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 take over of Schools between 1979 – 1983 brought with it, certain challenges. In 1982, Bishop Adelakun Howells Memorial Primary School was merged with Our Lady of Lourdes on Clegg Street, Surulere. It is worthy of note that a crop of young men and women in the Church today are products of this School. Rev. Oladetoun was replaced by Rev. Z. A. Enitilo upon his transfer to Ibadan Diocese in November 1972 where he retired as the Provost of that Diocese.

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.