Thursday, March 22, 2012

Two New Stakes Created in Benin City, Nigeria

Two weeks ago, the Church created two new stakes in Benin City, Nigeria. The Benin City Nigeria Ugbowo and Benin City Nigeria Siluoko Stakes were organized from the Benin City Nigeria New Benin and Benin City Nigeria Ihogbe Stakes. The Benin City Nigeria Ugbowo Stake includes the following eight wards: The Adolor, Edaiken, Evbareke, Eweka, Okhoro, Oluku, Ugbowo 1st, and Ugbowo 2nd Wards and the Benin City Nigeria Siluoko Stake includes the following six wards: The Egor, Ogida, Orominyan, Uwelu 1st, Uwelu 2nd, and Uwelu 3rd Wards.

The Church has experienced rapid growth in Benin City. The first stake was organized in 1993 followed by additional stakes in 1997 and 2006. At present, there are five stakes in Benin City; more than any other city in Nigeria.  For more information on the background of LDS growth in Benin City including historical maps of congregations and an analysis of successes, opportunities, challenges, and future prospects for growth, refer to a case study I recently wrote for cumorah.com that can be found here.

There are now 20 stakes and 21 districts in Nigeria.