Footprints In The Manner Of Bishop Owadayo

By Reuben Abati

On October 22, the eve of his 70th birthday, the Rt. Rev. Dr. Matthew Oluremi Owadayo will retire as Bishop of Egba Diocese after 14 years and eight months in that office. Since Monday, the clergy and laity have been holding a number of events to celebrate this Diocesan, including the public presentation of a book titled The Episcopacy of the Rt Rev. Dr. Matthew Oluremi Owadayo (Abeokuta: Gbemi Shodipo Press Ltd., 2009). Commenting on the book at the occassion provided me an opportunity to reflect on the tenure of this diligent servant in the Lord's vineyard. With the continuing growth of the church of Nigeria and the enlargement of the congregation, epicospalian responsibilities have become more central to church processes and organisation. The Bishop occupies a significant leadership position, at once a manager, a spiritual leader, administrator, mentor and role model; in all instances, it is part of his duty to grow the church, to nurture and encourage the spread of the Word, and to support the flock of Christ. Bishops are required to provide leadership in managing the interface between church and society and between the church and secular authorities. We are sadly however, in the age of 419 priests: men of the cloth who care less about the doctrine but are more interetsed in office and privileges. But there are a few like the outgoing Bishop of Egba Diocese whose example deserves to be celebrated.

The authors of the book on his episcopacy have done a good job of documenting his contributions in various respects, focussing on the physical and spiritual growth of the Anglican Communion in Egba Diocese, as well as His Lordship's spiritual leadership, his managerial capabilities, his humanism. He comes across as a central, individual, unifying force, an astute manager of resources, a good listerner and a committed shephered of the flock. The book leaves no one in doubt that Bishop Owadayo is handing over to his successor, a Diocese, that is larger, richer, better organised, and more spiritually enhanced than he met it. A bird's eye view of his contributions are graphically provided with the aid of photographs and in eight appendices detailing the number of churches that were established by his episcopate, the list of clergy that were ordained by him, his focus on enhanced clergy education and welfare, and his various activities during the period. The details in the preceding eleven chapters are even more enlightening. I enjoyed reading the various accounts and the tributes paid to him.

Church leadership is as complex and as challenging as political or business leadership. The focus of engagement may be different, but all leaders are united by the same values of expectations and the likelihood of success or failure. In the Church of Christ, we have heard stories of self-styled religious leaders who make away with offerings or who snatch wives of the laity. In this particular instance, Chief Akinwande Delano, Chancellor of the Anglican Communion summarises the overriding sentiment expressed in this book, and among members of the Egba Diocese, when he writes in the preface that "Rt. Rev. Dr. M. O. Owadayo has been in every sense a successful Bishop." (p. ix). I agree.

Owadayo is the third Bishop of the Egba Diocese, founded in 1975 as Egba Egbado Diocese, with Rt. Rev J. S. Adeniyi as the first Bishop (1975 - 1979). Bishop Adeniyi was succeeded by Rt. Rev Titus Ilori Akintayo (1980 -1994). Dr Owadayo was consecrated and enthroned as Bishop on February 5, 1995. Former Dean of the Immanuel College of Theology and Christian Education, Ibadan, he holds a doctorate degree in Religious Studies of the University of Ibadan, specialising in Church History. Before his assumption of office in Egba Diocese, he served in various churches in the Anglican Communion including St. Peter's Church, Ile-Oluji, All Souls' Church, Bodija, Ibadan, St. Luke's Cathedral, Jos, and St. Stephen's Cathedral, Ikare. Although the book on his episcopacy does not offer a detailed biography, restricted as it is in terms of scope, we catch glimpses of His Lordship's family life, through accounts of the contributions of his wife to the Diocese and his own role as a father. His son, Busayo Owadayo describes him as a father who is caring and supportive, but who is a stern disciplinarian. "He may be the Bishop to you, but to me, he is and remains a father. What a father!" (p. 69), he tells us amusingly.

Younger members of the clergy who are interested in the church's mission in the world, should find Bishop Owadayo's example worthy of emulation: his single-minded devotion, the support that he enjoys from his spouse who as head of the Mothers' Union is affectionately referred to as "Mama Egba" that is, "Mother of the Diocese," and the outpouring of affection and praise in appreciation of his stewardship. I find particularly interesting the various testimonies and tributes that have been offered by church workers, family, friends, clergy and laity. Dr D. O. Ogunseinde, the Diocesan Director of the Directorate of Evangelism has written, for example, about His Lordship's special interest in evangelism, resulting in the training of over 300 evangelists, mostly young people who seem to constitute a special focus of his episcopate. It is this same evangelical direction that has resulted in the building of 30 additional churches, the further decentralisation of the Diocese as seen in the creation of new archdeaconries and the Dioceses of Ifo and Egba West and the training and retraining of priests. There is no controverting the fact that there has been a sharp rise in the evangelical fervour of the Egba Anglican Communion in the last 14 years.

I recall that the Anglican Church used to be regarded as a reserved, old-fashioned congregation, and this over the years led to the church losing many of its young members to the Pentecostal churches which seemed to show more passion and drive. Although the book in Bishop Owadayo's honour does not directly address this issue, my observation is that the Egba Anglican Communion under his watch has appropriated many of the known worship practices of the Pentecostal churches: night vigils, special prayer sessions, family prayer meetings, visits to homes, praise worship, crusades, deliberate involvement of youths in church activities and greater focus on children. Anglican Church services in our Diocese are no longer drab, they have become very exciting. The dancing and the singing have become more vigorous and it is no longer unusual to find Anglicans speaking in tongues or shouting Halleluyah so loudly even the church roof quakes. Bishop Owadayo's episcopacy has encouraged greater freedom among parishioners in forging a closer relationship with God. It is possible to argue that the Anglican mode of worship remains original in essence but our view is that there has been a more progressive slant of the worship mode in the Diocese.

Another interesting development during Bishop Owadayo's episcopacy is the establishment of an Egba Anglican Diocese Private Cemetery on a 19. 6 hectares of land along the Abeokuta/Kobape road, the details of which are described by Ven. Engr. P. B. Oyebolu. The proposed cemetery is modelled after the likes of Victoria Garden Cemetery in Lekki Lagos and Vaults and Gardens Cemetery in Ikoyi, Lagos. It is an example of His Lordship's openness to suggestions by members of the Diocese. An entrepreneurial spirit defines his episcopacy and this is not restricted to the establishment of a private cemetery, the Diocese also owns a pure water company, the Egba Dove, a multi-purpose hall was also built and commissioned in 2008, and the Women's Guild also built lock up shops - all of which generate revenue. In addition, both the clergy and the laity are always encouraged to participate in seminars and workshops, both within the Diocese and in the larger Anglican Communion. His Lordship paid special attention to the training of priests encouraging many of them to acquire additional academic qualifications; he also promoted as many of them as showed promise. In some other churches, Bishops feel threatened by talented clergy. But not Owadayo.

The chapter titled "The Bishop as I see Him" is perhaps the most engaging section of the book on him. Here, members of the Diocese and others pay tribute to His Lordship. They comment in turns on his achievements, humility and kind-heartedness. And it is also here that we find a measure of needed balance in the writing. There is a constant suggestion that His Lordship is a workaholic and a disciplinarian. Professor Biyi Afonja, Nigeria's second Professor of Statistics (the first is Chimamanda Adichie's father) further draws attention to criticisms in certain quarters that the Bishop seemed a bit reluctant to carve the Egba West Diocese out of Egba Diocese, and that in some churches, the congregation felt uncomfortable whenever a priest with whom they had developed a strong bond was suddenly transferred by the Bishop. I share the latter view too.

There is repeated reference to Bishop Owadayo's powerful sermons on the pulpit, and this is most appropriate. Mr Mike L. Foyibo refers to his "method of keeping the congregation at alert." He says: He would diligently preach the Sermon and sometimes turn the church to question and answer session. Over the years I have coem to admire him as a great preacher and teacher of the Word. I see him as a fearless and powerful man of God who boldly preached the "bitter truth"to both military and civilian leaders of this country (Nigeria) on several occasions during the immediate past military and succeeding civilian regimes."(p.57). Similarly, Professor Biyi Afonja recalls two sermons delivered by the Bishop which made great impression on him. Unfortunately, this is an aspect of his epicospacy that has not been fully explored. Perhaps, the publication of some of his well-received sermons is something His Lordship could consider as part of his retirement engagements. It is not enough to say that when a cleric delivers a good sermon he is simply doing his job: preaching the word of God requires talent, knowledge and Grace. In my view, what distinguishes Bishop Owadayo in the eyes of the congregation is his radicalism and erudition on the pulpit. His ability to speak the truth with great conviction without caring whose ox may be gored.

When he assumed office as Bishop in 1995, it was in the heat of the struggle against military despotism in Nigeria. Two years ealier, the June 12 Presidential election which was won by Chief MKO Abiola had been annulled by the Babangida administration. This gave rise to civil society rebellion. But the Abacha government which succeeded the IBB junta, was resolved to remain in power. This political crisis, in addition to increasing poverty and the harshness of the environment placed a great burden on ordinary Nigerians. It was a difficult moment for the country. The church could not stand by and watch idly as parishioners suffered. In churches across the country, priests turned sermons into an expression of the people's concerns.

It is to Bishop Owadayo's credit that the Egba Anglican Communion became part of this activism. Parishioners flocked to the church every Sunday to share their grief and to listen to priests in a church that had become committed. Even after the return to civilian rule in 1999, Bishop Owadayo's episcopacy has continued to project the ideal of the church as "a prophetic church" to borrow Fr George Ehusani's description of that phenomenon in a book of the same title. It is one legacy to which His Lordship's successor must pay careful attention. The church in an underdeveloped society with various levels of abuse cannot make do with visions of the "hereafter" alone; it must meet the people at the level of their needs, reflect their concerns, and lend voice to their aspirations. Bishop Owadayo's successor must also take special note of his predecessor's mission and achievements in the following areas: "evangelism and church planting, enhancement of the people's spirituality, infrastructural development, special care for special groups: the aged, the widowed, orphans etc, provision of medical and healthcare services; improving the educational status of church workers, especially the clergy, enhancing the Diocese's investment portfolio, and the nurturing of some existing archdeaconries for upgrading into new Dioceses...".

God's mission is eternal: the role of the church in society is a continuing one. There are many areas of challenge in a society such as ours and one principal area is the spread of moral turpitude not only in society but also in the Church of Christ. The Church of Nigeria in a broad, generic sense is in continual need of renewal and to provide leadership in that direction, the continual commitment of the clergy will be required for there is as much trouble in Christendom as in society. But the Church must be ahead of society in the moral examples that it shows and in its dedication to the cause of Salvation.

In writing church history, we build traditions and document human efforts in the Lord's Vineyard, and the effort that has been made in preserving the record of the contributions of Bishop Owadayo's Christ-centred and people-driven episcopacy is noteworthy. We wish His Lordship many more years of service to humanity as he retires to Ifira-Akoko, his hometown.

Robot  # 1 | 18.10.2009 03:45

...Read the full article.