WHO WE ARE ..........
In 1975, the Federal Military Government of Nigeria (as at then) established a number of Universities and the University College of Port Harcourt was one of them. By 1977, the institution had gained full University status and had admitted her very first set of students after the then Vice Chancellor, Professor Donald E. U. Ekong (now late) had recruited a number of members of staff. Among these Staff members were mostly Protestants who had been at the Universities of Ibadan and Lagos and who had become used to Interdenominational Protestant Chaplaincy. And with the master plan of the University of Port Harcourt having provision for three (3) places of worship, namely the Protestants, the Catholics and the Moslems, it was only a matter of time before formal worship would begin and this happened in 1978 at the “Choba Park” Campus of the University.
The mode of worship rotated amongst the Methodist, Anglican, Presbyterian, Baptist, Evangelical Church of West Africa (ECWA), Assemblies of God Church and Qua Iboe denominations and these denominations provided the Preachers and the Worship order according to their turn.
As with all growing entities, OSC had its fair share of problems and challenges some of which are listed below:
- Deacon Jamabo Wariboko pulled some of the Baptists away to worship elsewhere.
- Elder George B. Affia (Late) moved to Port Harcourt Town with some members of the Qua Iboe Church
- The Protestant Community then split into two groups led by Chief Okogbule Wonodi (Late) – this group called themselves the University of Port Harcourt Protestant Chaplaincy – and Professor Francis A. Onofeghara whose group called themselves “All Saints’ Church”. The latter remained in Choba Park Campus while the former moved to the Arts Theatre, the “Crab” in the Delta Park Campus of the University in 1982.
- The two groups later merged in 1984 as a result of the efforts of the then Dr. D. D. Datubo-Brown and his wife, Dr. (Mrs.) E. Datubo-Brown (Late) and worshipped for a while at the Crab before moving to the Permanent Site (PS) Hall, University Park due to insufficient room at the Crab. This merger brought about the name change to OUR SAVIOUR’S CHAPEL, UNIVERSITY OF PORT HARCOURT.
By perseverance and through constant prayers, God used Professor Nimi D. Briggs and touched him to grant the Chapel about five (5) hectares of land along the University Park road for the building of a place of worship. The host Communities gave clearance to the Chapel Management Committee (CMC) and in October 1996, the formal stone laying Ceremony was jointly performed by the Lord Bishops of the Niger Delta Diocese (Anglican Communion), the Methodist Church Nigeria, Port Harcourt Diocese, and the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, Port Harcourt Presbytery.
After the initial commendable efforts made by the then Chaplain, Rev. Canon I. C. O. Kattey to build the Chapel, Rev. George Okoro Kalu of the Presbyterian Church was engaged as the resident Minister/Chaplain in 1998. He it was that encouraged members to contribute sacrificially towards the building project and by January 23rd, 2000, Rev. (Dr.) James Ukaegbu (now late) the then General Assembly Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria ushered the congregation into the new Chapel building amidst celebrations.
The Chapel Management Committee (CMC) was the highest governing body of the Chapel till the year 2001 and before this date, the Chairman of the CMC had been a non-Priest, while the Chaplain took care of the spiritual needs of the members. However, from 2001, the Chapel had a Board of Trustees made up of three (3) external members (the Bishop of the Niger Delta Diocese- Anglican Communion, the Bishop of the Methodist Church Nigeria, Diocese of Port Harcourt and the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, Port Harcourt Presbytery) and five (5) internal members namely Dame (Hon.) Mercy G. Alagoa JP, Lady Letitia U. Ogali, Sir (Professor) Nimi D. Briggs, Professor D. D. Datubo-Brown and Professor E. G. Akpokodje. The internal members have a tenure of five (5) years. The Chapel Management Committee was also renamed the Chapel Management Council and its very first Chairman was the Late Chief Okogbule Wonodi in 1982. Below is a list of the past Chairmen of the CMC.
- Late Chief Okogbule Wonodi – 1982
- Dr. S. B. S. Afiesimama – 1983 to 1987
- Dr. D. D. Datubo-Brown (as he was then) – 1987 to 1989
- Dr. J. K. Udonsi (Late) – 1989 to 1990
- Prof. B. Ukeje (Late) – 1990 to 1991
- Dr. B. E. Okoli (as he was then) – 1991 to 1994 (In 1994, the CMC resigned en masse and a CCC (Chapel Care-taker Committee) was formed to take care of the Chapel, under the Chairmanship of Rev. Canon I. C. O. Kattey (as he was then known) from 1994 – 1996
- Prof. E. G. Akpokodje – 1996 to 1998
- Prof. B. E. Okoli – 1998 to 2001
- In the wake of terrible disagreements in 2001, the CMC was dissolved and the University Registrar as at then, Dr. Chris A. Tamuno, was made the Sole Administrator. She handed over to the next head of CMC.
- The Rev. Peterson L. Nwidoobee became the first Chaplain to double as the Chairman of CMC from 2001 – 2004
- The Rev. Nwidoobee handed over to Venerable S. C. Okpara of the Anglican Communion from 2005 – 2007
- Ven. S. C. Opara handed over to Rev. E. W. Udoh of the Presbyterian Church from 2008 – 2010
- The present Chairman of CMC is the Rev. Kelechi Timothy Francis who took over from Rev. E. W. Udoh, starting his tenure from January 2011.