History of Boys Brigade Lagos South Battalion Council

—

by

Boys Brigade Lagos South Battalion
in

Formation and Inauguration (2013 – 2017)

Although the idea to break the old Lagos battalion and create a new Battalion council within the Eti-Osa and Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Areas was proposed and approved by the State Executive Committee in 2013, no official action was taken toward its actualisation until 2015 when a fallout of disagreement occurred among officers of the Old Lagos Battalion on the Jubilee Celebration. This led the then Vice Chairman of Lagos Battalion, Moses Adeniyi Adedeji (now Rev’d), to organise officers within the region stretching from Obalende Roundabout to the Epe boundary, and a proposal was submitted to the State Council to formally establish the Lagos South Battalion Council. While the proposal received full support from the State Council, it faced strong opposition from Lagos Battalion officers.

A reconciliation meeting was convened, attended by officers from both Lagos Battalion and Lagos South Battalion, including Mr Ajayi (ECWA Island), Mr Akinya Taiwo (Olowogbowo MCN), Sir Tosin Olaniyan KCW, Captain Ige, Mr Wale Idowu, and Mr Timothy Nathan. Following deliberations, the Lagos Battalion gave its blessings to the newly proposed Battalion.

In 2017, the Lagos State Council officially inaugurated the Lagos South Battalion Council at the Church of the Resurrection, 1004 Estate, Victoria Island. At this event, Moses Adeniyi Adedeji was invested as the first chairman. Other officers such as Sylvanus Jankaro (Vice Chairman), Moses Ukelina (Secretary), Chimka Ama-Kalu, and Bala Gwadabe played instrumental roles in ensuring the successful establishment of the Battalion Council. The inauguration was graced by dignitaries including the then State President, Sir Nwosu, the immediate past State Secretary, Tope Odusola, and the newly appointed State Secretary, Charles-Jeffrey Diete-Koki.

Challenges and Resurgence (2019 – 2021) 

Despite the successful inauguration, the Lagos South Battalion faced several challenges in its early years, necessitating a period of restructuring and revitalisation.

Its initial members of the executive committee were transferred outside of Lagos; Moses Adeniyi Adedeji became a full-time priest, Sylvanus Jankaro was transferred to Ogun State by the Nigeria Police Force, and Bala Gwadabe was deployed on a peacekeeping mission to Libya and later to the Northeast by the Nigerian Army. Additionally, Ezekiel Samari faced health challenges that necessitated his relocation to the North, leaving the battalion in a fragile state. In 2019, to add to this challenge caused by the leadership vacuum, a movement emerged among certain officers advocating for the creation of a separate Lekki Battalion Council. In response, the State Secretary/Organiser, Sir Charles-Jeffrey Diete-Koki, invited Mr. Taiwo Obasan, who had recently relocated to the Battalion, to bridge the leadership gap. His objectives included:

  • Uniting all factions within the Battalion Council.
  • Establishing a structured system of operations.
  • Expanding the reach of The Boys’ Brigade in the Battalion’s jurisdiction.
  • Strengthening the standard and ethos of The Boys’ Brigade within the jurisdiction.

With the support of the acting Chairman, Captains, and other officers, these goals were successfully realised. The Battalion’s AGM and elections were held on December 4, 2021, where Advanced National Training Officer (ANTO) Ladi Bamigbele was elected as the Battalion Chairman in a closely contested race and Mr. Taiwo Obasan was elected unopposed as the Battalion Secretary.

Growth and Achievements (2021 – 2024)

With the foundation stabilised, the Battalion led by Mr Ladi Bamigbele ANTO as Chairman and Mr Taiwo Obasan as Secretary, entered a period of growth and expansion, marked by several key achievements in different areas, viz;

Training & Development
  • Expanded its membership to over 1,000 boys and officers across 31 registered companies and 10 prospective companies.
  • Successfully trained over 300 boys through annual NCO courses and facilitated numerous leadership development initiatives.
Expansion & Outreach
  • Expanded to 31 registered companies and 10 prospective companies (despite deregistrations of older companies by the State Council for non-financial participation and inactivity for more than 5 years).
  • Hosted its first NCO course in 2022 at St. John’s Military Church (Protestant), Bonny Camp, Victoria Island, which has since become an annual program.
  • Created and ratified its own Battalion Bye-Laws.
  • Launched the Battalion Website.
  • Expanded into the Redeemed Christian Church of God and Methodist Churches within its jurisdiction.
  • Introduced a three-zone administrative structure with visiting officers attached to each zone for better management due to the expansive geographical coverage of the council.
  • Hosted several State and international Brigade events, including:
    • Lagos State AGMs and Elections.
    • State Executive Investiture Ceremony.
    • State Competitions.
    • African Methodist Conference.

Past Battalion Chairmen

  1. Rev’d Moses Adedeji (2017 – 2019)
  2. Bala Gwadabe (2019 – 2021)
  3. Sylvanus Jankaro (Acting, Nov 2020 – Dec 2021)
  4. Ladi Bamigbele ANTO (2021 – Present)

Past Battalion Secretaries

  1. Moses Ukelina (2017 – 2019)
  2. Ezekiel Samari (2019 – 2020)
  3. Taiwo Obasan (Acting, Nov 2020 – Dec 2021)
  4. Taiwo Obasan (2021 – Present)

The Lagos South Battalion Council is committed to continuing its growth and fulfilling the mission and values of The Boys’ Brigade Nigeria. We strive to empower young boys to become responsible and contributing members of society. We invite you to join us in this important work. Contact us today to learn more about how you can get involved!

Comments

Leave a comment