History is vital to missiology, which is a reflection on the task of mission.[1] History teaches us that what is cultural and what is biblically required often get confused, just as missiology warns us, for example, against confusing a particular model of worship, leadership, music, dress, etc., as inextricable from the gospel. History has taught us that while human nature in the aggregate never changes, individuals indwelt by the Holy Spirit can live differently. Such individuals who lived differently were filled and used with the fuel of truth to burn for God, as was Sir Michael M. Familusi (1923-2024). It is impossible to study the History and missiology of Nigerian Methodism today without evoking Sir Familusi. I joined the Akegun Dynasty and Familusi clan, Imesi-Ile, Osun State[2], and the Methodist family to mourn the loss of a beloved father, teacher, mentor, author, and knight of John Wesley (KJW). Though he has been promoted to glory, his legacy will continue to live on through his leadership legacy, historical and prolific missiological writings, and the fond memories etched in those who knew or read about him and his works. [3]
Clergy and laity distinctions in the Protestant church historically began with Martin Luther and his Treatises of 1520.[4] At a time and age when the church is facing a multitude of problems, one being the clergy-laity gap, Sir Familusi’s model of a lay Methodist missiologist points to the secret of church’s health and growth, a collaborative expression and relationship of the clergy and laity perspectives on the church’s structure, discipleship, spiritual formation, and outreach. Sir Familusi lives on as a model of the Methodist Laity Ministry about the priesthood of all believers, being Christ-like in his daily lifestyle and example of everyday living by sharing his faith experiences (1Pet 2:9-10). His intellectual property remains an asset and inspiration to the church. His missional contributions as Christ’s foot soldier remain evergreen, and a call to give the lay ministry more prominence shaped by clear-cut functions and duties to grow the church. Beyond the clergy-laity gap, Sir Familusi’s exploits as a lay Methodist missiology were nurtured and grew under a welcoming and friendly leadership for the benefit of the church. I first met Sir Familusi through His Eminence Mbang. Sir Familusi and His Eminence Sunday Mbang, a prelate emeritus were very close friends. His Eminence always stayed at Sir Familusi’s residence at Ilesa during personal or official visits.
The transition of Sir Familusi, 30 years after his investiture as KJW, and at a time when the Oxford Centre of Methodism and Church History (OCMCH), a cornerstone of Methodist research, closed its doors coupled with global divisions in Methodism not only marks a significant eyeopener in the landscape of Methodist scholarship and witness. It is also a call to missional reflection and renewal for Nigerian Methodism to remain faithful to its missiology, the faith of our fathers, by spreading scriptural holiness across the world as our parish, a mission and missiology beyond borders.
Sir Familusi, a grandson of Akegun Oginni Familusi, was born on March 15, 1923. According to Professor Olumuyiwa Olusesan Familusi, Sir Familusi ‘was one of the sons of Pa Albert Afunlaya bi Akala Olayemi Familusi, who died when Baba was less than three months old. His mother was Mama Faye Familusi aka, Momo Oluru.’ Professor Familusi explained that Sir Familusi ‘was a teacher of teachers, educationist, organist, historian, orator and administrator par excellence. A Methodist of no mean standard, our revered Patriarch was the last of the first set of the Knights of John Wesley (KJW).’ [5]
Sir Folorunso Ogunjuyigbe, a former Lay President of the Methodist Diocese of Ilesa, described Sir Familusi as ‘Mr Methodist,’ the second Lay President of Ilesa (1981-1991) under the old constitution. Sir Ogunjuyigbe explained that Sir Familusi, the last to die among the first set of the KJW, experienced the eye of the Methodist crisis and, most importantly, the church meeting at Ilorin.[6]The Methodist Archbishop of Ilesa, His Grace Most Rev Akinloose Akindeko, explained that Sir Familusi lives on as a model of a humble start in life as no barrier to achieving great heights. On Sir Familusi’s sense of humour, Archbishop Akindeko explained a story told by Sir Familusi about how the leaders of a community sent their local delegation led by an illiterate to the district officer -D.O. (Colonial master) to make some requests on behalf of the community. When the delegation leader presented their case to the D.O., the D.O. responded, good, good, yah! Yah! good, good, yah, yah. On returning home, the leaders of the delegation, in response to the Community leader’s request for feedback, said, the D.O’ se gudu meje ati yah yah mefa, obviously counting the D.O. words – good, good – 7 times and yah yah – 6 times. Sir Familusi’s expressive sense of humour was not just funny but very informative and renewing. [7]
The mission is the lifeblood of the church,[8] just as missiology points to “an interdisciplinary field of inquiry into Christian mission or missions that utilises theological, historical, and various social scientific methods.” [9] Pierre Charles proposed a dual definition of missiology. The first was theoretical: missiology as a “special science related to history and ethnology.” [10] The second was practical: missiology is a science that must serve missionary activity to enrich and make it more effective. Pierre believed that the future of the church was in Africa. He said, ‘Africa is the movement, is the future.’ [11]Professor Andrew Wall, my doctoral thesis external examiner, one of the most influential missiologists of our time, and the ‘father’ of world Christianity studies, was also among the first to point out the dramatic changes taking place in Christian demography, and particularly the special place of Africa in the future of the world Christian movement. [12]
Methodist missiology primarily spreads scriptural holiness across the land. Methodist missiology is to know God’s word and keep what we proclaim clear and uncompromised about other theological disciplines – practical or pastoral theology, systematic or doctrinal theology, ecclesiology, Christian History, and ethics. Sir Familusi may not use ethnological data, social and pedagogical sciences to formulate a doctrine of missions or theological disciplines, other religions and pagan mystics; he used and applied his belief in Jesus Christ and understanding of Methodist History as the great revealer and the great adjuster of Methodist missiology. Sir Familusi was able to analyse the norms and practices of the Methodist Church in Nigeria and played crucial roles in the church constitution and resolution of the church crisis. Sir Familusi used his knowledge of History as the link that provides a record of how the mandate and method of the mission outlined in the Bible, together with insights from the social sciences, have been applied by flesh and blood servants of God in the Nigerian Methodism. Sir Familusi’s applied missiology during and after the Methodist crisis and his tenure-ship as the second Lay President of the Ilesa diocese (1981-1991) comprising Benin, Okitipupa and Kwara are very evident to date. In one of his books, Emmanuel, Sir Familusi, including his personal story, documented various problems involved in the making of the Methodist constitution based on solid transfer of doctrine. [13]
Sir Familusi became a fully accredited local (now Lay) preacher in 1947. In Imesi-Ile in 1950-1953, he was the organist, choirmaster and class leader. He led the arrangement for the celebration of the Golden Jubilee of the arrival of the Methodist Church at Imesi-Ile fifty years before, in 1950. He was a member of the leaders’ and the church’s quarterly meetings. He moved to Ilesa in 1953 and continued as a class leader except choirmaster and organist as more capable hands led by Pa J.O.Ogunseitan were available. Sir Familusi was the chief steward under The Rev D. B. Esan as the host of the last conference on the compound of the Government Teachers Training College (CAPPA) Ilesa in 1962 when the Methodist Church Nigeria wanted to become autonomous from the British Methodist Conference. Sir Familusi started to attend Methodist conferences as the highest legislative body in 1965 when he became the Methodist Assistant Education Secretary. [14] Sir Familusi became Ilesa District Treasurer that comprised, all the circuits in the Ilesa area – Imesi-Ile, Osu, Osogbo, Benin, and Ilorin when Methodist Church became autonomous in 1962. On the infrastructural development, Sir Familusi explained that ‘in three years, we were able to purchase plots of land at Orita Iloko and a plain area on Lokorun’s family land beyond Osun Urere on the way to Ijebu-jesa. The bishop’s premises are now beyond Osun Urere on Lokorun’s family land. Chief D. O. Osunloye fenced it with walls. That of Orita Iloko (Iloko junction) was given to the Diocesan Women Fellowship,’ though with some challenges from the International Breweries, Ilesa. [15]
Mr Methodist, Sir Familusi’s vicissitudes of life and miscellaneous incidents remind us of the fact that there is no general without a mark, and there is no star without a scar. Sir Familusi experienced separation from his father by death when he was under three months of age. The intervention of his uncle gave him a normal upbringing. Sir Familusi experienced two periods of adversity. His first wife, Clementine Victoria Ojuolape died on 9th February 1983[16]while his son, Olayinka born on 12th April 1958 died on 31stJanuary 1999 while playing tennis.[17]
Towards his training as a pupil teacher,[18] Sir Familusi was nominated as one of the young men for a preparatory course in 1939 by Revd R. N. Ludlow, the manager of a Methodist school. Sir Familusi was later appointed as a pupil teacher. Sir Familusi was one of the 25 mature students admitted to the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, as the foundation members of the Institute of Education on October 4 1957, to do a one-year academic session leading to the Associateship Diploma in Education. [19]
During the Methodist crisis, Sir Familusi had a very interesting encounter with a very senior product of Wesley College, Ibadan, Chief J. O Ajibola, who later became the life President of the Laymen’s Association of the Methodist Church Nigeria, and the leader of the agitation against the Patriarchal set up of the church. Sir Familusi’s openness and transparent character drew him to Chief Ajibola, who knew that Sir Familusi was not in favour of the agitation. When Chief Ajibola invited Sir Familusi to the meeting, Sir Familusi’s response revealed a plain blunt fellow he was till death. [20]
Sir Familusi replied to Chief Ajibola on April 18, 1983, that he felt highly honoured to receive the literature about the Laymen’s Association sent to him but that he was not convinced that a movement was necessary to curb the excesses of the clergy. Sir Familusi said, “I did not like a situation that would look like in the past. I shared the opinion that: knowing fully that such impression that broke churches … There is so much goodness in the worst of us, and so much badness in the best of us That we do not know who among us Shall reform the rest of us.” Sir Familusi did not join the Laymen’s Association based on principles, not personality interests.
Sir Familusi informed Chief Ajibola that ‘when the Late Most Rev. E.A.Fowode went to propound that laymen in Greek, or Hebrew was “laos” meaning “people of God”, and that the ministers were also “laos” and therefore members of the Laymen’s Association, I was not convinced still. I preferred to remain independent so that I could freely express personal, independent opinions on any matter in the church about which I felt concerned. These had been borne out by my letters, writings, lectures, debates ever since.’ [21] Chief Ajibola’s insistence on promoting the ‘1962 constitution (21 years previous) as more valid as if we had made no progress in 21 years’, was countered by Sir Familusi. He reminded Chief Ajibola about the 1974 conference held in Immanuel College Ibadan, where circuit observations and criticisms on the cyclostyled copies of the new constitution were debated and received.
At the Enugu Conference in 1978, Sir Familusi explained that ‘the egg that hatched into the disagreement and subsequent intractable trouble in the Methodist Church Nigeria was unconsciously laid.’ He said, ‘the Chief mustered influential conference members to prevail on the Patriarch to agree, and Dr Adegbola was preferred Bishop of Ibadan diocese,’ against his secondment to the Institute of Church and Society, Ibadan.
Resultantly, the disagreement between the two factions of the church led to a natural break into two: Presidential, led by the Rev E. Adeolu Adegbola, who said that they were still under the 1962 constitution as President and the Patriarchal (1976) constitution, which had abrogated the 1962, constitution, led by His Pre-Eminence Bolaji, Patriarch, Methodist Church Nigeria became so widened.’ A pamphlet, “CRY ALOUD”, published by Bishop T.T. Solaru in May 1983, was countered by Sir Familusi as a member of the church with a publication “CRITIQUE OF THE ‘CRY ALOUD” [22]
As the Diocesan Lay President of Ilesa, Sir Familusi attended a meeting on September 9, 1983, with a delegation of four led by Chief Ajibola to Ilesa Cathedral, Otapete, ‘to solicit that we should not allow the Methodist Church conference, scheduled for November 1983 to hold at Ilesa. He invited some elders.’ According to Sir Familusi, when Chief Ajibola finished his speech, ‘I asked to be allowed to speak first because I was the youngest, and according to Yoruba courtesy, the young must not say anything after the elders have spoken. I explained that since the last synod of the church under the control of the British Methodist Church held in Ilesa in 1962, no full meeting of such had been held in Ilesa, and that was twenty-one years before then, whereas such meetings had been held more than once in some other places. I then said that it would not be easy to convince our people to disallow it. The elders were more forthright in rebuffing them, calling their request a height of irresponsibility. So, amidst tension, because false propaganda and untrue news were rife in the newspapers that it would not hold but under God’s protection, the conference was held from November 18-26, 1983, at the Methodist Cathedral, Otapete, Ilesha. As the Lay President of Ilesa Diocese, I read my welcome address at the opening session on November 19, 1983.’ [23]
At Oturkpo Conference from 18-31 August 1984 in Jesus College, Oturkpo, the appointment of a new successor to the Patriarch took the central focus. Sir Familusi explained, ‘ When it came to the appointment of a new successor to the Patriarch, the Electoral Committee of which I was a member sat for hours and eventually settled on the Rt. Rev. S.C. Mbang, the Patriarch’s Chaplain. When the result was announced on the floor of the conference, I went to embrace him in congratulation. The Conference Lay President, Dr. Essien said to me that I should get ready to take over from him because, since the Patriarch was going, other conference officers should give place to new ones. He, particularly from the east, should give way for someone from the west as the new Patriarch was from the east. I told him the conference should not rush to such a precipitate action as it would destabilise the church more. He did not press it further.’ [24] Brother Jonah Ajonye of Oturkpo became the Conference Lay President.
In his vision to bring the two factions, the Patriarchal and the Presidential, in the church together, the new Patriarch, His Pre-Eminence Dr Sunday Mbang, constituted a panel consisting of members from the factions with a mission for Reconciliation, Revival and Reconstruction (3Rs). Sir Familusi, being one of the fifteen to represent the Patriarchal side, held several meetings in the Methodist Church Hall at Yaba, Lagos, and this climaxed with the production of the 1990 constitution. Sir Familusi explained that one primary objection to the 1990 constitution was the Patriarch, the title of the head of the church, and His Pre-Eminence prefix to it. Methodist members in Nsukka University were said to have suggested, and the committee agreed that it should be replaced with PRELATE, to be prefixed with His Eminence, because they argued that it is self-exaltation and only God is His Pre-Eminence.’ Sir Familusi and other protagonists wanted the status quo to remain based on an argument about ‘the order of protocols in the world Christendom.’ Sir Familusi bemoaned the same old colonial slavish mentality after over 22 years of independence; our traditional rulers have still been addressed as the children of European monarchs just as ‘was rearing its head and manifesting itself to make them refuse the use of “His Pre-Eminence” for the Patriarch of the autonomous Methodist Church in a sovereign Nigeria and to downgrade him to “His Eminence Prelate.” [25]
Sir Familusi explained that ‘during the voting, some of us on the Patriarchal side voted with the presidential side to defeat us. I consoled myself and prayed that the church should realise what we had thus lost, if not in our time, but in the far future and revert to it. I then decided to defend our action in the joint meeting of the two factions holding at Sagamu. When the meeting reached that point, I signified that I wanted to speak and was allowed. Members thought that I wanted to speak against the title PRELATE, and Mr. Oladele of Ibadan diocese, who was also a member of the committee, begged that I should not speak, lest I turned the table against all that we had done. I told him not to worry and went to the rostrum. After reiterating all that we had done, I said that we had not done too badly in recommending PRELATE as the title for the head of the church. The meaning of “PRELATE” is “an officer of the Episcopal status above the rank of Bishop” so that the Archbishop, the Patriarch and the Pope are all PRELATES and that the head of our church fits comfortably into all the titles. There was a very loud ovation as I left the rostrum.’ [26]
In early 1989, His Eminence Sunday Mbang announced that the Methodist Church Nigeria would celebrate its 150th anniversary in 1992. Sir Familusi approached the Prelate for his permission to collect the History of the church and published it as part of the celebration. By October 1991, the typescript was ready with the Prelate’s foreword.
His Eminence Mbang described the book as an up-to-date, comprehensive ‘historical book about ‘The Methodist Church in Nigeria. It is the most modern and accurate History of Methodism in Nigeria. The author has no sentimental attachment to Methodism to affect his style: He is willing to wash the Methodist dirty linen in public. This, to my mind, is the greatness of this Historical masterpiece. It is a book every Methodist must read. As a result of Mr Familusi’s work, the church is richer and better for it. allowed his methodology.’ Methodist Church, under the Prelate leadership, also constituted an Appraisal and Merit Committee to recognise selected members of the church in appreciation of their services to the progress of the church. In 1993, the church set out to award honorific titles to worthy members under the following categories: MOW-Member of the Order of the Wesleys; OOW-Officer of the Order of the Wesleys; KCW-Knight of Charles Wesley, for the musicians only; KJW- Knight of John Wesley – the highest.
For the first time, in 1994, the Methodist Church selected the people screened to be given these awards in each category. Sir Familusi and eight others were selected across the conference area for the highest award of Knight of John Wesley. Sir Familusi was the last of the first knights to die. The investiture of the awards took place on November 19, 1994, at the Methodist Church of the Trinity, Tinubu, Lagos. Sir Familusi went with his wife, Mama Caroline Mopelola, on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem on March 15, 2006.
Just as Sir Familusi emphasised the purpose of the mission as the planting and spreading of the visible church concerning Nigerian Methodism, Pierre Charles “aptly referred to the purpose of the mission as “the extensive growth of the Church.”.[27] Sir Familusi’s historical and missiological thinking not only moulded many people, including synods Council of Bishops at Ilesa on June 1, 1987, but over time has shaped the missiological tenor and direction of Methodist Church Nigeria as well. The core supposition that Sir Familusi taught both by example and in his teaching/writings is that Methodism’s thought and practice MUST be centred on God’s word, just as ‘Scripture was the bedrock of the Christian mission.’ With his passing, we have lost a practical lay Methodist missiologist and a champion for biblically based indigenous Methodism.
At the international level, Sir Familusi and the Rt Rev Iheaka were nominated at the conference of the Methodist Church Nigeria in 1988 to represent the church at the British Methodist Conference in June 1989 in Leicester, United Kingdom. They arrived in London on June 17 and were lodged with Mr and Mrs Bracknel. They were moved to the house of Mr. and Mrs Michin at Croydon until June 20, when they were moved again to Damascus house belonging to the Roman Catholic Mission at Mill Hill, for a pre-conference meeting on June 21. Rt. Rev Iheaka took part in the British ministerial conference, and the conference’s plenary session began on June 24. They returned to Lagos on July 4, 1989.
Sir Familusi died on September 27, 2024. His missiology had a decisive and renewing impact on the Nigeria Methodism clergy-laity gap. His missiology shaped the resolution of the Methodist crisis. Even the adoption of prelacy remained part of Familusi’s thinking to close the clergy-laity gap. It promoted the idea of greater involvement of the laity in the mission and the life of the Methodist Church. Sir Familusi’s missiology is a wake-up call and model for the clergy-laity to arise from lesser things. Sir Familusi fulfilled his mission by conforming his life to his Christian faith and practising honesty, which is not a burden but a source of blessing to the church. Let us prayerfully celebrate and reflect on one of the best hymns of Sir Familusi by William Pierson Merrit (1911):
1. Rise up, O men of God!
Have done with lesser things.
Give heart and mind and soul and strength
to serve the King of kings.
2. Rise up, O men of God!
The kingdom tarries long.
Bring in the day of brotherhood
and end the night of wrong.
3. Rise up, O men of God!
The church for you doth wait,
her strength unequal to her task;
rise up, and make her great!
4. Lift high the cross of Christ!
Tread where his feet have trod.
As brothers of the Son of Man,
rise up, O men of God!
[1] Okegbile, Deji, Growing A 21st Century Missional Church Through Missiology of Jesus (London: Sadlprint, 2024), pp. 8-14
[2] Familusi, Michael, M, Emmanuel: Being s Short Story od My Years on Earth So Far (Ibadan: Aristokardz Consult, 2013), pp. 1-16
[3] Familusi, Michael, M, Emmanuel, pp. 2-90, 120-258
[4] Maddix, M. A Biblical model of the people of God: Overcoming the clergy/laity dichotomy. Christian Education Journal, (2009), 6(2), 214-228.
[5] Familusi, O. O. Facebook Page, September 27, 2024.
[6] Interview with Sir Folorunso Ogunjuyigbe on October 3, 2024.
[7] Interview with His Grace, Most Rev A. Akindeko on October 6, 2024.
[8] Okegbile, Growing A 21st Century Missional Church, p. 22
[9] Kim, Kirsteen; Fitchett-Climenhaga, Alison (2022). “Introduction to Mission Studies: Analysing Missiology’s Current Configuration and Charting Future Prospects”. In Kim, Kirsteen; Jørgensen, Knud; Fitchett-Climenhaga, Alison (eds.). The Oxford Handbook of Mission Studies. Oxford University Press. p. 3
[10]Masson, J “In Memoriam. Le P. Pierre Charles, S.J., Missiologue,” in Les Dossiers de L’action Missionnaire, vol. 1, 2 vols. (Louvain: AUCAM, 1938), pp. 7–11, 14
[11] Pierre Charles, Missiologie. Etudes-Rapports-Conferences (Louvain: AUCAM, 1935), p. 265
[12] http://dejiokegbile.com/celebrating-my-external-examiner-prof-andrew-walls-doyen-and-founder-of-world-christianity/
[13] Familusi, Emmanuel, pp. 2-22
[14] Familusi, Emmanuel, pp. 78-88
[15] Familusi, Emmanuel, pp. 2-22
[16] Familusi, Emmanuel, pp. 131-132
[17] Familusi, Emmanuel, pp.182-185
[18] Familusi, Emmanuel, pp. 29-32
[19] Familusi, Emmanuel, pp. 73-88
[20] Familusi, Emmanuel, pp. 124-130
[21] Familusi, Emmanuel, pp. 2-22
[22] Familusi, Emmanuel, pp. 124-130
[23] Familusi, Emmanuel, Appendix iv, p. 240
[24] Familusi, Emmanuel, pp. 130-145
[25] Familusi, Emmanuel, appendix vii, pp. 243-248
[26] Familusi, M, Methodism in Nigeria 1842-1992, pp. 191-207, Emmanuel, pp. 243-248
[27] https://www.bu.edu/missiology/missionary-biography/c-d/charles-pierre-1883-1954/
Recent Comments