Rt Rev. Ebenezer Ajayi Adewole: Charting a New Episcopal Vision as Pioneer Bishop of Lagos South-West Diocese

The ascendance of Rt Rev. Ebenezer Ajayi Adewole to Bishop, Lagos South-West Diocese, marks a pivotal point in his over 25 years canonical journey in the Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion. Esther Oluku writes that his enthronement as the pioneer bishop and the inauguration of the diocese of Lagos South-West signifies a strategic move by of the Church of Nigeria to bring the episcopacy closer to the people

It was moment great cheer as congregants, members of the clergy of the church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, state actors and industry leaders across the country converged to witness the historic event of the enthronement of Rt. Rev. Ebenezer Ajayi Adewole.

The event which took place on 25th November 2025, at Cathedral Church of the Pentecost, Festac, Lagos, also doubled as the inauguration of the Lagos South-West Diocese. The Lagos South West Diocese, is one of the 15 new dioceses added to the Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion.

Under the guidance of the House of Bishops, the National Church approved the creation of 15 new dioceses to better respond to the emerging needs of population growth, expanding urban communities, and evolving pastoral demands. Among the new dioceses is the Lagos South-West with Bishop Adewole being consecrated on the 9th of November, alongside other new bishops to provide leadership to these newly created jurisdictions.

The Governor of Lagos state, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, while hailing the leadership of the church for this strategic and significant step explained that the church’s vision aligns with the vision of the state in addressing population growth and urban expansion, ensuring that new urban communities are catered.

Sanwo-Olu who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs. Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin, added that establishment of this diocese comes at a significant time for both the Church and Nigerian state.

Congratulating the Bishop and offering words of encouragement, the Governor said: “With today’s inauguration, a new chapter begins, one that promises renewed energy, stronger structures, wider outreach, and an expanded mission field across the startling corridor of our city. As Governor, I offer my heartfelt congratulations to Bishop Adewole on this esteemed appointment. Your calling is indeed affirmed by God and His Church, making the way for you to lead with grace and wisdom. 

“I have full confidence that in line with the cherished traditions of the Church that you will prioritise spiritual growth, community involvement, youth and women development, and local empowerment. Our prayers as a state and support are with you every step of the way.”

While this event marks a steady and momentous rise in the Bishop’s over 25-year canonical journey, the enthronement service which served as his first engagement with congregants in the new diocese laid a clear vision for his leadership.

Adewole’s over 25-Year canonical journey

The Rt Rev. Ebenezer Ajayi Adewole born on October 12, 1971, to parents of Ondo origin, perhaps did not start out in his youth towards becoming a priest. Having acquired a Bachelors of Science degree in Finance in 1995, the young Adewole  joined the National Youth Service Corp to serve as Commerce teacher at the College of Education, Gumek, Jigawa until 1996 from where he proceeded to join the Ondo state government hoping to pursue a promising career in the civil service. 

In spite of a bright and promising future in the civil service, Adewole resigned his engagement at the civil service and yielded to the call of ministry completing his Diploma in Theology and Religious studies from the Archbishop Vining College of Theology in 2001. In the same year, he became a  Dean and was ordained priest in 2002. 

Since his call to priesthood, Adewole has served in various stations across Osun and Lagos state steadily rising through the ranks. He served as Assistant Priest, St John’s Anglican Church, Ifon-Osun (2001-2002); Vicar, St Thomas Anglican church (2002 to 2003); Assistant Priest at All Saints Cathedral (2003-2010)) rising to become Archdeacon. He became an honorary Canon in 2007; installed Statutory Canon in 2008 and preferred Archdeacon in 2009. 

He was Vicar and Archdeacon at St Paul’s Anglican church from 2010 to 2014 before being transfered to the Diocese of Lagos West where he served at Vicar at St. John’s the Evangelist’s Church, Akowonjo (2014).

Between 2014 and 2016, he served as the Vicar, St John’s Anglican Church Satelite town and Administrator of Satelite Achdeaconry. He was appointed Vicar of the Anglican Church of the Ascension in 2016 and Administrator of the Opebi Archdeaconry between 2016 and 2020.

In December 2020, he was appointed Dean, Archbishop Vining Memorial church, Ikeja, Lagos holding this position until his election as Bishop to head the newly created Diocese of Lagos South-West.

Laying the Vision for the New Diocese

For many who attended the enthronement service, it was not just an announcement of a new era but a declaration of the purpose as leader of the diocese. 

His sermon, titled “Write the Vision” culled from Habbakuk 2:2, spelt out his vision simply: to preach the gospel of Christ to the uttermost part of the earth. 

“The vision of our own episcopacy as revealed by the Lord is to spread the gospel to all the world beginning from us by the power of the Holy Spirit according to the gospel of Acts chapter 1 verse 8,” he said.

Adewole stated that the church will preach the gospel using every means possible to reach all humanity. To achieve this vision, he explained that the diocese will deploy a mission hinged on the acronym PAGE. 

This acronym represents four key areas of focus: Proclaiming the gospel of Christ through rigorous mission, evangelism and church planting; Aggressive discipleship through structured bible study, scriptural education and fervent prayers; Growing and empowering of various sub groups in the church to discover their potentials and gifts with view to maximize it by using them to benefit others and the world at large; and Engagement with government at all levels in other to ensure that socio-political programmes that government put in place be deployed to enrich the people in our communities. 

He stated that the diocese will open up engagement with government explaining that while the church holds some level of impact in the community, the impact of government far supercedes any impact the church can make. 

“We will engage the government because the church may not be able to make the scale of impact that the government can make. In order to achieve this synergy with government, we will have the Justice, Peace and Community Development department in our diocese.”

A charge to godliness and charity

While charging congregants to godliness and charitable living, he explained that beyond knowing what God wants the church to do, congregants should also ask for God’s help to be the person that God wants them to be.

He insisted that God will never give a person what to do without making the person who he wants the person to be. He called on congregants to work towards becoming people of saving and living faith in God, lead a lifestyle of holiness and embrace charity with one another.

Towards an era of church and state partnership

The enthronement of the pioneer Bishop of Lagos South-West, Bishop Ajayi Adewole, signals an era of strategic partnership in the body of Christ and the significance of collaboration between the state and the church at a time of increasing wave of violence against the Christendom.

By choosing engagement with the government, the Bishop sets the example of an open yet firm commitment to engage state actors towards advancing the socioeconomic wellbeing of the christian community to the end of sustaining peaceful relations between the state and the church.

While the vision of spreading the gospel of Christ is clear, the pathway to achieving this mission is even more crucial with the bishop’s charge calling congregants to an era of spiritual awakening for the present and eternal good.