The general overseer of Deeper Life Bible Church, William F. Kumuyi, has dismissed speculation that leadership of the church could be transferred to any of his biological children.
The 85-year-old cleric addressed the issue during a recent church service, where he responded to ongoing discussions about who would eventually succeed him as head of the ministry.
Kumuyi said some members had raised questions about whether he might consider handing over the church to one of his sons.
He firmly rejected the idea, stressing that the church does not belong to him personally.
“Many people were speculating, is he going to hand over the church unto his son? Won’t he search for his first son, second son, where are they? Where do they live? Is he not going to hand over the church?” Kumuyi said.
He further emphasised that the church belongs to Jesus Christ and cannot be treated as a family inheritance.
“Well, it’s not his church. And because it’s not his church, Jesus said, upon this rock, I will build my church… It’s the church of the Lord Jesus Christ and nobody has right to hand it over to his son,” he said.
Kumuyi also referenced biblical figures such as Peter, Paul, and John, noting that none of them passed church leadership to their children.
“Peter did not hand over the church to his son. Paul did not have any son or wife, but Paul did not hand over the church to his son. And John did not hand over the church to his son,” he said.
He was married to Abiodun Olowu in 1980, and the union produced two children, Jeremiah and John. His first wife passed away in 2009, and he remarried in 2010 to Folashade Adenike Blaize in London.