The Owu Baptist Church in Totoro, Abeokuta, Ogun State, proudly asserts that the Baptist denomination in Nigeria has nurtured numerous nation builders, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the late business magnate MKO Abiola, and the former World Court Judge, the late Bola Ajibola,Daily Trust reports.
This revelation coincides with the upcoming 120th anniversary celebration of the church where former President Obasanjo worships.
Engr. Nathaniel Oyedele, the Chairman of the anniversary committee, highlighted during a press conference on Friday that the church has been instrumental in the training of nation builders, contributing significantly to the development of Ogun State and Nigeria as a whole over the past 120 years.
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Oyedele, an emeritus Deacon, emphasized the church’s pivotal role in the educational progress of the state, citing Baptist Boys High School in Abeokuta as an institution that played a crucial role in shaping prominent Nigerians. Notable figures like Obasanjo, Abiola, and Ajibola received their education at this school and went on to become influential nation builders.
“Baptist Church is a very good denomination. If I take only this Abeokuta, We have Baptist Boys’ High School, the Baptist Girls’ High at Idi-Aba, and other schools,” Oyedele remarked. “You know that out of these schools we have, Obasanjo is an example of nation-building. He was at the Baptist Boys High School. He was President of this country and Head of State as a soldier. There are so many of them, like Prince Bola Ajibola and MKO Abiola. The Baptist Boys High School trained them to become nation builders.”
Recalling the church’s journey over the past 120 years, Oyedele noted that it had experienced both positive and challenging moments. The upcoming anniversary, scheduled from October 13 to October 22, will feature various activities, including charity visits, a rally, an anniversary lecture, and the launch of legacy projects.
The Committee Chairman confirmed that former President Obasanjo and Dr. Israel Akanji, the President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention, will be the esteemed guests at the grand finale of the anniversary and the fundraising event for the proposed projects.
He further emphasized that the church has grown significantly, both spiritually and in terms of its congregation, over the course of 120 years.
