Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, the General Overseer of Christ Embassy Church, has asserted that the recent fire at the church’s headquarters was not accidental but viewed as an opportunity for greater things.
Reflecting on a previous bombing incident in 2021 at Ikeja Cantonment, Pastor Oyakhilome recalled that the church building vibrated strongly, leading him to fear its collapse. However, the structure remained intact.
He explained that they promptly engaged engineers to evaluate the building’s condition, confirming its stability after thorough assessment.
“Nothing happens in the life of a child of God by accident. During the 2001 Ikeja Cantonment bombing incident, the building vibrated so much, and we thought it was going to collapse. I thought to myself that if it collapsed, I was going to build a bigger, better one. At the end of the day, it didn’t collapse, and we called the engineers to see if there was any need to bring it down and rebuild, but it was still okay.
“Now that this has happened, we will build a bigger, better, and more glorious one, and the devil will lick his wounds,” he said during a live Sunday service at the church’s campground, Asese, monitored by Vanguard Newspaper in Nigeria.
According to Nigerian media outlet Channels Television, a fire engulfed the Christ Embassy Church Headquarters located in the Oregun District of Ikeja, Lagos State.
Eyewitnesses verified the incident, which occurred early on Sunday, and numerous social media videos captured the extensive damage to the large building.
The fire caused substantial destruction to the church property, prompting concern and alarm among the nearby community and beyond.
The Lagos Fire Service responded promptly to manage the situation, and fortunately, there were no reported casualties.