Baptist work in Nigeria began with the appointment by the Southern Baptist Convention of America of the first missionary to the country, Rev. Thomas Jefferson Bowen in 1849. He arrived Badagry, Nigeria on the 5th of August, 1850.
1850
(August 19th) Arrival to Abeokuta of Bowen where he spent 18 months, studied the Yoruba language and wrote a book on Yoruba grammar.
1853
(August 29) Revd. Bowen who had gone to the USA in 1852 came back with his wife, Laurenna; Mr & Mrs Lucy and Mr. & Mrs. Dennard. They arrived through Lagos.
1854
January 22) – Mrs Laurenna Bowen began the ‘Sabbath School’ which later transformedinto Sunday School at Ijaye –Orile. (July) – The First Baptist Church building in Nigeria was erected at Ijaye-Orile. (September 29) Another Baptist Missionary, William H. Clarke arrived Ijaye
1855
(April 4) Bowen left Orile Ijaye to visit Ogbomoso and Ilorin. (September 30) The Oke Oshupa (which transformed into Okelerin Baptist Church was established at Ogbomoso by Rev. Thomas Jefferson Bowen.
1856 (April 16) Rev. & Mrs Bowen left ogbomoso for the USA due to ill health.
1858 (May 24) Willian H. Clarke left Orile Ijaye for the USA and he did not return. He later died in 1871 at the age of 42.
1862 The Orile Ijaye Baptist Church (1st Baptist Church in Nigeria) was destroyed as the town, Orile-Ijaye itself, during the Yoruba civil wars.
1861-1874 The Baptist Mission work in Nigeria suffered a severe setback in terms of men and material because the Americans were engaged in an internal war at home while there were civil wars going on in Yorubalan, the only area of Baptist concentration then.
1875 ( June)- Rev. William J David was sent by the foreign mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention of America to revive Baptist work in Nigeria. He baptized and organized the few faithfuls left in the towns of Lagos, Abeokuta, Oyo and Ogbomoso. On
October 14, Rev. David who had been in Liberia came back with W.W Colley, and Moses Ladejo stone as leaders.
1876
January 1 – The First Baptist Church in Lagos was organized with 24 members. The following day 20 members of the church who had earlier been baptized by Wesleyan Missionaries, received the believers baptism. LeviGreen was ordained as Deacon while members of the Moses Ladejo stone was formally appointed as Mission worker in 1876 and on January 25, 1877 he began work in Ogbomoso. By 1878, he had been licensed topreach and became the Pastor of the Oshupa Baptist Church in Ogbomoso. Rev S.G Pinnock resuscitated Baptist work in Oyo after the Alaafin…