Sightseeing the oldest churches in Lagos
Feb 05, 2022 12:59 pm
Hello, .
One of the books I've had to read for the Crowther Documentary Project is "The First Church in Lagos" by Dr. Paul Osifodurin (Western Carolina University, USA).
The book details the beginnings of the Holy Trinity Church in Ebute-Ero, built in January 1852, making it the oldest in metropolitan Lagos.
It also describes the pioneering works of the earliest missionaries of the Church Missionary Sociaty (C.M.S) -- James White, Charles Gollmer, William Morgan -- in places that are today part of Lagos State.
Year later and with the Holy Trinity Church winning more converts, the then king Akintoye donated more parcels of land for other parishes to be built.
These gave rise to: King's Anglican Church, Enu Owa; Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina; St John's Church, Aroloya; St Paul's Church, Breadfruit; and St Peter's Church, Faji.
So earlier this week, as part of the research process for the Lagos end of the Crowther Project, I set out on a tour of these churches.
At the Holy Trinity Church, a large banner on the north face of the building shows a months' long series of activities, starting in 2021, to celebrate the 170th anniversary of its founding.
The grand finale is scheduled for mid-2022.
Plans include a fund-raising drive to renovate the church, in and out, and also raise the floor about four feet.
"When it rains sometimes, the auditotium is flooded up to the altar side," the official showing me around says, as we walk on a tiled floor towards the main entrace. "We have a pumping machine under that pumps the water out when it happens like that."
Turning back and facing the altar from there, he points to the cracks on the walls and pillars to our right.
"The renovation will cover those too," he says. "We have done similar work on the church hall, where you met me. That one is now perfect.
On our way out, he stops to show me the old pipe organ, a superb antique piece. I'm so thrilled to see the insides of it, with its multiple hand buttons and pedals.
The church, he says, uses the more modern digital version, which is on the other side of the audirotium. it's locked up and covered in a drape, so I couldn't inspect it as I did the older one.
I go next to the King's Church, a 15-minute walk away.
[Story continues...]
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