Brief history of Baptist College of Theology, Obinze.
The Baptist College of Theology, Obinze was founded in 1960 by Russell and Veda Locke, missionaries of the Southern Baptist Convention working in the southeast of Nigeria. It began as the Baptist Pastors School in Owerri to provide theological preparation for persons who felt called by God into the ministry. In 1964 two other pastors’ training schools initially based at Port Harcourt and Joinkrama, both in present Rivers State, south-south Nigeria were merged with the school in Owerri and a new name was adopted namely Baptist bible College, Owerri.
In the difficult days of civil war in Nigeria (1966-1970) the College became a mobile school as Baptist people in eastern Nigeria fled from the war front. As a result, classes were taught at Ugirike Baptist Church in Ikeduru and later moved to Eziobodo Baptist Church. Pastor S. Okoname and Rev. I.B. Nwaosu served as Principals during this period of movement.
After the war in 1971, the school resumed again at Owerri and once again under the leadership of Rev. R.L. Locke. In 1986, under Rev Z. Don Reece, the College began preparations for moving to its permanent site at Obinze on the land donated by the Umuezimeka family of Umuagam Obinze and the movement was completed in 1988 under the leadership of Rev Urban Green. The College that had been offering certificate level programmes was approved to begin Diploma programmes in 1999 by the Ministerial Training Board of the Nigerian Baptist Convention. This change of status brought about a change of name to Baptist College of Theology, Obinze. In 2003 approval was also given for the Bachelor’s Degree programme of the College to takeoff in affiliation with the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary, Ogbomoso.
The Baptist College of Theology, Obinze completed affiliation with the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State in 2006 for the award of the University’s Bachelor of Arts degree in Religious and Cultural Studies. This programme was accredited in 2009 by the National Universities Commission after the College satisfied the Commission’s rigorous accrediting requirements.
The College is a member of the West Africa Association of Theological Institutions (WAATI) and the International Council for Higher Education (ICHE) based in Bangalore, India. The College operates under the proprietorship of the Nigerian Baptist Convention. Students from other Churches, however, do attend this College under the sponsorship of their denominations. Several international students have also studied at the College.
The Baptist College of Theology, Obinze Owerri is affiliated with the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary, Ogbomoso, which is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Theological Education in Africa (ACTEA). The Baptist College of Theology, Obinze, is also affiliated with Bowen University, Iwo, Nigeria, for the award of the Bachelor’s degree in Religious studies.
Some of the principals and Rectors who have led the school include R. L. Locke, Bob Parham, Urban Green, Robinson Oteh, A.K. Nodu, Coy Sample, Z. Don Reece, Ray Ash, Mike Shockley, C.T.T. George, John Enyinnaya, Kenneth Enyubara and currently Reuben Ishaya Chuga.
