Archbishop Fape in our eyes

Olootu Omooba Oyedele, Baba Ijo, St John’s Anglican Church, Ijoku, Sagamu; Chairman Remo Diocesan Development Committee

MY relationship with him is not limited to my being a Baba Ijo, it transcends this. I have been part of the development of the diocese. I am presently the Chairman of the Diocesan Development Committee. I am also a member of the diocesan board and a member of the synod. I appreciate the good works he is doing and any progressive Anglican in Remo Diocese must associate with him and give him encouragement to do more of the good works. Remo being the seat of the Archbishop, instead of Lagos is the Lord’s doing. This is not just for him, it is for Remo and indeed for Ogun State. Initially, we were apprehensive that he would be translated to Lagos. We are quite happy about this. The bishop is very proactive. It is just appearing that he has been planning for this because if you look at our Bishop’s Court today, it is as good as an archbishop’s palace. We are very happy about this and it is a confirmation of God’s plan, not just for him but for Remo Diocese (Anglican Communion).

If what our Lord Bishop and Archbishop has done and still doing during the short time in Remo Diocese is anything to go by, I can assure you that Lagos Province should expect unprecedented development in the next four/five years.

I wish His Grace, all those things he wish himself. I pray that God’s grace will continue to abound in his life; his anointing will never decrease and the Lord will give him the strength and good health to continue the good works he is doing not just in Remo Division, Lagos Province but in the Anglican Communion of the Church of Nigeria.

 Prince E.A Adesanya, Diocesan Treasurer

My relationship with the Bishop as the Treasurer of Remo Diocese is cordial as we are jointly in charge of the financial management of the Remo Diocese. We are also co-signatories to all the bank accounts of the diocese. We both have trust in each other, hence, the smooth running of the financial affairs of the Diocese in the past 12years since he assumed that position. I am sure with his new office that he will build on the achievements of his predecessor and strife high to make his tenure a successful one. It is our wish and prayer that his tenure will bring more development to Lagos Ecclesiastical Diocese generally and Remo Diocese in particular. .

Venerable Emmanuel Adetayo Adegbuyi, Dean Cathedral

To the glory of God, Archbishop Fape is my father in the Lord. He is also my mentor, Bishop and Archbishop. I knew him years back when I was at Emmanuel College of Theology in 1997. I was a member of the team that welcomed him back to the college as one of our lecturers. Since then, I have been in close contact with him as academician, theologian and child of God. He is simple-hearted and hospitable. I admire his acumen as an author and an evangelist. As the Bishop of Remo Diocese, he has developed the diocese spiritually and financially. He has lifted the diocese to an enviable position to the extent that we can boast that the tomorrow of this diocese is bright. The diocese has table water factory known as ‘Trinity’, a private primary school YOAS which has metamorphosed into secondary school. Our secondary school REMAC, at Isara among others have helped in stabilising the finance of the diocese. In the area of evangelism, he has planted so many churches because church planting has been our watchword in the Diocese of Remo. With all these put together, I have no doubt that his tenure as the Archbishop of Lagos Ecclesiastical Province will be better. The relocation to Remo is of great value to us. We are proud that today Remo that has been the seat of an Archdeacon has become not only a seat of the bishop but the palace of Archbishop. Lagos Province which is the first in Nigeria had always been the hotbed of evangelism and I am not expecting anything less but an increase. I pray for him that the sky will not be his limit. I pray for longevity and good health for him and Mama Lagos.

Otunba Adeshina Adeleke, President High Society of Fellows

Bishop Fape is an extraordinary person not only as a bishop, but as a Nigerian. The first time I met him about 12 years ago was when he became the Bishop of Diocese of Remo.  He at that time as a young man preached the gospel of Remo which means he was relating with Christians in all the nooks and crannies Remo and this me made me to believe in him; that he would do wonders and he has been doing so. No wonder that he became the Archbishop of the Ecclesiastical Province of Lagos, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion). He is a wonderful family man. I could recollect when he had problem with a classmate, an elderly professor at the college. He told me a few things that the other man did to him. He resolved to meet the man who was trying to avoid him as I tried to arrange a meeting for them to settle the issue. The Bishop said to me “Otunba, don’t worry, I am going to visit him to settle the matter on my own’’. He did this. It was a wonderful thing. Some people would have preferred that others mediate. It amazed me that a young man of his calibre and position could go to apologise to an elderly man. He has united Remo Anglican churches and has built several churches within the short period he came to Remo. I believe he will go places. One day, he can be made the Primate, why not? He is a young man. I advise him that he should not change his ways of life, this is all he needs because he is acceptable everywhere, whatever he wants to do, he gets it done.

Venerable  David Iyiola Fadugba, Administrative Assistant to the Archbishop

Since my days as a student in Immanuel College of Theology, Samonda, Ibadan, where my path crossed with the Archbishop, then as our teacher of Pastoral Theology, he had endeared himself to many of us. When he became Bishop, we eagerly expected a paradigm shift from the old order. I was therefore elated when he invited me to join his team in 2005.  His disposition had always been seeing us all as his brothers.  We always look forward to our monthly management meetings with him in his office because of his very firm but pleasant way of directing proceedings.

When he came to Remo, he pursued peace and unity. He vigorously pursued financial sustainability of the Diocese not leaving the proclamation of the word of salvation. Being his Administrative Assistant and Clerical Secretary since November 2006 till date has been a challenge. As a very open person, he can take you into confidence on any issue because he has no skeleton to hide. I learnt and ‘unlearned’ so many things which positively enhanced my personality.  Some of us have declared privately and publicly severally that we are proud of being his ‘boys’.

As he leads the Lagos Ecclesiastical Province of the Church of Nigeria and with his academic and spiritual attainments, I look forward to a further shift from the old bloc. By the shift, I mean showing through speech and action that positive influence, good example and living the Word which the Bible describes as the hallmark of a true shepherd.  As Kenneth Blanchard said, “The key to successful leadership is influence, not authority”.

The Archbishop will exercise great influence in the discharge of his duties that is, living and leading by example.

The way the Church of Nigeria administration is structured is not really about ‘the seat or capital  as it operates in the political administrative structure, it is about the personality of whoever is chosen to lead. While Remo Diocese has little roles to play, the Archbishop is vested with the responsibilities of leading the Province. It is not the location of the Diocese of the Archbishop, but what he brings to the office. Going by his track record since he became the Bishop of the Diocese, and how he moved the Diocese to achieve so much in spiritual development, in church growth and infrastructural development, there is no doubt that both Remo and the Province will leap forward under Most Reverend Fape’s leadership.