Agnes Okoh was an illiterate Igbo woman who, in 1947, founded Christ Holy Church International, an African Independent Church in Nigeria.
Agnes founded the church after she said she repeatedly heard a voice asking her to study Matthew 10:10, a verse in the Bible.
It was difficult for her to read the Bible verse since she was lacking in formal education. She then made consultation through which she got the inspiration to start a ministry, which she did by preaching daily armed with the Bible and a bell around the Enugu Market.
READ ALSO: We are happy - Ohanaeze Ndigbo reacts to withdrawal of quit notice to Igbos in the north
While doing this, she discovered that she was gifted to prophesy and see visions. She also had the power to heal people and this was how she became an inspiration and mentor to twelve evangelists.
With these evangelists, she started a praying group in Onitsha and, over the years, this metamorphosed into the church.
The church, which is nicknamed Odozi-obodo, has blossomed to become an international organisation. According to a 2006 statistics, it had at least two million members some parts of Nigeria and had established branches in Ghana, Togo, Liberia, Kenya, Republic of Benin, and Ivory Coast.
In Lagos, it has several branches with one located on Number 4 and 6 Dosumu Street in Mushin.
With this expansion, the church developed strategies for checks and balances. It is now made up the general overseer, four bishops and 13 superintendents.
PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigeria’s #1 new app
As its vision keeps expanding, the church now has schools in villages and towns. It also creates skills acquisition centres and partners with the Good News Theological College and Seminary, located in Accra, Ghana.
Meanwhile, watch this video of the alleged apparition of Jesus Christ in Lagos: