Dr. George Ogunyomi, a legal practitioner representing the petitioners.
In the letter dated February 3, 2025, Ogunyomi accused the pastor of violating ECWA’s ethical guidelines and criticized the leadership for retaining him in his position despite what he described as “mounting evidence of misconduct.”
Despite an official announcement by the ECWA Executive on April 15, 2025, promising to implement the committee’s recommendations, over five weeks have passed with no action taken. Rev. Azaki remains in office, a decision that has sparked growing outrage among members.
Responding to the development, ECWA General Secretary, Rev. Ayuba Asheshe, stated that the church is following its internal protocols and has referred the committee’s recommendations to the Garki District Church Council (DCC) for implementation.
When approached, the Chairman of Garki DCC, Rev. Samson Jonah, did not confirm or deny whether the report was before him. He responded by saying, “Confirm your allegations with a written document from ECWA HQ.”
Sources within the church revealed that powerful figures, including a former ECWA president, have lobbied for Rev. Azaki’s retention, disregarding the investigative committee’s conclusion that his continued leadership is damaging to the church’s peace and unity.
Many members see troubling parallels between this crisis and past unresolved ECWA conflicts—such as those at ECWA Goodness Samaru, Zaria, in the 1990s and Plateau Church, Jos—where leadership delays led to deep divisions and lasting damage.
Some congregants now question whether the current leadership under Rev. Dr. Job Ayuba Bagat Mallam is on track to repeat those failures through similar inaction.
The ECWA Executive had previously committed to following the investigative panel’s full recommendations, which included transferring Rev. Azaki and dissolving the existing elders’ board. However, the continued delay has raised questions about the Executive’s credibility and commitment to reform.
Church members lament that “members of other denominations are now questioning if ECWA still stands for integrity and the truth, while other ECWA members are mocking members of ECWA Wuse II.”
In what appeared to be an attempt to suppress visible cracks, the Wuse II church leadership recently met with heads of the church’s three major fellowship groups to convince them to accept Rev. Azaki’s continued leadership. The move, however, backfired.
The fellowship leaders rejected the effort, insisting that the crisis cannot be resolved unless the committee’s recommendations are fully implemented. They argued that pretending all is well is dishonest and harmful to the future of the church.
These leaders have since called for the immediate dissolution of the current elders’ board and the establishment of a new one, as originally advised by the panel.
Some members allege that resistance to Azaki’s transfer is being fueled by personal interest, with a few beneficiaries allegedly receiving financial support for medical travel and other perks.
Calls for a comprehensive financial audit, also recommended by the investigative committee, are growing louder. Many believe such an audit would expose conflicts of interest involving key ECWA leaders.
Concerned members warn that without urgent and transparent action, the crisis will not only worsen but continue to undermine the church’s moral authority and spiritual credibility. For many congregants, Rev. Azaki’s continued presence has come to symbolize a broader collapse in accountability and trust within ECWA.
