By Olasunkanmi Akoni
The First Baptist Church, Ikeja, Lagos State, South-West Nigeria, is set to commission a N53.6 million ultra-modern pastorium/office complex for its pastors and other purposes.

The two-storey building completed within 10 months will be unveiled and commissioned on Saturday, November 27, 2010.

According to a statement by a member of the Public Relations Officer of the church, Mr John Akanji the construction of the building could be seen as the culmination of unity of purpose of a church which is focused and ready to align itself with modern environmental trends, in addition to its major function of evangelism.

Before the building of the new complex, the first Baptist Church was faced with the dilemma of properly housing its new Senior Pastor, Rev. Kayode Opedeji when he joined the church. The old pastorium was grossly inadequate and the church had to hire accommodation for him at a location which is about four kilometres to the church.

Akanji, said “since the old pastorium had been slated for demolition in order to create space for the construction of a new sanctuary, the church had to commence a search for a vacant plot near the church, where it could build a pastorium.”

He added that to raise funds for the project, two communities were created, which included the External Fund Raising Committee, EFRC and the Internal Fund Raising Committee, IFRC.

According to Opedeji “the vision for the new project was revealed to me in a dream and with the backing of the members, the dream has come to fruition. We were searching for another plot of land to construct pastorium when God revealed to me that the plot of land opposite the church was going to be sold to us.

The foundation laying ceremony of the building was held December 1st, 2009 with the contract given to Evereign Nig. Ltd which commenced work immediately.

“The cost of the construction was N 53, 562, 184. The two-story buildings consist of pastorium for the senior pastor and his family and the office complex for use of the church’s workers.”