By Dare Babarinsa
I was one of the lucky parishioners who ushered in His Grace, Archbishop Abiodun Adetiloye into the Saint Paul’s Anglican Church, Ishagatedo, Isolo, one of the sprawling suburbs of Lagos megalopolis one Sunday morning in 2008. The legendary priest had just retired as the Primate and Metropolitan of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) after 13 years as the head of the Church in Nigeria and almost 40 years as a Bishop in the vineyard of Our Lord Jesus Christ. He had come to honour the members of the Apostles of Peace Society of the Saint Paul’s Church, the headquarters of the Isolo Archdeaconry of the Diocese of Lagos West. Adetiloye was also to receive the Peace Award from the Society. But we also knew his visit was more than episcopal. The Society was receiving the imprimatur of recognition from the highest quarters of the Church of Nigeria, (Anglican Communion).
Adetiloye, after he was conferred with the honour, made a brief speech, reminding us that Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace. He advised Christians to live according to the dictates of the divine guidelines of Christ. He said the Apostles of Peace was a society that has followed the path created for us by Christ. Everyone was energized by the cleric commendation and his endorsement of the Society’s effort to bring peace to Christendom.
The AOP has voluntarily joined the war to win Peace for Africa and the rest of Humanity. The Society started modestly from the suburb of Isolo, where the local Anglican Church has been convulsed with one crisis or the other. It was this inclement weather that made the clergymen of Lagos to regard Isolo with
dread. It was the Dead End Street, the gulag of the ministry of Christ. Then the Apostles of Peace came and Saint Pauls Church Ishagatedo changed. From that lighting of the lamp, the light of Christ has been radiating to other places since. Now the AOP has many chapters and it is still growing.
The mustard seed was planted by Siyanbola Oladapo, a man of disarming modesty but great enthusiasm for the matters of Christ Ministry. He was propelled into action by great collaborators who bought into the dream and gave it life. In November 1997, the dreamers met. In the first meeting were the likes of Oladapo, Prince Dele Orisabiyi, a prominent banker who later became a traditional ruler in Ogun State, his wife, Oluranti, Princess Kemi Sotiminu, a lawyer and the then Reverend (now Venerable) Gabriel Fawole. Like the meeting of the first Apostles in the Upper Room in Jerusalem, the first meeting of the AOP was taken over by the Holy Spirit. There would be no stopping
them.
The new Society was inaugurated on January 17, 1998 by the new Vicar of Saint Paul’s, Reverend Tunde Osho. It was the Vicar’s first official assignment after he succeeded Revered Israel Omojola. Like the first gathering of the Apostles, the AOP continues to attract new members who subscribed to the ideas and precepts of the Society. Soon the Society attracted into its fold committed Christians who took up positions within the executive and helped to propel it to relevance and prominence. Among the new entrants were the likes of Kingsley Obuvie, who became the Assistant General Secretary, Mrs. M.A. Akinwonmi, Treasurer, Engineer Samson Okuesa, the Society Chaplain, Mrs S.A.R Majekodunmi, Welfare Secretary and Mr. S. O. Adebola as the Public Relations Officer.
Prince Orisabiyi was the first President and Mrs Sotuminu was the first Vice-President while Oladapo became the first General Secretary. Within the larger church, Mr Steve Akinretoye, a man of high integrity banker and notable promoter of church evangelism, became the Patron of the Society while Chief (Mrs) P.A.O. Adebiyi became the Matron, another banker and Lawyer.
The coming of the AOP caused sensation within the new Diocese of Lagos West. The new Bishop, the scholarly Right Reverend (Dr) Peter Awelewa Adebiyi, who was translated from the Owo Diocese in Ondo State to head the new diocese in 1999, embraced the new Society with open arms. The Lord Bishop agreed to be the Grand Patron. He was surprised the first time when the Society requested, and His Lordship obliged, that they would like to have dinner with the Bishop. It became the tradition that once a year, the AOP would have the Dinner with the Bishop. That yearly tradition is continuing with Adebiyi’s Successor as the Lord Bishop of Lagos-West Diocese, Right Reverend (Dr) James Olusola Odedeji.
The Society’s inner strength is derived from the tireless enthusiasm of its members to serve in the Lord’s Vineyard. Almost all members have played active roles, not only in the activities of Saint Paul’s, Ishagatedo, but also in the Diocese and even Nationally. Oladapo, the Founder of AOP, had served in different capacities including as the Vicar’s Warden, the People’s Warden, the Treasurer of the Archdeaconry and was a Diocesan Board Member. The late Prince Orisabiyi, before he moved home to ascend the throne of his forefathers, was also a member of the Parish Council.
Many other members have served in various capacities include Prince A. B. Olumo, Engineer Samson Okuesa, Architect Gbenga Babington, Mrs. Majekodunmi, Mr. Kola Jolayemi, Mrs Kemi Kayode, Mrs. Sotiminu, Kingsley Obuvie and Nqozi Egbuniwe. Such was the muscularity and strength of the relatively young Society that it was asked to host the harvest at Saint Paul’s in 2004, an assignment it discharged with expected credit. That performance in 2004 remains a benchmark at Saint Paul’s Church till today. Indeed, the then Vicar of Saint Paul’s, the Venerable Tope Adewumi, gave the Society the Award for the Best Society in 2005. The AOP also won the award for the Best Peace Pursuing Society.
The Society and its members have been making their marks far beyond the Diocese of Lagos West and especially in their home Dioceses. Indeed members have been playing active parts in their home Dioceses preaching the gospel of Peace. Oladapo has been active in his native Ife Diocese where the Bishop has found him worthy to play several active roles. In the Ibadan Province, one of the members, Architect Gbenga Babington, had served as the Archbishop Nominee in the Diocesan Council. All these involvements have given the Society an enviable National Stature.
When Modupe and I joined the Society in 2001, the AOP was in a bullish mood. Its leadership has set out an ambitious Programme for the future that would affect the lives of countless humanity who are living under the banner of Christ. Since then, the Society has set up for itself an ambitious agenda. It is set out to open Chapters of the Society in every Anglican Church and even beyond for the pursuit of peace which is the core ministry of the Church in a world constantly blighted by terrorism and hatred. Now it has Chapters in many Churches of the Diocese and the list is growing. Its long term aim is to have an international outlook like the Young Men Christian Association, YMCA, and other international Church Societies. In the pursuit of this end, it is intent in having International Chapters in the nearest future.
One of the most successful activities of the Society has been its establishment of a foundation to take care of retired priests. This foundation is now active. Many priests are treated like discarded cassocks after their years of service and are often reduced to penury. This is what the AOP is trying to ameliorate.
In 2008, when Baba Adetiloye received his Peace Award, the AOP was still in its early years. Bishop Adetiloye represents the high caliber of the men and women who have been honoured with the Peace Award. With that prize, Baba Adetiloye joined the roll-call of distinguished men and women of substance who have been honoured by the Society for their contributions to Peace and the growth of the church. Adetiloye’s own was unique because he had been at the pinnacle of Church Administration and even from that height; he had felt the influence of the AOP. He predicted on that day, after praying for members and the church that “By the grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ, you will go far, very far!”
That prediction is manifesting and the Society, at just 20, is roaring for greater exploits on the National and International Stage.
