Cherubim and Seraphim (C&S)

[W. Azeez]

Following my little notes on the Aladura movement, two netters asked
for further details on some aspects of the Cherubim and Seraphim group.
The following are what I could come up with (mostly off-hand) about
the movement (any perceived slant has to do with my attempt to oblige
the private requests.) There are numerous publications on the Aladura
movement. Those interested in further details should please conduct
searches in the library. I was going to do that, but don't have that
kind of free time right now.

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Christiana Abiodun Akinsowon went into trance in June 1925 (18th?)
at Campus Square Lagos, where she and some friends had gone to watch
the Corpus Christi celebration. The friends had taken her home, Saba
Court in Isale-Eko, where she lived with her aunt. The trance had
lasted for about seven days.

One of the people that was called to pray for her was Moses Orimolade
TunolaSe. Orimolade was an itinerant gospel preacher who came to Lagos
in 1924. B/4 Lagos, his preachings had taken him to many parts of
Nigeria for the previous 10 years. Apparently, Orimolade had been
revealed to Abiodun in her trance. In her trance, a number of angels
including the Arch-Angels Gabriel and Michael reportedly befriended
her, took her to some celestial regions of the heaven, and taught her
a number things on the proper worship of the Almighty. The essence
of Abiodun's vision during her long trance was to become a cornerstone
of C&S theology.

After Abiodun woke up from her trance, the news of her strange journey
spread around Lagos and led multitudes to visit her Saba Court home.
Abiodun guardians encouraged Orimolade to take Abiodun to his
residence when they couldn't stand the unending bands of tourists
who flocked to their home.

At Orimolade's residence, the group of inquisitive visitors who
came for regular prayer meetings and spiritual healing sessions
became formalized into the nucleus of an association which was later
christened the Cherubim and Seraphim (C&S).

Constant requests for prayers led Moses Orimolade to appoint some 70
disciples (45 men and 25 women), following biblical precedents, to
assist him in his spiritual work. This group was named the Praying
Band and was to become the elite circle of the C&S movement. The C&S
movement right from inception had attracted members of Lagos christian
communities from other church denominations; in particular there
was a heavy presence of the then relatively newly formed African
church members in C&S. For instance, Chief Coker, the head of one of
the larger factions of the African churches, the group which
broke away from St Paul Cathedral in 1901, was a patron of C&S. The
Praying Band included some of the most educated Egba creoles in the
African church circle and some other prominent christian names in
Lagos. Apart from the Cokers, there were the Philips and the Davies.
In fact, the first leader of the Praying Band was Chief Akindele
Davies (there was one temporary leader for a short period
b/4 Orimolade appointed Davies).

The efficacy of the prayers and
and spiritual healings of the Praying Band was well attested
throughout Lagos. One of the famous cases they handled involved
the patriach of the Da Rocha family, acknowledged as the then
richest man in Lagos. Da Rocha had been indisposed for some time
and was taken to many doctors without any change in his condition.
He was reportedly cured of his illness when the Praying Band
intervened. He sought out the leader of C&S, Moses Orimolade, in
order to compensate his organisation for his health, but the latter
reportedly refused to accept any compensation for the miracle of
the Praying Band.

In the meantime, Abiodun led a series of delegations on evangelical
missions to various parts of Yoruba hinterland. Through the charismatic
evangelist activities of Abiodun, the C&S movement had been established
in major Yoruba cities/towns by the end of 1927. It was on her return
from one of her missions to the hinterland that she was given the title
of "Captain".

As with all good things, the era of peace and tranquility for the C&S
movement ended in 1928/29. A minor disagreement b/w Saint Orimolade and
Captain Abiodun led to the first splinter in the C&S movement.
Orimolade's faction became the Eternal Sacred Order of Cherubim and
Seraphim (ESOC&S) and Abiodun's, Cherubim and Seraphim Society. The
loss of Abiodun, a show-case to the society was a big blow. Ironically,
it was Baba who insisted that Abiodun must go her way, and even resorted
to inviting the Lagos Municipal government of the day to ensure
Abiodun's separation. A number of prominent Yorubas, including the then
Alake of Egbaland and Chief Amodu Oluwa, a white cap chief of Lagos,
intervened to settle the rift b/w Abiodun and her spiritual father, but
Orimolade was adamant.

The following year after Abiodun separation (1930), the Praying Band
under E.A. Davies, splintered from Orimolade's group. The precedent
of Abiodun would become quite damaging as separation became the
principal means of settling internal rifts within the C&S movements.
In spite of the frequent fractionalization, the various C&S groups
remained essentially one in doctrines and beliefs. B/4 Orimolade died
late in 1933, C&S expanded as far as Ghana. Saint Orimolade died
in the farm of a friend located at Ojokoro (in the outskirt of
Lagos), a place which has since become the holy land of the Aladura
movement.

After Moses, some attempts were made to unify the C&S into one group.
The most notable of these took place shortly after Baba's death in
1934 and was sponsored by the Alake of Egba. The leaders of the three
major factions were Captain Abiodun, E.A. Davies and one Onanuga who
was reportedly anointed by Baba to take over his own faction. There
was an election in which E.A Davies was appointed as the overall leader.
Captain Abiodun who was not present at the proceeding rejected an
election as being a proper method for choosing a spiritual leader. She
contended that she was a co-founder with Saint Orimolade and should
therefore by right be the leader of a unified C&S group. The Alake
persuaded her to be the leader of the women group within the unified
C&S, but she rejected indicating that her sex should not prevent her
from being a leader of C&S.

Captain Abiodun Christiana Akinsowon (Mrs Emmanuel) was the sole
surviving leader of the first group of C&S leaders as of 1990. The
headquarters of her mission was located in Okesuna street in Lagos
Island, but she lived somewhere in Surulere. As of this moment, I
don't know if she's still alive.

In doctrine, C&S remains solidly a bible-beliving Church of Christ.
The difference b/w her and orthodox churches is essentially the
incorporation of African values in the mode of worship. African
Churches which started breaking from orthodox churches around 1890
started this way, but many of them stopped after some superficial
africanization, for fear of being ridiculed by orthodox churches if
they went too far in their reforms. C&S did not have the baggage of
starting from an established orthodox church and so was able
to borrow ideas from the methodist, Anglican, Baptist, etc, which were
spiced with some African concepts to produce a unique method of
christian worship.

Wemimo Azeez.

PS: Somebody asked me for the basis of my interest in this topic. The
short answer is Lagos. Many groups, social, religious, professionals,
etc, had their roots in Lagos or have heavy presence in Lagos. In my
passion for researching my past, I have learnt about every group or
activity which has contributed significantly to Eko in the last 500
years. Be it religious, Aladura, Ogboni, Islam, or social, the roots of
Juju, Fuji, Highlife and their pioneering exponents, or Architecture,
the first remarkable houses in Lagos, who lived where in 1700 (I will
take you to the spot or tell you what building is currently on the site)
If it's important and happened in Lagos Island within the last 500
years, you can ask me ($100 per request - yes, it's time I started
cashing in on my knowledge :-))

[ademola Iyi-Eweka]

Your history of the cherubim and Seraphim movement is essentially correct.
One can easily make you a Professor of Religious Studies at any University.
You gave the history much better, than what I was taught almost 26 years
ago,at the University of Ibadan. Why not extend the your "little lecture" to
cover Christ Apostolic Church movement in Nigeria etc? It will make Naijanet
more interesting, now that the "fake e-mailers" are disappearing from the net
on their own. Never mind some insult that may come with it. It is the price
you pay for sharing knowledge. After all, I am still alive inspite of all
the insults I recieved for my percieved IMPERIALISTIC discussion of Benin
History. You even accused me of having "Imperialistic agenda" when you knew
that my historical expositions were accurate. Imperialistic agenda of the
EDOS in 1997? Conquer and resettled Lagos the second time? No way brother.
By the way, Professor Biobaku has confirmed that at least the first eight
names of the ELEKO [now Obas] of Lagos are Edo names. It became Yoruba
names when the rulership had become thoroughly yorubanised through marriage
to yoruba women. I hate to repeat it again: EKO is an Edo word meaning Camp.
It is not a yoruba word no matter how the Aworis may try to yorubanise it.
Edo Textile Mill road in Benin used to be called OVBIE EKO-small camp; the
University of Benin is located at EKO OSHODIN-Oshodin camp: two miles away
just before NIFOR on the old Lagos road, is EKO ABETU-the camp of the
Bearded man. There are many other EKOS. But Eko/Lagos [a portuguese name] was
Oba Orhogbua's military camp. Another military camp was Badagry.
Some of us are ready to learn or review old knowledge. But do not charge
anybody. Give it freely. God Bless you. Amen.

Iyi Eweka.

In message Sun, 21 Sep 1997 20:41:11 EDT,