PREAMBLE

The coming together of people of like-mind with identical religious/denominational persuasion is a common phenomenon in every society. The spirit of God has always been the primary motivator in the establishment of churches the world over. It was against this background therefore that the First Baptist Church, Garki-Abuja was established in 1983.  

BACKGROUND

The commencement of the physical development of the new Federal Capital City, Abuja in 1979 witnessed the influx of people from all walks of life into the old town of Abuja presently renamed Suleja.   The promulgation of Decree No. 6 of 1976 by the then Federal Military Government established the Federal Capital Development Authority, charged with the physical development of the Federal Capital City, Abuja. Preparatory to the execution of this project therefore, the FCDA considered it expedient to accommodate its staff temporarily in the Suleja town where initial operations could be carried out on the building of new City.   During this period, however, the First Baptist Church, Suleja, was no doubt established already and new comers to Suleja/ Abuja who were of Baptist denominational persuasion naturally identified with and availed themselves of the existing facilities to worship in the church every Sunday. This advantage was however restricted to the Yoruba speaking people only. With the movement of the FCDA staff from Suleja to Abuja City in 1982, the members of the Baptist Church affected were faced with serious problems of having to travel to Suleja – a distance of 40 kilometers every Sunday to worship. This situation therefore gave rise to the thought of how a more convenient arrangement could be evolved for the fulfillment of this religious obligation within the shortest distance possible in the new environment.   With the moving spirit of God, this idea of starting a church was spontaneous and in 1983 the efforts to establish the First Baptist Church in Garki-Abuja came simultaneously from two main sources.  

ORIGINS/SOURCES

In October, 1983, the Plateau Association as part of its yearly evangelical programme sent out 20 Pastors to evangelize the Federal Capital Territory and its environs. To this end, two Evangelist, namely, Rev. D. Dikko and Pastor J. S. Madaki were posted to cover Karu and Garki Villages of FCT where they stated Hausa services for the two weeks of their evangelism. The first Sunday worship/service was held in 29th October, 1983 with 29 people in attendance while 31 people attended on the following Sunday.   Unfortunately however, the departure of the two evangelists after their two weeks of sojourn in Abuja saw the demise of the Hausa church. On the following Sunday of their departure, only the members of the family of Chief S. Karo (church Leader) numbering about 9 people were in attendance. Meanwhile at about the same time, some FCDA officials who have moved from Suleja town to the New Federal Capital City, Garki-Abuja have been attending services with the First Baptist Church, SUleja – a distance of about 40 kilometers then saw the need to establish an English service in Garki-Abuja. To this end, the first meeting conveyed on Sunday 18th September, 1983 to organize regular Sunday services within the City was coordinated by the Rev. Olaniran of the First Baptist Church, Suleja. The meeting which was held in Mr. Oyewo’s house had the following people in attendance:

i. Mr. Daniel Oyewo
ii. Mr. S. O. Ifawoye
iii. Mr. Kunle Mokuolu
iv. Mr. S. Babarinde
v. Mr. Bayo Ajagbe
vi. Mr. Banji
vii. Mr. Moses Ajala
viii. Mr. Aboderin I. Odediran

Subsequent meetings were held in the months of November and December, 1983 and Sunday services also conducted in a temporary Primary School in Kukwaba. In January, 1984 however, this group met with Chief S. Karo and discussed on how a full fletched English Service could be organized for the inhabitants of Garki. Arrangement were therefore made and on Sunday 12th February, 1984 the first English service was held at Kukwaba Primary School, with about 40 people in attendance – 13 men, 6 women, 6 boys, and 15 girls. The service was led by Rev. E.O. Olaniran of the First Baptist Church, Suleja who also came with some members of his Church from Suleja.  

CHURCH OFFICIALS:

The congregations however met after the service to select some officials to lead the Church for the year 1984. The people elected were:

1. Chief S. Karo – Church Leader
2. Mr. Daniel Oyewo – Deputy Church Leader
3. Mr. Kunle Mokuolu – Secretary/Financial Secretary
4. Mr. S. O. Ifawoye – Sunday School Director

The Church grew gradually as new members joined later in the year. After a year of existence therefore, the congregation met again in February, 1985 to elect new sets of officers to run the Church. They are as follows:-

1. Chief S. Karo – Church Leader
2. Mr. Daniel Oyewo – Deputy Church Leader
3. Mr. Kunle Mokuolu – Secretary
4. Mr. Olaniyan – Assistant Secretary
5. Mr. Bayo Ajagbe – Treasurer
6. Mrs. Abioye – Assistant Treasurer
7. Mr. Babarinde – Auditor
8. Mr. S. O. Ifawoye – Sunday School Director
9. Mr. Tunji Akanbi – Assistant Sunday School Director
10. Mrs. Karo – Women Leader
11. Mrs. Babarinde – Assistant Women Leader
12. Mrs. Adewumi – Welfare Officer
13. Mr. Bayo Kolajo – Welfare Officer
14. Mrs. Esther Oyewo – Usher
15. Mrs, Oloyede – Usher
16. Mr. P. O. Abidoye –Choir Master
17. Major J. O. Ebose – Ex-Officio
18. Dr. F. Ayandele – Ex-Officio
 
The First Baptist Church, Garki-Abuja presently has an average membership of about 80 people. The Church conducts its Sunday School programmes and Sunday Services in a temporary Primary School at Kukwaba.   Programmes and Sunday worships are conducted mainly in English language and later interpreted in Yoruba. Efforts are however underway to have Hausa interpretation as well. Although the Society is an enlightened one dominated mostly by Civil servants. Efforts are being made by the Church to accommodate and encourage as many non-English speaking worshippers as possible. It is therefore hoped that this will enhance the growth and development of the Church. The advent of a couple-missionaries for the Federal Capital – Rev. and Mrs. David Corlenius, who are stationed in Keffi sometimes since February, 1985 has served as a morale booster to the Church. Keffi to Abuja is a distance of about 70 kilometers which the Missionaries cover almost every Sunday to worship. Their activities have helped in no small measure in the Evangelization activities of the Churches in Abuja.  

WEEKLY ACTIVITIES

The Women Association of the Church meet regularly every week for its meetings. Similarly, the Choir meets twice a week for singing practices. The prayer meetings are conducted every Wednesdays ad venues are rotated from house to house in order for the members of the Church to have a sense of brotherhood and spirit of oneness.  

FINANCE

The major source from which revenue accrue to the Church is the weekly tithe and offerings. Previously, collections were handed-over to the Sister Church at Suleja (i.e. First Baptist Church Suleja) until early 1985 when the Church saw the need to be self-accounting. An account has therefore been opened in the name of the Church at Abuja.  

CONVENTION

For the first time ever, the First Baptist Church, Garki-Abuja was represented at the Nigerian Baptist Convention held in March, 1985 at Jos. Two eminent members of the Church ( a man and a woman) were sponsored to the Convention. By this effort, therefore, the church is determined to participate fully in all the annual activities and programmes of the Baptist.