Bishop Adelakun Howell Memorial (BAHM)
Church, Surulere, Lagos was started in 1958 as a child of historical necessity.
Prior to 1958, the Lagos Executive
Development Board (LEDB) tried to rebuild some parts of Lagos Island. To
accomplish this objective, the LEDB in 1957, evacuated some areas of Lagos
Island to allow for proper reconstruction. Before this however, a modern
housing estate was established at Surulere New Lagos) to provide new homes for
the affected persons. Among the people so displaced were some members of St.
Paul’s Church, Breadfruit. Pa Frederick Omoteso Hollist happened to have been
one of them. There was the need for a worship centre on their new location on the
Mainland, especially, considering the distance to their former place of
worship. The home of Pa F. 0. Hollist provided a solution. The initial worship
service therefore started in his private residence at 55, lyun Road, Surulere.
This early history of the Church
taggged - the formative era spanning 1957 to 1966, when the Church was yet to
attain the status of a full Parish. The appointment of Revd. Gabriel Adediran
Adebolu
Oladetoun marked
the beginning of a new dawn in the development of the church. The status of a
full parish with its own permanent Vicar was attained during this period. Rev.
Oladetoun having just completed a three (3) year training as an Anglican Priest
in England, introduced a style of worship, which was akin to what obtained in
England, This priest was later replaced with another English trained Priest
from Oxford England, in the person of Rev. Z. A. Enitilo.
Rev. Enitilo’s era equally witnessed some remarkable
increase in the membership of parishioners. The idea of a new church building
was conceptualized to cater for the increasing congregation. Rev. E. O.
Folorunsho who later replaced Enitilo in 1982 was able to accomplish the task
of starting the construction of the new church building during his tenure. A
total of 10 Vicars have since served in the Church to date.
BAHM church has continued to develop both spiritually and
physically in an amazing manner. It has become one of the most vibrant churches
within the Lagos Diocese, serving also as the Diocesan headquarters of the
Youth Directorate in recent time.
The history of
BAHM will be incomplete without reference to the great men of God (priests and
laity) whom God used tremendously for the development of the Church to the
level it has attained to date. The efforts of all these people need to be
appreciated.
At
the beginning, it was a few men of God that sow the Biblical Mustard Seed, it’s
fruits are what we are harvesting today.
Bishop Adelakun Howells’ Memorial
Church was started by a group of Christians who were displaced by the Lagos
State Executive Development Board (LEDB), and settled in New Lagos in Surulere.
This group consisted of the families of Mr. Frederick Omoteso Hollist, Mr.
& Mrs. A. T. Odukoya, Mrs. Mousah and Mrs. O. O. Lahanmi, and other Anglican
members of St. Paul’s Church, Breadfruit, and St. John’s Church, Aroloya. The
distance of their former places of worship to their new location, which was on
the Lagos Mainland, prompted the search for a place of Anglican congregational
worship.
The family of Mr. F. O. Hollist
arranged the initial Sunday services at their family house located at 55 lyun
Road Surulere. As time went by, it was discovered that the sitting room had
become inadequate, as other member of the Anglican communion in the area soon
joined the group.
Pa. F.O. Hollist therefore approached
Brigadier Jackson of the Salvation Army Church for space in the school opposite
his house. This request was granted and the group worshipped there from
November 1957 to March 1958. As the membership of the group increased in leaps
and bounds, the small classroom became inadequate to accommodate worshippers,
Mr. F.O. Hollist approached Archdeacon Olumide Lucas, the then Vicar of St.
Paul’s Church, Breadfruit, Lagos to help seek the assistance of the Anglican
Lagos District Church Council (LDCC) on the need to establish a church for the
displaced members from the Lagos Island now resident at Surulere.
The Rt. Rev. Adelakun Williamson
Howells, Bishop of Lagos, approved the request of the Hollist group. He
directed Archdeacon Lucas and Rev. Canon Hunter (Vicar of All Saints Church,
Yaba) to find a suitable accommodation for the worshippers. A hall belonging to
the Metropolitan College located at 15, Bamire Street, Surulere was allocated
and used for services. It was here that Ven. Lucas and Canon Hunter worshipped
with the group led by Mr. F. 0. Hollist on Easter Sunday, the 6th of April 1958. Worship here was
however short lived, as the place was considered too far for the displaced
worshippers.
The Management of Biney Community
Centre, Surulere was approached for accommodation this was approved and the new
congregation was allowed to hold its Sunday services at the centre. The catch
however was that services could only be held in the evenings between 6:00 pm
and 7:00 pm. These services were conducted only in English Language because of
the mixed ethnicity of the congregation. This-was the situation between May and
July 1958. With all these development, the need to procure a permanent site
became of utmost importance.
Bishop
Adelakun Howells continued to monitor the progress of the new Anglican
Congregation at the Biney Centre. The first Harvest Thanksgiving was held
towards the end of the year 1958. The Rev. C. Ogundeji conducted the service
and the Bishop gave a highly inspiring sermon. That the new church was named Bishop Adelakun Howells Memorial Church
Surulere is a glowing tribute to the moral and spiritual support given by the
Rt. Rev. Bishop Adelakun Williamson Howells who died in 1963.
While
at Biney Centre, Mr. S. A. O. Segun became the first organist and choir master
of the Church. It was Rev. F. O. Segun (later Bishop of Lagos) apparently a
relation of the Organist, who helped regained the use of Salvation Army School
at lyun Road for the second time. the space provided by Salvation Army School
was bigger than the previous classroom. At the location, it was possible to
conduct morning and evening services respectively in both Yoruba and English
Languages.
As said earlier, the quest for a
permanent site, which started in 1961, was continued and pursued with a great
vigour by Rev. Canon IL Oredugba, who was in charge of Anglican Churches in
Lagos Mainland.
The
permanent site was acquired early in 1963 and the turning of Sod ceremony was
carried out on 18th July 1963. Rev. S. B. Talabi who represented
the Chairman of Lagos District Church Council, (LDCC), conducted the ceremony.
The building of church was done under the supervision of LDCC in close
collaboration with the congregation. The construction of, building was
completed within a year and Rt. Rev. S. L. Kale (Bishop of Lagos) performed the
dedication of the new Church building on 6th May 1964.
The attainment of a parish status came to be during the
tenure of Rev. Gabriel Adegbola Oladetoun. Rev.
G.A. Oladatoun became the first Vicar of BAHM Church on 26th October 1966 on his arrival from a three (3)
year Parish Training in the United Kingdom. Upon his return to Nigeria, he
reported to Ondo Diocese (The Diocese he last served before traveling to the
United Kingdom). The then Bishop of Ondo Diocese, the Rt. Rev. I. O. S.
Okunsanya in his wisdom felt-Revd. Oladetoun would be better used in Lagos in
view of his recent experience than in any other part of Nigeria.
The Bishop of Lagos The Rt. Rev. S. L. Kale who had
earlier requested for Revd. Oladetoun’s transfer to Lagos, decided that he
should start his missionary work in the cosmopolitan BAHM Church.
In his word, Rev. G. A. Oladetoun described the
situation he met BAHM thus, The Church was bare because nearby members of
the Church had to bring chairs and benches from their houses. There was no
vicarage but a rented flat of three (3) rooms near Ojuelegba market in Surulere
was provided as vicarage and this was the place I used, which spurred us to
building a modern palatial vicarage near the Church. On settlement
after a short period of my arrival, l discovered that we needed to work very
hard to put things in their proper state.
True to his vision, his era was one of hard work and
great accomplishments. A modem vicarage (still in use today) was dedicated on
9"’ January 1971. Decent pews were procured to replace chairs and benches
being provided by members every Sunday. The first confirmation service for
thirty six (36) members of the congregation took place on 16"’ April,
1967.
On the management of the Church before Revd. Oladetoun’s
assumption of office in 1966, a Lay reader Mr. Adegbesan was in charge of the
Church and as it were, he also assumed authority as the Vicar of the Church. In
the words of the Rev. Oladetoun he (Mr. Adegbesan) found it very difficult
to hear and see me physically as someone who is to assume
authority of leading the Church. Another man was (Pa Hollist) who was referred
to as Baba Ijo of the Church because the church started in his house for some
years before land was allocated to the church for building and this is the
place we are today. Pa. Hollist was a gentle man, a man of honour
and integrity. He did everything humanly possible within his reach to make the
church from a parlour church to a rarely beautiful church of our dream.
True
to the assertion of Rev. Oladetoun, BAHM Church during that period, was
transformed from a congregation of worshippers to a full Parish Church with
it’s own resident Vicar.
Under
Revd. Oladetoun’s leadership, the Church established Bishop Adelakun Howells Memorial
Primary School on the 27th of January 1969,
made up of eight teaching staff, with three classrooms. It was
located inside the Church premise. The school grew at a impresive rate, and by
1970 it had seven classrooms and an established Parents Teachers Association.
The of arrival Rev. Z.A. Enitilo
marked the beginning of another era. The Vicar was ably assisted by Rev. TAJ.
Oluwole (retired Provost of the Lagos Diocese, as his Curate).
Rev.
Enitilo came to meet a large congregation which the size of the Church then
could not adequately accommodate. There was correspondent increase in number of
societies at that period. The need for a bigger Church building became more
urgent. Members began to contribute money for the building of the new church
around 1975. There are however, contrary claims that donations towards the
church actually started as far back as 1972 before Enitilo’s era. The laying of
foundation of the church was carried out by Rt. Rev. J. S. Adeniyi in 1976. New
programmes were also introduced along with the work on the new church building.
Rev, Enitilo had this to say in a recent interview ... Spiritually we had morning prayer everyday, l
used to conduct open air service and radio prayers. Community Hymn singings
were held and prayer book (Adura -L’ebo) were owned by almost every member.
Rev. T.A.J. Oluwole brought about tremendous spiritual
growth in the church. Dr. Adewoye assisted by some nursing sisters started the
church clinic in 1975. The youth’s organization sprang up while Sunday school
and choir was well attended.
Rev. Enitilo further
remarked that Drumming
was encouraged by me with support of my able organist Pa S. J. M. Williams,
Chief J. A. Adediran, Mr. V. 0. Meadows and the Choir. My Church (BAHM)
performed during the visit of the Archbishop of Canterbury on his insistence that
he wants to worship in a Church with native lyrics and drums, the Bishop stayed
back to enjoy more of the drumming and at last his personal Secretary remarked
that of all the Churches they had visited they enjoyed BAHM mostly
Rev. (Canon) Z. A. Enitilo was transfered in August 1982
and was replaced by Rev. E.O. Folorunso. Incidentally the same month of
arrival, the new Vicar was preferred Canon, and he became Chairman of
Ebute-Metta District Council with BAHM Church as the headquarter. Rev. Canon
Folorunso coordinated the activities of Technical Committee of the church to
build a temporary place of worship which was dedicated by Ven. J. T.L. Idowu on
161'
April 1983. The reclamation (sand filling) of the swampy area around the church
was also partially carried out by the committee. The technical committee member
comprise the following Parishioners
Mr. Dapo Odetoyinbo Chairman
Mr. Akinlolu Akinyode Secretary
Mrs. Olu Obaweya Asst.
Secretary (i)
Mr. Jimi Ogunbiyi Asst.
Secretary (ii)
Mr. I. 0. Shoyinka Finance Secretary
Mr. Kola Sobanke Member
Mr. J. K. Obidipe Member
Architect Leke Ajayi Member
Mrs. R. A. Adanikin Member
Mrs. Omolola Dada Member
Mrs. M. A. Ogunfowodu Member
Mr. S. B. Moore Member
Mr. Seyi Sofowora Member
Miss Moji Bademosi Member
Engr. ‘Wale Adekoya Member
Engr. Adeoye Fowora Co-opted
Mr. Tayo Elewere Co-opted
The construction of the new church building was
vigorously pursued during Rev. Folorunso’s tenure. He was however replaced in
1986 by Revd. Canon A. A. Agbaje, who was briefly in our midst, before he was
transfered and replaced by Canon Yinka Olumide.
Canon
Yinka Olumide, a highly orthodox Priest was renowned for his punctuality and
adharance to the original Anglican mode of worship. He continued with the
programme of his predecessor and was able to complete the church building. Rt.
Rev. Abiodun Adetiloye dedicated the new church building on 12U’ of March 1988.
