THE LUTHERAN CHURCH NIGERIA

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND BIRTH OF THE LUTHERAN CHURCH OF NIGERIA, UYO

The Lutheran Church of Nigeria, Uyo as it is being called today was established in the year 1948 with the name, THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH OF NIGERIA. The very first meeting that eventually gave birth to the Church was held at the instance of Mr. J. I. Mkpa at Late Chief E. U. Utuk’s compound along Nyong Essien Street, Uyo in 1948. The pioneer members, who were Lutheran Church members in their different village congregations, had come to Uyo for business. Even after they got settled at Uyo, they still continued to travel home for worship services and other church activities. This was inconveniencing. There was therefore the need to establish the Lutheran Church of Nigeria in Uyo. The bold step in this direction was taken by Mr. J. I. Mkpa, a trader and native of Nung Oku Ibesikpo.

OUTCOME OF THE MEETING : The deliberation centred on the possibility of establishing Uyo congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church as it was then known. The outcome of that meeting was quite successful as members unanimously embraced the idea. Consequently, Mr. Sam Essien Akpan, a native of Afaha Ikot Obio Nkan Ibesikpo and a non-Lutheran member was contacted on the use of his premises for worship. The pioneer members of the Church among others included the following:Chief E. U. Utuk - Businessman, Ikot Iko IbesikpoMr. J. I. Mkpa - A trader, Nung Oku IbesikpoMr. A. U. Ubo - A native of Ikot Iko IbesikpoMr. Sunday Okon Akpan - A trader from Ikot IkoObong S. S. Ndem - A Printer and native of Afaha IbesikpoMr. B. I. Umoren - Aka OffotMr. Edem Udo Ekong - A relation to Chief E. U. UtukTeacher Ekanem - Oku IbokuMr. Offiong A. Okon - Ikot Iko IbesikpoMr. Effiong Peter Udo Ubo- Ikot Ikot IbesikpoMatha Effiong - Aka Offot

FIRST WORSHIP LOCATION: The living room of Sam Essien Akpan situated behind the then Uyo Motor Park along Ikot Ekpene Road was rented regularly by the group. While this small group worshipped there, there was no resident pastor to minister to members, but students from the Lutheran Seminary, Obot Idim used to handle the Church programmes mostly on Sundays. However, on the days they could not turn up members would volunteer to officiate. Chief E. U. Utuk featured prominently at worship services on Sunday, while Mr. J. I. Mkpa undertook to conduct evening prayers. Communion services were not however held. The stay there was quite brief as the group had to move out owing to the inconveniences arising from inadequate accommodation and the nuisance activities at the Motor Park.

SECOND LOCATION: An alternative place for worship was found at a tailoring workshop near the entrance to the Uyo Motor Park. This venue was rented at 5 (five shillings) per month. The mode of worship here assumed an improved dimension as more activities other than just services on Sundays and occasional evening prayers featured prominently and regularly. The first Holy Communion Service for the group was conducted here and thereafter, remained a regular practice among the group. Prior to the Communion Services, confirmed members had to be subjected to the rigors of answering questions from the Lutheran Catechism before qualifying to receive the Holy Communion. Bible classes were organized in the evening of selected days by late Rev. Jonathan Udo Ekong who used to come from Obot Idim. The Seminary Students generally officiated during the Church Programmes. However visiting Pastors who used to come on Sundays were usually assisted by the students of the Teacher Training College, Uyo, who were Lutheran Members. Evangelism programmes featured prominently and more souls were won for Christ. There was what was known as: “The Theological Education by Extension” in which members were taught the Scriptures to be able to teach others. A standing choir was also formed here with late O. B. Akpan as the Choirmaster. Unfortunately, practices could not be held at the worship venue; therefore the private residence of Obong S. S. Ndem was used for choir practice sessions. Despite the fact that rent was regularly paid, the venue once again, had to be changed, after the members turned up on a Sunday for worship and found the place locked.

THIRD WORSHIP VENUE: The group’s next place of worship was an open shade belonging to Mr. Kevin, a native of Itam. The shade was located near a petrol filling station along Ikot Ekpene Road, close to the former Mercantile Bank building. The owner of the shade didn’t charge any money. However, the place was not conducive for worship purpose and this made the group spend only one month there and moved out again.

FOURTH WORSHIP VENUE: A better place for worship was found in the Co-operative Hall along Barracks Road now Wellington Bassey Way. The Hall was rented at £2.00 (Two pounds) per month. Here, the composition of the gathering assumed the outlook of a formal church with a constituted Council. The leading members in the Church Council before 1960 were:Chief Edet Udo Utuk - Church President From Ikot Iko, IbesikpoMr. Sunday Sampson Ndem - Secretary and Mr. Edem Udo Ekong - The Treasurer Other members of the Church Council included (Dr.) Mrs. A. R. Atakpo,Deac. Atim Ekanem Okon, N. Uko, A. U. Ubo, Peter Effiong Udo Ubo, B. I. Umoren, Edem Akpan Okon and Eyo Akpan Etuk This venue witnessed a lot of improvement in the membership strength. There were at least, eighty members while the standing choir had Late O. B. Akpan as the Choirmaster. In addition to the choir, there were other church associations. The then District Superintendent, Rt. Rev. T. U. Ekong used to visit the congregation to administer Communion as and when due. Consequent upon an appeal made to the men to bring in their wives to Uyo, the membership strength of the women improved and they were able to form an association just as the men. Under the able leadership of Mrs. Atim R. Atakpo now Atai Akwa Obonganwan (Dr.) Mrs. A. R. Atakpo, they were able to compete and win prizes at singing competitions and were quite active in other aspects of Church life. When the Co-operative hall no longer accommodated members conveniently, a change of venue was contemplated.

FIFTH WORSHIP VENUE: The next venue for worship was the Adult Education Centre, Barracks Road.

SIXTH MOVEMENT MOVE TO ERECT A PERMANENT WORSHIP VENUE: Eventually, it dawned on the Council that the constant change of worship venue did not enhance the effective spiritual growth of members as the membership strength had grown tremendously. The need therefore, to erect a permanent place of worship was conceived. A plot was first identified near Chief Ita Uwa’s compound, but when negotiations for acquisition failed because of the near impossible conditions, given by the owners of the land, the whole idea together with the materials acquired for the building construction were abandoned. But on the directive of the Superintendent of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Nigeria, Rev. R. C. Stade, a plot was found along Nwaniba Road which Rev. Stade himself assessed to be too small. The Enwe Street location of the Church where we now worship today was acquired by Mr. Archibong Udo Ubo and sold to the Church. Rev. Robert Charles Stade gave his approval for the erection of a Church at that location and obtained £200 (Two Hundred Pounds) from the Finance Board for the purchase and survey of the plot. Initially, the proposal to set up a permanent structure at the worship venue met with strong opposition as regards the small size of the plot. Eventually, the issue was resolved and on 1st May, 1960, a Building Committee was set up with Mr. A. U. Ubo as the Chairman and Mr. S. S. Ndem as the Secretary. On 3rd June, 1960, a contract was awarded to Mr. Efiok Bassey Udo Ekong from Afaha Ibesikpo for the construction of the Church and Mr. E. O. Umoren from Afaha Ibesikpo was appointed the Works Supervisor.

FOUNDATION STONE LAYING: The foundation stone for the Church Building was laid on 11th December, 1960 by Rev. R. C. Stade – President of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Nigeria, assisted by Rev. O. T. Udoh. Present at the foundation stone laying ceremony were Chief E. U. Utuk, Mr. A. U. Ubo, Mr. E. O. Umoren, Mrs. A. R. Atakpo, Late Mr. Simeon M. Udo – First Church Warden, Offiong A. Okon, Mr. S. S. Ndem, Mr. Eyo A. Etuk-Eduok, Mrs. Lucy R. Ekanem among others. The building construction was sponsored through the Church Extension Fund Programme which was a revolving loan. In 1961, the work was completed and the first worship service was held. As the church membership grew, the need for expansion work on the building became imperative and Vicar A. C. Akpan who served in the Church at the time made the recommendation. On 19th January 1976 the Church Building Expansion Committee was set up. The contract for the expansion work was won by late Mr. Effiong E. Akpan, a member from Aka Offot at a total cost N7, 900.00. In 1978, the Church Building expansion work started under the committee Chairmanship of Obong S. S. Ndem and J. G. Iyip as Secretary. While this was on, the congregation found a temporary worship place at the Enwe Street Primary School. In the year, 1990 the work was completed and the structure as it is today, the Lutheran Church of Nigeria, 37 Enwe Street, Uyo came into being. On 2nd December, 1990, the church building was formally dedicated to God by the then President of the Lutheran Church of Nigeria, Rev. Dr. Nelson Unwene.

CHURCH BUILDING THE TENURE OF REVERENDS S. E. ETIM: In 1951, Rev. S. E. Etim, a student Pastor at the Lutheran Seminary, Obot Idim was, after his second term at the Seminary assigned to cover ministerial work at Uyo, Itam and Itiam congregations. In Uyo he was assisted in handling normal church programmes by the students of the then T.T.C. Uyo. The students mostly assisted in the Order of Service and Sunday school. The most outstanding among these students included Late Mr. Sunday Dick Ekwere of Afaha Offiong who was later elected the Vice Chairman of the Church in the year 1988. The Holy Communion was occasionally administered by C. W. Baringer, the then Professor at the Lutheran Seminary, Obot Idim. Rev. S. E. Etim administered the congregation at Uyo from 1951 – 1954 while still a Student Pastor. By 1955, he graduated as a full fledged Pastor from the Lutheran Seminary, and continued to serve as a visiting Pastor to Uyo congregation till 1957 when he left for Ogoja, a new mission field.

UYO LUTHERAN CHURCH AND REV. O. T. UDO: Rev. O. T. Udo took over from Pastor S. E. Etim as the Pastor-in-charge of Itam Parish, within which were the following congregations; Uyo, Ifiayong, Anua, Ibiaku, Abak, Ibiaku Uruan, Ibiaku Itam. By this time, 1957, Itam Parish had grown tremendously and it was difficult for one Pastor to cover adequately all the congregations within the Parish of which Uyo Church was one. To keep the work of the church going, members had to work really hard. Worthy of mention are the contributions made by Messrs. E. J. Aqua, Late O. B. Akpan and Mr. Eshiet. The Superintendent of the L.C.N at the time was Rev. Schweppe, the highest administrative officer of the L.C.N. which is presently known as the President.

THE LUTHERAN CHURCH OF NIGERIA, UYO AS A PARISH: When it was realized that the load was too much for Rev. O. T. Udo, the Late E. U. Utuk on 17th October, 1971, proposed the establishment of the Uyo Parish. In 1971, a letter was sent through a delegation led by Obong S. S. Ndem to the President of the Lutheran church of Nigeria, Rt. Rev. O. A. U. Idiong informing him of the decision of Uyo Church to become a Parish, and the request for Pastor E. S. Ukpong to be sent to Uyo soon after graduation from the Seminary. The authority for Uyo Church to choose a Pastor was derived from what is known as “Call” in America. This explanation was put forward to the synod which acknowledged and granted the request. On 25th November, 1971, Rev. E, S, Ukpong was sent to Uyo as the first Resident Pastor. On assumption, an arrangement was made by the Church for him to live temporarily with Late O. B. Akpan while the building of a parsonage was undertaken. The house was built with wood and roofed with corrugated iron sheets at the cost of £966.1.11p and completed in the morning of Installation and Reception of Rev. E. S. Ukpong. On completion the Pastor moved in and ever since successive Ministers to Uyo Church have continued to occupy the house.