Rev. Wakama: Five-star mind builds a five-star church
Let’s call Ven. Kiri Wakama a ‘faith-nocrat.’ A trained architect, he rode the tides of the Nigerian corporate world to its pinnacle before he was ‘arrested’ to work in the divine vineyard.
It has turned out a special commission as he has deployed all the cultures and best practices of corporate management into the work of God. It has culminated into the berthing of what’s probably the most modern and carefully sculptured worship space in the Diocese of Lagos.
The building is an architectural showpiece designed by Ven. Wakama himself and finished with state-of -the-art facilities.
But if it were about the building and its adornments alone, then it wouldn’t be such a feat because iconic synagogues and sanctuaries are littered all over Christendom. It is about the essence and inspiration behind the Anglican Church of Transformation, Abijo (ACOTA). It is an imposing sight around kilometre 42 along the Lekki-Epe Expressway, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos State.
An eye-catcher, you wouldn’t miss ACOTA as you drive past Abijo. But again, it’s not the edifice. It’s the ethos, the ethics, the worship experience and the Anglicanism inherent in the building.
Ven. Wakama has managed to mesh all these values into the church, into worship and into the Christian essence. ACOTA is indeed a different worship experience: it projects the five-star outcomes that accrues to someone steeped in total quality think, total quality life and total quality management.
Worship in ACOTA is truly a “fresh experience” and can indeed, be transformational.
The congregants are acculturated to five-star faith. Members are ‘moved’ to support the work of God without being pressured. This must explains how a multibillion worship complex could have been achieved without much fuss – there was much moving and leading of the spirit over the eight years of work. From 2015 when the foundation was laid, passion, excellence and reverence seemed to have been molded into every block.
The good naturedness, abiding laughter, light-heartedness of heart of the duo of the Vicar and Mamayard have become part of the benign face of the ACOTA family. Apart from building a peculiar church, so much is done in a pleasantly different way in ACOTA.
Even the dedication of the ACOTA sanctuary last Tuesday, 12, 12, 23 was a five-star event. A college of bishops were in attendance, about a dozen of them. A prebystry of clergy men filled the worship space in sepulchral splendour.
Every activity was carefully choreographed and synchronised. The effusion of glory must have moved the Diocesan, The Rt. Revd. Ifelola Senasu Ikupevi, Bishop of Lagos, to observe that, “If the Lord could open your eyes, you would see angels descending. “
In the final analysis, the 12th day of the 12th month of 2023 will be remarked in the annals of the Diocese as the day a great dream was realised. A spirit filled reverend gentleman led members of his clergy and noble men of means in his congregation to erect a gigantic worship centre for our Lord.
It is indeed marvellous. Glory, honour and majesty, be unto our Lord’s name for ever and ever … Amen.
▪︎ OSUJI STEVE first published this on his Facebook Timeline on 16.12.23
