TRIBUTES: REVEREND THOMAS ADESINA OGUNBIYI: A SCHOLAR,A FOUNDER AND A REFORMER

The Venerable Archdeacon Reverend Thomas Adesina Jacobson Ogunbiyi, Archdeacon of Lagos, 1921-1929, was an indigene of Isale Eko,in Lagos, South-West, Nigeria. Reverend Ogunbiyi was the founder and the first Olori Apena of the Reformed Ogboni Fraternity, he was honoured with the most distinguished Commander of the British Empire, CBE, and he was Honourable Member of the Legislative Council, and the Licentiate of Theology, L.TH.

Venerable Archdeacon Ogunbiyi was perceived a controversial personality; however, he was a scholar, a linguist, a founder, an innovator, a reformer and a revolutionary. He was praised by some and yet persecuted by others.

As an innovator, in 1908, ‘he and his British friend, Canon C,W. Wakeman, the erstwhile secretary  of the Church Missionary Society, founded the first Lagos Company of the Boys Brigade in Nigeria’ .He also introduced the celebration of Harvest Festival into Anglican Church in 1910, at the Holy Trinity Church, Ebute-Ero, Lagos. In 1913, he founded the Lagos Keswick Convention for revival services whereby Methodists, Baptists, the  Salvation Army ‘banded’ together to exchange pulpits, this later metamorphosed into the formation of Christian Association of Nigeria  in 1943. He also founded the Reformed Ogboni Fraternity on December, 18, 1914 at Obun-Eko, Lagos, Nigeria.

Reverend T A J Ogunbiyi, travelled a lot during his lifetime, he was in Asia, Jerusalem, Egypt, and England. He was fluent in Arabic, English, Hebrew, and Yoruba. His knowledge of Hebrew and Arabic helped him to understand Bible and the socio-cultural setting of Christianity.

During colonial rule, ‘Bishops imported into Nigeria, along with their Christianity, various orders: Freemasonry, Odd fellows, Sheperdry, and Forestry among others’; Reverend Ogunbiyi also became a member of European fraternity, the Freemasonry. However, his inquisitive mind took him further on to Egypt and Jerusalem where he acquired more knowledge about socio-cultural- religious aspect of human existence. Hence, on the 18th, December, 1914, he founded the Reformed Ogboni Fraternity at Obun-Eko, Lagos, Nigeria.

According to Hon, Justice A.P, Anyebe: ‘’Rev. Ogunbiyi’s philosophy was unity of all religions. His argument was that all religions worship the same God, by whatever name He may be called’’.

Reverend T A J Ogunbiyi passed away on June 19, 1952.