HISTORY OF ECWA LAGOS WEST DCC

The three pioneers of SIM now called ECWA, namely: Walter Gowon, Rowland Bingham and Thomas Kent,  did not have the intention of planting churches in the coastal areas because there were CMS and Anglican missionaries working there already. They preferred reaching the unreached ones who settled in the interior and this reflects in the name they gave their mission, “Sudan Interior Mission” (SIM). And so, they went to the interior (History of ECWA).
However, on December 3,1939, members from the old Kwara State (comprises today’s Kwara State and Kogi State) who came to Lagos in search for greener pastures saw the need to establish their church denomination in their new environment and so they started gathering by noon at Kings Anglican Church Enu-Owa in Lagos Island to worship. They later secured a rented apartment at Mercy Street Lagos. 
Why searching for landed property, a place was secured at Ebute-Meta which was later turned to vicarage due to distance and when a landed property was later secured at 2, Eletu-Iwashe street, the vicarage at Ebute-Meta was also turned to church due to its proximity to some members (history of ECWA Eletu-Iwashe, 2025). 
Subsequently in 1954, the staffs of today’s challenge who had an office at Idi-Oro also started using the place for worship on Sundays and when a landed property was later secured at Mushin, the office and church relocated to its present location now known as challenge compound, a name after ECWA monthly magazine (Today’s challenge). With time, externals started joining them (History of ECWA Yoruba, Mushin, 2004). 
In 1972, approval was given by the GCC for the creation of Yoruba DCC, which comprises Ilorin District Church Council (IDCC), United District Church Council (UDCC), and Southern District Church Council (SDCC), all in the South West for ease of administration. The Southern District Church Council (SDCC) covered Lagos State, Oyo State and Bendel State.
The Chairman then was Rev. Ogunmola, while Rev. Alayande was the Secretary. 
In December 1996, ECWA authorities approved the creation of two DCCs from the SDCC, which led to the emergence of Lagos DCC and Ibadan DCC (Rev. Dr Julius Odofin, 2026). In January 1997, Lagos DCC took off, while Rev. M.D. Adeboye was the Chairman, and Rev. Ezekiel B. Omidiji was the Secretary. Today, several DCCs have emerged from the then SDCC, namely: Lagos West DCC, Lagos Central DCC, Ibadan DCC, Akure DCC and Edo-Delta DCC.
In the year 2005, with the approval of the GCC, two DCCs were created under Lagos DCC, namely Ebute Meta DCC and Mushin DCC. At the inception of Mushin DCC, Rev. Felix O. Oke was the Chairman, while Rev. Sunday Ayodele Babatunde was the Secretary. The DCC had 7 LCCs, namely: Mushin, Shomolu, Surulere, Agege, Agbado, Ijegun and Alakuko. Today, it has grown to eleven LCCs, namely: Agege, Agbado, Alakuko, Ipaja, Ibafo, Ijegun, Ikorodu, Imota, Mushin, Shomolu and Surulere. 
In April 2022, by the approval of the General Church Council (GCC), Mushin DCC’s name was changed to Lagos West DCC due to its political zone in Lagos State. The District now has about 82 local churches (LCs), including prayer houses, and over six thousand members (Rev. Matthew Oladele, 2026).
 
Written by Rev. Johnson Oladele Matthew, 2026.
 
With credit to: 
1. Rev. Dr J.B. Odofin 
2. Rev. E.K. Akubiojo

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