Elder Okhria Succeeds Baba Aladura Kassim as C&S US Council of Churches Chairman

The Chairman of the Cherubim and Seraphim Agbojesu United States/Canada Sub-Conference, Apostle General Dr Francis Okhiria, has assumed the chairmanship of the Council of Cherubim and Seraphim Churches in the United States following the appointment of Most Senior Special Apostle Dr Gabriel Olayinka Kassim as the Acting Spiritual Leader of the Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church Worldwide.

Elder Okhria, who previously served as the first Vice-Chairman of the council, was elected chairman after Baba Aladura Kassim, who previously occupied the position, was elevated to lead the worldwide church in an acting capacity.

Speaking in an interview, Elder Okhria said his emergence followed a meeting of elders of the Council of Cherubim and Seraphim Churches in America, where his nomination received an overwhelming vote.

He said he accepted the responsibility with a commitment to strengthen unity among the various structures of the C&S Church in North America and expand the council’s influence.

He said, “The new role is very challenging. It allows me to see how we can re-strategise our mission, mainly how to strengthen unity among the formal structures across the spectrum.

“Not taking into account the conferences because we are all one. So, my main focus will be how to get everybody together and also how to enlarge or increase the role of what the council does now, making it more visible across the continent of America.”

Okhria said he would also work towards developing a stronger grassroots structure for the church in the United States, including the possibility of establishing districts that would enhance the council’s connection with members.

He said his administration would focus on extending the influence of the council across North America while creating a succession plan through greater involvement of young people.

“We’ve been on the right track since we started the organisation. My focus will be how to extend the influence of the council across North America and also how to gain the interest of the younger ones to build some sort of continuity, build some sort of succession plan. That will be my target or my main focus,” he said.

The new chairman said achieving the objectives would require working with all arms of the C&S Church and deliberately creating opportunities for youths and young adults to participate in the development of the organisation.