About Us

Prior to the establishment of the University of Benin in 1970, first as the Midwest Institute of Technology (MIT), the site now known as Ekehuan Campus was already in use as the Headmasters’ Institute, for training primary school headmasters (as the name implies). Then, students and staff of the Headmasters’ Institute and the University, as well as other persons of Protestant persuasion within the area, held church services on Sundays. While Sunday morning services were for all, i.e., staff and students, the students alone met as Christian Union (CU) on Sunday evenings. The congregation was actually an amalgam of all the protestant denominations. Some of the staff who were early worshippers included the first Registrar, University of Benin, Chief Richard Oduaran; Mr. M. E. Akpe (who later became the Registrar of the University of Port-Harcourt); Mr. David Egbedi (Vice-Chancellor’s Personal Assistant who retired as a Senior Assistant Registrar); Mr. Aigbadon (Students Affairs Officer); Dr. B. C. A. Obi of the Faculty of Engineering; C. C. Ifebuzor, Esq. (then of the Library Department), Engr. I. N. Onwuzor of the Faculty of Engineering and S. A. Ibeneme, Esq. of the Vice-Chancellor’s Office. Among the early student worshippers were Messrs John Okhuoya, Mike Ohiorenoya and Oghale Olugua. The venue for services was the Ceremonial Hall of the Ekehuan Campus which was more or less reserved for church services on Sundays and the services were conducted by individuals appointed to do so on account of their leadership qualities and overt understanding of the Holy Bible. From time to time, qualified priests were also invited from some churches in the City to conduct services and preach sermons to the congregation of about 200. The services were inclined towards the Anglican form of worship and the early members were very well committed to the growth of the church. Even at that early stage, there was a nucleus of a choir. As some Faculty buildings and staff quarters became ready for use at Ugbowo campus, more academic activities shifted thereto from Ekehuan and Iyaro. More staff also moved their places of residence from the GRA, Ekehuan and other off-campus locations to Ugbowo. These changes led to a mass movement of members of the Ekehuan church to Ugbowo.