By Tom Garba
In a bid to foster unity and reaffirm institutional authority, the President of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), Rev. Dr. Ayuba Bagat, has strongly defended the decision of the General Church Council (GCC) to split the Kano District Church Council (DCC) into two—Kano South and Kano Central. The decision was made during the 72nd Annual GCC meeting held on April 29, 2025, in Jos, Plateau State.
Though the resolution has sparked discontent among some members, Rev. Bagat emphasized that the move aligns with ECWA’s mission to expand and effectively pursue the Great Commission.
Addressing concerned members of the Kano DCC, he stated, “Dear brethren, the reversal of the splitting of Kano ECWA DCC can only be done by the General Church Council, which is the highest authority in our church. I do not have the power to reverse the Council’s decision.”
He revealed that efforts at dialogue with dissenting members have so far yielded no results. “We have engaged them in dialogue, but to no avail for now,” he noted.
Rev. Bagat described the opposition as “a misunderstanding, possibly fueled by enemies of the church seeking division,” and urged members to remain focused on Christ’s work rather than internal disputes.
“The church is committed to expansion, not stagnation. We cannot grow if we remain confined,” he stressed. Citing Matthew 7, he called for self-examination, saying, “Remove the log in your own eye before removing the speck from another’s.”
He reassured members that the creation of two DCCs should not derail the church’s mission. “Shall we abandon God’s work because there are now two DCCs in Kano? Certainly not. In fact, we need more DCCs,” he declared, reiterating that the ultimate goal is “heaven at last.”
Rev. Bagat also urged obedience to leadership, referencing Romans 13:1 and Hebrews 13:17 to underscore that church authority is divinely instituted and should be respected. “Let us not harden our hearts or become stumbling blocks to ourselves or others,” he warned.
He concluded with a heartfelt call for unity: “Whether there are two DCCs or none, our focus must remain heaven. This is an individual race. Let us come together and channel our efforts toward building the DCCs for the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Meanwhile, controversy surrounding the decision has escalated, with protests reportedly staged at the ECWA corporate headquarters in Jos, demanding a reversal of the split. Some believe these protests may have been sponsored.
Adding legal perspective, ECWA’s counsel, Barrister Yakubu S. Bawa, dismissed the protest as baseless and in violation of legal process. “The issue is already before a court of competent jurisdiction. Taking it to the streets is not only inappropriate—it constitutes contempt of court,” he said.
Bawa added that the protesters and their sponsors should be aware that legal proceedings are underway and the church council has been formally served. “We will respond accordingly, and the rule of law will prevail,” he affirmed.
