Kingdom Heritage Model in the UK, a Bishop David Oyedepo’s school is under investigation as protest greeted the school’s request for licence to operate.
It would be recalled that the Charity Commission for England recently launched an investigation into an alleged exploitation of members of Living Faith Church Worldwide also known as Winners’ Chapel in the UK by the church founder and general overseer, Bishop David Oyedepo.
The authorities have also barred the revered ‘man of God’ from entering the UK, and have forwarded a letter banning him from entering the country to Nigeria’s major point of entry and exit, Muritala Mohammed Airport.
This time around, the British government is investigating David Oyedepo’s Winners’ Chapel International’s request to establish an independent school in the country.
Kingdom Heritage Model School situated in Dartford is a fee-paying school, and came into existence in UK in September. Like its other branches, the school teaches “Biblical truths” in each subject.
In November 2012, one of its pupils, Miss Imiefan Omokaro (pictured), aged three, was found dead in one of the school toilets in Benin.
Leading the protest against the church’s opening a school in the country is the National Secular Society, an organisation that campaigns for the separation of religion and state.
The NSS expressed concern that a school linked to the “controversial preacher” was set to open in England.
In a letter to the Department for Education, the NSS had questioned the suitability of the organisation to run educational establishments in the country, raising concerns over both educational standards and child welfare.
In 2011, Oyedepo was, reportedly, captured on video assaulting a young girl at one of his church service. The girl was alleged to be possessed by some evil spirits.
In 2012, the Metropolitan Police stated that children believed to be possessed by evil spirits or believed to be witches are at “clear and immediate risk of significant harm.”
The NSS campaigns manager Stephen Evans, said, “Given this Church’s association with belief in witchcraft and the actions of its leader, we hope the department will give serious consideration to the reliability of the school’s commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.”
According to the rights advocacy group, the proposed school acknowledges “God as the sovereign and only wise God in all affairs of life and learning,” and believes the Bible to be the ultimate source of wisdom.
