Moses Orimolade Tunolase is the founder of the first African initiated church, the Cherubim and Seraphim church, which was established in 1925. The church was born out of the Anglican church community among the Yoruba people in Western Nigeria.
Drumming, clapping and dancing as methods of worship were embraced by the African people but created challenges for the missionaries and their European concept of worship. The difference in understanding of religious expression resulted in clashes and conflicts between the missionaries and the African leadership in the Anglican Church.
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐘 𝐎𝐅 𝐀𝐋𝐀𝐃𝐔𝐑𝐀𝐒
In response the people started gathering into prayer groups called Egbe Aladura. The Aladuras promoted and popularized the power of prayer to heal. When the 1918 influenza pandemic spread to West Africa the people sought healing among the Aladuras. The healing and survival of so many Nigerians among the Aladuras during the Spanish flu spurred the growth and spread of these prayer groups in the early 1920s.
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐈𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐁𝐀𝐁𝐀 𝐀𝐋𝐀𝐃𝐔𝐑𝐀
Moses Orimolade arrived in Lagos on July 12, 1924 and lodged at Holy Trinity (Anglican) Church with the Sexton of the Church, Emmanuel Olumodeji from his hometown. He started preaching and praying for people all over Lagos in Nigeria. Many people in and around Holy Trinity sought after Orimolade for spiritual inquiry and counseling. He developed a reputation for seasoned preaching and fervent prayer and became known among the people as the "Baba Aladura" (Father that prays).
The prosperity and popularity of Moses Orimolade was not welcomed among the Anglican leadership and led to his ejection from the premises of Holy Trinity on 11 September 1924. This aroused the sympathy and support of people in and around the Church. They followed Orimolade out of Holy Trinity and thereafter to his places of residence. Orimolade called this group of supporters and sympathizers the "Aladura Band" and continued his preaching and prayer with them.
𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐃𝐒𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐋𝐀𝐃𝐔𝐑𝐀𝐒
Seperation from Anglicans On 18 June 1925 the Aladura Band was called to the rescue of an unconscious Methodist teenage girl, Abiodun Akinsowon, who had fallen into a trance when she tried to look into the chalice carried by the Catholic Archbishop on Corpus Christi public procession. Abiodun remained in the trance for 21 days in the care of the Aladura Band. She regained consciousness after 21 days and joined the Aladura Band. She became the first visioner in the band.
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐄 -𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐔𝐁𝐈𝐌 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐏𝐇𝐈𝐌
The name of the band was changed to the Seraph Band on 9 September 1925 by Moses Orimolade. The addition of Cherubim to the name was advised by spiritual injunction on 26 March 1926 to reflect the heavenly representation of the Cherubim and Seraphim. The band was fully formed and functional by the end of 1925. Moses Orimolade reigned as the Sole Founder and Spiritual head of the band from 1925 to 1933.
𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐈𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐃𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐈𝐍 𝐂 & 𝐒 𝐂𝐇𝐔𝐑𝐂𝐇
Abiodun Akinsowon led the evangelistic tours of the band from Lagos westward. She was sent to establish most of the early branches of the band in the west of Nigeria. She earned the appellation "Captain Abiodun" in the band. She was adored by Moses Orimolade and admired by many members of the band. Abiodun Akinsowon rode with Moses Orimolade in the hammock chair to the envy of many men and women in the band.
However, she was advised to step aside from the band in 1929 to form the Cherubim and Seraphim Society after she failed to convince Moses Orimolade to refuse the volunteer housekeeping services of a widow (Iya Ijesha) who had been healed in the band. The elders of the western Conference of the band declared independence and formed the Sacred Order of Cherubim and Seraphim following their futile effort to reunite Abiodun Akinsowon and Moses Orimolade.
In 1930 a committee of elders was chosen to draft the Article of Association in preparation for the incorporation of the band. The first draft of the Article of Association was rejected by Moses Orimolade because of a clause that transferred the executive power and control of the band to the membership of the band. Upset, the authors pulled out of the band in 1930 to form the Praying Band of the Eternal Sacred Order of the Cherubim and Seraphim under the leadership of Ezekiel Davies.
The northern Conference of the band continued on as the Holy Order of the Cherubim and Seraphim Movement. The Parent Body was registered and incorporated in 1930 as the Eternal Sacred Order of the Cherubim and Seraphim (ESOC&S), with Moses Orimolade alias Baba Aladura as the Sole Founder and Spiritual Head "ALAGBA".
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