On Sunday, 23 August 2026, at Love of Christ Generation Church in Victoria Island, Lagos, Rev. Mother Abimbola Esther Ajayi was installed as Grand Matron of the Girls’ Brigade, while Senior Prophet Tayo Ajose, General Secretary of the Unification Church, was honoured as Grand Patron during a colourful parade celebrating Christian service, discipline and leadership.
The ceremony brought together members of the Girls’ Brigade, church leaders and invited guests for an occasion that placed particular emphasis on service, mentorship and the responsibility of guiding younger people through faith.
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Ajayi’s installation was the central moment of the gathering. The formal presentation of the Grand Matron title recognised her commitment to Christian service and her reported support for the development of the Girls’ Brigade.
Ajose also received recognition during the ceremony, with his appointment as Grand Patron acknowledging his support and encouragement of the organisation.
Speaking at the event, Ajose said the recognition of Ajayi was a source of pride for the Cherubim and Seraphim Church.
“The Cherubim and Seraphim Church is proud of the Girls’ Brigade for recognising Rev. Mother Abimbola Esther Ajayi’s continuous dedication to the things of God,” Ajose said. “This appreciation and recognition award is very important and special.”
For Ajayi, the new role was presented less as a personal distinction than as an opportunity to contribute further to the development of young women.
“I am deeply honoured to be entrusted with this role as Grand Matron of the Girls’ Brigade,” Ajayi said.
Ajayi added that the organisation represented “discipline, faith, and service” and pledged to support its members as they develop into leaders capable of carrying Christian values into different areas of society.
The coordinated parade provided a vivid expression of those values. Members demonstrated precision, teamwork and discipline, turning the ceremonial display into one of the day’s memorable moments.
The significance of the appointment also sits within a much longer history of Girls’ Brigade work in Nigeria.
According to the organisation’s historical material, the movement began in Nigeria in 1942 through the work of Marjorie Burrough, an SIM missionary who started a Girls’ Brigade group with eight girls in the northern part of the country.
The organisation subsequently developed into a structured youth movement with different age groups and leadership levels.
Internationally, the Girls’ Brigade traces its origins to 1893 in Dublin, Ireland, and developed as an interdenominational Christian youth organisation focused on helping young people grow through faith, service and practical responsibility.
That background gives the Lagos ceremony a wider context. The appointment of a Grand Matron and Grand Patron is not simply ceremonial; it reflects the importance placed on experienced figures who can offer guidance, encouragement and institutional support to younger members.
The event also offered a reminder that recognition within faith-based organisations often carries an expectation of continued service.
Ajayi’s acceptance remarks reflected that emphasis, with her calling for strength to build a generation grounded in love, excellence and dedication to Christian work.
Recent reports from The Guardian, Vanguard and other Nigerian publications independently confirm the central details of the ceremony, including Ajayi’s installation, Ajose’s appointment and the parade at Love of Christ Generation Church.
For the Girls’ Brigade, the occasion therefore combined celebration with a renewed focus on its longstanding values.
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For Ajayi and Ajose, the honours place them in positions where their influence can extend beyond the ceremony itself, particularly through mentorship and continued support for the organisation’s work with young women.
David Okere is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering business, governance, public affairs, and human-interest stories with a commitment to accuracy, balance, and public interest reporting.
