In furtherance of plans to build more houses of the Lord in Nigeria, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has unveiled sites of proposed Lagos Nigeria Temple and Nigeria Benin City Temple.
According to the Church, the Lagos Nigeria Temple will be built in a site bordering Rummens Road and Bourdillon Road, in highbrow Ikoyi, Lagos.
The temple, which will be a one-storey building, will stand on a 2.7-acre land. The compound will also house an arrival centre and patron housing.
The Lagos Nigeria Temple was announced in October 2018 by the Church’s president, Russell M. Nelson, who turned 99 recently.
The Church’s release said the Benin City Nigeria Temple will be a two-storey on 16 Commercial Avenue, Benin City, the capital of Edo State. The temple will stand on a 2.17-acre land, which will also have an arrival centre and patron housing.
The Benin City Nigeria Temple was announced in April 2020.
The Church said that the dates for the groundbreaking (foundation laying ceremony) of the two temples would be announced later, while Church leaders in Lagos and Benin City work with government officials towards the commencement of construct in due course.
Nigeria currently has a functioning temple in Aba, Abia State, which was dedicated in 2005 by former president of the Church, Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008).
At the time the Aba Nigeria Temple was dedicated, it was the third in Africa, after Johannesburg, South Africa, and Accra, Ghana temples.
Barely one year ago, the Church announced plans to build another temple in Eket, Akwa Ibom State, the fourth in Nigeria.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was established in Nigeria in 1978. At present, there are more than 220,000 members across the country.
The establishment of the church in Nigeria came 148 years after it was founded in 1830, in New York United State of America by Joseph Smith.
The Church’s teachings centre around God and his son, Jesus Christ, with its beliefs outlined in the “Article of Faith.”
The Church’s Article of Faith states:
1
“We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.
2
“We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression.
3
“We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
4
“We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
5
“We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.
6
“We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.
7
“We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth.
8
“We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.
9
“We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.
10
“We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.
11
“We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.
12
“We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.
13
“We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.”
