By Aaior K. Comfort

The Living Faith Church, commonly known as Winners Chapel, is preparing to bid farewell to two of its esteemed leaders, Bishop David Olatunji Abioye and Bishop Thomas Aremu, as they announce their retirement this October 2024.

Their retirement aligns with the operational guidelines of the Liberation Commission, the church’s constitutional framework. Bishop Abioye’s farewell ceremony will occur in Durumi, Abuja, on Friday, October 18, 2024, while Bishop Aremu’s valedictory service is set for Living Faith Church Basorun in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Tuesday, October 15, 2024.

Bishop David Abioye has been a pivotal figure in the ministry since its inception, overseeing one of the first five branches established in 1987. His consecration in 1993 at the Garden of Faith in Barnawa, Kaduna, made him the youngest bishop in the church’s history at the age of 32.

Bishop Thomas Aremu, who transitioned from a successful career as an accountant to full-time ministry, is notably the last remaining bishop among those consecrated in November 1999 at the Garden of Faith in Kaduna. His significant contributions to the church have earned him deep respect within the congregation.

This retirement marks a historic moment for Living Faith Church, as it will publicly celebrate the retirements of its pastors for the first time. The revised Mandate states that the retirement age has been adjusted from 60 to 58. While the church’s founder, Bishop David Oyedepo, retains the privilege of lifelong service, future leaders will be limited to one or two seven-year terms, subject to approval by the Board of Trustees.