Leslie Gordon Vining, accompanied by the then Canon Residentiary of the Cathedral Church of Christ Marina, Lagos, the Revd. Howells was highly impressed by the activities of the Anglican Young Peoples Association (AYPA) of England during the 1947 Lambert Conference in England attended by the two and on their return to Nigeria put heads together with the then Cathedral Chaplain, the Revd. Timothy O
motayo Olufosoye, to organize the Cathedral Youth Fellowship to be a forum for moulding the character of the young people in the Church, who were unprofitably wasting away their leisure time drinking in public houses and roaming the streets during services. It was also aimed at stemming the exodus of the young from the Church and make them responsible, honest and competent leaders of the Church and State. The outlined aims of the fellowship, like the AYPA of England, the Scottish Episcopal Youth Fellowship and the Methodist Youth Association were
1. To foster cordial relationship among Christian Youths, irrespective of tongue and tribe,
2. To spread the Christian faith and Christ’s gospel in every possible way,
3. To encourage members to take part voluntarily in Church activities,
4. To promote the social, literary and spiritual growth of all Christian youths and
5. To encourage the coming together of all youth organisations whose aim and objectives conform with the teachings of Christ. From the Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina Lagos the fellowship spread to other parishes within and outside Lagos and became Anglican Youth Fellowship with the National Council as coordinating body. To ensure that the young people do not veer away from the Christian tenets, a clergyman was appointed as Youth Chaplain to oversee the activities of the Fellowship in the Diocese. In the Diocese of Lagos, the earliest known Youth Chaplain (as at the time of writing) was Revd. Sokefun (later Canon)who was succeeded by Revd. Adekanye (now Venerable) in 1974 until he handed over to Revd. Odejide (later, first Bishop of Ifo) in 1987. Adekanye as Chaplain, link was established with the Anglican Young People Association of the Diocese of Accra in Ghana in 1975 during which exchange and joint programmes were held. In the same era, a film titled ‘The Bones shall Rise Again’ was released by the fellowship. As a result of the relapse of youths to the pre-Cathedral Church of Marina Youth Fellowship and the continued active membership of the Anglican Youth Fellowship of persons beyond the age of youth, the Bishop, Most Revd. J.A. Adetiloye in 1986 directed the establishment of the Diocesan Youth Board as umbrella body for all youths and youth societies/groups in the Diocese of Lagos with then Revd. Canon. T.A.J. Oluwole (late Very Revd.) as Chairman and Revd. Odejide, the Diocesan Youth Chaplain, as Secretary. The Board organized the youths at Parish, District, Archdeaconry and Diocesan levels under the label Parish Youth Council, District and Archdeaconry Youth Councils and Diocesan Youth Board respectively. Activities were largely organized to achieve the stated objectives of the Anglican Youth Fellowship. Following the activities of the Committee on the Church in the 21st Century, the Board was transformed into a Directorate in 1998 and Revd. Femi Fasina was appointed as Diocesan Youth Director to actualize the same aim as earlier stated. Mrs. Ranti Fagbamila was deployed to the Youth Office at BAHM Church, Surulere to provide secretariat support. Fasina established link with the youth desk of World Council of Churches, Africa Region hence the Diocese sponsored representatives to participate at meetings in Benin Republic in 1998 and 1999. Fasina was succeeded by Ven. Atere (later, first Bishop of Awori) in 2000 who later handed over to Ven. S.G. Kuponu (later first Bishop of Ijebu North). Ven. Okupevi was the Diocesan Youth Director when the Diocese of Lagos Mainland was carved out of the Diocese of Lagos. At the inauguration of the Diocese of Lagos Mainland in August 2006, the Diocese adopted the Directorate structure of the mother Diocese and the Ven. Joe Eziaghighala was appointed the Youth Director with Revd. Canon Femi Fatile as Secretary. However, in October 2008 the Revd. Canon Femi Fasina was appointed to succeed the Ven. Eziaghighala with the following tasks
1. Identify and work with all youth groups and societies in the Diocese, coordinating their activities
2. Ensure the organization of seminars, workshops, lectures, talks and camp meetings such that activities are regular in the parishes, occasional at archdeaconry level and less frequent at the Diocesan level
3. Promote and interact with members of the Anglican Students Fellowship in the Higher Institutions within the Diocese
4. Liaise with all youths/youth groups in the Diocese to ensure that they all are mobilized for mission and evangelism
5. Work to ensure that all youths are involved with worship, work and witness in the Diocese so much that those who left in the past would be motivated to re-join the our fellowship
The Directorate is an arm of the Diocese to reach, mobilize and sensitize the youths for Diocesan evangelization activities hence it is not an independent body but draws its support mainly from Diocesan treasury. It operates with the acronym MEND the youths to mind the gap. Mobilize – bring them together to prepare them for active service in the Church and community
Empower – train them for the envisaged service in the Church and community
Network – create a linkage across existing bothers for better understanding and joint service in the Church and community as ‘two are better than one’
Deploy – release them into the field for action in the Church and community. The Parish and Archdeaconry Youth Councils are also handmaids of their respective levels.
