The long drawn battle over who leads Anglican richest cathedral, Church of Christ Cathedral, Marina, Lagos may have claimed its first casualty as the presiding bishop of the cathedral, Humphrey Olumakaiye died this morning.
Family sources told Present that the bishop passed away around 3am today in Lagos, after a protracted battle with undisclosed illness.
Until his death this morning, Humphrey Bamisebi Olumakaiye was the bishop of Church of Christ Cathedral, Marina And Archbishop of the Ecclesiastical Province of Lagos.
He is the first bishop to die in office in the history of Lagos Anglican Communion.
Crisis erupted following his emergence as bishop of Lagos in the keenly contested episcopal election in February, 2018.
The position became vacant after the retirement of Bishop Adebola Ademowo, who was Olumakaiye’s mentor and spiritual father.
A famous cathedral where affluent and influential Nigerians congregate, choosing Ademowo’s successor divided the church into two acrimonious camps, with each threatening fire and brimstone.
In the end, Olumakaiye won.
The opposing camp didn’t give up. They allegedly went to court to stop his enthronement.
But Olumakaiye’s supporters quickly organised a colourful enthronement ceremony by 7am on Monday July 30 2018, evidently to beat likely court’s restraining injunction.
Notwithstanding the successful ascension, Present learnt that Olumakaiye never had a peaceful tenure as those opposed to him vowed to remove him from office.
Soon after he took over, he bacame sick. He has been in and out of hospital both within and outside Nigeria.
He is survived by his wife, children and 82 year-old mother.
Born on 28 January 1969 at Okene into the family of the Venerable and Mrs. T.A. Olumakaiye . He is a native of Idanre in Ondo State .
He started his Education at St. Michael’s primary school, Esie in 1975 from where he proceeded to Government Secondary School, Omu-Aran, Kwara State in 1982 .
He left Omu-Aran in 1983 and concluded his Secondary education at Cherubim Seraphim Secondary School, Ilorin in 1986
Between 1991 and 1993, he obtained his first degree in Religious Studies from the University of Ibadan, Master’s Degree in Religious Studies in 2001 and doctorate degree in Church History and Doctrine from the same university.
Following his training and graduation from Immanuel College of Theology, Ibadan, he was made a deacon in June 1993 and ordained a priest in December same year by E.A. Ademowo, Bishop of Ilesha Diocese .
He started his ministry at Christ the Saviour Anglican Church, Cappa, Ilesa in June 1993.
While at Cappa, he was preferred a Statutory Canon in November 1999 to occupy Archbishop Adetiloye’s stall, and Bishop Ademowo preferred him an Archdeacon of Imo Archdeaconry and Vicar of St. James’s Church, Imo Ilesa 2000 .
As the Vicar of St. Matthew’s Church and Archdeacon of Ijebu-Jesa, he lifted the status of St. Matthew’s church to become a cathedral in January 2009, and he became the first Dean of Cathedral St. Matthew Ijebu-Jesa, Ijesa North Missionary Diocese.
He was elected Bishop on May 22, 2009 at the age of 40, he was consecrated Bishop on Sunday, July 12, 2009 in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state while he was enthroned on , July 16, 2009 at Cathedral church of St. Philip’s, Otan Ayegbaju as the first Bishop of Anglican Diocese of Osun North East.
Within two years of his Episcopacy in the Diocese, he built a multi-million naira Bishop’s court, a chapel and a library and Resource Centre. The Diocese Headquarter also has a hall, Bishop’s office Complex school and many other structures. He also built a prayer mountain and a prayer prayer town in the Diocese. A quarter of Otan Ayegbaju was named after him by the Owa of Otan Ayegbaju, Oba Lukman Adesola Ojo Fadipe (Owa Olatanka III).
Olumakaiye was elected as bishop of Lagos on Tuesday , February 6, 2018 and enthroned as the 8th Bishop of Lagos on Monday, July 30, 2018 at the Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina, Lagos.
He acquired 1500 plots of land for the Diocese and named it Centenary City where he is building low income Housing Estate, Gethsemane garden , Hospital, Convention ground, women & youth empowerment center, Amusement park and lots more .
Olumakaiye has served as the Coordinator, prayer convocation for Ibadan province : the secretary of supra west, church of Nigeria (compromising of 63 Dioceses):the secretary of the proprietors desk of Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo. He is member of pension and gratuity board, supra west church of Nigeria and a member of governing council, Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo.
Olumakaiye was the first Nigerian priest to preach at Melbourne church, London. For four years, he was an annual guest lecturer at St. Luke’s Central, Birmingham. UK,(2011-2015). In 2003, he attended the world mission conference in Derbyshire and the University of Birmingham.
Bishop Olumakaiye has published two books:
Anglican women: Position, privileges, and prospects of women in the church
Inculturation and decolonization of oral and liturgical theology of the Anglican Communion, Nigeria.
Family
