A Brief History of the CCRN OAU Alumni Association
The vision of having a formidable alumni body for Perpetual Light Prayer Group came during the Final Year Brethren (FYB) Send Forth and Alumni Homecoming Programme in March 2016 at the premises of Our Lady of Perpetual Light Chapel (OLPLC), Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. During the programme, there was an election and some alumni members who were present were elected as the first set of executives. They included Bro John Ibitolu (President), Sis Adefunke Adesanya (Vice President) Sis Chinenye Akinola (Secretary) Sis Eniola Ajayi nee Adigun (Financial Secretary), Bro Timothy Olatunde (Public Relations Officer). Zonal Coordinators were also appointed during the election. The coordinators were as follows: Sis Oyinlola Ogunmola (South West Zonal Coordinator), Sis Winifred Ogwu (South South Coordinator), Sis Patricia Mezie (South-East Coordinator), Bro Clement Akorah (Lagos Coordinator). Some of the brethren were elected as excos and appointed as zonal coordinators in absentia. Among the elders in the prayer group present at this historic event were Dr. Matthew Ojo and Dr. Femi Oludemi.
It is important to note that before 2016, there had been activities by the Alumni of Perpetual Light Prayer Group, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, but there was no formal body organizing those activities. It is on record that one of the early generation alumni, Bro Peter Akinlalu was a major promoter of the initiatives to have an organized alumni association. Furthermore, Alumni Homecoming was merged with the FYB Send forth, this created opportunities for the alumni to visit the prayer group and to interact with brethren who were still on campus.
The sole mandate given to the executives after their election in March 2016 was to organize an alumni reunion. This was achieved that same year, between 2nd and 4th October 2016. The theme of the reunion was “A Chosen Race” (1 Peter 2:9). Bro Linus Orakwe, a very active member of the alumni, gave the reunion talk. At the 2016 reunion, it was agreed that the CCRN OAU alumni reunion will take place annually in the last week of September to the first week in October. Consequently, in the following year, the reunion took place between 29th September to 1st October 2017.
The theme of the 2017 reunion was “Ocuppy till I come” (Luke 19:13). Bro. Olaolu Olaniyan gave the main talk of this reunion. Bro Anthony Obi also gave a talk on entrepreneurship. A lot of challenges were encountered during the reunion that year, but God turned them around and really made the 2017 reunion an important milestone for the alumni association. The venue for the reunion was Social Sciences Lecture Theatre (SSLT), Faculty of Social Sciences, OAU Campus and the Thanksgiving Mass took place in OLPLC.
The membership strength of the association continued to grow as more brethren graduated from OAU and formally joined the alumni body. In the year 2017, a three-man constitutional committee which comprised of Sis Oladayo Omotosho (nee Akintunde) as chairman, supported by Bro Bede Akorah (member) and Bro Damilola Akinmuwagun (member) came up with a draft constitution for the association. The constitution draft was open for comments and suggestions at the 2018 reunion. It was formally adopted as the constitution of the alumni association in February 2019 at an online meeting. Hardcopies of the constitution were made available for participants of the 2019 reunion later that year. Another key milestone of the alumni body in the year 2018 was its registration with the State Government of Osun under the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Cooperatives and Empowerment. This was done to facilitate the opening of the association bank account, which was opened that same year with Access Bank Plc.
The tenure of the first executives ended in September 2018. During the reunion that year, an election was conducted and Bro John Ibitolu was re-elected as President. Others included: Bro John Awoleye (Vice-President), Sis Adedoyin Ibitolu (nee Odeyemi) (Secretary), Sis Eniola Adigun (Financial Secretary), Bro Timothy Olatunde (PRO) Sis Chinenye Akinola (Welfare officer). This set of executives led the association for three years (2018- 2021). Under their stewardship, the alumni body grew in stature and in numbers. New initiatives such as monthly programmes, seed sowing, social media presence, alumni blog, and alumni newsletters were introduced. The alumni WhatsApp platform was a beehive of activities as old and new members connected. The WhatsApp page was also used to host programmes of the association except for the reunion which was a physical event.
The reunion programme for the association continued to take place annually. In the year 2018, the theme was “Looking Up to Jesus” -Heb 12: 1-2- the reunion talk was given by Rev Fr Festus Komolafe of Osogbo Diocese. In 2019, the theme was “Grace upon Grace” -John 1:16- the talk was given by Fr Isreal Ogundipe of Ibadan Archdiocese. In 2020, The theme was ‘Dominion and Deep Discovery” –Is 45:3 & Luke 5:4- Bro Anthony Ogbimi gave the talk. In 2021 the theme was “Shout of Grace and Victory”-Zech 4:7- the reunion talk was given by Rev Fr Joseph Ochonogor of Osogbo Diocese. In 2022, the theme of the reunion was All round Prosperity – the talk was given by Bro Anthony Ogbimi. In 2023 the theme was “Ebenezer” 1st Sam 7:12, the reunion talk was given by Rev Fr Lawrence Olaniyan of Oshogbo Diocese. In 2024, the theme was “Soaring as Eagles” -Isaiah 40:31- the talk was given by Rev Fr Stephen Ilesanmi. The theme chosen for the year automatically becomes the theme for the reunion.
The tenure of the Bro John Ibitolu-led executives finally ended during the 2021 reunion. A new set of executives emerged led by Bro Bede Akorah as (President) Bro Charles Alufoge (Vice President) Sis Adedoyin Ibitolu (Secretary) Sis Folasade Akinyele (Assistant Secretary) Bro Isaac Ijuo (Welfare Director) Sis Mary Alufoge (nee Oroleye) (Financial Secretary) Bro Damilola Akinmuwagun (PRO) and Bro John Ibitolu (ex-officio). During the praying over of the new excos after the election, the Lord revealed that they were the ‘Next Level’ team. True to His word, God helped them to take the alumni association to the next level through the various plans, initiatives and programmes such as monthly prayer forum, monthly webinars, increased welfarism, active social media presence and other programmes. These activities greatly improved the association and impacted on the lives of members positively. Two huge projects that the next level team will be remembered for are the registration of the alumni as an incorporated trustee under the Corporate Affairs Commission and the alumni website which was inspired and donated to the Alumni body by Bro Anthony Obi.
While God used the executives of the alumni association immensely, it is important to mention that there have been other people who played pivotal roles behind the scenes. Foremost is Reverend Fr Ayo Abe, who is our Spiritual Director, a mentor and father to alumni members. We equally have our elders namely: Dr Steve Oladeji (Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Alumni Association), Dr Matthew Ojo, Dr Femi Oludemi, Dr Anthony Ogbimi, Prof A Fadiya, Prof. A Elujoba (former vice chancellor of OAU), Bro Victor Kanu, Dr Rita Ogbimi, and Mrs Kehinde Ojo. These men and women of God have been pillars of the alumni association right from its inception. We must also acknowledge the instrumental roles of our big sisters, Mrs Adefunke Adesanya, Mr. Michael Ojajuni and Mrs Oluwatosin Olaniyan (nee Olaifa).
To the glory of God, the mustard seed planted in 2016 is fast growing to becoming a gigantic tree for the mission of Christ. The association currently has a membership strength of about 150 registered members. Furthermore, there are five zonal branches of the association with four zones in Nigeria – Southwest, South-South and Southeast, Northern zone and Lagos Zone. Finally, there is a strong diaspora membership, thereby fulfilling the words of the Scriptures that they shall spread to the ‘ends of the earth’. May the Lord continue to uphold as true ‘Ambassadors for Christ’ everywhere we find ourselves. Amen!