The story of A.S.M is a story of God’s faithfulness and His plan to build a people of power and praise, prepared for the master’s use, and meet for every God work. The Anglican Students Movement (ASM) formerly known as Anglican Students Fellowship (ASF), was first established in St Andrew Church Obosi in 1994 where the God placed and nurtured in the hearts of some students the vision of organizing Anglican student’s to meet as a body inside the church under one umbrella. In 1999, other units began to spring up in Onitsha and the first among them is St Luke’s Anglican Church Okpoko. By February 2001, there were more than five units existing in the Diocese. On February 4th 2001, Comrade Chukwudi Ezeh (now a Church Teacher Nnobi Archdeaconry) and Dr. Chidi Ezegwu convened the meeting of the units to have a first meeting of ASF leaders in the Diocese.
In 2002 the networking units worked with prayer and spirituality to get the attention of the then Bishop, Rt. Rev. Ken Sandy Okeke. The Bishop convened several meetings of ACM student outreach, ASF, YAC and YASM to identify areas of commonality and to merge these. There was no merger at the end of the meetings however, ASF(Anglican Students Fellowship) was renamed to ASM(Anglican Students Movement) in order to differentiate it with ASF in the Universities and higher institutions, and to avoid external interference in the Church ASM. They were further asked to localize and domesticate their programs to be in line with the Diocesan program.
In 2003 the movement hosted its first Annual Students Leadership Summit and Students Conference respectively. It was in the same year 2003 that the Bishop assigned a chaplain in the person of Rev. Izuchukwu Obiekwe, now an Archdeacon who was succeeded in 2016 by the incumbent Chaplain Rev Anthony Okpala. The leadership of the movement then was shared between Chidi Ezegwu and Okechukwu Okezie and the movement had team of patrons and matrons who gave technical assistance in the running of the movement.
In the year 2001, Chidi Ezegwu was officially elected as the Diocesan president. In 2006 a new leadership emerged led by Engr. Ifeanyi Umekwe (now a clergy man in the diocese) as the president. Rev Ifeanyi Umekwe assumed the leadership of ASM taking over the baton from Chidi Ezegwu. In 2007, ASM was inaugurated by the Rt. Rev. Ken Okeke the then Bishop on the Niger whose episcopacy graciously gave us an office at the Diocesan Secretariat.
There was a massive evangelism and outreaches that saw the doubling of number of Units. The annual student’s conference was also renamed Summer Conference, also there was introduction of Diocesan quiz, Prayer conference, Students mission, Diocesan Fellowship, Night of a thousand talents, monthly workers night and the printing of Bible Study outline for weekly use in units. God also helped ASM under this leadership to produce the first constitution in 2007.
During the annual students conference held at St. Christopher’s Junior Seminary in the year 2010, a new executive led by the Diocesan president, Evang. Sunday U. Oforji (now a clergy) came on board. And since then, the movement has been experiencing tremendous improvement in areas of having a more organized structure and students’ Christian life and academics witnessing a turn around.
In the year 2016 another set of leadership came on board, led by Bro. Emerie Umekwe (now a Church Teacher). Bro Nonso Eneh came into office on 26th January 2019 and handed over to Ugochukwu Praise on 29th January 2022. Bro Williams Oguejiofor took over in 2023 but had to step aside because he got married. The movement is currently being led by the Acting President, Bro Nzube Emezube, and God is doing a wonderful work through him.
Mission Statement
Mobilizing, inspiring and empowering Anglican student and young person’s everywhere to make a positive different in the church and in the society.
Vision Statement
To raise a new generation of students whose lives and conducts reflect that of a true disciple of Christ, and whom the church and society will always find useful both during and after school Years.
Aims and Objectives:
- To call the attention of students back to G
- To set up standards among students in areas of Christian living, academics and social lives.
- To create forum for reaching out to all Anglican students both in the school and church.
- To prepare students for the challenge of standing for righteousness and making right choices whenever confronted by the world system. Wherever they find themselves.
- To encourage students imbibe values, ideologies and attitudes that will be useful to themselves their Families, the church, and the society at large.
- To build and increase the capacity of students and young people in the dealing with contemporary Issues like information technology, HIV/AIDS, Millennium development goal (MDG) etc.
ASM ANTHEM
- Arise and Shine, O Youths
Lift the banner on high
And March With Knowledge,
Discipline and Truthfulness
Arise, O Youths
Anglican Student Movement
Lift the banner on high
- To light the torch of faith
On the banks of Niger
Together as one body let us life high the torch
To show the light
Knowledge is power in god
Anglican students arise