St. John's Anglican Church
Abuloma

The Good News of Jesus Christ was introduced to Abuloma in 1907 by Awokumaka Opuda of the Otopo House. By profession, Awokumaka was a fisherman who carried out his trade in Ifoko. He found his conviction in the Christian faith after attending Mattins at St. Andrew's Church, Bakana.

One evening, upon returning from his fishing expedition, he invited Daniel Nna Tamunoigoni, Simeon Iboku, and Igoni Opuda to his house. Informing them it was the Lord's Day, he instructed them to kneel and close their eyes to worship God. As he prayed, they mimicked him, saying "Amen" whenever he mentioned Jesus Christ. By the following Sunday, their number had increased to ten.

Aferwards, Awokumaka and his disciples liaised with neighboring believers at Okuru-Ama and Okujagu-Ama. They attended Sunday School and Mattins at Okujagu-Ama. When the tide was unstable, they worshipped at Okuru-Ama in the house of Punuma and later in the large sitting-room of Obie Opuda, which effectively became Abuloma's first prayer house.

The pioneer Christians were zealous, regularly marching through Abuloma in white tennis shoes as a symbol of their faith, stamping out paganism. In 1910, the community granted them a piece of land at Dueinta-Ama for devotions.

In 1911, the first church building was erected with Sam Gambo officiating as the Local Helper. By 1915, Revd. Max Cole (Superintendent Pastor of Okrika District) deployed Daniel Okuru as the first Church Agent/Teacher. He was historically succeeded by Harold E. Oriaku in 1916, who laid a profound spiritual foundation.

The District of Abuloma experienced immense growth over the decades. On December 30, 2003, Bishop Tubokosemie R. Abere pronounced Abuloma a Deanery, which was formally inaugurated on June 4, 2005.

Years later, a verification committee evaluated the infrastructural and spiritual preparedness of the Deanery for elevation. In a General Diocesan Board Meeting on November 18, 2010 at St. Augustine's Church, Ibaka, Bishop Abere officially announced the elevation of Abuloma Deanery to the status of an Archdeaconry, effective January 1, 2011. Today it serves as the vibrant headquarters overseeing several parishes.