In the early days of the Church, a man named Boton who stayed in Deken, Benin Republic, who had been rechristened as Michael after converting to Christianity as a member of CCC. He was attacked by worshippers of a deity known as PASSI. Michael had renounced the gods of Passi, a feared deity that instilled fear in those accused of theft or other wrongdoings.
Having previously been a follower of Passi, the deity worshippers felt betrayed by Michael’s departure and fought against him. Despite receiving a spiritual message instructing him not to leave the church premises for seven days, Michael, who was a hunter, disobeyed and ventured into the forest for a hunting expedition. During his time in the forest, the deity of Passi appeared to him in the form of a deer. Mistaking it for game, Michael fired his gun, only to tragically shoot himself in the chest as the gun exploded from the back-end.
It was a moment of celebration for the worshippers when Passi fulfilled its mission. They paraded to Micheal home in a triumphant procession to retrieve his Sutana, a symbol of his newfound faith, to showcase in the Passi shrine and demonstrate the deity’s power to be feared and revered by the community. This display attracted a crowd, both from within and outside the community, who watched with delight.
Word reached Pastor Founder Rev SBJ Oshoffa about the desecration of the Sutana. He promptly travelled to the village and led the Awhangbahun orchestra into the Passi shrine, an action forbidden to non-initiates, resulting in immediate repercussions. Pastor Founder Rev SBJ Oshoffa retrieved the Sutana, exited the shrine with his orchestra and in front of the senior cult members declared an end to Passi. Since that day, the deity has essentially ceased to exist.
It is regrettable that the unwavering spirit in defending the institution has been completely disregarded. While Pastor Founder Rev SBJ Oshoffa vehemently opposed any misuse of church doctrine, the current situation where members disrespectfully wear the garment is unacceptable. The garment holds no value for some individuals who fail to show it the respect it deserves.