•The new Officers of The Salvation Army, Nigeria Territory
The Salvation Army, Nigeria Territory, yesterday in Lagos ordained and commissioned 18 new officers (pastors) with the rank of Lieutenants.
It was a four-day programme of events which commenced on Thursday, August 20, 2026 with Covenant Service and culminated in a colourful and exciting Ordination & Commissioning yesterday.
Conducted by the Territorial Commander (National Leader), Commissioner Friday Ayanam and the Territorial President of Women’s Ministries, Commissioner Glory Ayanam, the programme was attended by officers, soldiers and friends from across the country.
The Frontier reports that the 18 commissioned officers had undergone a two-year training at the organisation’s Officers Training College (OTC) under the tutelage of the Training Principal, Major Ifeanyi Obi and his staff.
•The new officers with the Leaders
Commissioned as officers of The Salvation Army yesterday were nine couples of the “Keepers of the Covenant” session namely, Cadets Tochukwu & Peculiar Kwebuka, Cadets Ugochukwu & Favour Onyekwere, Cadets Clement & Victory Adonye, Cadets Paul & Hannah Fabunmi, Cadets Wilfred & Sylvia Godwin, Cadets Francis & Roselyne Edem, Cadets Elisha & Grace George, Cadets Clement & Faith Benson, and Cadets Essien & Felicia Nsikak.
In his charge to the new officers, the International Leader of The Salvation Army, General Lyndon Buckingham, said in part, “Today is a special day indeed. A day of a sacred celebration. A day of Thanksgiving as well as expectation. A joyfully holy day…Your session name is deeply meaningful. ‘Keepers of the Covenant’, that name itself is a promise – a vow to hold to the truths and tenets of your covenant.
“Our Officer Covenant declares, ‘Called by God to proclaim the gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ as an officer of The Salvation Army, I bind myself to him in the solemn covenant: To love and serve him supremely all my days, to live to win souls and make their salvation the first purpose of my life, to care for the poor, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, love the unloved, and befriend those who have no friends, to maintain the doctrines and principles of The Salvation Army, and, by God’s grace, to prove myself a worthy officer’.
“…May God be with you as you begin your ministry as officers of The Salvation Army.”
The last segment of the programme yesterday was recognition and appointments of the newly commissioned officers to the field.
•The newly commissioned officers
Witnessed by the jam-packed hall, the Territorial Commander, Commissioner Friday Ayanam assured the new officers in his message that, “When God calls you and you respond, Heaven backs you up”. But he also warned that, “When you function outside your calling, grace is absent. The dangers of calling are not enemies outside but decline in spiritual devotion to Christ”.
The national leader prayed that the new ministers of the Gospel will go out there and perform optimally and win souls for Jesus.
The programme was backed up by the renowned Brass Band of the largest denomination known internationally for its humanitarian services.
Also featured were the Songsters and the colourful Timbrelists Brigade, among many others.
In a chat with The Frontier after the programme yesterday, the Territorial Public Relations Secretary (TPRS), Major Daniel Ekong, said that The Salvation Army was founded in 1865 by William and Catherine Booth in east end London. It adopts military terms and ranks in its operation which spreads across over 132 countries of the world covering Europe, America, Canada, Australia, Asia and Africa.
Its mission, said Ekong, is “To preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.”
