Anglicanism and Architecture in Oyo Town (Published)
Oyo Empire was a powerful Yoruba polity in what is today southwestern Nigeria. Internal conflicts led to collapse of the kingdom in the 1830s. The nineteenth century was marked as a period of unrest in the region. Christian missionaries played an important role in the Colonial history of Nigeria and particularly in the signing of the treaty to end wars in the Yoruba States. However, spread of Christianity was sustained through education that led to widespread missionary Schools and Churches. Although Anglicanism had reached Oyo by 1853 that saw to the construction of church and school, the CMS training institute started in Abeokuta same year. The training institute was later relocated to Lagos between 1868-1896. A notable event was when the CMS institution was transplanted from Lagos to Oyo in 1889. By 1942, the proprietorship of the college was transferred to the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion). During this period, missionary structures were put up on the college site known as ‘Oke-Ebo’. This paper utilizing a mixed method approach will study the Anglican culture and how it is reflected in their architecture. The study focuses on the significance of the Anglican culture and heritage from structures in Oke-Ebo during the 19th century and how it influenced the furtherance of Christianity in Oyo through the construction of Church structures that have stood the test of time. Finally, the paper highlights the need for the preservation of these monumental structures as part of Oyo’s architectural heritage.
Keywords: Anglicanism, Architecture, C.M.S, Oyo Empire