Mojola Agbebi

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Mojola Agbebi (born 1860 – died 1917), was a famous Yoruba Nigerian Baptist minister. He was formerly David Brown Vincent, but during the wave of African Nationalism in the late 1880's, he changed his name to Mojola Agbebi.

Rev. Dr. Mojola Agbebi was a strong advocate of indigenous African leadership for the African church and affirmed the richness of African culture. He initiated evangelistic work in Yorubaland and in the Niger Delta and was a remarkable preacher and exemplary pastor.

Rev. Dr. Mojola Agbebi was the son of a Nigerian (Yoruba) Anglican catechist, and was born shortly after his "Saro" father returned from Sierra Leone to his homeland with the gospel. Dr. Mojola Agbebi left the CMS (the Church Missionary Society), in 1880 and became a Baptist about 1883. Dr. Mojola Agbebi played a prominent role in the March 1888 establishment of the Native Baptist Church (now the First Baptist Church) in Lagos, which was the first indigenous church in West Africa.

Dr. Mojola Agbebi was a part of Ebenezer Baptist Church, Lagos which was formed as result of a dispute with the First Baptist Church when American missionary Rev. W. J. David fired Rev. Moses Ladejo Stone, the native pastor. Rev. David rebuffed requests for an explanation by a delegation and by the church business meeting, claiming that he had the authority to dismiss Rev. Stone.

Rev. Dr. Agbebi was an apostle of ecumenism. In 1898 he founded the African Baptist Union of West Africa, and the Yoruba Baptist Association, formed in 1914. Rev. Dr. Agbebi also supported his wife's efforts in establishing the nationwide Baptist Women's League in 1919.

Rev. Dr. Agbebi was also politically active and presented a paper at the 1911 First Universal Races Congress in London.