Theological Institutions - The Transformation of Aladura Christianity in Nigeria

For the first six decades of the existence of Aladura Christianity in Nigeria, none of Aladura churches gave high priority to the establishment of formal theological school that could train prophets. The growth and expansion of the church was attributed to the charisma of the church founder and the gifted individual church members. Founders had little or no secular and theological education. This undoubtedly influenced the churches’ low attitude to formal training of the prophets. Founder Ositelu of TCLA and pastor founder Oschoffa of the CCC had little formal education compared to their counterpart Moses Orimolade of the C&S who had not formal education at all. The C&S, TCLA, and CCC commenced the theological training of their workers at different times; they all established their theological schools in the post-civil war period in Nigeria. The churches provide theological and leadership training to church workers and members. TCLA was the earliest theological education provider among Aladura churches in Nigeria, but the Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church (CSMC) currently has the highest number of theological schools among its Aladura counterparts in the

175 Interview with Emmanuel A. Adegoke, 18 August, 2011.

176 Interview with Segun Mepolone, 28 May, 2012, Lagos.

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country. The CCC is a late entrant in the theological education market. Although its first plan to establish a theological college was in 1971, this did not fully take off until March 2005.¹⁷⁷ 3.6.1 C&S

The large number of prophets that had little or no formal education, though learned in spirit, and a number of members who craved for better understanding of the Christian faith through adequate bible teaching, compelled some strands of the C&S particularly CSMC and SCSC to establish theological schools. For six decades after the emergence of the C&S in 1925, various strands gave top priority to spiritual wellbeing, charity, and later secular education above formal theological training for their workers particularly the prophets. The attention of some C&S churches in this regard can be regarded as a response to the emerging challenge that the church workers face in the competitive religious environment. Previous literature on Aladura churches has described their leaders and prophets as having low formal education, and that members were largely drawn from the socially depraved in the society (John Peel 1967, Robert Mitchell 1970).

The CSMC, among other strands of C&S, for the first time in 1987 established Orimolade College of Prophets (OCP), Ilorin. Against the backdrop of absence of biblical training of prophets in the CSMC, coupled with the fact that considerable number of the prophets had little formal education, the church established OCP where each CSMC local church sent its ordained and yet to be anointed prophets for biblical and prophetic training meant to broaden their horizon in the study and understanding of God’s words and divine manifestations. The local church recommended its prophets and those nominated for anointment to the district chairman who in turn recommended them to the GC for deliberation and approval. The training was made compulsory especially for those nominated for anointment as this conferred on them the status of ordained prophets. After completion of three to six months training, the college on behalf of the spiritual father awarded graduating prophets certificate of attendance, ordained and awarded them staff of office (prophetic staff).

The status and programme of the college however changed following several complaints that a number of prophets in training, shortly after graduating from the college, appropriated their prophetic staff as symbolic capital for forming their autonomous groups and earned worldly benefits from their clients. Against this backdrop, the GC deliberated and stopped the award of staff of office to graduating prophets. The college metamorphosed into Orimolade Theological Seminary and its structure and programme restructured to include both prophetic

177 Interview with Emmanuel A. Adegoke, 18 August, 2011.

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and pastoral training. Since its inception as college of prophets, the institute has been running its programme in its temporary site in the school premises of C&S College, Ilorin. Currently, OTS offers three months refresher course and two years diploma courses in theology and Christian studies. It proposes to commence six months leadership certificate course, two years leadership certificate course in theology, four years bachelor of Arts in theology, and four years bachelor of Arts in Christian Studies. The establishment of OTS in 1987 became a wakeup call to other C&S churches of all strands. The CSMC has, to a great extent, responded to the new development considering the number of theological colleges that various CSMC churches have established in Lagos State.

The CSMC Surulere district headquarters, Lagos claimed that the establishment of its Cherubim and Seraphim College of Divinity started as a bible class in 1986 and metamorphosed into its present structure and academic programmes. The college offers various biblical training leading to the award of certificate in Christian education, diploma in theology, bachelor degree in Christian education and master degree in divinity. In a similarly drive towards training its workers and interested members of the church, CSMC, St. Mary District, Oshodi, Lagos established Rivers of Life Theological College in 2005. It runs certificate, diploma and bachelor’s degree programmes in theology in both Yoruba and English Languages. In addition to its courses, it offers studies in biblical languages, namely Greek and Hebrew.

The CSMC Kingsland district headquarters, Agege, Lagos established CSM College of Theology and Chaplaincy (CTC) in 2003. It started as Sunday School Bible class when the Church was at Sabo-Yaba, Lagos and was officially inaugurated on 23^rd of May, 2003 after the church had moved to its present site at New Oko Oba, Agege, Lagos. Some academic staff were employed from among church members who had Bachelor’s degree in theological education and those who had theological education after their secular degrees. Some products of the theological college who did excellently in their academic programme were employed as graduate assistants. The theological college currently employs the services of fifteen staff.

The CTC offers foundation courses that lead to the award of Certificate and Bachelor’s degree in theology respectively and it operates in two annex campuses in Apapa and Ikorodu in Lagos. The college runs two semesters for a session: the first semester begins in September and ends in February while the second semester starts in March and terminates in July. All courses taught are examined at the end of each semester. Certificate and Diploma Courses are offered in English and Yoruba Languages, while degree courses are offered only in English

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language. This is a language policy designed to cater for candidates who have weak educational background or whose proficiency in English language is poor. This set of candidates who form the bulk of certificate and diploma students’ population who are allowed to receive lecture in their mother tongue for better understanding and academic performance in the programmes.

A certificate programme runs for a year while a diploma programme lasts for four semesters of two years duration. CTC opens for lectures on Thursday and Saturday of the week. On Thursday of each week, lectures begin from 1:00pm and terminate at 6:00pm, but on Saturday, lectures begin at 8:15am and close at 6:00pm. Before graduating, students are sent out to acquire three or six month practical experience in C&S churches other than the ones they currently attend. The College has seven departments from which knowledge is imparted to students. The departments are Evangelism, Pastoral, Prophetic, Apostolic, Biblical, Church Administration, and Christian Education. However, courses in each department are not codified and documented in an academic brochure. Instead, they are selected and arranged for four years within which certificate, diploma and degree students pursue their respective study programmes.

The first year curriculum is designed to give students foundational knowledge of their theological training. Courses offered include bibliology, theology, Christology, pneumatology, old and New Testament Studies, Foundation and Christian Ministry, Spiritual life and Church growth, history of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements, discipleship, ethics, history, tenet of faith, observances and practices of the C&S, Culture, customs and manners of the Bible land, and Systematic bible study. In year two, there are three courses that are brought forward from year one, but students are expected to learn more than they have learned in their previous year. However, there are twenty-two courses that take students deeper into theological education, namely soteriology, harmatiology, ecclesiology, angelology and demonology, eschatology, visionology and anthropology, and homiletics. Others include church history and administration, Pastoral and Counseling courses, children ministry, introduction to Islam, Music, Hebrew Prophets, theses writing and practical experience. In year three, most part of year two courses are re-introduced and harmonized with few new ones namely evangelism, hermeneutics, spiritual life and divine healing, the books of Romans, Acts, Daniel and Corinthians, and Church Planting and administration. In year four, thirty-one courses are taught out of which twenty-three are brought over from the previous three years for advanced study while the remaining eight are being learned for the first time in

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the programme, namely apologetics, theology of revival, philosophy of religion, psychology and theology, church growth, missiology, sociology and ministry with adults.¹⁷⁸

The CSMC Renewal Chapel, Alagbado-Agege, Lagos established Renewal Chapel Bible College (RCBC) in 2003. The CSMC Renewal Chapel, Alagbado-Agege, Lagos owns and operates the RCBC as a private institution and also gives it church grants. The RCBC‘s main objective is to train church workers and individuals across church denominations, enriching their knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, and providing individuals with theological education that can help meet most challenges that confront the church today. According to its registrar,

“Sermon alone cannot change character. Lectures, Seminars, Workshops and instituted programmes have proven to be of immense significance”.¹⁷⁹

Figure 21. CSMC Renewal Bible College, Agege. Photograph by T. O. Baiyewu 2012

RCBC has five departments of instruction, namely theology, general studies, commercial education, sixth form studies, and certificate studies. The RCBC runs a two-year diploma course programme for training men and women as ministers and bible instructors; four-month ministerial certificate programme designed for ministers and evangelists who do not qualify for post-secondary studies in theology; two-year bible instructors certificate for those who do not meet the college admission requirements but are trained as bible instructors for Sunday school services; four-year course programme leading to the award of a Bachelor of Arts degree in theology; preparatory general studies of two-year basic courses are offered in RCBC after which students who offer the courses are linked to overseas schools of relevance;

178 Interview with J.B. Balogun, 18 May, 2012, Lagos. The Courses were read out from a six-page letter headed sheets that contain the entire college course programme and few explanations.

179 Interview with P. Ogundele, 28 May, 2012, Lagos.

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year diploma in business studies designed to prepare students who wish to sit for the intermediate examination of the Association of International Accountants London; and the sixth form studies or general certificate in education “A” level Arts preparatory programme designed for students who wish to pursue a degree in Arts¹⁸⁰.

Unlike the basic requirements for degree courses in conventional tertiary institutions in Nigeria, the general requirements for bachelor’s degree in theology are five passes at general certificate of education ordinary level and satisfactory completion of four years of post-primary teacher training or evangelist training.¹⁸¹ These requirements are designed to opportune as many church workers as possible who have deficiencies in their post primary school certificate to receive adequate knowledge and training that enables them perform efficiently in their calling. There is a physical structure which houses the library but stocked with few books. Yet there is a list of books purportedly compiled which the college claimed to have bought; they are one hundred and fifty-two books which cover some areas of disciplines such as old and New Testaments Studies, bible concordance, hermeneutics, biblical languages, systematic theology, doctrines of God, Christology, Soteriology, Pneumatology, Ecclesiology and Worship, Eschatology, African Christian theology, doctrines and denominations, church history, Christian ethics, family parenting, pastoral ministry, leadership, preaching-homiletics, evangelism, philosophy and apologetics, mission, Islam, counseling and psychology, Christian education, women and youth ministry and urban and rural holistic development.

The College started its programmes in 2003 with five academic and non-academic staff and has currently improved to nine lecturers. The pioneer students included eighteen diploma and three degree students of which one was a medical doctor while the other two had M.A in religious studies and MSc in Psychology respectively. As at 2012, enrolment in the college is thirty diploma and eight degree students. With the exception of two lecturers who hold PhD degree, others hold a Master’s degree in theology¹⁸². The remuneration of teaching and non-teaching staff is little when compared with lecturers in government tertiary institutions, but staff claimed they are determined to impact knowledge and ensure that the College survival is sustained. The selfless service and charity of the former Lord Rector of the College, late special Apostle Oladipo Daniel was revealed when questions were raised to probe into the financing of the college. The late Lord Rector sponsored most of the programmes, and

180 Renewal Chapel Bible College Students Hand Book, Lagos: Renewal Chapel Bible College, 2002-2004, p.10-11.

181 Ibid, p. 13–18.

182 Interview with P. Ogundele, 28 May, 2012, Lagos.

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welfare of staff and students up to the time of his demise. In its strategy for financial self sustenance and to meet some administrative costs, the college introduced a sessional tuition fee of twelve thousand naira.¹⁸³

An enquiry into the theological education of pioneer lecturers in CSMC theological colleges revealed that most of them had their theological education in theological colleges and seminaries that other Christian denominations established. This means that the theological institutions were critical to the establishment and growth of CSMC theological colleges among Aladura churches. Some of the graduates of ECWA Theological College, Igbaja, Kwara State and United Christian Bible Canon College and Seminary, Ota, Ogun State have been employed to teach courses in the theological colleges. Other lecturers had their theological studies through correspondence programmes which some foreign institutions, namely International Correspondence Institute (ICI) Belgium and Westminster Chapel School of Theology, London. Some lecturers had their foundation degrees in the sciences and humanities. One doctor Oladipo is a medical surgeon who has been in medical practice for over ten years before he sought for an additional degree in theology.¹⁸⁴

The Proliferation of theological colleges as noticed among CSMC churches particularly in Lagos area has been a major concern of members interviewed who expressed that such development could affect the quality of training and the products of the colleges. The CSMC approves that its branches could establish theological schools provided they have both human and material resources to do so. This approval inspired some churches to establish theological colleges, which CSMC authority claimed were not standard enough when compared with major theological seminaries which the Catholic, Baptist, ECWA and Anglican churches established in Nigeria. The church swung into action and designed a minimum standard for the current and future theological colleges. Hence it designed a harmonized curriculum which the spiritual father recently assented to. In its few paged harmonized curriculum, the core of theological programme is split into seventeen major courses, namely the history of C&S, mode of worship in CSMC, Paraphernalia of prayer, five-fold ministry, evangelism, mission and prophecy, principles of counseling, pastoral theology, pastoral epistle and care, first and second Corinthians, Acts, Prison epistles, Hebrews Epistle, Synoptic gospels, major and minor prophets, leadership, spiritual warfare, and communication skill.¹⁸⁵

183 Interview with P. Ogundele, 28 May, 2012, Lagos.

184 Ibid.

185 Ibid. As at the time of interview, the curriculum was yet to be published in booklet form. It was two-page official information, which the interviewee shared with the researcher.

133 3.6.2 TCLA

During the formative years of TCLA, the primate founder Ositelu, as a strategy towards building prophetic and pastoral ministries of the church initiated training programmes for his disciples before sending them out to spread the gospel, gather converts and establish branches.

He began his school of discipleship in 1928, which had neither structure nor formal curriculum and specified course duration. This initiative, which the primate founder Ositelu took can be regarded as the foundation of the Aladura Theological Institute¹⁸⁶. The primary school education of the late founder and the experience as a catechist of an Anglican Church gave him (founder) the encouragement and idea to induct his disciples.

In furtherance of the objective of training its ministers “to lead, serve and actively propagate the Gospel of Christ in Nigeria and throughout the world”¹⁸⁷, the church in conjunction with a foreign organization, the Mennonite Board of Missions and the Theological Education Fund (TEF) of Indiana, U.S.A. formally started Aladura Theological Seminary and prophets and Prophetesses Training Institute (ATS/PPTI) at Anthony Village, Lagos on 27 January, 1971.

In 1971 primate Emmanuel Adejobi formally launched ATS which he had dreamt about in 1964¹⁸⁸. He (Adejobi) commenced preparation for ATS in 1968, compiled a 22-man Board of governors which Oba J.A. Laoye I, the Timi of Ede chaired, and had a long list of identified staff and officers, part-time and full-time which he submitted to the standing committee of the TCLAW General Churches Assembly. But of all the proposed 22-man board of governors, only Deacon J.A.O. Sofolahan appeared in the prospectus. With the noble objective at the back of his mind of “offering formal theological preparation for Christian leadership and service not only in the church of the Lord but also in other Aladura churches as well”, Adejobi succeeded in actualizing his dream. At his demise in 1991, ATS was renamed in his honour as Adejobi Memorial Theological Seminary (AMTS). The second Primate Emmanuel Adejobi facilitated the formal beginning and development of theological education programme of TCLAW. Building on the contribution of the previous primates of TCLA, the successive primates during their respective tenures have furthered the theological empowerment of both ministers and non-ministers.

186 Interview with Tunde Gbogboade, 24 May, 2012, Ogere.

187 “The Servant of the Living God: The Biography of Primate E. A. Adejobi (1917-1991)”. Lagos: Adeleke Adejobi Foundation (AAF), p.89.

188 Late Primate Adejobi got the inspiration to found ATS from a dream he claimed he had in 1964 at the home of Harold William Turner in Steeple, Aston, England. See details in “The Servant of the Living God: The Biography of Primate E.A. Adejobi” (1917 – 1991), Lagos: AAF, 2006, p.90.

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The formative years of the AMTS were full of inadequacies. The Mennonite Board of Missions and the Theological Education Fund of Indiana, U.S.A. sponsored the first principal of the Seminary, Reverend Benjamin Charles Hostetter¹⁸⁹ who was a radio preacher and had no knowledge of running an academic institution. Shortly after it commenced academic activities, the seminary began to experience some teething problems such as epileptic power

Im Dokument The Transformation of Aladura Christianity in Nigeria (Seite 152-173)