They were followed by other major missionary bodies, including the Methodists and the Roman Catholics. *Methodist College, Uzuakoli, 1923; The story of Africa. With collaborations with other missionaries like William De Graft, he built a Mission house and Chapel, which was completed in November 1842. NUUT Co. Ltd. Kumasi, Ghana, 2011, Baarkinado. Another important missionary doctor was J. R. Stephen who for many years headed a missionary hospital at Ilesha. As a missionary of the Scottish Presbyterian Church, he arrived in Calabar in 1846. Perhaps the greatest service of the missionaries was the promotion of western education and the development of vernacular literature. Great were the thoughts that went into establishing Mission Schools. * St. Charles College, Onitsha, 1929; To provide the clear understanding of how this religion came to Nigeria, we have to mention that the state we know today was divided into several regions which had their own social and economic conditions which either stimulate the spread of it or prevented it from it. https://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/africa/features/storyofafrica/index_section8.shtml. Kaffraria (South Africa), 1885-1908. Nigerians back US, UK over ban on election riggers, say it should be extended to their family members. He was assigned to Cameroon by Carey's Baptist Missionary Society in 1874, and three years later his wife, Mary, died just 11 months after they'd married. In the 17th century, the Roman Catholic missionaries found their way to Nigeria. In his twenties, he served in the China Inland Mission, where he married missionary Priscilla Livingstone Stewart. Pastor Douglas Weiser accepts the call to be a visiting missionary to Nigeria after visiting since 1997 and serving as WELS Liaison to the field from 2002 to 2014. His missionary expeditions took him to Egba, Abeokuta, and Dahomey(a Kingdom that existed in present-day Benin from 1600 until 1904). The CMS began to work in the freed slave villages in Sierra Leone in 1804 and the Methodist in 1811. New missionary societies (the LMS, the CMS, the Holy Ghost Fathers, the White Fathers, etc.) This was because all the ships that came to the coast at that time were owned by trading firms and companies whose interest were basically on trade. Fiedler, Klaus. A new attempt to spread Christianity was made when the Church Missionary Society (CMS) arrived from Britain in 1821. Malaria once turned Africa into the "missionaries' graveyard" as many European missionary personnel and families perished planting the Gospel in the Continent in the 19th century . Missionary Involvement in Nigeria. For several years they paid attention to slave trade rather than evangelization and Christianization of the people of West-Africa. The early Christians saw an especially urgent need to spread their faith before the second coming of Christ, which they believed was imminent. The Church of Nigeria is the second largest province in the Anglican Communion after the Church of England. What Are The Impacts Of Missionaries In Nigeria? Catholic missionary efforts on the shores of Nigeria began with an initial attempt by Portuguese missionaries in the 15 th and 16 th centuries. ), Father Auguste Moreau and Father Eugene Murat, arrived at Elmina and revived the Roman Catholic Church in Ghana. God the Creator of all, including time, has packaged everything in this world in time. Later, Prisilla and the couple's four daughter stayed in England, while Charles worked in Central Africa until his death in 1931. He was a missionary under the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod that carried on missionary work in Ibesikpo between 1944 and 1948. In spite of the division, the parent Methodist missionary church played an important role in the history of Christianity in Sierra Leone. At the same time, the first missionaries in the East were Catholics and Presbyterians. The Church of Scotland started missionary work in the area of Calabar. The early African converts to Christianity, were made to abandon their ancestral culture and way of life as pagan therefore to be shunned. https://www.legit.ng/1145690-history-christianity-nigeria.html. In a solidarity message to mark International Workers' Day, he said his administration would leave no stone unturned to put in place measures aimed at empowering the Nigerian workers. History of the church in Africa: a survey. Reels 12-14 cover correspondence concerning the return of German missionaries to the stations in West and East Africa after World War I . Despite the violence and persecution which follows those not supporting Islam in the different area but opt for Christianity or staying away from any religion, the number of Christianity adherers constantly grows. *Barewa College, Zaria, 1921; In 1859, the first newspaper in Yoruba, called the Iwe-Irohim, was published by the missionaries. Mexico 130.83. In the later 19th century, the immense African interior remained the principal object of the Catholic Priests, and from 1867 until his death in November 1892 Cardinal Lavigerie planned the planting of churches in Africa South of the Sahara. During the same period, the Student Missionary Movement was beginning to have a strong influence on the need of global evangelization in North America and Europe. The History of Christianity in West Africa. In the 19thh century, too, Afro-Brazilians returned to Benin and Nigeria with Catholicism. Please click this link to download the chapter. West Africa, 1919-1925. Thus, the first missions came to this area around the same time the trade and colonialists came here too. Among these were the Congregation of the Holy Ghost (commonly known as the Holy Ghost Father), the Society of African Missions (SMA), the Society of Missionaries of Africa, popularly known as the White Fathers because of the white Muslim-like clothing which the Fathers wore, and the society of the Divine Word (SVD, abbreviated from its Latin name). During 1859 and 1860, when native attacks were resumed, the work of the Mission virtually came to a standstill, and in 1861, when MacGregor Laird died, nearly all the trading . For the West Africans, the acceptance of Christianity meant the total rejection of most of the cherished institutions upon which their society rested. The Niger areas were first touched by the Christian missionaries thanks to the effort of Sir William Wilberforce who fought for the freedom of the slaves. As a result of such unstable situation, the Christian missions only got here in the 1840s. Their converts, for many years, were confined to the people of southern Nigerian extraction resident in the north, and to the-large non-Muslim population of the north. The early European Christian missionaries in West Africa experienced a number of difficulties, some arising from factors outside their control and others of their own making. As a missionary of the Christian Missionary Society, he wrote hymns and translated the Bible into the Yoruba language. The others include the British and Foreign Bible Society in 1804, which was tasked with the responsibility of promoting the translation and printing of the Holy Bible. I knew then what it was to be 'born again,' and the Bible which had been so dry to me before, became everything. Earlier in 1846, the Rev. They relied very much on their home churches for their funds. opened, in Freetown, the first boys secondary school in the country and another for girls in 1849, later renamed the Annie Walsh Memorial School. Slavery: An Unlikely Catalyst In the fifteenth century, Christianity came to Africa's coastlines through forts established by European slave traders. *Adeola Odutola College, (Old Olu-Iwa College), Ijebu-Ode, 1945; West African Senior School Certificate Examination. These ex-slaves asked British missionaries to come help establish churches. Check your inbox to be the first to know the hottest news. A lot of epidemics and viruses claimed lives of people living here. The only woman on board that ship was 29-year-old Mary Slessor, a missionary. However, by the turn of the Nineteenth Century there was systematic efforts by churches of Christian Europe, namely: Anglicans, Methodists, and Baptists who were active in Sierra Leone and, with Presbyterians, in Nigeria, while Methodists also set up missions in Ghana, Gambia, and Dahomey. Both in England and North America, the theme, "The Sudan, the worst manned mission field in the whole world" was beginning to ring louder and louder in many missionary conferences, especially the Keswick conventions in England and later Canada. You can learn more about it, as many historians found this subject matter interesting too. Registered in England and Wales 5090917, Christian Today, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN, Persecuted Christians read Bible for first time in their own language after 182 year wait, Meet the Christian woman who adopted EIGHT children from a Russian orphanage, Watch the amazing moment six Christian converts get baptised in the Amazon, The man who converted Ireland: 10 things you might not know about St Patrick, God is on the move in the broken Anglican Communion, Church of England bishops urged 'to step back from the brink' on same-sex blessings, Lessons for today from the Salem Witch Trials. *Queen of the Rosary College, Onitsha, 1942; Other difficulties they faced were the problems of the many languages and dialects and their ignorance of the true meaning of the various cultures, beliefs, values and ways of life of the people whom they set out to convert to Christianity. My only joys therefore are that when God has given me a work to do, I have not refused it.". These missionaries are our glory! Accessed February 28, 2021. Originally a freed African slave from Freetown, Sierra Leone of Yoruba ancestry, was instrumental in the establishment of Christian missions in Nigeria. Henry Townsend. Many of them came to faith. Bebe Golf Ranch. She was a missionary of Scottish origin with the United Presbyterian Church. It started first among the Yoruba recaptives who had embraced the Christian faith while in Sierra Leone (freed from slave trading ships by the British Royal Naval Squadron), and who returned home between 1839 and 1845. Thomas Thompson, arrived in Cape Coast in 1752. Ekechi, Felix K. Colonialism and Christianity in West Africa: The Igbo Case, 19001915. The Journal of African History 12, no. Legit Nigeria. He introduced the Methodist Church in Asante in 1839, and won the support of the Asante king. *Edo College, Benin, 1937. "One of the most prominent people that were largely responsible for the Christianisation of Nigeria is Samuel Ajiya Crowther, a former slave of Yoruba origin. This is a list of early missionaries in Nigeria: He was part of the first British Government sponsored Niger Expedition of 1841. They were closed down in 1852 in favour of schools opened in Lagos which, in 1851, had one time British control. Up until the 19th century, European missionaries were not especially successful. It is important to emphasize that the modern history of the Christian Mission in Africa started from the late Eighteenth Century, the Catholics had been there earlier in the first centuries of the Christian era especially during the first Portuguese adventures. Meanwhile, the research by the Pew Research Center that same year showed at least 52% Muslims, 46% Christians, and 1% non-religious individuals. Kalu, Ogbu. Oates, Joan. Thus as early as 1823, the Roman Catholic Sisters started a clinic for the sick and for children in Banjul. *Ibadan Boys High School, Ibadan, 1938; He was among the missionary staff involved in mission work in Nigeria between 1944 and 1948. They also prescribed many taboos which, in the light of modern medical science, had no relation whatever with the illness being treated. 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Soon after the Methodist experiment, the church Missionary Society set up their own school at Badagry. About the same time, the Church of Scotland (Presbyterian) headed by the Rev. 1931. opened was the Christian Institute, established in 1814 for the training of teachers, catechists and priests. Polycarp. The oldest secondary school in Nigeria, it was founded on 06 June, 1859. BREAKING: Edo 2020: Oshiomhole finally breaks silence, reveals why he was moved to tears on election day. Textbooks were heavily biased towards western ideas and values. In Sierra Leone, among the earliest higher institutions which the C.M.S. Ben Ayade came late. Their converts increased steadily in numbers until 1821 when a section broke away to form the first independent African, Christian church in West Africa, called the West Africa Methodist Church. 70-155/160. And yet the Asafo provided most of the services which a community needed: protection against military attacks, communal services, etc. Development of Education in Sierra Leone. Important among these, all in Lagos, were the Baptist Academy in 1855, the C.M.S. Trans Britain: are the numbers really adding up. The glory of our Church!". This made it difficult for the early missionaries to stay in the country for long. Hastings, Adrian. 2017: Pastor Weiser retires in June, and Missionary Jeff Heitsch is called to serve Nigeria half-time from Cameroon. From the 15th Century until the 17th Century, the efforts to evangelize made by the French, Portuguese, Catholic-controlled Italian Government, and missionary bodies in the Benin and Warri areas were futile and resulted in catastrophe. *Wesley College, Elekuro, Ibadan, 1905; In due course leprosariums and orphanages were built to supplement their medical services. Success followed the efforts of the pioneer missionaries. Europe in those days looked upon Africa as the Dark Continent with very primitive civilizations, and most Europeans refused to adapt their religion to suit the local situation. Nevertheless, when Christianity came here around the same time it did to the Western part, it met no obstacles in spreading.It It is important to realize that the religions in Nigeria were all influenced by the common traditionalists beliefs and superstitions. The Quote from a decent work on the history of Christianity in Africa can help you gain a better understanding of what the missionaries work there looked like as well as what goals these people had. Hope Waddell started pioneering work, in 1846, in Calabar. He married her, and was later re-engaged by the society. In the beginning of the 19th century, Christian missionaries were launched with unprecedented vigor to Africa. The early missionaries set up craft centres as part of their educational programmes. However, the discovery of quinine and other curative medicines in the late 19th century made the history of the missionary work in West Africa a different thing altogether. Henry Townsend, were co-principals of the C.M.S Female Institution of Lagos from 1871 until 1872. Accessed February 27, 2021. African people did not have to give up their cultural identity in order to follow something Western and foreign. Soon after the start of elementary schools, the missionaries started opening higher institutions also. But they were unable to convert the kings and traditional rulers as these leaders were only interested in the guns and mirrors the Europeans offered them. *St. Gregorys College, Obalende, Lagos, 1928; This is when conversion numbers started to rise and more locals became keen to this new religion. https://bebegolf.com/history/. Burns & Oates, 1979. Nigeria 213.53. Today, I want to briefly share with you how God leads. ", When he decided to give up sport to pursue a career as a missionary, he said: "I know that cricket would not last, and honour would not last, and nothing in this world would last, but it was worthwhile living for the world to come.". Another missionary whose memory is revered in Nigeria was Mary Slessor, she arrived in the country in 1876, and for many years worked assiduously as a missionary nurse. After earlier unsuccessful attempts by the missionaries Chretien Proten, Henrick Huckuff and Jacobus Capitein, the Anglican, Rev. This is what we can state about the situation with the Christianity in Nigeria and the impact it has on the population. The achievement of the purpose of these Christian Missions came with some costs. The writer gives us not only melodious measures, but also valuable truths. Well sustain improvement in workers welfare- Gov Yahaya, May Day: Tinubu assures Nigerian workers of better wage, social, economic justice, 9th Assembly has performed credibility well- Lawan, Gov. Ayades lifting of promotion embargo came late, says workers, May Day: I will pay you living wage not minimum wage, Tinubu tells Nigerian workers, Pomp as women group donates science lab, borehole to school. By the close of the nineteenth century the major Christian missionary churches had opened elementary schools in many part of southern Nigeria with an enrolment of about 74,000 by the First World War. In the early missionary literature, Nigeria and indeed Africa was characterized as one of the universal den of desolation, misery, and crime, and certainly, of all the divisions of the globe it has always had an unfortunate preeminence in degradation, wretchedness and woe (Coleman, 1986). The others include the French trading posts at Grand Bassam (Ivory Coast), Assinie and Libreville in Gabon. Senate President Ahmad Lawan, says the 9th National Assembly has performed credibility well in terms of delivering democracy dividends to Nigerians, since its inauguration in 2019. Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. (2 Timothy 3:12), Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange was happening to you. The education provided in schools in early days also tended to place great emphasis on the superiority of western culture. By the end of the Victorian Age, (1832-1900), missionary work had started already in other parts of the world, such as China, Japan, Korea, India, South Africa and other parts of the world, except the Sudan (Central Nigeria). This cannot be appreciated until we run our eyes through the list. Father Jean Marie Coquard, operating in and from Abeokuta for forty years, was renowned among the Egba as a priest and surgeon in the second half of the nineteenth century. The first missionaries in the Western regions were Methodists and Baptists. He started this massive campaign in the Great Britain stating that African slaves should be freed. For instance, in Ghana, it was in 1858 that Rev. Bangladesh 166.99. One of the most prominent people that were largely responsible for the Christianisation of Nigeria is Samuel Ajiya Crowther, a former slave of Yoruba origin. Randy was interviewed by his local church, Good Shepherd, for their annual Global Outreach weekend. Moreover, speaking through interpreters is a defective means of communicating ones thoughts to ones audience. To enjoy our website, you'll need to enable JavaScript in your web browser. The problems created by the white missionaries themselves arose largely from a misconception of what Africa represented. He was a missionary that participated in missionary work in Ibesikpo under the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod during the mid-1940s. READ ALSO: Soyinka is unfair, Christianity is a peaceful religion - CAN, How 2 useless presidential candidates will emerge in 2023 - Sanusi goes prophetic. Here are a few verses about it in the Bible. There were only bush paths, and no roads in the early times. The training college later became part of Achimota College. This article will answer your questions. Another important Catholic missionary in this area was the Irishman, Bishop Shanahan. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2004. As a result, many African converts began breaking away from European churches and forming their own. Missions cover: Nigeria and Gold Coast, 1919-1928. Christian missionaries believed that their dedication to Christianity would be enough for conversion. However, there were at least 250 other ethnic groups who were either Muslims or adherers of other religions. The first school in Nigeria was started by the Methodist missionaries at Badagry in 1842. Clarke, Peter Bernard. It was founded in 1895. Initially, a majority of the missionary journeys was done with English-Speaking Protestants and later, in the 1820s and 1830s, they were joined by continental Protestantism from Germany, Switzerland and France. Meanwhile, the Scottish missionary, Mary Slessor, had established a reputation in the Cross River area as a nurse. One of them, Philip Quaque, returned in 1765 as an ordained priest. She was a wife to Thomas Birch Freeman and was part of the missionary expedition to Nigeria. Ex-policeman who claims to be reincarnation of Jesus Christ finally arrested (photos). Their luggage and other necessities had to be carried on heads and took a long time before reaching the missionaries. Hope Waddell was later joined by the Rev. Christianity in Nigeria was first introduced in the 15th century by Portuegese Catholic priests during the Age of Exploration. *Baptist Academy, Lagos, 1885; As you probably know, Nigerian is home to people from two major religions: Christianity and Islam. Later on, she and her husband, Rev. Mzuni Press, 2018. Amazingly, Elisabeth and the sister of another of the missionaries, Rachel, were introduced to the Waodani just two years after their murder, and were invited to live among the tribe. James Fieldhouse, produced a Wolof Grammar in 1876. Here, the history of Christianity turns its new page in the 1840s. Secondary Schools in the Protectorate started later, following the establishment of Bo Government Secondary School in 1906. Thus, for instance, in 2008, the survey by one organization showed that there are at least 53% Muslims, and 45% Christians, while the other study demonstrated other numbers which were 50% Christians and 49% Muslims. *CMS Grammar School, Lagos, 1859; It was difficult for the European missionaries to communicate freely with the local people. Thomas Birch Freeman, son of a London-based West Indian father and an English mother. At the time, she was doing the unthinkable: being a single woman, in Africa, on the mission field. Longman Group Ltd. London and Basingstoke, 1986, Fage, J.D. Finally, they established new missions to keep up the good work. "At the turn of the [19th] century [CMS] had a staff of 1,300 missionaries, 375 local clergy, 1,000 local agents and teachers and an annual income of the equivalent of 20 million." ( http://www.adammatthew-publications.co.uk/digital_guides/cms_section_VII_parts_1_and_2/Publishers-Note-Part-1.aspx) Badagry was so receptive to missionaries at that time, so he moved to Abeokuta before finally settling in Ibadan in 1853, where he carried on preaching engagements and educating young children with the aid of his wife, Anna Hinderer. In Nigeria, one of the lasting works of the C.M.S missionaries was the development of literature in Yoruba. Hilliard, F.H., 1957. After he was ordained in 1849, he arrived in Nigeria later that year, particularly, Duke Town in Calabar, where he served as Head of Station of the mission until his retirement in 1891. CUP Archive, 1979. Debrunner, Hans Werner. They were able to successfully establish churches in Ibesikpo. They believed in juju, magic and witchcraft. British Prime Minister. The next year, he travelled to India with his family, but his struggles continued. Nevertheless, they say that the Northern states are where most Muslims live which Christians can be found mostly in the South of the country.
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