African Church trustees affirms most Rev’d Odufuwa new Primate

…inaugurates 2 Archbishops, 39 Bishops

The newly inaugurated Primate of the African Church Most Reverend Augustine Odufuwa has disclosed that the Church will witness unprecedented transformation in six months.

Primate Odufuwa was officially confirmed by the Church’s trustees at a special service held to inaugurate the Lagos Metropolitan Province and Consecrate the new Bishops of the church at the African Church Bethlehem Cathedral Ebute-Metta,Lagos on Thursday July 3,2025.

The new Primate however, calls for prayers and much more support of all members to ensure the attainment of desired progress for the church.

In his acceptance speech the new headship of the church who transmutes from the acting capacity to a full primacy authority-Most Rev’d Odufuwa notes that he is ready to be a team leader, who will carry along both the clergy and the laity to foster all round growth for the Church.

“Today we added more Bishops to the fold of the African Church they are going to work in their various Dioceses, and I tell you within six months you are going to see a drastic change in evangelism and the expansion of the African Church.

“We ministers will try our best to see the Church moving and thank God even when all our forefather who were not well read, like some of us were in charge the Church was moving, talk less now when we have PhD holders and professors amongst the people and uncountable with Masters.

“So, you don’t need to doubt what is going to happen with my emergence as the Primate of the Church.

“By the grace of God in evangelism, where we are lacking we shall move to bridge the gap.

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“I assure you that when it comes to spreading of the Church since this struggle has started we have opened many Dioceses,Provinces and Parishes unlike what obtains before.”

The inauguration ceremony which witnessed massive spiritual status elevation of 39 clergies to the Bishop office and two new Archbishops- The Most Reverend Dr. David Adedeji Sogbanmu and The Most Reverend Adesoji Aderemi Adetubo, simultaneously featured the elevation of the programmes venue as the new Lagos Metropolitan Province.

Reacting to the name calling and alleged spurious claims made against his person Primate Odufuwa discountenanced it all, citing the fact that he has the backings of majority of the Church’s trustees and leaders.

“It doesn’t take anything from me, because he is not the owner of the Church, the Trustees of the Church has given me their blessings.

“He has no trustee backing him all those who are backing him are ex-members and ex-officers of the Church, I have the Acting Lay- President, I have all the Church Officers behind me.

“I have the grand patron of the Church and out of the seven living trustees six are solidly behind me, while the seventh which happens to be our former Primate is neutral because of his sensitive position.

“He is father of all so he doesn’t support anybody but he is praying for all of us. I have solid living trustees of the Church behind my office.

“When you have a knowledgeable leader the result is so clear and glaring that the Church have to move forward.” Primate Odufuwa said.
Commenting on the crisis rocking the African Church the General Secretary Mr. Bayo Ogundimu counselled that given the possibility of an harmonious resolution in no distant time, all parties need seek peace to further encourage the growth of the Church.

“When you talk of unity you are talking about something that is quite essential for a home to move forward, for an organization to move forward even for a nation to move forward not to talk of a Church, there is a need for us to come together.

“So when we talk of that we continue to appeal for unity,cooperation and I will also continue to say that we should sheathe our swords, we should come together.

“The cost of this struggle for the Church is enormous we can’t put that together now but in terms of the legal cost, the pains and the names we have given to ourselves,the shenanigans we have been involved in it has cost us a fortune, but like I said as a Church as a people we will always find a way.

“Our elders are not looking back and I am sure that we are working day and night to ensure that this is over and like I said that I am very very sure and there is God’s promise on that, very soon all the factions will come together and we shall sing Halleluyah.

Giving the Charge at the inauguration ceremony Most Rev’d Joseph Ola-Akinsanya Archbishop of Okka Province of the African Church and Bishop of Okka Diocese Akoko Ondo State, who coincidentally served as a priest of African Church Bethlehem Cathedral Ebute-Metta between 1987-1991 tasked the newly inducted Bishops to take prayer, fasting and searching of scripture as a mandatory requirement for eventual success.

Most Rev’d Ola- Akinsanya also described the crisis as a storm awaiting the order of calm, he added that it is not strange but urged all to give peace a chance.

“All along our elders the peace committee, the elders of the Church have actually said there must be sacrifice, afterall the Lord Jesus Christ sacrificed his life for the salvation of mankind, to bring us back from the fall of our forefathers and so the same way there cannot be meaningful unity and love without sacrifice.

“That implies sacrifice on the part of the leaders and the led if we will be accountable onto God our creator then,necessity is now placed on us to make the necessary sacrifice for the Church’s growth, unity, oneness and propagation.”