Society seeks N100m to refurbish 107-year-old cathedral

 Robert Egbe

THE Cathedral Friendly Society (CFS) is seeking N100 million to refurbish the African Church Arch-Cathedral Bethel in Lagos Island.

The Arch-Cathedral Bethel, whose construction began in 1913, was designed to replicate London’s St Paul’s Cathedral in Nigeria.

The CFS was founded in 1940 and is one of the main societies of the African Church in Nigeria and abroad.

It is seeking to restore the Cathedral as part of activities marking its 80th anniversary on October 15.

CFS President, Chief Chris Okunowo, Vice President, Col Akinsola Aboyade-Cole (Retd) and the church’s Provost, Ven Adebayo Ologun represented by Canon Olawale Ajanaku, made the disclosure at a meeting in Lagos.

Okunowo said the society focuses on improving the church both physically and non-physically.

It donated a three-storey building to the church 10 years ago at the society’s 70th anniversary and has also donated terrazzo floors for the church hall, pews, choir desks, etc, he noted.

Okunowo said the society hoped to further uplift the church this year by carrying out more refurbishment and providing more facilities.

The anniversary activities, the CFS exco explained, would hold in four quarters between March and October.