Members of the Nigerian Baptist Convention under the umbrella of the Agbarho Baptist Association (ABA), have raised the alarm over alleged financial corruption perpetrated by Rev. Nathan Thikan, current President of the Providence Delta Baptist Conference at Agbarho in Delta State and the executive committee members of the conference.
The leadership of the Providence Delta Baptist Conference (PDBC) in a communique said it has passed a vote of no-confidence on Thikan and the executive committee members. It alleged that Rev. Thikan, since his assumption of office on June 1, 2015, as the substantive Conference President had been deceptive.
According to the communique made available to SaharaReporters, the problem of the church started when the youths of the PDBC raised issues of the Conference President’s alleged mismanagement of the conference funds and ill-treatment meted out to innocent staff members of PDBC,
The association noted that the issues aired by the youths came up again in higher degrees, saying that the youths pointed out the issue of mismanagement of the Conference’s funds by Rev. Thikan in their publication on January 14, 2019, but that the matter was swept under the carpet.
The association listed some of the allegations against to as including “purchase of phones and laptop for the CP, Rev. Dr. Nathan D.D. Thikan, to the tune of N1,152,000.00. Broken down by the then Treasurer as: (Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge N375,000.00, Galaxy X2 Tab N365,000.00, Huawei Phone N72,000.00 and Torch Screen Laptop- N340,000.00) as at then.
“Revd. Dr, Nathan D. D. Thikan went on 2016 leave in 2017 and collected over N1.3 million, his actual leave allowance was less than N200,000.00, but he claimed there was an Enhanced Leave Package computed in Dollars to the tune of N1,146,000.00 ($100 per day at N380 per $ for 30 days) as at then.
“Millions of Naira of our Baptist Theological Seminary Eku designated fund (1% of our dues paid to PDBC quarterly) for 2016 was not paid.
“Revd Dr. N. D. D. Thikan hijacked the sales of the 1,000 copies of Centenary Bibles from PDBC Christian Education Department in charge of our literature because of the profit of N600.00 from each bible. The 1000 copies supplied would have generated N600,000.00 for the Conference, but he took that profit to himself.
“Perceived Fraud on POBC CP Residence's Furniture/Renovation. From one of the recorded tapes, Revd. Dr. ND.D. Thikan was talking about N4.8 million which the auditor termed unretired expenses but he (Thikan) was able to spot it and probably expunge it from the auditor's report.
“We also saw a document dated 16th February 2017 where the auditor expressed dissatisfaction as quoted: ‘How was N4,899,800 spent on an advance of N3,800,000, and extra N1,099,800 since 2015 without any effort made to retire the advance? If we owe the suppliers how come they have not requested for their money for over 17 months?’
“Matching the auditor's statement and the CP's statement, we believe that there is financial fraud which needs to be investigated coupled with the fact that a donor gave the Conference N5,000,000 designated strictly for the same purpose of furniture/renovation. Thus, a total of about N9,899,800.00 needs to be investigated in relation to the CPs residence.”
The aggrieved church members noted that Thikan and the Conference Executive Committee who presided over a meeting meant to resolve the issues unilaterally allegedly “repudiated the reconciliation effort and settlement, and continued to persecute innocent persons, including Mr. Austin Obomedaire, the Conference Accountant and Sis. Doris Unutata, the Conference Administrative Secretary up till date”.
They, therefore, declared, “That a vote of no-confidence is hereby passed on the Conference President, Revd. Dr. N. D. D. Thikan, and the Providence Delta Baptist Conference Executive.
“That this will continue until Mr. Austine Obomedaire and Sis. Doris Unutata are restored to their Pre-2019 offices and positions; and all their entitlements, including promotions due are effected in line with the decision of the Providence Delta Baptist Conference (PDBC) in session at Avenue Baptist Church, Warri in 2019.
“That the Nigerian Baptist Convention through the office of the convention president should set up an audit panel to carry out forensic audit of the accounts of the providence Delta Baptist Conference (PDBC) including its decision-making processes and administration to ascertain whether the conference has been run as a Baptist denomination, in line with the constitution of the Nigerian Baptist Convention (NBC), coupled with our principles and practice since 2016 till date.”
The aggrieved church members further said, “We cast a vote of no-confidence on the Conference Executive Committee (E.C) on the ground that they are aiding and abetting. We saw in them a high level of compromise.
“Then on the Conference President, Revd. Dr. N.D.D. Thikan, his administration is not Baptistic ‘Congregational’ but episcopal in nature, and also witness a high level of sentiments, unforgiveness, recklessness, marginalization, victimization, and high-mindedness.
“We the Agbarho Baptist Association are not comfortable with this kind of leadership style. And also, he has no respect for the decision of a local church, association, conference and even convention. Hence, we can say that he is too big for this Conference; Providence Delta Baptist Conference (PDBC), and the Conference is too small for him.”