Pulpit to palace

--:--
In March 2022, the senior pastor of The Redeemed Christian Church of God - Jesus House Parish, Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye, resigned from his position at a church in Washington D.C., to ascend a traditional throne as Soun of Ogbomoso kingdom of Oyo state, in south-west Nigeria. His decision sent shock waves in the community as the role is considered part of traditional African spirituality - something an evangelical pastor is not expected to be linked with. But Ghandi insists that the same God who called him as a young man to become a pastor has called him now to become a king. Since ascending the throne, he has been drawn into a legal process by some of his cousins, who argue the throne is not for a pastor. There’s also pressure from local traditionalists, who are asking that the new king converts from Christianity to their traditional African religion. This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from Heart and Soul, exploring personal approaches to spirituality from around the world.
12 Jun 8PM English United Kingdom Education

Other recent episodes

Dying for a transplant

In 2019, British-Nigerian comedian Emmanuel Sonubi suffered from a near-fatal heart failure whilst on a comedy tour of Dubai. He had a condition called dilated cardiomyopathy, which means his heart was not pumping enough oxygen around his body, and he might need an urgent transplant. In the years since Emmanuel's…
12 Jul 8PM 52 min

The Romanians choosing life in the hills

A growing number of Romanians, including some celebrities and the country’s former prime minister Dacian Cioloș, are moving to the countryside. They say they're looking for a slower and more sustainable life in the hills. But this seemingly idyllic lifestyle is not without challenges. What's driving this trend? Romanian journalist…
12 Jul 8AM 27 min

Why it's good for men to talk

Across the world, there’s often a stigma when it comes to men discussing their emotions. “We’re taught here as men that a man shouldn’t cry,” says Kholekile, who chairs the ManKind Project, a support group for men in South Africa. Across the world, there’s often a stigma when it comes…
11 Jul 8PM 28 min

France’s new Christians

The number of adults getting baptised in France has tripled in the last three years. Why are so many more adults joining the Church in France? We meet two of France’s new Christians, one baptised this Easter, one last Easter, and hear the strong stories they have to tell about…
10 Jul 8PM 29 min

Ark of the dry lands

Researchers in Morocco are developing dry-land agriculture at ICARDA (the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas). It is home to a gene bank, in which around 150,000 different seed-types are kept in perfectly calibrated cold vaults, and duplicated to protect them from ‘fire, earthquake and war.’ They’re…
9 Jul 8PM 28 min