Samuel Adegboyega
Samuel Adegboyega | |
|---|---|
| Born | Samuel Gbadebo Adegboyega April 1, 1896 |
| Died | October 23, 1979 (aged 83) Lagos State, Nigeria |
| Nationality | Nigerian |
| Occupation | clergyman |
| Years active | 1916–1979 |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 5 |
Samuel Gbadebo Adegboyega, MON (1 April 1896 – 23 October 1979) was a Nigerian Christian clergyman widely regarded as one of the founding fathers of Pentecostalism in Nigeria. He is the first territorial chairman of the Lagos and Western/Northern Areas Territory (LAWNA) field of The Apostolic Church Nigeria.[1]
Life
Born into a royal family from Owu Kingdom in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria, Adegboyega attended Methodist High School, Abeokuta where he completed his secondary education.[2] He got employed at the Nigerian Railway Corporation and rose through the ranks to become station master before becoming a full-time Christian minister at a Methodist church in 1916 until 1920. In that year, he joined The Precious Stone Church, which later affiliated itself with the Faith Tabernacle Congregation of Philadelphia.[2][self-published source]
During the revival that took place in 1930 at the Nigerian chapter of Faith Tabernacle Congregation, Adegboyega was adopted as a member of the Apostolic Church, a Christian group from the United Kingdom who were invited by Faith Tabernacle during the revival.[3] He later became one of the central figures who helped spread The Apostolic Church Nigeria throughout the country and beyond following a split by secessionists, who founded Christ Apostolic Church in 1941.
Death
He died on October 23, 1979, at the convention ground of The Apostolic Church Nigeria in Lagos State, Nigeria.[2]
Personal life
He was married to Felicia Adegboyega née Olowe, with whom he had five children.[2]
Recognition
During the celebration of Nigeria's independence in 1960, he was conferred with the national honor of Member of the Niger (MON).[4] In 2011, Samuel Adegboyega University was founded by The Apostolic Church Nigeria in his memory.[1]
References
- ^ a b Enogholase, Gabriel (26 August 2011). "Oshiomhole lauds Adegboyega varsity". Vanguard Newspaper. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
- ^ a b c d Israel O. Olofinjana (4 February 2011). 20 Pentecostal Pioneers in Nigeria: Their Lives, Their Legacies. Xlibris Corporation. pp. 36–. ISBN 978-1-4568-6682-2.
- ^ Short History of the Apostolic Church (Lagos, Nigeria: The Apostolic Church Literature Committee, 1967)
- ^ "Samuel Gbadebo Adegboyega". Dictionary of African Biography. Retrieved 26 August 2016.