The Celestial Church of Christ has commenced an internal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Nollywood actress, Temitope Osoba, amid allegations involving her fiancé, Prophet Itunu Onadeko.
The church disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday by its Head of Media and Publicity Worldwide, AVSE Kayode Ajala, as questions continued to trail the circumstances surrounding the actress’s death.
According to the church, it was particularly concerned because Onadeko, one of its shepherds, had become embroiled in the controversy, with allegations against him also drawing the name of the church into the matter.
The church said it was mourning the death of the 40-year-old actress while taking the allegations seriously and seeking to establish what actually happened before her death.
It said the investigation was being conducted discreetly to establish the circumstances that led to Osoba’s death.
The church also distanced itself from practices such as idolatry, black magic, cultism and the use of charms, stressing that such acts were contrary to its doctrine.
It maintained that the Celestial Church of Christ was a Bible-based Christian organisation guided by established spiritual principles and a constitution regulating the conduct of its members and shepherds.
Osoba died on August 5 at the age of 40, but accounts surrounding her final moments have remained conflicting. The cause and circumstances of her death have yet to be officially established.
Her planned burial in Iperu Remo, Ogun State, scheduled for Thursday, was also put on hold after her family announced on Wednesday that the ceremony had been postponed indefinitely.
The family said a new date and venue for the burial would be announced later.