The Church Missionary Society (C.MS) from England, led by the Rev. Samuel Ajayi Crowther and in company of Rev J.C. Taylor, and Mr. Simon Jonas landed at Onitsha through the River Niger in the year 1857. They brought the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to Igbo land. The gospel soaked both the land and hearts of men and gradually spread to every part of Igbo land and Nigeria.
The Missionaries planted Churches which grew in numerical strength and knowledge. In 1947, Bishop C. J. Patterson who was the 5th Bishop of the Diocese on the Niger had a vision to take stock of the church performance in various dimensions and to note her achievements and failures as well. This stock taking was very necessary to enable the Bishop plan his strategies for the celebration of the 1st Centenary of the C.M.S. Niger mission which was to come up in about ten years ahead.
The report of the stocktaking showed a poor performance of the church in mobilization of young people and children. Following the recommendations made in the stock taking report on the necessity to mobilize the youths in the church for evangelization. Bishop C.J. Patterson immediately made a formal request to the Church of England for a clergyman to be sent to him to help mobilize the youths in the Church for future Evangelization. The Rev W.R. G Willeth was then sent to the Bishop for youth work in the Diocese on the Niger in 1951. He was posted to St. Paul’s Church Nsukka where he embarked upon experimental forms of youth Organization in Nigeria.
The Rev. W.R.G. Willeth joined hands with Mr. Macmillan who was then National Organizer and Training Secretary of the Boys Brigade of Nigeria. Both did their best to produce the machinery and strategic programmes of youth work. This was submitted to the Niger Diocesan Board meeting on the 15th of May 1953 at Christ Church Onitsha. The Board appointed a Special Committee on Youth Organization to study Rev. Willeth’s memorandum of youth work.
The members were:
- Rev. D. B. Hall – Chairman
- Ven. B.C.E Nwosu – (Archdeacon of Onitsha)
- Rev. W.R.G. Willeth
- W. E. MaCbay
- Rev. P. O. Egolum
- C. C. Mojekwu
- E. C Ezekwesili
- L. Afamefuna
- E. Ukonu
- D. B Ogbuagu
- Miss B. Philips
- Miss S. Rose
- Miss Grace Ileka
The Committee deliberated on the subject matter and drew up its recommendations which were presented to the Diocesan Board Meeting in October, 1953. The Board unanimously approved the Committee’s recommendations and appointed the Rev. W.R.G Willeth the Niger Diocesan Youth Organizer. He immediately started to organize the youths in various Churches using the Church Teachers, Catechists and Church Agents at District headquarters
The first name given to the Organization was Christian Youth Fellowship (C.Y.F) until 1956 when other denominations adopted the same name for their youth organization. Bishop C. J Patterson in a meeting of the Niger Diocesan Board directed that the name be changed to Anglican Youth Fellowship (A.Y.F)
In 1956, the Christian Council of Nigeria (C.C.N) organized an international Youth Leadership course at Amanwanyi Awka, The course was sponsored by the World Council of Churches. Anglicans, Methodist/Presbyterian and Baptist participated. The leadership training was conducted by trainers from Canada, England, Scotland and Philippines.
The Trainees were:
- Rev. Jonathan A. Onyemelukwe (Archbishop emeritus)
- Rev. Christopher Mbonu
- Catechist Jones Nebo
- Catechist S.O. Ugwuanyi
- Rev. Titus Tamuno Greek
- Mr. Samuel Eze
On return from the course, Rev. Jonathan A. Onyemelukwe Archbishop Emeritus and retired Dean of the Church of Nigeria initiated Youth Fellowship at Christ Church Onitsha which was inaugurated on the 9th of July 1956 with 32 members male and female while St Andrew’s Church Odoakpu Onitsha Anglican Youth fellowship was inaugurated on Wednesday 24th July, 1957 and St Peter’s (B.C.M) Church A.Y.F followed suit in 1958 with Sir. Godwin C. Okonkwo (Churchman) as the first leader.
The Rev. W. R. G. Willeth whom God used as the first youth Organizer 1956-1960 had to withdraw after the independence Celebration of Nigeria on 1st October 1960 and Rev. Christopher A. Mbonu became first indigenous youth Organizer appointed after his withdrawal. He took up the office from January 1961 and had to organize the first Niger Diocesan Youth leaders/Secretaries Conference in 1962. Rev. C.A. Mbonu did his best to organize the Conference followed by series of leadership courses at Diocesan level. He served from 1961 to 1966 when he left to overseas for further studies.
Rev. S. O. Ugwuanyi succeeded him as Niger Diocesan Youth Organizer from 1967 and saw Nigeria/Biafra war. Rev. Ugwuanyi combined the management of youth work with the distribution of relief materials supplied by the world Council of Churches (W.C.C.) from 1967-1970.
After the war, Rt. Rev. L.M. Uzodike succeeded his Grace the Most Rev. C J. Patterson as Bishop on the Niger in the year 1969. He appointed the Rev. E. B. C Nwabufo as Niger Diocesan Youth Organizer and to reactivate the youth work as from 1971. The Rev. E.B.C Nwabufo ably re-activated the youth work in the Niger Diocese with highly interesting programmes and activities. Induction services were organized Churches while Districts, Archdeaconries and Diocesan Youth councils re-organized and re-established. The Rev. Nwabufo meritoriously served the Niger Diocesan Youth Council from 1971 -1975 when he left for further studies overseas.
His Lordship, Rt. Rev. L.M. Uzodike retired on 31st December 1974 and his successor Rt. Rev. Dr. J.A Onyemelukwe was consecrated on 23rd February 1975 as new Bishop on the Niger. His Lordship Rt. Rev. Dr. J.A. Onyemelukwe appointed the Rev. Felix A. A Eriobuna as the Chaplain of the Niger Diocesan Youth Council as from 1st January 1976. The new Chaplain Rev. Felix A. A. Eriobuna injected much zeal and energy into the Niger-Diocesan Youth Council.
In 1982 His Lordship the Rt. Rev. Dr. J. A. Onyemelukwe appointed Sir. G.C. Okonkwo (Churchman) to serve as Niger Diocesan Youth work coordinator in the absence of a youth chaplain. Sir G.C. Okonkwo then full of zeal, strength and energy ably managed the youth work in 1982. He immediately embarked upon the construction of the Bishop’s court drive which got dilapidated during and after the civil war in Nigeria 1967-1970. The Bishop’s court drive was enthusiastically reconstructed within three months under the supervision of the coordinator who was ably assisted by Evangelist A.O. Ndubuisi, Inno E. Obi, Vin Mbamalu, R.C. Okeke, Eddy O. Emedosi, Ernest Motanya and others.
In January 1983, His Lordship the Rt. Rev. Dr. J. A. Onyemelukwe appointed the Rev. J. E. Asiogu as the A. Y. F Chaplain. He took over from Sir G.C. Okonkwo who then started to serve as the Niger Diocesan youth leader.
During his leadership of the Niger Diocesan Youth Council achieved the following
- St James’ Church Awada was built from foundation to D.P.C. in 1983.
- St Monica’s Church Woliwo land was cleared and fenced.
- Building of St. Andrew’s Church Umumbo 1985
- Building of All Saints Church Oroma-Etiti 1986
- Building of St. John’s Church Umueze Anam 1986-87
- Building of St. Mary’s church, East Niger Onitsha 1983-84
- Planting of church at Amorka and Amamputu 1985-86
- Planting of Church at Eziama Uli 1984.
The youth council continued to grow from strength to strength all these years until 1991 when Sir G.C. Okonkwo handed over to Sir Eddy O. Emedosi who was elected on 19th May 1990 at St Stephen’s Anglican Church Orsumenyi.
In November 1996 at Immanuel Church Onitsha Sir George Okeke was elected the President Niger Diocesan Youth Council to Succeed Emedosi while Rev. J.O. Okeke was appointed the Chaplain. Evang. Nnamdi Ezeugo was elected in the Council’s Election/General Meeting held on Sunday, November 24,2002, at Immanuel Church (Inland Town) Onitsha, following the expiration of the tenure of office of the immediate past administration, led by the now Late Sir George Ejike Okeke.
In 2006, Rev Frank Obi was appointed the new Chaplain of the Council and the election that brought in Bro Onyebuchi Obinwa’s (now Reverend) as the Diocesan President was held on Sunday 23rd November, 2008 at St James Anglican Church, Umunya.
Following Bro. Onyebuchi Obinwa decision in 2012 to join full time ministry, Bro Charles Onyemelukwe was elevated to the position of President. Bro Sunday Amen Chikezie on the 21st day of February 2016 at St. Augustine’s Anglican Church 3-3 became the elected president of the Anglican youth fellowship and the bishop on the Niger at the Diocesan board and location of December 2016 announced the appointment of Rev Chukwdi Amasiatu (now Rev Canon Dr) as the new chaplain.
The Current President, Sir Clinton Chibuikem became the 7th elected president of the Anglican Youth Fellowship of Diocese on the Niger on the 6th day of March, 2022 in an election that was held at Holy Trinity Church, Awada and at the 2023 Diocesan Location Board Rev Onyebuchi Obinwa was made the incumbent Chaplain.