By SOLA ODUNFA

Only few non-members  would have believed that the Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina was capable of staging the spontaneous prolonged jubilation and praise-singing which erupted during matins early last month when the Canon Residentiary announced the election of the Provost, The Very Revd Babatunde Colenso Akinpelu Johnson as Bishop.

Bishop Akinpelu Johnson

Organist Tunde Sosan pulled all stops, Assistant Choirmaster Sina Ojemuyiwa flailed his arms as he conducted the choir to lead the soul-lifting songs in seemingly unending crescendo. Even the normally unmoving men worshippers joined the women in dancing to the exultation of God.

“The Lord has done a good thing for us and we are happy”, everybody seemed to be saying to the other in congratulations. The session lasted close to 10minutes and early worshippers for the 11.15 Sung Eucharist had to joined in.

Johnson, 51, was elected Bishop of the Diocese of Lagos Mainland at the meeting of the House of Bishops held at Ibru Centre in Agbarha-Otor, Delta State in May. He was ordained a priest in June 1991 and appointed Provost of Cathedral Church of Christ in December 2009.

He was holidaying in London when the Bishops met. News of his election, he said, reached him by phone from friends at home who heard of it. He took the first call at about 9pm and the last at about 1am. He said he had to switch off his phones at that time to allow him and his host family to celebrate with thanksgiving prayers through the rest of the night.

Johnson holds B.A. in Theology and M.A. in Christian Ethics from King’s College, London and MPhil from University of Kent, Canterbury. He had obtained diplomas in theology and religious studies from Immanuel College of Theology, Ibadan.

His election to the episcopacy was particularly joyful to members of the Cathedral not only because this former choir boy comes from a lineage of distinguished clerics of the Anglican Church but also because his father, The Very Revd Sope Johnson, had been Provost of the church for 25years till 1995, the longest-ever holder of the office and who remains a lay member.

He will be consecrated along with two other Bishops-elect at Archbishop Vining Memorial Church Cathedral on 24 July. The Service was fixed for the bigger Cathedral in Ikeja in order to accommodate the expected large congregation from across the country.

The out-going Provost will become the first Diocesan Bishop in his immediate family line of four priests from his great-grandfather The Venerable Nathaniel Johnson, the late vicar of St. John’s, Aroloya and of St. Paul’s, Breadfruit; and the fourth Bishop in his larger family of seven priests, including The Rt. Revd Adelakun Williamson Howells. Little wonder he describes his family as a ‘Levitical Dynasty’ in his biographical book As For Me And My House…’.

His journey to the episcopacy started during Eucharist on Easter Day, 1987 at the Cathedral. He recalled:

“It was at the point when the priest lifted the chalice and said ‘This is my blood’, something flashed through my mind. I still don’t know what it was but I did not have to think about it again. After the service, I went to my father in the study and I told him that I had decided to be a priest. He did not say anything. That was it – and that was the last time he and I ever discussed it. A few days later, I met the Bishop and he asked how my preparation was going on, I wondered how he knew!

“I told my mother too. She seemed to be more amazed than enthusiastic. More so, my stated ambition had been to be a hotel manager.  She said: ‘Your father Reverend, your grand-father Reverend, everybody Reverend, Reverend!’ But when the time came to begin my training, she was the one who took me to Immanuel College in Ibadan.”

Looking back, Johnson recalled an incident in his childhood which probably inspired his mother to support his apparent calling. He was “very ill” and was admitted into Massey (Street) Children’s Hospital. The young boy’s condition was so serious that there was the fear that he might die.

His mother, in apparent desperation, approached an elderly priest to pray for him. After the prayer, the priest told her that if the boy survived the illness, it meant that God had made a gift of him to her and that if he chose in future to serve God she must not stand against it. Mama remembered this prayer session later. On the eve of her son’s departure for training, she walked into his room, told him the story and pledged her full support.

He was ordained into the diaconate on 24, June 1990. He celebrated the 25th anniversary of his priesthood at the 7.15am Communion at the Cathedral on 23 June, surrounded by family members and friends.

The road to St. Jude’s Cathedral took the new Bishop through St. Paul’s, Breadfruit; four parish churches in London; All Saints, Yaba; St. John’s, Aroloya where he was born; Christ the King Church, Ajegunle and Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina where he and his wife Olabo had their daughter Henrietta.

  What does Bishop-elect envisage would be his new challenge. He said:

“Now the role is a completely different ball game. One will now be looking more at the clergy. My prime responsibility will be to make sure that the clergy and I are singing from the same hymn book.

It is not a situation whereby I will be starting a new Diocese, so I will strive to transmit my ideas based on the principles of my predecessor, The Most Revd Professor Adebayo Akinde . I know that his standard will be difficult to meet up with but with prayer and the goodwill of people, we shall succeed”.