Nigerian Baptist Convention
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Historical Background |
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Doctrinal distinctives |
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Largest associations |
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The Nigerian Baptist Convention is the second largest Baptist convention affiliating with the Baptist World Alliance, and the third largest in the world after the Southern Baptist Convention, USA, and National Baptist Convention, USA. Conservative estimates of the size of the Nigerian Baptist Convention claims three million baptized believers and a worshipping community of more than six million. Virtually all Nigerian Baptists belong to churches affiliated with the Nigerian Baptist Convention.
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[edit] Administration
The main officers are currently Rev. Dr. Ruben Ishaya Chuga, President and Rev. Dr. Solomon Ademola Ishola, General Secretary (and chief executive officer). The headquarters of the Nigerian Baptist Convention is located in Ibadan but the convention also operates administrative buildings and bookstores across the country. The Nigerian Baptist Convention has several conferences constituting subsidiary organizational structures.
[edit] Origin
The Nigerian Baptist Convention started in 1850 as a foreign missionary project of the Southern Baptist Convention of the United States of America. The Nigerian Baptist Convention was officially formed in 1912. The Nigerian Baptist Convention is now completely self-governing, self-propagating, and self-supporting. It has started other Baptist conventions in West Africa notably in Ghana (now the Baptist Convention of Ghana), and in Sierra Leone, now the (Baptist Convention of Sierra Leone).
[edit] Theological & medical institutions
The Nigerian Baptist Convention operates nine theological training centers for pastors, the largest being the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary in Ogbomoso, which grants undergraduate, masters’ and doctoral degrees. In the 1950’s survey of African seminaries by Bishop Stephen Neill for the Theological Education Fund, the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary was ranked as one of the best seminaries in Africa. The Nigerian Baptist Convention also operates several hospitals and medical training institutions across the country. The Baptist Hospital in Ogbomoso remains one of the leading hospitals and is used as a university teaching hospital by the Ladoke Akintola University jointly owned by Oyo and Osun states (coincidentally named after a Baptist and post-independence premier of the Western Region whose hometown was Ogbomoso). The Nigerian Baptist Convention operates another top flight Baptist Hospital located in Eku and several other minor hospitals across Nigeria.
[edit] Educational institutions
The Nigerian Baptist Convention has founded and operated thousands of primary and secondary schools most of which were taken during military dictatorships and operated as public institutions. The Nigerian Baptist Convention now operates Bowen University, named in honor of Rev. Thomas Jefferson Bowen, the first American Baptist missionary from the Southern Baptist Convention. Bowen University is located at Iwo in Osun State, and is housed in the old 1,300 acre (5 km²) campus of the Baptist College, a teacher-training institution on a beautiful hill just outside the city. Bowen University opened in 2002 as a residential institution with 500 students with a current enrollment of about 3,000 students, and a target capacity of at least 5,500 students. The idea of a Nigerian Baptist university was conceived in 1938, and endorsed in 1957 by the Nigerian Baptist Convention. Bowen University is “conceived as a centre of learning and research of distinction, combining academic excellence with love of humanity, borne out of a God-fearing attitude, in accordance with the Baptist tradition of ethical behavior, social responsibility and democratic ethos”.
[edit] Prominent and Famous Nigerian Baptists
- Chief Olusegun Mathew Okikiola Aremu Obasanjo, President of Nigeria; alumnus of Baptist Boys' High School, Abeokuta, Nigeria's first Baptist secondary school
- Rev. Prof. Yusufu Ameh Obaje, former chaplain of the Nigerian presidential chapel in Abuja, former President of the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary in Ogbomoso
- Rev. Dr. Solomon Ademola Ishola, current General Secretary (and chief executive officer) of the Nigerian Baptist Convention.
- Rev. Dr. Paul Omieka Ebhomielen, first indigenous Missions Secretary; pioneer of Baptist work in the Ishan area of Edo state, delegate to the 1974 International Congress on World Evangelization, Lausanne, Switzerland, former Conference Secretary Bendel (now Edo/Delta) Conference.
- Rev. Prof. Osadolor Imasogie, first Nigerian president (now President Emeritus) of the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary, Ogbomoso; former Vice-President of the Baptist World Alliance
- Rev. Dr. James Tanimola Ayorinde, first Nigerian General Secretary (and chief executive officer) of the Nigerian Baptist Convention (1960's); national delegate to the 1974 International Congress on World Evangelization, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Rev. Dr. Solomon Adeniyi Babalola, former Nigerian missionary to Ghana (1952-1955); national delegate to the 1974 International Congress on World Evangelization, Lausanne, Switzerland; 17-year veteran pastor of one of Nigeria's top Baptist Churches, the Oke-Ado Baptist Church, Ibadan; the former Director of Academic Affairs of the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary in Ogbomoso
- Deacon Gamaliel Oforitsenere Onosode OFR, former Presidential Adviser on Budget Affairs and Director of Budget, Nigeria; Member of the inaugural Provisional Governing Council of Bowen University, Iwo. He is currently Chairman of the Global Missions Board of the Nigerian Baptist Convention; Chairman of the Governing Council of The Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary, Ogbomoso. He was also the founder of Good News Baptist Church which started in the Sitting Room of his residence in Surulere, Lagos and has grown to a large church and a force to reckon with in the Nigerian Baptist Convention in terms of missions and evangelism.
- Dr. Onaolapo Soleye, former Minister of Finance, and former Minister of Industries, Nigeria
- Rev. Dr. Mojola Agbebi, founding member of Ebenezer Baptist Church, Lagos who changed his name from David Brown Vincent during the wave of African Nationalism in the late 1880s. He was also a founding member of member of the Native Baptist Church (First Baptist Church), Lagos.
