OUR HISTORY
The Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion is a product of evangelization of the Church Missionary Society which was founded in 1799 in England, and through the society, the West African Mission came into being in 1804. Revd. Henry Townsend, a missionary of the mission arrived Badagry on 17th December, 1842. He also visited Abeokuta and other parts of Yorubaland. The Niger Mission began in 1841, coupled with the return of Henry Townsend with Revd. Samuel Ajayi Crowther and Revd. Charles Colmer in 1845 to Badagry paved the way for evangelism in Yorubaland which also ensured the admission of the first Christian converts by baptism into the Church of Christ.
Progress of the work of evangelism which led to the formation of Yoruba mission in 1852 brought the first European, David Hinderer to Ibadan in 1851. In 1853, Revd. David Hinderer linked with Oyo, which later led to the establishment there of a Theological and Teacher Training Institution St. Andrew's college, Oyo on 18th March 1856.
It is generally believed that Christianity entered Osun land in the last decade of the 19th century through activities of early foundations who probably got to hear the good News of Jesus Christ in foreign places of Sojourn like Abeokuta and its environs. Such founders included Pa. Samuel Laseinde, Joseph Ogunjide Fariyike, Pa. Joseph Omotoso, Pa Josiah Efunbode and others who were all assisted by church missionary members like Revd. John Mackay and Rev. Harding. Churches were subsequently built in Ora (1896), Obaagun (1898), Osogbo and Otan Aiyegbaju (1900) Ororuwo, Oyan, Ada, Okuku, Inisa (1901), Iba and Ikirun (1903), to mention just a few.
The Osun land area was part of Ibadan Diocese that came into being on 15th January 1952 with Rt. Revd. Alexander Babatunde Akinyele (consecrated Bishop in 1933) as the first Bishop. The Ibadan Diocese extended over the whole of Oyo and Ibadan provinces of the former Western Region of Nigeria and Ilorin Provinces of the former Northern Nigeria. Rt. Rev. Richard Oyebode succeeded Rt. Revd. Akinyele on retirement in 1956. Following the death of Bishop Oyebode in 1960, Rt. Revd. S. Odunaiya Odutola who translated from the see of Ondo was enthroned in 1961.
Osun Area of the present Osun Anglican Diocese continued to be part of Ibadan Diocese. The Ministry of Bishop Odutola ended in 1970, he was succeeded by Rt. Revd. (later Most Revd.) Timothy Omotayo Olufosoye, former Bishop of Gambia and Rio Pongas who was elected in 1970 but was enthroned in 1971.
Under the ministry of Bishop Olufosoye the church administration witnessed significant changes. In 1974, all the churches in Offa and Ilorin Archdeaconries became part of the new Diocese of Kwara while former Ilesha Archdeaconry was created Diocese of Ilesha. It was in furtherance of the work of evangelism that Osogbo Archdeaconry was created in 1962, and Okuku D.C.C in 1965, thus the growth of Osogbo Archdeaconry that was destined to become a Diocese has begun in earnest. In 1976 Otan Aiyegbaju Archdeaconry was carved out of Osogbo Archdeaconry comprising Otan Archdeaconry D.C.C Okuku, Ila Orangun D.C.C and Ora Chapelry. In 1981, Ada D.C.C was carved out of Otan Archdeaconry and in concert with Okuku D.C.C got created into Ada/Okuku Archdeaconry in 1986.
The work of evangelism in this area gave birth to the creation of Inisa Archdeaconry on 9th May 1987. It comprised Inisa D.C.C and Igbaye P.D.C.C. The creation of Inisa Archdeaconry was the last before the coming of the Diocese of Osun.
A decisive step for the creation of Osun Diocese was taken on 12th April 1986 when the provincial standing committee at its meeting in All Souls' Church Bodija, Ibadan agreed that the Archbishop by virtue of Article II, Chapter XII and Article I, Chapter XIII of the constitution of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion, 1979) subject to compliance with the conditions laid down by the said Standing Committee should proceed to make all necessary arrangement to effect the creation of the said Diocese of Osun. The conditions laid down by the said Standing Committee and all other requirements necessary for the creation of Osun Diocese were subsequently met.
On the 2nd August, 1987, the Rt. Rev. Seth Oni Fagbemi at the Cathedral Church of St. Stephen, Oke-Aluko,Ondo was consecrated the Bishop of the said Diocese of Osun. Thus on Monday the 3rd day of August in the year of our Lord, One thousand, nine hundred and eighty seven, the biblical parable of the little mustard seed was sewn on the soil of Osun – a mission area has grown to a big tree, a Diocese: Diocese of Osun (Anglican Communion). On that 3rd of August 1987, the new Diocese of Osun was inaugurated and the Rt. Revd. Seth Oni Fagbemi was enthroned at All Saints' Cathedral, Ita Balogun Agoro, Osogbo.