AYF AKURE IN A NUTSHELL
What became the Anglican Youth Fellowship Akure Diocese is the offspring of the Akure Diocesan Youth Fellowship. The Pioneer President of the Akure Diocesan Youth Fellowship was Bro. Henry Olugbenga Bankole Ajayi (now Venerable and current Director, Youth Board Akure Anglican Diocese) and the Youth Chaplain then was the now retired Venerable Francis Oludare Orogun and this can only imply that there was two people heading the affairs of what seems like the Youth Body of the Diocese when the Diocese was created.
Ven. Francis Orogun handed over to Revd. A. A. Adeyemi (now Venerable) as the Youth Chaplain in 2001 during the episcopacy of Rt. Revd Michael Omojoyegbe Ipinmoye. Ven. Adeyemi was the Youth Chaplain for four (4) years and he handed over to Revd. Paul Ogunsakin (now Canon) and he was also in that capacity for three years and handed over to Revd. Roy Fakorede (now Canon) too for four years. All through this period, there was no Diocesan Youth Executives but there were volunteering youths across the Archdeaconries to organize December camps and after each camp, they disappear to reappear for another conference.
After the 2009 Diocesan Youth Camp, the camp organizing team decided to organize other programmes within the year and they called were called the Diocesan Youth Central Working Committee having Bro Joseph Karuwe from St Luke’s Anglican Church Idi Agba as the Chairman and Sis. Mobolaji Kola-Oloye as the Secretary, others in this committee included Bro Oreoluwa Akinbola, Sis Wunmi Daropale and Sis Toyin Olofinyokun and many others. In 2010, the Central Working Committee began to move around all parishes to get contact of the Presidents and the programmes like Prayer Conference, Joint Fellowship and a Vigil was conducted and this continued till 2011 even after the Chairman relocated to Ghana.
In 2012, the Central Working Committtee and the Youth Chaplain, Revd. Roy Fakorede, saw the need for the Diocesan Youth to have a formidable Diocesan Executives. After much prayers, the following people were selected, Bro Olubunmi Afuye who was the Parish President of St Andrew’s Anglican Church Oyemekun as the Diocesan President while Bro Oreoluwa Akinbola as the Vice President and Sister Mobolaji Kola Oloye as General Secretary, Bro. Wale Arowolo from Ilara Mokin as the Bible Study Coordinator and Sis Aanu Orimidupa as Welfare, Bro. Lanre Olaleye, (now Priest in Akoko Diocese) as Prayer Coordinator and later handover Bro Omoniyi Akinbobola (now Priest in Lagos West Diocese) when he got admission to the Theology Seminary. This Diocesan Executive was commissioned at the camp in 2012.
In 2013, during the Episcopacy of Bishop Michael Omojuyigbe Ipinmoye as the Lord Bishop of Akure Diocese, a letter came from St Matthias’ House which is the seat of the Primate of Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion that people over the age of 40 should leave the AYF and all youth groups in the church should be AYF and this happened during the tenure of Revd. Stephen Sanni (now Venerable) as the Youth Chaplain. Bishop Ipinmoye mandated Revd. S. A. Sanni to act on the letter. Parish Presidents were informed and gradually all Parishes and Archdeaconries started changing their names to Anglican Youth Fellowship and they ran all their programmes the way they have been doing.
Since 2013, the Lord has been helping the Fellowship, and the fellowship has been waxing stronger. The 2013 National Conference held at Umuahia was the first Conference, the Diocesan Youth Body will attend as Anglican Youth Fellowship.
From 2013 till date, there has been successions of Presidents.
Bro. Olubunmi Afuye (Now late) 2013 – 2018
Dr. Oluwafemi Abe 2018 – 2021
Bro. Festus Olalekan Oni 2021 – till date
Behold the short history of what is now known as Anglican Youth Fellowship Akure Diocese
Interesting
J