The Primate of the Church of the Lord Worldwide, His Holiness, Most Reverend Dr Rufus Okikiola Olubiyi Ositelu has been elected as the President of the World Council of Churches (WCC) for Africa.
This was made public by the Director of Media and Public Relations of the Church, Reverend (Mrs) Olubunmi Badejo in a Press Statement today.
Primate Ositelu becomes the first African from an African Instituted Church and the first Nigerian to occupy the exalted and esteemed position.
The WCC is a fellowship of three hundred and fifty two (352) member churches in over a hundred and twenty (120) countries representing over five hundred and sixty (560) million christians all over the world.
The 11th General Assembly of the WCC with the theme “Christ Love moves the world to reconciliation and unity” started on August 31st 2022 and ends on September 8th, 2022 in Karlsruhe, Germany.

The full text of the Press Release as e-signed by Rev (Mrs) Olubunmi Badejo.
The Primate of The Church of the Lord (TCL) Worldwide – His Holiness, The Most Rev. Dr. Rufus Okikiola Olubiyi OSITELU has been elected as the President of the World Council of Churches (WCC) for Africa by delegates at the 11th WCC General Assembly on September 5th, 2022 in Karlsruhe Germany.
Dr. Ositelu is the first African from an African Instituted Church and the first head of Church in Nigeria to occupy the exalted and esteemed position of WCC President for Africa since it was formed in Amsterdam Netherlands in 1948. He is the incumbent and fourth Primate of The Church of the Lord (TCL) Worldwide, a great ecumenist, he was the former Vice President of the Christian Council of Nigeria.(CCN).
He has also served successfully as a member of WCC central committee – the highest decision making body of the WCC. The Church of The Lord was one of the very first African Instituted Churches to be admitted as a member of WCC about six decades ago.
As a visionary Leader, he has taken TCL to greater heights.
Other regions with newly elected presidents include Asia, Caribean and Latin America, Europe, North America, Pacific, Eastern orthodox and Oriental orthodox.
The WCC is a fellowship of 352 member churches in over one hundred and twenty (120) countries representing over five hundred and sixty (560) million Christians all over the world. It was formed to work for the reunion of all Christian churches and to establish a united Christian presence in the world. The 11th General Assembly with the theme: “Christ love moves the world to reconciliation and unity” started on August 31st 2022 and ends on September 8th 2022 in Karlsruhe, Germany.