I WORSHIPPED IN IGBO LANGUAGE IN OGBOMOSO!

It is no news that the presence of the Baptist denomination is almost everywhere in the city of Ogbomoso. Thus, as new students at the Seminary, we had been contemplating where would be the best place for us to worship on Sunday, August 17, 2025. Upon asking, we realized that there are more choices of Yoruba-speaking churches, with a few purely English speaking churches to choose from which include: Antioch Baptist Church, Bowen University Teaching Hospital (BUTH) Chapel, University Baptist Church, and a handful of others. Our relief was thus great and our joy insurmountable when we learned that there is an Igbo speaking Baptist Church here in Yoruba land!

It was with much enthusiasm that five of us, namely: Pastors Stephen Udokporo, Ifeanyi, Nworgu, Angela Chukwueke and Adedamola Akinsola went to seek out this treasure amongst pearls. On getting to Sabo Baptist Church, we found our way to the Igbo section where we met two other Seminary students – Pastor Uche Opara and Pastor Samuel Chukwu Bamidele (the Pastor and Assistant) in a worship session. We joined them, and for the first time, I danced and sang happily in my dialect in another man’s land!

We gave testimonies, heard the Word, and did virtually everything in Igbo language. The preacher, Pastor Opara, charged us from Galatians 4:1-7 on our freedom as sons, charging us to lay hold of Christ so as to acquire the keys and principles to reviving our world. We prayed for our brethren who tend towards being submerged in their businesses, as we fondly say that “Igbo Man likes money.”

We joined the main church for Sunday School, and our teacher did justice to the Sunday School topic, which centered on our oneness in Christ. After the service, we embarked on a visitation of our Igbo brethren, and I was surprised that we had such a number of Eastern persons living in the Ogbomoso community. We prayed with them and encouraged them to put God first. Our visitation led us to walk down from Sabo to the Seminary, and we didn’t feel it because of the joy of fellowship.

According to the pastor of the Igbo Fellowship of Sabo Baptist Church, Pastor Uche Opara; the fellowship was birthed in response to a need. When Rev. Dr Tayo Adeyanju, Senior Pastor of Sabo Baptist Church, recognized the need for an Igbo-speaking church; he shared the vision with Pastor Chukwuemeka Emmanuel Ezendu, an Igbo student pastor serving under him. Pastor Ezendu was excited about the prospect and shared the vision with Igbo speaking leaders in the Seminary, such as Prof. John Enyinnaya, Rev. Dr Okechukwu Okorie, and Rev. Dr Humphrey Okereafor. Their counsel and guidance helped shape the vision. While the Igbo speaking Baptist Church is at her infancy stage, it is a church worth attending, especially for those from the eastern part of Nigeria. The church worship starts at 7:30 am and runs to 9:00 am, after which we join the Sunday school before the Yoruba service. Ụmụnne, Nzukọ nke a, bụ nke anyị!! (Brethren, this Church is ours ) 

David Chibuike Ashimole

MDiv (Missiology) 1