The palace of the Paramount Ruler, Alake of Egbaland, Oba (Dr) Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, CFR, Okukenu IV was filled with festivities on November 15 as Elder Terence Vinson, member of the Africa West Area Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (governing body in West Africa), paid a courtesy visit to the palace in Abeokuta, Southwest Nigeria amidst the celebration of the ninth year of the king’s coronation ceremony.
Elder Vinson was accompanied by other Church leaders and representatives, including Elder Fredrick Akinbo of the Seventy (local ecclesiastical leader) and Richard Kwesi Ahadjie, president of the Nigeria Lagos Mission.
The guests were warmly received as Elder Vinson presented the statue of the ‘Good Shepherd’ to the Oba and said, “This statue will further remind you of your role as a good shepherd to the people of Egbaland”. In addition, the Book of Mormon, the Holy Bible and some Church literatures were presented to the Oba and his Chiefs.
With the Oba’s consent, Elder Vinson prayed for the entire Egbaland, the State Governor, the people of Ogun State, the President of the Federal Republic, and Nigerians as a whole.
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In solidarity with the Oba, Elder Vinson congratulated him on his 9th-year coronation ceremony and informed him of the creation of a new stake (a group of Latter-day Saints congregations, similar to a diocese) in Abeokuta. The Oba expressed appreciation on behalf of Egba indigenes for the courtesy visit to his palace.
“Now that a stake is about to be created, it automatically makes Egbaland a stake holder of the Church,” the Oba said. He further explained that Christianity was first preached in Nigeria in Abeokuta and the first Bible in Nigeria resides in his palace.
The following day, November 16, Latter-day Saints gathered to witness the organization of the first stake in Abeokuta during a conference held in the main auditorium of Obasanjo presidential Library.
One of the dignitaries at the event, Deaconess Elizabeth Sonubi, Honourable Commissioner for Women Affairs and Special Welfare, expressed gratitude to the Church for supporting and encouraging women empowerment. She remarked, “Women are the strength of family and the nation”.
Also in attendance at the stake conference, were members of the news media and notable dignitaries, including Tunde Sango Fadeyi, Commandant of Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corp (TRACE); Basorun Olumuyiwa Oladapo Oladipo, Commissioner for Chieftaincy Affairs, Ogun State, represented by Dayo Somoye, the director in charge of local government.
Prior to the visit to the Oba’s palace, Elder Vinson presented a Mormon Tabernacle Choir CD to Nigerian ex-President, Olusegun Obasanjo, at Obasanjo’s Presidential Library where the stake conference took place.