On March 18, 1907, Dr. George Green and his wife, Lydia Green, arrived in Ogbomoso to begin Baptist medical work in the town. Their arrival marked the start of a medical mission that would grow steadily over the decades and eventually become the institution known today as Bowen University Teaching Hospital.
George Green was London born, though he and Lydia travelled to Nigeria from the United States under the Foreign Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. At the beginning of the twentieth century, missionary societies frequently combined medical care with Christian evangelism. The idea was simple, providing treatment for illness created opportunities to build relationships and share religious teaching.
When the Greens reached Ogbomoso in 1907, the town already had a Christian presence through earlier Baptist missionary activity. What it lacked, however, was organized modern medical care. Green’s arrival filled that gap.
From marriage in America to a mission in Nigeria
The journey that brought the Greens to Ogbomoso began shortly after their marriage in Norfolk, Virginia, on January 9, 1907. After travelling through Richmond, they departed New York on January 19 aboard the steamship Carmania. Their voyage took them across the Atlantic by way of Liverpool before they reached Lagos on March 4, 1907.
From Lagos they continued inland through Yoruba territory until they arrived in Ogbomoso on March 18. The journey marked the beginning of a long missionary commitment that would stretch across nearly four decades.
George Green had been appointed the first medical missionary to Africa by the Foreign Mission Board in November 1906. His medical training made him particularly valuable to the mission, as trained physicians were scarce in missionary work in West Africa at that time.
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A hospital that began inside a home
The medical mission in Ogbomoso began in modest circumstances. The Greens first used their own residence as the place where patients received treatment. The mission house served as both their family home and the earliest centre of Baptist medical work in the town.
Patients gathered outside while waiting to be seen, and a shade tree in the yard became an informal waiting area. Inside the house, Dr. Green examined patients and dispensed the medicines available to him.
Medical care was offered without charge. Green believed strongly that the medical mission supported the broader purpose of Christian ministry, once describing medical work as “an auxiliary to evangelism.”
As the number of patients increased, the work quickly outgrew the mission house. In 1909, the medical work moved into another building. The upper floor served as the residence for the Green family, while the ground floor became the hospital. As demand for treatment continued to grow, additional thatched wards were constructed to accommodate male and female patients.
The emergence of a permanent hospital
By the early 1920s the medical work had grown far beyond its early improvisation. The first purpose built hospital structures were dedicated on July 4, 1923. This marked the transformation of the early mission clinic into a permanent medical institution serving Ogbomoso and surrounding communities.
Over time, the hospital became widely known as Baptist Medical Centre, Ogbomoso. The institution would later grow further as Baptist healthcare and training expanded in the town.
The development of nursing education also became part of this growth. The establishment of the Baptist School of Nursing helped strengthen the hospital’s role in training healthcare workers who would serve across the region.
George Green beyond the consulting room
Although George Green’s primary role was medical, his influence extended far beyond the consulting room. He also served in important leadership roles within Baptist mission work in Nigeria.
In addition to treating patients, he preached, travelled between mission stations, and participated in the organization of Baptist institutions. His work connected medical service with church leadership, education, and mission administration.
This combination of responsibilities made him a significant figure within the early Baptist community in Nigeria. His influence extended through church structures, mission networks, and educational institutions.
Recognition in Ogbomoso
Green’s work earned him deep respect in Ogbomoso. Historical records preserve an honorary Yoruba title associated with him. Some sources record it as Baasegun of Ogbomoso, meaning the chief medicine man of Ogbomoso. Other records preserve a similar rendering, Baba Onisegun.
Although the wording varies slightly across historical accounts, the meaning remains clear. The title recognized his dedication to healing and his long service to the people of the town.
Such recognition reflected the close relationship that developed between the missionary doctor and the community he served.
Nearly four decades of service
George and Lydia Green served in Nigeria for about thirty seven years. Mission records place George Green’s service between 1906 and 1945, while Lydia’s service spanned from 1907 to 1945.
Their long stay allowed the medical mission in Ogbomoso to mature into a stable institution. Generations of patients passed through the hospital during those decades, and the reputation of the medical mission spread across the surrounding region.
After many years of service, George Green eventually returned to the United States. He died on November 26, 1962, at the age of ninety. Lydia Green died on January 2, 1967.
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From Baptist Medical Centre to Bowen University Teaching Hospital
The institution that began in a missionary residence continued to grow long after the Greens’ lifetime. Over time it developed into Baptist Medical Centre, Ogbomoso, a key healthcare institution in the region.
In December 2009, the hospital entered a new phase of its history when it became Bowen University Teaching Hospital. This transformation strengthened its role in medical education while preserving its long Baptist heritage.
Today the hospital stands as a reminder of the humble beginnings of organized Baptist medical work in Ogbomoso and the lasting impact of the missionary couple who first began that work in 1907.
Author’s Note
The story of Dr. George and Lydia Green shows how enduring institutions often begin with small, determined efforts. In Ogbomoso, their medical mission started in a family residence with limited equipment and a clear sense of purpose. Through years of steady service, that modest clinic grew into a respected hospital that continues to serve thousands of people today. Their legacy is not simply the hospital buildings that exist now, but the tradition of compassionate medical care that began with their arrival in the town more than a century ago.
References
Bowen University Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, History
International Mission Board, Dr. George Green and Lydia Green
Dictionary of African Christian Biography, Green, George Jr.
George Green Baptist College, Ogbomoso, institutional history note
