First-Ever African Division Secretary Passes

From ANN, January 4, 2017:    Pastor Caleb Oyelayo Adeogun, the first African to hold the office of division secretary in the Adventist denomination, passed away at the age of 84 on December 2.

The son of an early Nigerian pastor and his convert wife, Adeogun spent his life working in various capacities for the Adventist church after graduating with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. He later completed a master of arts in English from Andrews University.

Adeogun’s father Joseph cofounded the Adventist College of West Africa, which is now known as Babcock University. Adeogun himself served as Registrar and Acting Principal of the educational institution.

He also served as the first Nigerian-born secretary and president of the Nigeria Union Mission. He became the first Executive Secretary of the Africa-Indian Ocean Division in 1990, a position from which he retired in 2000.

Ted Wilson, the president of the General Conference headquarters of the church, worked in West Africa during Adeogun’s tenure as president of the Nigerian Union Mission.

In a tribute to Adeogun, Wilson said, “Adeogun was a long time leader in God’s church in Nigeria and in the West-Central Africa Division. It was a privilege to work with him while serving in that territory some years ago.”

The Adventist News Network (ANN) is the official news service of the Adventist denomination