What role should the church play in the coming elections?
Let’s talk about the role the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must play first. They should ensure a free and fair election. Our role as a church is to allow peace to reign. We must all encourage our members to vote, and there should be no violence. People should go out to vote and return home and whatever the result is we should accept it as God’s own plan.
What would you consider as the greatest achievement recorded in the diocese so far?
We thank God that the diocese has grown in leaps and bound. The church has expanded beyond human imaginations. Before the creation of the diocese, we had a few churches; now we have churches in all the towns and villages. We have more than 50 churches now in Ijesha North Anglican diocese. We have a secondary school called Christian Model College (CMC) at Ijebu-Ijesa. We have a sachet water factory for the support of women in the diocese. We have Adebola Oluranti Ademowo Clinic, dedicated just last year, at Ijebu-Ijesa. We have a nursery and primary school at Iwoye, Esa-oke, Ilase, and some in Ijebu-Ijesa. When Christianity started (in Nigeria, they the promoters brought education, so we decided to have more schools too. We also have a Anglican prayer city, Ijebu-Ijesa called Rehoboth Mountain with accommodation.
What are the plans of diocese to mark its 10th year anniversary?
We have a weeklong programme. It commenced with a rally to proclaim Jesus Christ on January 13, at Adebola Ademowo Clinic.
The church authority paid courtesy visit to some traditional rulers in Ijesa-land. We held a revival in all our parishes. Then, we had an outreach to the Fulani-Hausa community, because we have a lot of them here; we gave out free medical treatment; food and clothes. We also held a Bible quiz at St Paul’s Church, Esa-Oke, last Thursday and had Holy Communion Services in all our churches last Friday.
We held a free medical outreach for about 300 people. A total of 250 people were given free eye glasses last Saturday, at Rehoboth Mountain. The thanksgiving services, which is grand finale of the event, which will be held today in all our parishes.
What is the history behind the diocese?
The diocese was inaugurated 10 years ago, precisely on January 18. The first bishop was Right Reverend T.O.B. Fajemirokun. The Dean of the diocese then, Venerable Humphrey Olumokaye, now the Bishop of Lagos.
The Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion has a policy to enlarge the coast of the church. So, the diocese was created from Ilesa diocese for the expansion of the Kingdom of God. That is the purpose of the creation of the diocese. The first bishop spent six years and I have spent four.
The post Election: Church, INEC have roles to play —Oluyamo appeared first on Tribune Online.