HURRAY!! CHURCH OF NIGERIA IS 47. By Ven Innocent Osuoha

HURRAY!! CHURCH OF NIGERIA IS 47.

By Ven Innocent Osuoha

The history of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, has been an interesting one as it turned 47 precisely on 24th February, 2026.

Recall that the Church of Nigeria was inaugurated on the 24th of February, 1979, a day designated as the Feast of St Mathias Day.

The said day was to be a turning point at the Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina, Lagos where the Church of Nigeria(Anglican Communion was formally inaugurated as an autonomous Province from the worldwide Anglican Communion. It could be called gaining independence from the Province of West Africa.

That independence granted Church of Nigeria ( Anglican Communion) full autonomy in the area of governance and mission.

Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, began with sixteen Dioceses with ten of them spread in Lagos, Ibadan, Ondo, Benin, Ekiti, Kwara, Ilesa, Egba/Egbado, Ijebu and Asaba.

The others were located in Owerri. Enugu, Nigeria, Nigeria Delta and Aba. However, there was also Diocese of Northern which was to later give birth to other Northern Dioceses.

The Most Rev Timothy Olufosoye was the pioneer Primate(1979-1988) followed by The Most Rev Joseph Abiodun Adetiloye (1988 – 2000), while The Most Revd. Peter Jasper Akinola was the third(2000 – 2009)

The fourth on the line was The Most Revd. Nicholas Okoh(2010-2020), while the fifth and incumbent is The Most Revd. Henry Chukwudum Ndukuba (2020 till date)

For record purposes, the Church of Nigeria (CON) presently has One hundred and Seventy Six(176) Dioceses.

It is a thing of joy to note that since 1979 Church of Nigeria has made remarkable enroutes in the area of expansion and evangelism just as each administration is associated with a significant development since1979 to 2026

As Archbishop Timothy O. Olufosoye mounted the saddle from 1979/1988,, he concerned himself with expansion and administrative framework. He created additional dioceses.

Almost about nine years later, Archbishop Joseph Abiodun Adetiloye took over. His tenure, (1988–1999), witnessed intensive missionary expansion during which missionary dioceses were created especially in the Northern parts of Nigeria.

The Primate between 2000/2010 was

Archbishop Peter Jasper Akinola. His tenure witnessed what could be termed “theological controversies” especially in 2003 as a result of the consecration of Gene Robinson by The Episcopal Church (USA). Church.

Nigerian was very vocal in that imbroglio hence the birth of the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) which had her first sitting in Jerusalem in 2008.

It is worthy of note and also on record that it was during Primate Akinola’s tenure that one of the most enterprising Dioceses, Diocese On The Lake was created with His Lordship, The Rt Rev Chijioke Benjamin Ndidiamaka Oti, PhD, as the pioneer Bishop till date.

Since 2008, Bishop Chijioke Oti, PhD, has steered the ship of Diocese On The Lake to an enviable height. The Diocese is best described as “pimus inter pares”.

The fourth Primate is Archbishop Nicholas D. Okoh (2010–2020). He saw to strict spiritual discipline. He will always be remembered for the birth of the Divine Commonwealth Conference (DIVCCON) in 2011, which has metamorphosed to an annual major gathering.

Primate Okoh is also remembered for the launching of the Advent Cable Network Nigeria (ACNN) in 2013. The ACNN no doubt has enhanced the media outreach of Church of Nigeria.

Archbishop Henry C. Ndukuba is the Man of the moment since 2020 till date. His emphasis has been on evangelism, discipleship and youth mobilisation. The “Decade of the Reign of God” and the Joshua Generation International Youth Conference were his babies birthed in 2021.

The administration of Primate Ndukuba has brought a lot of positive changes and still counting.

Indeed, the Church of Nigeria, which began with sixteen dioceses in 1979, is today one of the largest Provinces in the Anglican Communion with 176 Dioceses.

Church of Nigeria presently has fourteen ecclesiastical provinces with an overall membership pegged at approximately 25 million faithful to the glory of G od.