Other undeclared factors were involved in the secession. According to Omofoye, Bishop Johnson insisted that their learning the Catechism in Yoruba was a precondition for being baptised, and exercise which many of the converts were least prepared to undertake. For the Urhobo language did not resemble the Yoruba language (or indeed Itskiri) to the extent that both Bishops Johnson and Tugwell though it did. The insistence therefore created discontent in the coverts who, 

In fact, preferred to be taught English straight away, since they believed equal effort would be expended on mastering either of the two languages. One result of the discontent was that when a minister of the UnitedAfricanChurch, Jacob S. Williams, visited Warri in 1916, and offered to baptise all who accepted the Christian faith, apparently without he demand for knowing the Catechism in a foreign language, QmQfoye and his retinue seized the opportunity and were baptised on 19^th March, 1916.[2]

A further attraction of the UnitedAfricanChurch was its acceptance of polygamy as a facet of African culture not biblically proven to be unchristian. Here it was like the early BaptistChurch. Another, perhaps most potent, attraction was the expression AfricanChurch. The words were sufficiently inviting to draw many away from other denominations where the leadership had been in the hands of the white missionaries. It drew many away too from the Niger Delta Pastorate, especially since the realisation of Bishop Johnson�s dream of an independent indigenous church in full communion with the Church of England was becoming more and more remote.[3]

When the split occurred at Ephron what happened in the Baptist secession also took place. The Niger Delta Pastorate churches established through Omofoye�s efforts were either converted wholesale or lost a substantial part of their membership to the AfricanChurch. Through this method African churches sprang up at Ovu, Iwhre-Ughelli, Oba in Okpe, Oguname (where Ibuje was the leader), Aladja,Orhuwhorun, Obodo in Udu, Owrode, Okpare,Ovwo, Evwreni, Ewu, Otokutu, Egbo,Urhiephron, Ekrokpe, Eruemukohwarien, and Ekiugbo in Ughelli.[4]

In certain instances a further split occurred, [5] as was the case at Ovu. Here the Niger Delta Pastorate church was, under the influence of Omatsola, transmuted to Baptist in 1917. But a further rift occurred in 1919 when members of Enaohowo family deserted the Baptist and embraced the African Bethel (insert 2) Church were baptised by D. H. Kukuiye, the first African priest resident at Warri. There was to be yet another split in January 1921, when J. E. E. Enaohwo introduced Roman Catholicism and converted the AfricanChurch at Ovu to Roman Catholicism, leaving only a handful of the former�s members behind. Even these few completely abandoned the AfricanChurch at Ovu in 1923 and declared for the Baptist Church of Omatsola who baptised them at Arhagba (Egvekoba) on October 14, 1923.[6]

Apart from African leadership and acceptance of polygamy, the organisation of the AfricanBethelChurch followed the same pattern as that of the Niger Delta Pastorate and the C.M.S., except that instead of Dioceses they had Divisions, before Districts and Parishes. As with the Niger Delta Pastorate and the C.M.S. the leadership also came initially from Yorubaland where the AfricanChurch began. J. S. Williams who was the first pastor was carried in a hammock like Cole during his itineration of the churches. He was never resident at Warri. Kukuiye, the first resident pastor, was followed by Sodeinde, then QsQba, Oluwadare, Abitola, and Agbayawa. It was not until the forties that theAfricanChurch in Urhobo produced their own part-time church teacher in the person of Okirhienyefa.[7]

Okirhienyefa, of Ekrerhavwe, joined the AfricanChurch as a child when he attended their primary school in 1923, a course he completed at the WarriAfricanChurchSchool in 1930. He taught only from 1931-32 at Orhokpo before he resigned and became a tailor. From 1942 onwards he functioned also as a part-time, untrained and unpaid catechist (or church teacher), visiting African Church stations: Egbo,Ekakpamre, Urhiephron, Owhorode, Eruemukohwaien, Ekiugvo, Ododegho, Ovwo, Okpare, Otokutu,Orhuwhorun etc. from 1948 he became a salaried catechist but was still untrained until 1951 when he was trained at Agege, Lagos, as a pastor.

On the completion of the course he was ordained a deacon on January 31, 1954 at BethelAfricanChurch, Lagos, by one Lakeru, the African Church Primate. He was priested on 16^th December 1956 at Warri by J. P. Jiboku, then Bishop of Ondo-Delta Division. During most of his deaconhoodOkirhienyefa served in Isoko. Form Okpe, his station in Isoko, he visited Aviara, Ofagve, Owdokpokpo, Igbide etc.[8]

While he was in Isoko, the AfricanChurch in Urhobo was experiencing a crisis resulting from a conflict between one M.E. Okorefe and G. L. KqlaQleKqlawQle is generally regarded as the first AfricanChurch pastor to reside in the interior of Urhobo.[9] He was posted to Ekakpamre in 1950.[10] While he was there, Okorefe was said to have gone to training without the knowledge and consent of the local church and pastor. Thus on the recommendation of the local church, it was said KqlawQle wrote to the Bishop in Lagos to withdraw Okorefe.[11]

When he came, though unordained, he attempted to make himself a pastor of Urhobo African churches, which he called Christ Urhobo Church and so to become the manager of AfricanChurch schools. In an attempt to counteract Okorefe�s claim of the African churches and schools, Kolawole wrote to the District Officer at Ughelli, to complain of the treatment which was given to him at the meeting of the local Council at Agbarho. It appeared that the Local Council was delegated by the District Officer to settle the palaver between Okorefe and KqlawQle. The Council summoned the AfricanChurch to Eruemukohwoarien as his witness. He maintained that Okerefe had no right to usury AfricanChurch property and members. If he chose to secede from the African Church and start a new church which he called Christ Urhobo Church, he was welcome to do so, but he must leave Africa Church property intact and ensure that the sum of £34: IOS, which the members owed him was paid back. Because of the people�s intransigence KqlawQle appealed for the District Officer�s intervention.[12]

But before a reply could be given to his letter, KqlawQle wrote another letter indicating that he would resume duties in the AfricanChurchSchool at Oguname and that at Orhokpokpo. He also registered his protest against anyone who attempted to open a new school in either of the above stations �as it is contrary to Education Principal (sic)�.[13]

According to him �there was a letter which he (Okorefe) used to show that he got authority to be pastor from the D.O.�. On receipt of this letter the District Officer aptly remarked � the D.O. does not appoint pastors�.[14] This tussle for supremacy adversely affected AfricanChurch schools in Oguname and OrhokpokpoAgabdu-the hot bed of the conflict.

It is patent that the struggle to become pastor is here motivated by the material gain accruing therefrom, especially by reason of the managerial control of church primary schools. These schools were plainly erected not so much for the benefit of the populace as for the benefit of the pastor. They were generally in a disgraceful condition. Indeed one of them (that at Ododegho) was described as �merely a roof on sticks�.[15]

One of the results of the conflict between Kolawole and Okorefe was the transfer of the former from Urhobo back to Yorubaland, and the ejection or secession Okorefe from the AfricanChurch. Thereafter Okirhienyefa was sent from Isoko to Ekakpamre from where he took charge of Urhobo and Isoko churches. Okorefe who broke away to form his own church-UrhoboChirst Church-later on saw the futility of this action, and upon recanting, was re-admitted into the African Church, and ordained in 1965. Up till then Okirhienyefa was the only Urhobo ordained AfricanChurchmember, assisted by such Church agents as Mrabure of Eruemukohwarien, and D. E. Ovadje of Okpe in Isoko.

Conclusion