ANGLICAN CHURCH IN : YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW

The Revd. Prof. Benjamin O. Ehigie All Souls’ Church, Bodija Ibadan

An Anniversary Lecture presented on the Occasion of the 20th Anniversary Ceremony of Ibadan North Diocese of the ().

Prof. EHIGIE 1 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever (Hebrews 13:8).

ANGLICAN CHURCH IN NIGERIA: YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW Prof. EHIGIE 2 Introduction The Anglican Church in Nigeria was founded in 1842 by Henry Townsend in Badagry.

Renamed The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) in 1979.

In with all Anglican Churches, Dioceses and Provinces that hold and maintain the Historic Faith, Doctrine, Sacrament and Discipline of the one Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church as the Lord has commanded in His holy word and as the same are received as taught in the Book of Common Prayer and the ordinal of 1662 and in the Thirty-Nine Prof. EHIGIE 3 Article of Religion. The Church Universal The began as soon as Christ’s apostles began to preach after his death. Catholic comes from the Greek word for universal. It was the first form of Christianity that kept apostolic leadership unbroken since the time of St. Peter. In the 4th century AD, Catholicism was made the official religion of the Roman Empire. Anglican and Roman Catholic diverged to become two separate forms of Christianity; though from the same Christian roots founded by Jesus Christ (Mat 16:18) Anglican refers to the and its related branches throughout the world.

Anglican priests can get married, unlike Catholic priests. Prof. EHIGIE 4 How Anglican split from the Roman Catholic The word ‘Anglican’ was first used in the mid-19th century to describe the Church of England in its independence from the Roman Catholic Church (Chapman, 2006).

Henry VIII started the process of creating the Church of England after his split with the Pope in the 1530s.

This followed Henry’s desire to have a male heir after his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, had borne him only a daughter.

He wanted his marriage annulled in order to remarry but could not secure a sanctioned divorce from the Catholic Church and therefore broke off to form his own sect. During the time of Elizabeth I, the Church was formalized and given an independent ecclesiastical status and the name Anglicana

Ecclesia (Anglican Church).. Prof. EHIGIE 5 Anglican and Protestants are the denominations that broke off from the Roman Catholic Church. Anglicans in a way are Protestants.

Most Protestant denominations really needed to protest or even rebel against the Catholic church in order to separate themselves

The Anglican Church is better seen as a middle way between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism.

The word ‘’ is used to distinguish Anglican from ‘Protestantism’ (Newman, 1838 reported in Chapman, 2006) Anglicanism is a Protestant Reformation and a form of Christianity that includes features of both Protestantism and Roman Catholicism (Encyclopedia Britannica , 2018) Anglican Communion describes ‘particular or national churches’ throughout the world, having their origins to the Church of England, and all in communion with the of Canterbury. The word ‘Communion’ began to develop as organization from the first of 1867. There are 38 churches in the Communion Prof. EHIGIE 6 Anglican and Pentecostalism Pentecostal is derived from Pentecost; the Christian festival celebrating the descent of the Holy Spirit on the disciples of Jesus.

Pentecostalism is a renewal movement within Protestant Christianity that places special emphasis on a direct personal experience of God through baptism with the Holy Spirit

Pentecostal churches stress the importance of conversions that amount to a Baptism in the Spirit; giving the believer the strength to live a truly Christian life.

A major focus of Pentecostal churches is Holy Spirit baptism as evidenced by speaking in tongues.

Is the Anglican Church a Pentecostal Church? Prof. EHIGIE 7 Peculiarities of the Anglican Church It is one of the Christian denominations in Nigeria (Udodiong in Pulse Nigeria, 2017) , differentiated by the following : 1. it is not a one-man business, unlike some others that look up to one person for spiritual guidance. 2. It has a structure; headed by the of All Nigeria, presently Archbishop Nicholas Dikeriehi Orogodo Okoh 3. This is followed by the other of the 14 ecclesiastical provinces, and of the Dioceses. 4. Every Parish has councils, called Parish Church Council (PCC); with the authority over all matters of general interest and the well-being of the Church. 5. The General Synod meeting, where members contribute to making decisions for the whole church.

6. This leadership structure allows for participative decision making.

7. The Church adopts three orders in ministry; , Priest and Deacon. Prof. EHIGIE 8 The Spread of Anglican Church

In the 19th century, precisely in - In the the denomination is called Episcopal; in most of the rest of the 1857, the evangelistic world it is called Anglican. movement of some Anglican - There are 38 churches in the Anglican evangelicals in London known Communion, including the as Church Missionary Society Episcopal Church in the United States, the Scottish Episcopal Church, the Church in spread Wales, and the

The spread around the world It has historically been was through the worldwide spread of British largest in former culture associated with English colonies, the British Empire colonization especially in Africa, and then by English-speaking missionary work. including Nigeria.

Prof. EHIGIE 9 ANGLICAN CHURCH IN NIGERIA: Yesterday

Prof. EHIGIE 10 History of Christianity/Anglican Church in Africa

Tradition holds that the first Gentile church was founded in It was from Antioch that Antioch, where the disciples of St. Paul started his Jesus Christ were first called Christians (Acts 11:19-26). missionary journeys.

In Africa, Christianity first arrived in History has it that Christianity North Africa, in the 1st/early 2nd was brought from Jerusalem century AD and the Christian communities in North Africa were to Alexandria on the Egyptian among the earliest in the world. coast by Mark, one of the four (The BBC News Service, 2018) evangelists in 60 AD.

The Anglican Church of Southern Africa, known until 2006 as the Church of the Province of Southern Africa is the oldest in Africa. British Anglicans met for worship in Cape Town after 1806 (The Anglican Consultative Forum, 2018)

Prof. EHIGIE 11 History of Anglican Church in West Africa The Church of the Province of West Africa was Missionary work established in 1951 by the bishops of five West began in Ghana in African dioceses (Accra, Lagos, Niger, Sierra Leone and the Diocese of Gambia/Guinea) 1752. with the consent of the . In 1977 the Diocese of Liberia joined.

In February 1979, the The now Church of the Province of West new Church of Nigeria was Africa covers 17 dioceses in 8 countries inaugurated as a separate of West Africa (Cameroon, Cape province (Lagos and Niger Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Sen egal and Sierra Leone). Dioceses)

Ghana is the country with most dioceses, now numbering 11 and 6 in the other seven nations. (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, retrieved 11/12/2018) Prof. EHIGIE 12 Christianity in Nigeria

Catholicism arrived in the Christianity came to territory that would come to be Sub-Saharan Africa in known as Nigeria with the 15th century, with Portuguese explorers, Augustinian and Capuchin, in the arrival of the the 15th century, but their Portuguese and the missionary efforts were largely interest of Europeans unsuccessful and Catholicism virtually disappeared by in colonizing Africa. the 17th century.

Prof. EHIGIE 13 Anglican Presence in Nigeria It was not until the 19th century that the Christian religion was firmly established in Nigeria.

The rebirth of Christianity in Nigeria was made possible with the arrival of Christian freed slaves in Nigeria. It started first among the Yoruba slaves who had embraced the Christian faith while in Sierra Leone, and returned home between 1839 and 1845. The pastors of the Church Missionary Society from Badagry and later from Sierra Leone, visited these Christian communities in and other towns. Among the first missionaries was the Rev. Henry Townsend who went from Sierra Leone to Badagry in 1842 in his company was the Rev Ajayi Crowther and Charles Andrew Golmer. Following this, the first mission of the Church of England was established in Nigeria in 1842. Prof. EHIGIE 14 Slaves serving punishment Prof. EHIGIE 15 Revd. Henry

Townsend Prof. EHIGIE 16 The Yoruba Mission in Nigeria

The activities of the pioneer missionaries specifically paved the way for the creation of the Yoruba Mission as they sowed the seed of Anglicanism properly.

Success followed the efforts as C.M.S. churches were firmly established in several important towns, such as Abeokuta (1846), Lagos (1851), Ibadan (1853), and Oyo (1856).

Samuel Ajayi Crowther was consecrated Bishop in London on St. Peter's Day (June 29th) 1864. He founded the All-African Mission in 1847, and headed it successfully until his death in 1891. Prof. EHIGIE 17 The Southern Mission in Nigeria

The Church Missionary Society (CMS) The CMS was most successful in established an evangelistic ministry, Nigeria because it granted converts particularly in the south, and south- the autonomy to lead their eastern Nigeria basically Bonny and Brass, . communities.

As such, African clergy Bishop Ajayi Crowther, assisted members were active by the Igbo recaptive the Rev. J. participants in the early C. Taylor, are prominent in this growth of the church. wise.

By 1857 the CMS mission The CMS also encouraged was fully engaged and the legitimate commerce, Diocese on the Niger was condemning slavery in favor of established in 1864 agriculture. Prof. EHIGIE 18 The Northern Mission in Nigeria Although Lokoja had a small C.M.S. station in 1858, it was not until 1889 that the missionaries entered Hausaland, which was predominantly Muslim.

Unfortunately, Anglican missions arrived in the north roughly at the same time as the establishment of the British Protectorate of Nigeria in 1900.

Anglicanism and British colonialism were misconstrued as one by many in the north, and so early missionaries to the north were poorly received.

With the installation of a new Sultan of Sokoto in 1903, Sir Frederick Lugard, the first high commissioner of the protectorate, promised that the colonial administration would not interfere with religious life in the north.

By implication, the range of mission activity in the north was limited, until the 1930s.

Their converts, for many years, were majorly the people of southern Nigerian resident in the north, and to the-large non-Muslim population of the north.

This made the CMS to work more prominent in other regions, especially in the south,

couple withProf. limited EHIGIE resources 19 List of Churches in Nigeria, Founder and Date of Establishment Church name Founder Current general overseer Date established Location Celestial Church of Christ Samuel Biléhou Joseph Oshoffa 1947 Cotonou Cherubim and Seraphim Moses Orimolade Tunolase 1925

Christ Apostolic Church Joseph Ayo Babalola Pastor A.O. Akinosun[4] 1941 Christ Embassy Chris Oyakhilome Chris Oyakhilome 1990 Lagos State Church of Nigeria Henry Townsend 1842 Badagry

Church of the Lord Josiah Ollunowo Ositelu 1930 Ogere

Deeper Christian Life Ministry William Kumuyi William F. Kumuyi 1982 Lagos State Hilltop International Christian Chris Oarhe Chris Oarhe 1993 Port-Harcourt Center

Living Faith Church Worldwide David Oyedepo David Oyedepo 1981 Kaduna State

Prelate Samuel Chukwuemeka Kanu Marina/Lagos Methodist Church Nigeria British missionaries 1842 Uche , JP State Mountain of Fire and Miracles Dr. Daniel Olukoya 1989 Yaba Southern Baptist Nigerian Baptist Convention Rev. Samson Olasupo Ayokunle 1850/1914 Conventionmissionaries Redeemed Christian Church of Rev Josiah Akindayomi Pastor Enoch Adeboye 1952 Lagos State God Roman Catholic Church Ignatius Ayau Kaigama

Royal House of Grace Apostle Zilly Aggrey King-David Zilly Aggrey 1992 Port-Harcourt International Church

Salvation Ministries Pastor David Ibiyeomie David Ibiyeomie 1997 Port-Harcourt

The Apostolic Church Nigeria Gabriel Olutola 1931 Lagos State

The Lord's Chosen Lazarus Muoka Lazarus Muoka 2002 Mushin Prof. EHIGIE 20 The Synagogue T. B. Joshua T. B. Joshua Ikotun The First Anglican Bishop in Africa: Samuel Ajayi Crowther (1806-1891)

Crowther was born with the When about 12 years, he was taken as a name Ajayi in Osogun (in the slave by Muslim Fulani slave raiders in present-day Iseyin LGA, Oyo State) in 1821 and sold to Portuguese slave 1809 traders

Crowther was cared for by the Ajayi was taken to Freetown, Sierra Anglican Church Missionary Society and Leone, where he was raised in a taught English. He converted to Christianity, Church Mission Society school on 11 December 1825 was baptized and he (Adeuyan, 2011; Falola & Usman, named himself after the Vicar of Christ 2009). Church, Newgate, London - Samuel Crowther, (DACB, 2014). Ajayi Crowther became an ordained deacon in 1843 in England, joined In 1864 Samuel Ajayi Crowther was the Anglican mission in 1845, and elected Bishop of the Niger and became later led a highly successful CMS the first black Bishop of the Anglican Niger Mission ( and Communion and posted to the See on Prof. EHIGIE 21 environs). the Niger. Bishop Sammuel Ajayi Crowther Prof. EHIGIE 22 The Celebration of First Christmas in Nigeria Rev. Thomas Birch Freeman (a pioneer of the Methodist Church in colonial West Africa), believed to be the first European to enter Abeokuta, paid a courtesy call on Henry Townsend and his wife, who were of CMS [now Anglican]

The visit was24 December 1842; it was this meeting that birthed the first "Christmas Day" celebration in Nigeria, on 25th December 1842 under the famous" Agia" tree in Badagry.

It was a joint service of , thanksgiving and of unity. The Christmas service was attended by a large and devoted congregation made up of the Badagry people, the resident Europeans in Badagry and the returnees who had settled in Badagry. Rev. Townsend read the scripture and Rev. Freeman preached the day’s sermon on “The incarnation Redeemer of Mankind.” Prof. EHIGIE 23 Agia Monument Prof. EHIGIE 24 Prof. EHIGIE 25 The First Church in Nigeria: The Cathedral Church of St. Peters, Ake Abeokuta Nigeria is one of the most religious countries in the world and it also has the highest number of churches (Olawale, 2017.in NAIJA.com).

History holds it that when Christianity first came to Nigeria through the Portuguese missionary; no particular church was established before they left.

Although Badagry is said to be the starting point of Christianity in Nigeria, it is not the first place to house a church.

The foundation of Nigeria's first church was laid in Ake, Abeokuta, by Rev. Andrew Desalu Wilhelm, years after the mission of Rev. Henry Townsend.

The church, an Anglican Church, is; the Cathedral Church of St. Peter, located in Ake, Abeokuta, Ogun State, was completed in 1898. Prof. EHIGIE 26 First Church in Nigeria (re-built)

Prof. EHIGIE 27 The First Printing Press and Newspaper in Nigeria

In 1854, Rev. Henry Townsend established the first printing press in Nigeria.

Five years later, it published the country's first newspaper on November 23, 1859, known as "Iwe Irohin”. The newspaper was published every fifteen days and sold for 120 cowries.

According to Rev. Henry Townsend, "My objective is to get the people to read and to beget the habit of seeking information by reading." (Oreva, 2018). Acts 17:10-11

Many believed that the purpose of Rev. Henry Townsend newspaper was to foster the outreach of Christian religion at the time.

The content of the newspaper was news of church activities, arrival and departure of religious dignitaries, ordinations, stories around Abeokuta, cotton and cocoa statistics, advertisements from local firms and government agencies from 1860.

Eight years later, "Iwe Irohin" was printed in English andYoruba.

The cultural and political clashes that occurred between the Egbas and the British resulted in the expulsion of all Europeans in Egbaland, the printing press was razed in 1867. Prof. EHIGIE 28 Prof. EHIGIE 29 Educational Development

The CMS established a chain of mission schools in the early 1950s, predominantly in the south.

CMS schools encouraged mother-tongue literacy, and teachings were made in the local language (unlike Catholic schools, which used English).

As students expressed Christian concepts in their native languages, it became easier to Evangelize.

Early mission schools prepared boys to become clergy, girls to become housewives. And civil servants on the colonial administration

Prof. EHIGIE 30 Early Schools in Nigeria (1) CMS Grammar School, Lagos: 1859

(2) Methodist Boys High School, Lagos : 1878

(3) Methodist Girls High School, Lagos : 1879

(4) Baptist Academy, Lagos : 1885

(5) Hope Waddell Training Institute, Calabar,[ Nigeria's first east of the Niger secondary school in 1895] (6)The old Wesley college Elekuro now Wesley college of science, Ibadan was founded in 1905

(7) Abeokuta Grammar School, Ogun : 1908

(8 Kings College , Lagos : 1909 Prof. EHIGIE 31 THE ANGLICAN CHURCH IN NIGERIA: Today

The Birth of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion)

Prof. EHIGIE 32 The Beginning: The Diocese of Western Equatorial Africa.

Diocese on the Niger is the mother diocese (oldest diocese) of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion).

The diocese was created in 1864 as the Diocese of Western Equatorial Africa.

Samuel Ajayi Crowther, the first African Anglican Bishop, was consecrated as Bishop of Western Equatorial Africa

In 1920 the Diocese of Equatorial West Africa was divided into two: an eastern part (the continuing Diocese, now named the Diocese on the Niger) and a western part (a new Diocese, named the Diocese of Lagos).

A part of the Diocese on the Niger was subsequently carved out in 1946 to create the Niger Delta Diocese (Revolvy.com, 2018).

Prof. EHIGIE 33 The Province of West Africa

On the 17th of April, 1951 the Province of West Africa was inaugurated by the then Archbishop of Canterbury, The Most Revd. Geoffrey Fisher.

Province compromising five Dioceses: Sierra Leone (1852), Accra (1909), Lagos (1920), On the Niger (1920) and Gambia (1935) and the Diocese of Liberia later joined in 1977. The Bishop of Lagos, The Rt. Revd. L.G. Vining was elected first Archbishop of the new

Between 1951 and 1977, the two Dioceses in Nigeria (Lagos and on the Niger) gave birth to fourteen

new onesProf. EHIGIE to make sixteen dioceses 34 Division of the Province of West Africa On 24 February 1979, the resolution was adopted for the Church of the Province of West Africa to be divided to form the Province of Nigeria and the Province of West Africa.

The sixteen dioceses in Nigeria were constituted into the Province of Anglican Communion (Church of Nigeria) on the Feast of St. Mathias, February 24, 1979

The Rt. Revd. Timothy Omotayo Olufosoye, DD, the Bishop of Ibadan became the Archbishop, Primate and Metropolitan of the Province, which was designated as “The Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion”.

According to the Anglicans Online (2018), the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) is: - a member of the World Council of Churches, -the All Africa Conference of Churches, the Christian Council of Nigeria, - the Christian AssociationProf.of Nigeria EHIGIE . 35 Table 2: Sixteen Foundation Dioceses of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) S/N Diocese Date of Creation 1 On the Niger 1864, renamed 1920 2. Lagos 1920 3 Niger Delta 1/1/1952 4 Ibadan 125/1/1952 5 Ondo 24/2/1952 6 Northern Nigeria 1954 7 Owerri 1959 8 Benin 3/1/1962 9 Ekiti 29/10/1966 10 Enugu 16/8/1970 11 Aba 9/1/1972 12 Kwara 1/11/1974 13 Ilesha 2/11/1974 14 Egba/Egbado 3/8/1976 15 Ijebu 8/8/1976 Prof. EHIGIE 36 16 Asaba 10/8/1977 Between 1980 and 1988, the Province increased to 24 dioceses with eight additional dioceses created: S/N Diocese Date of Creation 1 Kano 8/1/80 2. Jos 10/1/80 3 Akoko 28/2/83 4 Owo 1/3/83 5 Akure 2/3/83 6 Orlu 6/11/84 5 Remo 4/3/86 7 Awka 6/3/86

8 Osun Prof. EHIGIE 3/8/87 37 Church of Nigeria Evangelical Explosion The explosion of the Church of Nigeria in size was birthed through evangelical activities, under the leadership of Archbishop Adetiloye

The 1990s was the decade of rapid evangelization for the Church of Nigeria, following the creation of large numbers of mission dioceses.

Eight missionary Bishops were consecrated and inaugurated in 1990 and five others in 1996, strategically in the Northern Nigeria (see Table 4).

The missionary Bishops' core mission was the fast evangelism of the predominantly Muslim Northern Nigeria. Prof. EHIGIE 38 Table 4: Thirteen Missionary Dioceses Inaugurated in the North Inaugurated in September, 1990 Diocese Date 1 Minna 3 2 Kafanchan 3 3 Katsina 6 4 Sokoto 9 5 Makurdi 20 6 Yola 26 7 Maiduguri 28 8 Bauchi 29 Inaugurated in December 1996 1 Kebbi 4 2 Dutse 6 3 Damaturu 8 4 Jalingo 10 5 Oturkpo 16 TOTAL 13 Missionary Dioceses Two more missionary Dioceses of Calabar (20/12/90) andProf.Uyo EHIGIE(27/11/92) joined, making 15 Missionary Dioceses39. Table 4: Additional Fourteen Dioceses between 1990 and 1998 S/N Diocese Date of Creation 1 Egbado (now Yewa) 2/11/1990 2. Ife 4/11/1990 3 Oke-Osun 25/1/1993 4 Sabongidda-Ora 27/5/1993 5 Okigwe North 7/1/1994 6 Okigwe South 8/1/1994

5 Ikale-Ilaje 6/2/1995 7 Kabba 12/2/1996 8 Nnewi 14/2/1996 9 Egbu 16/2/1996 10 Niger Delta North 16/5/1996 11 Wusasa 2/12/1997 12 Abakaliki 4/12/1997 13 Ughelli 8/1/1998 14 Ibadan North Prof. EHIGIE 14/12/1998 40 The Journey of Ibadan North Diocese

The Revd. David On the 25 January, 1952, Hinderer and his wife Diocese of Ibadan was arrived Ibadan on 25 inaugurated from the April, 1853 to Lagos Diocese and The Rt. commence evangelical Revd Alexander Babtunde work and the first Akinyele, The Assistant converts admitted by Bishop of Lagos Diocese baptism into the church was enthroned the first of God on 24 June, Bishop of the SEE of 1855. Ibadan

Prof. EHIGIE 41 Table 5: Ibadan/Ibadan North Diocesans S/N Ibadan Diocesan Year of Concentration/Enthro nment 1 The Rt. Revd Alexander Babtunde 25/7/1933 Akinyele 2 The Rt. Revd. David Richard Oyebode 1956 3 The Rt. Revd. Solomon Odunaiya 1961 Odutola 4 The Rt. Revd. Timothy Omotayo 23/1/1971 Olufosoye 5 The Rt. Revd. Gideon Isaac Olajide 18/10/1988 14/12/1998 Ibadan North Diocese was inaugurated The Rt. Revd. Dr. Olusegun Adebola 14/12/1998 Okubadejo

Prof. EHIGIE 42 Celebration Day

Today is 14/12/2018 this is why we are celebrating the 20th anniversary of Ibadan North Diocese this day; all glory, honour and praise to the most high God and once again congratulations to the Bishop of Ibadan North Diocese and also Archbishop of Ibadan Province, His Grace, The Most Reverend Segun Okubadejo for this celebration.

Prof. EHIGIE 43 The Year of Bumper Harvest: 13 Dioceses in 1999 S/N Diocese Date Month 1 Oji River 11 2 Ideato 12 July 3 Ibadan south 13 4 Offa 14 1 Lagos West 29 2 Ekiti West 22 November 3 Gusau 24 4 Gombe 25 5 Niger Delta West 25 6 Gwagwalada 26 7 Lafia 29 8 Bida 30 1 Oleh 21 December Total 13 Dioceses Prof. EHIGIE 44 Table 6: Fourteen Ecclesiastical Provinces and Heads Province Archbishop No. of Dioceses 1 Abuja Nicholas Okoh (Primate) 12 2 Aba Ikechi Nwosu 9 3 Bendel John Imaekhai 13 4 Enugu Emmanuel Chukwuma 12 5 Ibadan Segun Okubadejo 18 6 Jos 10 7 Kaduna Ali Buba Lamido 12 8 Kwara 'Segun Adeyemi 8 9 Lagos Michael Fape 14 10 Lokoja Emmanuel A. S. Egbunu 11 11 Niger Godwin Opala 9 12 Niger Delta Tunde Adeleye 13 13 Ondo Gabriel Akinbiyi 12 14 Owerri Caleb Maduoma 12 Total 165 Source: Mothers’ Union Church of Nigeria,Prof. EHIGIEAnglican Communion, 2019 Diary)45 Ecclesiastical Provinces

S/N Year Created No. Of Provinces 1 20/9/1997 3 2 2002 10 3 2012 14

The primates of the Church of Nigeria have been:

Primate Period

1 Timothy O. Olufosoye 1979-1986 The fourteen archbishops each hold metropolitical authority 2 Joseph Abiodun Adetiloye 1986-1999 within their respective provinces. One of them is 4 2000-2010 additionally the Primate and 4 Nicholas Okoh 2010-date bears the title "Primate of All Nigeria".

Prof. EHIGIE 46 Commendatory Note Ladies and gentlemen, please note that within 10 years (1990 – 1999), there were 27 new regular dioceses and 15 mission dioceses created.

Following this development, the Archbishop of Canterbury declared the Church of Nigeria to be “the fastest growing church in the Anglican Communion!”(Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, 2018).

The World Council of Churches (2016) reports that the Church of Nigeria is the second-largest province in the Anglican Communion, after the Church of England; as measured by baptized membership (but not by attendance). It gives its current membership as "over 18 million", out of a total Nigerian population of 190 million. Other statistics reveal by Gledhill (2016) show that the Church of Nigeria has 2 million active attendeesProf. on EHIGIE a Sunday. 47 The Vision for the Church of Nigeria

One of his first actions The result was that the Church of Nigeria was to get together 400 (Anglican Communion) bishops, priests, lay shall be; -based, In 2000, Archbishop members and members spiritually dynamic, Peter Akinola of the Mothers' Union united, disciplined, self succeeded Archbishop to deliberate on a supporting, committed to Adetiloye as Primate of vision for the Church of pragmatic evangelism, the Church of Nigeria. Nigeria under the social welfare and a chairmanship of Ernest Church that epitomizes Shonekan, a former the genuine love of Christ ("Vision of the Church of President of Nigeria. Nigeria", 2013).

Prof. EHIGIE 48 The Church of Nigeria Stand on Gay Marriage and Homosexuality

In his message to the nation, Archbishop Akinola asserted Archbishop Peter Akinola spoke that The Church of Nigeria out against the Church of remains sharply opposed to England's decision to allow homosexuality, calling it "a priests to enter into same-sex perversion of human dignity." civil partnerships (Blake, 2005). (Akinola, 2005),

In March 2009, the Church declared In 2013, Archbishop Nicholas itself in full communion with Okoh also opposed the Church the Anglican Church in North America, of England's decision to allow a denomination formed by American and Canadian Anglicans who opposed gay bishops, even if celibate, to their national churches' actions with enter into civil unions regard to homosexuality and equality (Heneghan, 2013) . (Hodges, 2009).

Prof. EHIGIE 49 The Church of Nigeria Stand on Some provinces within the Anglican Communion ordain women to the three traditional holy orders of bishop, priest and deacon. Other provinces ordain women as deacons and priests but not as bishops, others still as deacons only. Some provinces do not approve the ordination of women to any order of ministry.

The Afrol News of 18 March, 2005, reports a pastoral letter issued by the immediate past Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Archbishop Peter Akinola, that the Anglican 'Church of Nigeria' will not commence the ordination of women but the issue may be revisited in the future.

When his successor, the Most Reverend Nicholas Oko Odogwu assumed office, during his Episcopal tour to the Province on the Niger, he endorsed the ordination of women as deacons in Anglican Communion, in certain areas like hospital work and school services.

Prof. EHIGIE 50 Educational Institutions

In furtherance of educational development in Nigeria, The Church of Nigeria has gone beyond primary and secondary education to tertiary education.

Presently the Church of Nigeria owns the following:

1. Ajayi Crowther University (2005)- owned by Supra Diocesan Board (West) of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion)

2. Paul University (2009)- Founded by Bishops of the five ecclesiastical provinces of the Anglican Church, East of the Niger . The university replaced St Paul's University College which was founded in 1904 by the Church Missionary Society of the Church of England to train church workers and teachers.

3. The Church is proposing a university in Abuja. The Federal Government has approved 100 hectres of land for the permanent site of the proposed Anglican University, Abuja. (Vanguard Newspaper report of July 30, 2013)

4. Archbishop Vining College of Theology, Akure- established by the Church Missionary Society (CMS) in 1917. In 1983, it metamorphosed into a full theological college, training people for the ordained ministry of the Anglican Church., and accredited by the NUCProf. EHIGIE 51 External Validation of the Anglican Church in Nigeria

Resulting from the sporadic increase The World Council of Churches in the number of parishes, dioceses (2016) reports that the Church of and provinces the Archbishop of Nigeria is the second- Canterbury declared the Church of largest province in the Anglican Nigeria to be “the fastest growing Communion, after the Church of church in the Anglican England; as measured by baptized Communion!”(Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, 2018). membership (but not by attendance).

-Josiah Atkins Idowu-Fearon, a Nigerian Anglican bishop, was in April 2015 The Diocese of Southwark (2018) appointed the Secretary General of the Anglican reports the Church of England Communion Worldwide; the first African to hold appointed a Nigerian, Woyin Karowi the position. Dorgu, as its first black bishop in over - He reportedly beat 37 other applicants from two decades. Dorgu joins Ugandan Oceania, Asia, Europe and America (Religion News John Sentamu, who until this time Service, 2018). was the only black bishop in the -However, the official response of the Church of Church of England. Nigeria was negative to this appointment as he is not in accord with the theological and doctrinal posture of the Church of Nigeria (Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion Bulletin, 2015). Prof. EHIGIE 52 The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion: Tomorrow

Prof. EHIGIE 53 1. Remove Not the Ancient Landmark

There is the strong temptation to redesign the doctrine and mode of worship meet what is in vogue; to compete favourably with the new generation churches. Prov. 22:28 advises: “Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy Fathers have set.”

The doctrine of the Christian faith as the Church of Nigeria has received, was laid than by the founding founders through the inspirattion of the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures, as “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” ( 2 Tim 3:16).

The doctrine of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican communion) has biblical foundation hence should be guided jealously.

Prof. EHIGIE 54 2. Modified Approach to the Business of Soul Winning

Such evangelical activities must begin with the family members of those who are members of the Church The Church of of Nigeria “today,” so that their offspring will Nigeria (Anglican Communion) was become “tomorrow’s” members. Joel advises: given birth to “Tell ye your children of it, and let your through missionary children tell their children, and their children activities of another generation.”(Joel 1:3). evangelism. The Church will have a great “tomorrow” where we have generational membership.

Jesus enjoins in Acts 1:8 The husband should that the gospel be take the lead; not preached in Jerusalem, leaving the pastorate in all Judea and Samaria, of the home to the and to the ends of the wife. earth. Prof. EHIGIE 55 2. Securing True Membership

Muñoz (2015), while discussing John 4:23 declares: Anglican Gledhill asserts membership in “But the hour that Nigeria is a Nigeria, To provide a cometh, and now fast-growing distinguishes theologically is, when the true province claiming between sound definition worshippers shall 18 million "outer circle" of church worship the members, but members- those membership is Father in spirit reports that who identify as therefore an and in truth: for there could be Anglican, and issue for Anglican the Father fewer than two "inner circle" Church in the seeketh such to million active members- those “now.” Anglicans. who identify as worship him.” Anglican and are also active churchgoers.

Prof. EHIGIE 56 3. Emphasis on being Born Again and Spirituality

For the Church Rom 10:9-10 Eph 1:13 “That if thou shalt of Nigeria to “In whom ye also trusted, confess with thy mouth after that ye heard the stand tall the Lord Jesus, and shalt word of truth, the gospel believe in thine heart ‘tomorrow”, of your salvation: in that God hath raised him whom also after that ye two scriptures from the dead, thou shalt believed, ye were sealed be saved. 10 For with the to watch out with that Holy Spirit of heart man believeth unto promise.” for: righteousness”.

Prof. EHIGIE 57 4. Attracting the Children and Youth of the Church

The church must strive to attract and retain children and youth- Church presence, involvement, recognition, using of social media, etc.

Challenges of information technology and associated gadgets.

Heb 10:25 speaks of “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as you see the day approaching.”

In an experimental work by Li (2015) on the benefit of being physically present, it was shown that physical robots elicit more favorable social responses than virtual agents. These effects have been attributed to the physical embodiment.

Satanic cults have infiltrated the Web, looking for prey on young, impressionable minds.

Prof. EHIGIE 58 CONCLUSION

Prof. EHIGIE 59 Prof. EHIGIE 60