Rev.Thomas Ogunbiyi was an honorable member of the Legislative Council (MLC) and the most distinguished commander of the British Empire (BE). He was a creative innovator and spiritual leader in the church. For example, he brought the harvest festival celebration to the Anglican Church in 1910 A.D. at Holy Trinity Church, Ebute Metta in Lagos State.
When Ogunbiyi established the Lagos Keswick Convention in 1913 AD, he was the one who initiated the first public Christian revival services. Through Ogunbiyi, Nigerian churches united to establish the Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN) in 1943 AD at Onitsha, with the participation of all notable churches at the time, including The Methodist church (Wesleyans then), CMS (church missionary society) known then as Anglican, the Baptist church and the salvation Army Church.
He belonged to Lagos City’s Ogboni Ibile group, a participant in the Osugbo cult in Ijebuland and an Ogboni aborigine in Abeokuta. During his life, Reverend T. A. J. Ogunbiyi visited many places, including Asia, Jerusalem, Egypt, and England. He spoke Hebrew, Yoruba, Arabic, and English with ease. His guests.
His familiarity with Hebrew and Arabic languaes aided in his comprehension of the Bible and the Christian sociocultural context. Ogunbiyi founded the Reformed Ogboni Society, was the first Olori Apena of the fraternity, and served as the vicar of Breadfruit Church in Lagos.
