A popular social media influencer, Sir Dickson, has joined the ongoing conversation surrounding Pastor William Kumuyi’s recent comments on succession in the Deeper Christian Life Ministry, stressing the need for a clear sustainability plan.
Reacting via a post on X (formerly Twitter) to a viral video in which Pastor Kumuyi addressed calls for him to name a successor, Sir Dickson described the demand as “valid,” pointing to the clergyman’s age and biblical examples of leadership transition.
“The call for a successor is valid. Kumuyi is 84 years old,” he wrote.
“I understand him wanting to minister till death not because he built the church from the ground, but to live for Christ and die teaching the gospel. However, one of Nigeria’s biggest problems is lack of a sustainability plan. This man could die anytime. Isn’t it important he pick a successor while he is alive and teach him what he ought to know, rather than allow politics get dirty when he is dead?”
Referencing Pastor Kumuyi’s mention of Moses and Joshua, Sir Dickson drew from the book of Numbers, chapter 27, verses 12 to 23, “From scriptures, we understand in Num 27:12-23 that after God showed Moses the land of Israel and made him understand he won’t enter, Moses asked God to pick a successor so that the people won’t be without a leader. Then God told him to anoint Joshua as a successor,” he noted.
He also pointed to other scriptural examples, “Before Jesus left, he commissioned his disciples and made Peter the head of the Church. Paul prepped Timothy and Titus to lead the church before his own departure.”
The influencer argued that succession is essential to continuity, stating: “For the church to go on, you must prepare your successor. They will likewise prepare their successor like you prepared them. There has to be a succession plan. If you die without appointing your successor, you would have failed the church because your action would lead to strife and internal division.”
Pastor Kumuyi, while addressing church leaders, had earlier pushed back against growing calls for him to step aside, declaring that he would not be pressured into quitting. The clergyman, who turns 85 in June next year, stressed that God, and not man, would determine when and who his successor would be.
In a message laced with conviction, Kumuyi asked: “I’m wondering why this young man is emphasising successor, successor. Are they tired of me? Are you tired of me?” He insisted that neither members of the congregation nor his own family had the right to “control” him.
Kumuyi likened himself to a shepherd and a pilot, urging members not to fight their leader, and vowed to continue preaching with vigour. He acknowledged that a successor would eventually emerge, but maintained that the decision rested with God alone.
Sir Dickson’s remarks have added another voice to a debate that blends faith, leadership, and the delicate question of timing — a debate that now stretches from the pulpit to the pews, and from the sanctuary to the social media streets.
