Mojola Agbebi
Encyclopedia
Mojola Agbebi was a Nigeria
n Yoruba
Baptist
minister
. He was formerly named David Brown Vincent, but during the wave of African nationalism
in the late 1880s, he changed his name. Agbebi was a strong advocate of indigenous leadership for African churches. He initiated evangelistic work in Yorubaland and in the Niger Delta
.
Agbebi was the son of a Yoruba Anglican catechist, and was born shortly after his "Saro" father returned from Sierra Leone to his homeland with the gospel. He left the CMS (the Church Missionary Society) in 1880 and became a Baptist around 1883. He played a prominent role in the March 1888 establishment of the Native Baptist Church (now the First Baptist Church) in Lagos, which was the first indigenous church in West Africa.
Agbebi was a part of Ebenezer Baptist Church, Lagos, which was formed as result of a dispute within the First Baptist Church when American missionary Rev. W. J. David fired Rev. Moses Ladejo Stone, the native pastor. David rebuffed requests for an explanation by a delegation and by the church business meeting, claiming that he had the authority to dismiss Stone.
Agbebi was an apostle of ecumenism
. In 1898 he founded the African Baptist Union of West Africa, and in 1914 he started the Yoruba Baptist Association. He also supported his wife's efforts in establishing the nationwide Baptist Women's League in 1919. He was also politically active, and presented a paper at the 1911 First Universal Races Congress in London.
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n Yoruba
Yoruba people
The Yoruba people are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. The majority of the Yoruba speak the Yoruba language...
Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
minister
Minister of religion
In Christian churches, a minister is someone who is authorized by a church or religious organization to perform functions such as teaching of beliefs; leading services such as weddings, baptisms or funerals; or otherwise providing spiritual guidance to the community...
. He was formerly named David Brown Vincent, but during the wave of African nationalism
African nationalism
African nationalism is the nationalist political movement for one unified Africa, or the less significant objective of the acknowledgment of African tribes by instituting their own states, as well as the safeguarding of their indigenous customs...
in the late 1880s, he changed his name. Agbebi was a strong advocate of indigenous leadership for African churches. He initiated evangelistic work in Yorubaland and in the Niger Delta
Niger Delta
The Niger Delta, the delta of the Niger River in Nigeria, is a densely populated region sometimes called the Oil Rivers because it was once a major producer of palm oil...
.
Agbebi was the son of a Yoruba Anglican catechist, and was born shortly after his "Saro" father returned from Sierra Leone to his homeland with the gospel. He left the CMS (the Church Missionary Society) in 1880 and became a Baptist around 1883. He played a prominent role in the March 1888 establishment of the Native Baptist Church (now the First Baptist Church) in Lagos, which was the first indigenous church in West Africa.
Agbebi was a part of Ebenezer Baptist Church, Lagos, which was formed as result of a dispute within the First Baptist Church when American missionary Rev. W. J. David fired Rev. Moses Ladejo Stone, the native pastor. David rebuffed requests for an explanation by a delegation and by the church business meeting, claiming that he had the authority to dismiss Stone.
Agbebi was an apostle of ecumenism
Ecumenism
Ecumenism or oecumenism mainly refers to initiatives aimed at greater Christian unity or cooperation. It is used predominantly by and with reference to Christian denominations and Christian Churches separated by doctrine, history, and practice...
. In 1898 he founded the African Baptist Union of West Africa, and in 1914 he started the Yoruba Baptist Association. He also supported his wife's efforts in establishing the nationwide Baptist Women's League in 1919. He was also politically active, and presented a paper at the 1911 First Universal Races Congress in London.