Eniola Olayemi
Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Chairman (Southwest Region) Archbishop Magnus Atilade is dead.
The late Atilade, a chiropractor at St. Luke Chiropathy Centre, Ekololu, Lagos, died in the early hours of yesterday at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja.
The 76-year-old cleric was until yesterday, being treated for an undisclosed ailment for more than a month.
The former Gospel Baptist Conference of Nigeria and Overseas (GBCNO) President was the first registered alternative practitioner by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN).
He combined spiritual activities with his medical practices for which he was widely renowned.
“Bishop”, as he was fondly called, was pushing for the traditional medicine to be legally recognised. A dream he did not live to see with the bill still in its second reading at the National Assembly.
He founded and was the rallying-point for the Council of Physicians of Traditional and Alternative Medicine and worked on the unification of all traditional and alternative practitioners under National Association of Nigerian Traditional Medicine Practitioners (NANTMP).
NANTMP was established to serve as a voice and advocate to the local traditional medicine practitioners.
The deceased was a former Lagos CAN chairman with his administration adjudged as one of the best performing in the Christian body.
Under him, CAN got a secretariat, official bus and became more established.
He later founded the Christian Welfare Initiatives (CWI) through which he provided succour for the downtrodden across the nation.
The CAN described his death as a big loss.
Its National Vice President, Prof Joseph Otubu, described the deceased as a good man, whose contributions to the growth of the Christian community remained invaluable.
Otubu said: “It’s shocking to us in CAN. He was a good man, who contributed a lot to CAN. We will surely miss him massively.
“May the Lord comfort his family and CAN because this is certainly a big loss,” he said.
Lagos State CAN Chairman Apostle Alex Bamgbola said the deceased was a good man, who served God wholeheartedly.
He said: “He did the best he could do for the body of Christ. He was a great leader as a founding member of CAN in Lagos; he worked very hard for CAN in Lagos.
“We pray that the Lord will reward him with eternity.”
The secretary of the association, Dr. Israel Akinadewo, said the late Atilade was a good soldier of Christ, who stood for fairness and equity.
“Baba has done his best in fighting the cause of Christianity in the nation. I wish him eternal rest,” Dr. Akinadewo said.
The deceased’s Personal Assistant, Rev. Victor Ojebode, described him as an incredibly talented leader with a good heart.
Ojebode said: “He was more than a boss. He was a father with the interests of the masses and his subordinates at heart.
“This is a great loss and we will sure miss every good thing he stood for.”
The cleric left behind his widow, a former Chief Judge of Lagos, Justice Funmilola Atilade (retd) and three children – Adefemi, Adepemi and Adebunmi.
