ABOUT US

OUR VISION STATEMENT

To engage in soul winning, social and caring ministry in order to expand the kingdom of God on earth with a view to populating heaven and depopulating hell.

OUR MISSION STATEMENT

  • To preach the good news with its transforming powers in the face of contemporary situation.
  • To engage in pragmatic evangelism and mission, disciple making and care of the flock in the power of the Holy Spirit.
  • To train and equip members on soul winning Operation. Acts 20:20.
  • To develop every Parish to be self-reliant and to encourage the spirit of Christian generosity.
  • To promote peaceful co-existence within Parishes in the Diocese and between Diocese and other Dioceses.
  • To further the caring Ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ by engaging in regular and free health schemes and other social services.
  • To engage in up-reach, in-reach and outreach Ministry through the power of the Holy Spirit.

THE HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY IN OSUN ANGLICAN DIOCESE.

“The Church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord; She is his new creation by Water and the word: From heaven he came and sought her to be his holy bride; with his own blood he bought her and for her life he dead”. (A&M. 255)

The Church of God on earth usually consists of two, three or more persons united in obedience to the call of God to proclaim the Good news of Jesus Christ and bring salvation to souls that would have been lost to hell fire. The foundation of all churches is Christ Jesus whom God has used to reconcile man with God after the sin of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. The hymn quoted above explains it all.

The Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion is a product of evangelization of the Church Missionary Society which was founded in 1799 in England, and through the society, the West African Mission came into being in 1804. Revd. Henry Townsend, a missionary of the mission arrived Badagry on 17th December, 1842. He also visited Abeokuta and other parts of Yorubaland. The Niger Mission began in 1841, coupled with the return of Henry Townsend with Revd. Samuel Ajayi Crowther and Revd. Charles Colmer in 1845 to Badagry paved the way for evangelism in Yorubaland which also ensured the admission of the first Christian converts by baptism into the Church of Christ.

Progress of the work of evangelism led to the formation of Yoruba mission in 1852 brought the first European, David Hinderer to Ibadan in 1851. In 1853, Revd. David Hinderer linked with Oyo, which later led to the establishment there of a Theological and Teacher Training Institution St. Andrew’s college, Oyo on 18th March 1856.

From Bishop Ajayi Crowther (died in 1891) to Bishop Joseph Sidney Hill and the two African Assistant Bishops, namely: Bishop C.S. Philips and J. Oluwole to Bishop Herbert Tugwell the work of evangelization continued in several parts of West Africa.

It is generally believed that Christianity entered Osun land in the last decade of the 19th century through activities of early foundations who probably got to hear the good News of Jesus Christ in foreign places of Sojourn like Abeokuta and its environs. Such founders included Pa. Samuel Laseinde, Joseph Ogunjide Fariyike, Pa. Joseph Omotoso, Pa Josiah Efunbode and others who were all assisted by church missionary members like Revd. John Mackay and Rev. Harding. Churches were subsequently built in Ora (1896), Obaagun (1898), Osogbo and Otan Aiyegbaju (1900) Ororuwo, Oyan, Ada, Okuku, Inisa (1901) and Iba and Ikirun (1903) to mention just a few.

The Osun land area was part of Ibadan Diocese that came into being on 15th January 1952 with Rt. Revd. Alexander Babatunde Akinyele (consecrated Bishop in 1933) as the first Bishop. The Ibadan Diocese extended over the whole of Oyo and Ibadan provinces of the former Western Region of Nigeria and Ilorin Provinces of the former Northern Nigeria. Rt. Rev. Richard Oyebode succeeded Rt. Revd. Akinyele on retirement in 1956. Following the death of Bishop Oyebode in 1960, Rt. Revd. S. Odunaiya Odutola who translated from the see of Ondo was enthroned in 1961.

Osun Area of the present Osun Anglican Diocese continued to be part of Ibadan Diocese. The Ministry of Bishop Odutola ended in 1970, he was succeeded by Rt. Revd. (later Most Revd.) Timothy Omotayo Olufosoye, former Bishop of Gambia and Rio Pongas who was elected in 1970 but was enthroned in 1971.

Under the ministry of Bishop Olufosoye the church administration witnessed significant changed. In 1974, all the churches in Offa and Ilorin Archdeaconries became part of the new Diocese of Kwara while former Ilesha Archdeaconry was created Diocese of Ilesha. It was in furtherance of the work of evangelism that Osogbo Archdeaconry was created in 1962, and Okuku D.C.C in 1965, thus the growth of Osogbo Archdeaconry that was destined to become a Diocese has begun in earnest. In 1976 Otan Aiyegbaju Archdeaconry was carved out of Osogbo Archdeaconry comprising Otan Archdeaconry D.C.C Okuku, Ila Orangun P.D.C.C and Ora Chapelry. In 1981, Ada D.C.C was carved out of Otan Archdeaconry and in concert with Okuku D.C.C got created into Ada/Okuku Archdeaconry in 1986.

The work of evangelism in this area gave birth of the creation of Inisa Archdeaconry on 9th May 1987. It comprised Inisa D.C.C and Igbaye P.D.C.C the creation of Inisa Archdeaconry was the last before the coming of the Diocese of Osun.

The agitation for the creation of Osun Anglican Diocese cannot be treated here. It should however be said that the people were encouraged to demand for its creation because of pure heart to serve God through an administrative structure closer to them with a view of further bringing the good News of our Lord Jesus Christ to all the nooks and corners of Osun land. The oneness of purpose by the people in their demand got truncated but the churches of the present Osun Diocese forged ahead with their demand.

A decisive step for the creation of Osun Diocese was taken on 12th April 1986 when the provincial standing committee at its meeting in All Souls’ Church Bodija, Ibadan agreed that the Archbishop by virtue of Article II, Chapter XII and Article I, Chapter XIII of the constitution of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion, 1979) subject to compliance with the conditions laid down by the said Standing Committee should proceed to make all necessary arrangement to effect the creation of the said Diocese of Osun. The conditions laid down by the said Standing Committee and all other requirements necessary for the creation of Osun Diocese were subsequently met.

The reality dawned at the Cathedral Church of St. Stephen, Oke Aluko Ondo on Sunday 2nd April 1987 when the Provost of the said Church was consecrated as the Bishop of Osun Diocese. The following day, that is 3rd of August 1987, the new Diocese of Osun was inaugurated and the Rt. Revd. Seth Oni Fagbemi was enthroned at All Saints’ Cathedral, Balogun, Osogbo. The ministry of Bishop of Osun, Rt. Rev. S.O. and Mama V.A. Fagbemi as the pioneering Bishop thus began. An emergency synod meeting was held on 28th August 1987, Primarily to adopt the laws and regulations of the constitution of Diocese of Ibadan for use by Osun Diocese until the time when the new constitution of Diocese of Osun would come into force.

The pioneering Bishop laid a good structure and ensured that Diocese of Osun performed adequately well in the comity of Diocese of the Church of Nigeria.

DIOCESAN BISHOPS AND PRESIDENTS OF SYNOD.

  1. Rev. Seth Oni Fagbemi (rtd) 1987-July 2000
  2. Rev. James Afolabi Popoola 27th July 2000 to Date