OLORUNDARE ENIMOLA, Lagos
Leaders of the St. Michael's African Bethel Church, Igbo Olori, Ota, Ogun State, at a press conference on Tuesday announced a line up of programmes to celebrate 120 years of the creation of the parish, providing historical background of the events that led to its creation and its gospel expansion strides since inception.
The celebration which is themed; 'The Faith of Our Fathers', is lined with many soul lifting and community impact programmes to consolidate its long standing spiritual blessings not just to the host community but to the World in general.
In the historical recount of why and how the Church was created, Asiwaju Dr. Gbolabo Oyede, the former Vice Lay President, Awori Diocese, said, "The early converts to Christianity in Ota, attended the Church Missionary Society CMS, but when some desired to be babtised according to the scriptures, they were denied by the presiding Reverend because they are polygamists.
"These members were also not prepared to divorce their wives because they understand that polygamy is not a sin according to the scriptures, citing that even Jesus Christ lived amongst polygamists and monogamy is a European culture neither were they willing to lose their membership of the body of Christ, prompting the creation of the Church in 1904 after a series of meetings by members of the CMS." He added.
Speaking further, Asiwaju Oyede revealed that after a meeting held on January 24, 1904, the members finally concluded that they should invite prominent members of the African Bethel Church, Lagos to the inaugural Service of the Church which came up on January 30, 1904, at Isilo compound, Ota, with the first sermon preached by Elder J. K Coker, with the Church still standing 120 years after.
Venerable Tope Odunlami of the African Church, Ijoko, Abeokuta, added that the public should note that the African Church was not created to promote polygamy, saying, "but you cannot deny polygamists the right to fellowship and serve God and it is uncharitable to divorce a wife and mother of your Children."
The Rt. Reverend Sam Bamidele, Bishop of Awori Central Diocese, declared that the Church in its 120 years existence has established several other parishes in the State and still working spiritually hard to convert more members to body of Christ despite being located in a community that are predominantly traditional worshippers.
The events lined up for the anniversary according to Venerable Mathew Shittu, the Provost of the Cathedral, will start on Monday 1, April, with a visit to a motherless home to be followed with an anniversary lecture on Tuesday, adding that Wednesday to Friday of the same week will host crusade Services.
The Church according to him will on Saturday of the anniversary week launch a N60m Development fund and and conferment of Christian Chieftaincy titles and Honourary awards, while a special thanksgiving service will come up on Sunday to round up the week long event.
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