They often attributed natural ailments to supernatural causes and resorted to mystic cults to appease the unknown spirit, before applying medicine to the sick person. Hope Masterson Waddell. 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. Henry Townsend. They had to speak through few interpreters who did not have sufficient education to interpret correctly. Accessed February 26, 2021. . In the Western Region, the Catholic Sisters running a hospital at Eikwe specialized in maternity cases, and like Slessor in Nigeria succeeded in stamping out the practice of killing twins at birth. *Igbobi College, Lagos, (Anglican) 1932; She succeeded in stopping the killing of twins in the areas where she served. Here is the list of the early schools, mission, private or government owned. In January 1956, however, the five men were killed by members of the tribe as they approached them in person for the first time with the hopes of sharing the gospel. At the time, the Waodani were one of the most violent known people groups on earth, who regularly practised homicide and fiercely defended their territory against those wishing to exploit the rich Amazonian land. *St. Gregorys College, Obalende, Lagos, 1928; Evans Brothers, Ltd. London. Miss Alice Olstrander (SIM Teachers Training College, Igbaja) 2. Mzuni Press, 2018. In 1964, he became the first black Bishop of the Anglican Communion. To enjoy our website, you'll need to enable JavaScript in your web browser. So, when talking about the impact of Christianity in Nigeria, we should mention how the helped them advance this area. Will the actions of orthodox Anglicans be as strong as their words post-Kigali? *African Church School, Kajola, Ifo, 1943; They were martyrs who offered up their lives for the Gospel. He was an American missionary with the Southern Baptist Church. After an unsuccessful beginning by the society of African Missions (SMA), this missionary body moved into other territories in what is now Liberia, Ghana and Nigeria. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:19-20). God the Creator of all, including time, has packaged everything in this world in time. A new era began with the settlements of Black Christians from Nova Scotia in Sierra Leone in 1787 and the missionary advance inland from Cape Town beginning with the arrival there of J. T. van der Kemp in 1799. Be the first to get hottest news from our Editor-in-Chief, Check your email and confirm your subscription. One of them, Philip Quaque, returned in 1765 as an ordained priest. Earlier in 1846, the Rev. No doubt, we shall continue to be in the dark, unless God leads us into His light. Conversion progressively became something imposed rather than suggested; the way Christianity was teached seemed very alien to them. Jim Elliot was among a group of US missionaries who felt called to share Christ's teaching with the Waodani tribe in Ecuador in the 1950s. He is considered to have laid the foundation for Christian witness in tropical Africa. You can learn more about it, as many historians found this subject matter interesting too. Etherington, Norman. Another important fact about this region is that to the West of the territory Nigeria has today, people were often enslaved or involved in slavery which came to this land in the seventeenth century. While the Evangelical Presbyterian missionaries were the First to develop literature in Ewe, the Roman Catholics were responsible for Nzima literature. Babalola, E. O. Christianity in West Africa. She was rejected by the China Inland Mission after failing to pass the necessary exams, but agreed to work for a 73-year-old missionary, Jeannie Lawson, who was looking for a young woman to carry on her work in the country. The first attempts to bring Christianity to the area where the modern country is today date back to the 1470s and 1620s. Arnold, 1986. Europeans were seen as ruling Africans both in political and ecclesiastical matters'' (Falae). They believed in juju, magic and witchcraft. In the 19thh century, too, Afro-Brazilians returned to Benin and Nigeria with Catholicism. Bishop of Smyrna. However, with time, they brought some crops, which they cultivated and which sustained them. In Sierra Leone, among the earliest higher institutions which the C.M.S. Within ten years of Father Bergheros visit, the Roman Catholic Church in Nigeria had become so well established that it ceased to be under administration from Dahomey. The first context was that of the Islamic raids which got so popular that people not always could escape from it and choose what they wanted to believe in. In . Establishment of Christian Churches In Nigeria. Daystar Press, 1978. In conclusion, the converts tended to look down upon many things in their ancestral culture. *Eko Boys High School, Lagos, 1913: Shaw, Mark. 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. The people in Nigeria had their traditions which they believed and worship God. When Lawson died, Aylward ran the mission alone. The History of Christianity in West Africa. New missionary societies (the LMS, the CMS, the Holy Ghost Fathers, the White Fathers, etc.) 2 (1983): 116-143. "This is indeed the valley of the shadow of death to me," Carey wrote at the time. The Church of Nigeria is the second largest province in the Anglican Communion after the Church of England. Cohn Teaguefirst American missionariesto Sierra Leone, Devotional writer and promoter of missionary awakening(South Africa), Slavery abolished throughout British colonies, Indian pioneer in educational and medical missions, Norwegian missionary to Swaziland (South Africa), William Henry Shepherd (African American), Canadian missionary to China and Indonesia, Literacy pioneer and missionary (Philippines), Founder of SIL/Wycliffe and missionary to Guatemala, 1991 - 2023 Eternal Perspective MinistriesAll Rights Reserved. The Roman Catholic Sisters provided medical care in the Upper and Northern Regions of the country before the government started to provide hospitals and clinics in the regional and district headquarters. Kalu, Ogbu. 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). In the days of Portuguese contacts with Nigeria, Catholic priests had established missionary stations in Benin and the neighbourhood. COVID-19: FG says children under five dont have to wear face masks, here's why. Before the missionaries came to Nigeria, there were no Christians in the country. *Etinan Institute, Etinan, Akwa Ibom: 1915; The story of Africa. 1813-1873. The following are notable Christian missionaries: These are missionaries who predate the Second Council of Nicaea so it may be claimed by both Catholic and Orthodoxy or belonging to early Christian groups. The birth of the Christian Church in the Northern Nigeria. *Barewa College, Zaria, 1921; PROBLEMS FACED BY THE CHRISTIAN MISSIONARIES. The first batch, who came out between 1804 and 1806, included pioneer missionaries like Renner and Nylander. It is doubtful that many of the early missionaries were well, if at all, prepared for this aspect of their mission. Mission Africa - Katie Morrison Katie Morrison is a missionary with Mission Africa in Nigeria. In 1892, the Church Missionary Society opened the Iyi Enu Hospital in Onitsha which is today a leading hospital in Anambra state. From that time on, the first Christians took the Gospel to all the ends of the world including the places where Nigeria is now. They helped them promote better situation with the translation and literature in the state to help them keep up with the rest of the world. Finally, they established new missions to keep up the good work. Among the early Protestant evangelical societies founded in Great Britain were the Baptist Missionary Society, the Church Missionary Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, the Wesleyan Missionary Society and what became known as the Presbyterian Missionary Society of the Church of Scotland. These trends occasionally brought kings into conflict with the missionaries and their converts. Here is the list of the early schools, mission, private or government owned. He is also reputed to have helped Rev. Mexico 130.83. Paul, a former persecutor of the Christians, became one of the most influential leaders in the mission movement after he experienced a dramatic conversion to the faith. J. G. Christaller produced a Twi Grammar and Dictionary. The Church had its strongest hold in the Senegambia area. However, there were at least 250 other ethnic groups who were either Muslims or adherers of other religions. Christian family to appeal after court dismisses school Pride parade complaint, British public don't want a secular coronation, poll finds, Relic of crucifixion cross to be used in King Charles' coronation, Challenged by the faith of those who suffer. Noble were the exertions, labour and sacrifice that went into giving Nigeria foundational materials Gov. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. He was among the missionary staff involved in mission work in Nigeria between 1944 and 1948. EVANGELICAL MOVEMENTS AND MISSIONARY SOCIETIES IN THE ENGLISH COLONIES. church were founded in south-eastern Nigeria, the chief centres being Bonny and Brass. They were able to successfully establish churches in Ibesikpo. Nigerians back US, UK over ban on election riggers, say it should be extended to their family members. Baker Pub Group, 1996. *Methodist Boys High School, Lagos, 1878; *St. Theresa College, Ibadan, 1932; By the 1970s a lot of missionaries cam to Nigeria to help spread the Christianity here. People accepted Jesus Christ but still had the mentality impacted by the indigenous religions. Tinubu said in his administration workers will find a dependable. Thomas Birch Freeman - Anglo-African missionary and colonial official in West Africa Francis Dunlap Gamewell - chief of fortifications, Boxer Rebellion, China Mary Ninde Gamewell - American missionary in China; writer Mary Porter Gamewell - American missionary in China George Richmond Grose - missionary to China Henry Townsend, were co-principals of the C.M.S Female Institution of Lagos from 1871 until 1872. She was a missionary of Scottish origin with the United Presbyterian Church. The Methodists founded Mfantsipim (1876) for boys and Wesley Girls High School (1884). Today, I want to briefly share with you how God leads. *Ijebu-Ode Grammar School, Ijebu-Ode (Anglican), 1913; West African Senior School Certificate Examination. From the beginning of the world, the Lord has decreed that there will always be the season of harvest. 1931. This fact only proves what God said about those who will persecute those loving Jesus. Noble were the exertions, labour and sacrifice that went into giving Nigeria foundational materials for human capital development, which provided the building blocks for our social and economic development, cultivation of refinement and civilization. As a result, many African converts began breaking away from European churches and forming their own. But in 1800, he baptised his first convert to Christianity, and over more than 20 years went on to translate the Bible into dozens of major Indian languages and dialects. NUUT Co. Ltd. Kumasi, Ghana, 2011, Baarkinado. Between the period of 1841 and 1900, the Church Missionary Society of the Church of England, the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society from England, the French Catholic Society for African Missions, the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland, and the Southern Baptist Convention of the United States, carried out missionary expeditions of significant success in the then Niger Area, presently regarded as Nigeria. *Ibo Boys High School, Uzuakoli, (CMS), 1923; *Adeola Odutola College, (Old Olu-Iwa College), Ijebu-Ode, 1945; Andreas Riis, assisted by a team of West Indian evangelists, laid the foundations of the Basel Missionary Church in the country. A short history of education in British West Africa. She was a missionary with the Christian Reformed Church who arrived in Nigeria in January 1920. The American Episcopal Evangelical (A.M.E.) Zion Church owes its foundation in Ghana to Bishop J. Bryan Small, who started work first at Keta in 1898. The topic of our focus is, BEHAVING WISELY. It is lifted from 1 Samuel 18:14,15 and 30. In spite of the division, the parent Methodist missionary church played an important role in the history of Christianity in Sierra Leone. He was a missionary under the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod that carried on missionary work in Ibesikpo between 1944 and 1948. Hastings, Adrian. Interdenominational Faith Missions in Africa: History and Ecclesiology. In 1925 the Governor introduced measures which helped the efforts of the missionaries. Hope Waddell was later joined by the Rev. His efforts were successful in Great Britain, so in the 1840s the country sent three huge ships with people who were supposed to bring peace and establish healthy trading relations with people living in the Niger state. They were replaced in Sierra Leone by the Holy Ghost Fathers in 1864, who made converts in large numbers not only among the pagans but also among the members of the then competing Christian churches. 70-155/160. The people received the message with indifference. *Government Secondary School, Ilorin, 1914; Falae, Vivien. Europeans were not only curious to explore the lands but also the native people. Porter, Andrew. Africa and the Winder World 3. The Roman Catholic Church was also able to build a permanent stations in Lagos, Lokoja, Abeokuta, and Idaban. In Ghana the Presbyterians were pioneers in reducing Ga and Twi into writing. Hope Waddell started pioneering work, in 1846, in Calabar. 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However, were here to serve everyone without cost, so please dont feel obligated to give unless the Lord leads. Thus, as early as 1823, the Roman Catholic sisters started a clinic for the sick and for children in Banjul. READ ALSO: Soyinka is unfair, Christianity is a peaceful religion - CAN, How 2 useless presidential candidates will emerge in 2023 - Sanusi goes prophetic. The Methodists founded the Boys High School in 1874, and another high school for girls six years later. They believed in sacrifice to make money and do many other things like killing of twins. The early African converts to Christianity, were made to abandon their ancestral culture and way of life as pagan therefore to be shunned. Also, Christian missionaries in Ghana were as zealous as their counterparts in Nigeria in pioneering medical services. Thanks to their faith and hard labor here, around 45% of all the population in the area became Christians. Groundless fears that the converts would become contaminated with paganism led some of the Christian missionaries, notably the Presbyterians, to separate the Christians from the rest of the township. He furthermore continued his missionary expeditions, moving to Badagry and later to Abeokuta, whereafter he returned to the United States due to failing health. A history of African Christianity 1950-1975. Crampton, Edmund Patrick Thurman. But the funds and other needed materials even when available could not reach their station in time. In 1950 Albert Academy was founded in Freetown; for-a long lime it was the secondary school in the Colony serving largely children from the provinces, among them were the future heads of state, Sir Milton Margai and Dr. Siaka Stevens. https://www.legit.ng/1145690-history-christianity-nigeria.html. Bebe Golf Ranch. Unfortunately, a lot of conflicts, sometimes even military ones took place here and in between the tribes. Today 49% of the Nigerian population is Christian. This article will answer your questions. *Dennis Memorial Grammar School, Anambra, 1927; Other difficulties the early Christians 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. Renewed evangelisation started when the Basel (later known as Presbyterian) missionaries started work at Osu (Accra). The Portuguese were the first to introduce the Christian faith into West Africa but following their departure from the West Coast in the mid-seventeenth century, the Christian religion survived only in Upper Guinea where a bishop was maintained in the Cape Verde Islands serving also a part of the mainland. He became known as the "Apostle to . In Proverbs Chapter 3, the wise man admonished us to acknowledge God in all our ways. After ordination in England in 1843, he returned to Abeokuta, and he and his wife Sarah Townsend remained until 1867. The story goes that in 1787, he suggested that all Christians had a duty to share the gospel around the world, after which he was told: "Young man, sit down. 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. Originally a freed African slave from Freetown, Sierra Leone of Yoruba ancestry, was instrumental in the establishment of Christian missions in Nigeria. 2 Timothy) are used to provide aid without requiring conversion. As a predominantly Roman Catholic country, France encouraged Roman Catholic missionaries right from the start of her colonial activities in West Africa. 2: Trans-Saharan Trade. A German missionary with Church Missionary Society, he arrived in Badagry on March 25, 1849. *Hope Waddell Training Institute, Calabar, 1895; The missionary traveler David Livingstone (1813-1873) believed that the slave trade could only be suppressed by a combination of Christianity and trade. 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. He saw no conversions for seven years, his son Peter died of dysentery and his wife's mental health deteriorated rapidly. station in 1858, it was not until 1889 that the missionaries entered Hausaland, which was predominantly Muslim. 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. In 1858 the Rev. churches were firmly established in several important towns, such as Abeokuta (1846), Lagos (1851), Ibadan (1853), and Oyo (1856). The Presbyterians, also, opened hospitals in several parts of the country, including the one at Agogo in Asante-Akyem. non-slave trade), Christianity, Civilization and Colonization. Ministry/Place of Ministry. Early missions conducted by Roman Catholics were short-lived. Other sources mention that this number is around eighty-five million. He worked zealously as an evangelist and schoolmaster in the Castle School until his death in 1816. Christianity in northern Nigeria. With the support of the Propagation of the Faith within the Vatican, whose Cardinal Secretary became Pope Gregory XVI, various Roman Catholic missionary societies were founded. Catholicism in Nigeria. 2 Longman Group Ltd. London 1974, Ampadu B.K Notes on History of Ghana for Senior High Schools. That God called me to China and I went in spite of utmost opposition from all my loved ones. Besides education, they cared for the sick. He started this massive campaign in the Great Britain stating that African slaves should be freed. The Methodists, known as the Wesleyan Missionaries (after their founder), arrived in Freetown in 1811. However, the first fruit became possible, as the Americans and British decided to free the slaves. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2004. History books tended to exaggerate in achievements of Europeans, making no reference to Africans own great past. 1877 - James Chalmers went to New Guinea; 1878 - Mass movement to Christ in Ongole, India. Hilliard, F.H., 1957. To supplement these missionary efforts in the field of higher education, the government opened its own secondary school in Lagos in 1909, this was Kings College. The first missionaries in the Western regions were Methodists and Baptists. He introduced the Methodist Church in Asante in 1839, and won the support of the Asante king. Baptists. The identity of each is easy to decipher. Two important private schools with strong Christian influence must also be mentioned: Accra High School, founded in 1923 and Accra Academy, established in Samuel Adu-Gyamfi And Benjamin Kye Ampadu, Ajayi, J..F.A and Michael Crowder History of West Africa. Similar organizations were formed in several other European countries. Also, the traditional doctors more often than not could not diagnose illness accurately. The vast majority of the people of The Gambia are Moslems; but a sizeable percentage of the population, especially in and around the capital Banjul, are Christians. He set up a mission chapel in the Ijiaye area and another mission outpost at Ogbomosho. Hope Waddell of the Church of Scotland had opened a school at Duke Town, Calabar. Among several others, the native Bishop Ajayi Crowther produced the first translation of the Bible in Yoruba. The challenge for Christian missions was of two kinds: (l) to stop the spread and influence of Islam in Africa; and (2) to win Africa for Christ before it was too late.. Lastly, the missionaries were not used to eating our local foods. 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. With collaborations with other missionaries like William De Graft, he built a Mission house and Chapel, which was completed in November 1842. In 1845 the C.M.S. Prior to advent of the Christian missionaries and indeed well into the pre-independence period, most sick people depended for cure upon concoction herbs and roots and barks of trees. Slessor suffered from serious bouts of malaria and other tropical diseases, and was forced on more than one occasion to return to Scotland to recover. began work in many parts of Africa. Missionaries who served at Igbaja from 1950-2000 1. Through hard work and persuasion she succeeded in stopping the practice among the people of killing twins. Also the missionaries set up model farms where scientific agriculture was taught and new crops were introduced for the people, to go alongside longstanding indigenous production. From the second half of the eighteenth century, a fervent wave of evangelical spirit developed in the United Kingdom, Europe and the New World which inspired men and women with the missionary fervour to found religious societies whose members would go out to Africa and the other lands. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. REPORT: How COVID-19 increased child labour in Lagos state (parents, children share experiences), READ ALSO: Meet Footballers Who Converted To Christianity From Islam. They were followed in turn by the Methodists and the Roman Catholics. In the beginning of the 19th century, Christian missionaries were launched with unprecedented vigor to Africa. James Fieldhouse, produced a Wolof Grammar in 1876. He travelled extensively from east to west . * St. Charles College, Onitsha, 1929; She participated in establishing mission presence in Abeokuta for over two decades. This instruction in 1948 developed into the University College in Ibadan. The Church of Scotland started missionary work in the area of Calabar. John G. Christaller (described as the Father of Twi Literature) produced a Twi grammar and dictionary, a collection of Twi proverbs, a Twi translation of the Bible as well as prayers and hymns. (Gen. 8:22) May this indeed be the season of harvest for us all. The work of the missionaries also had little success initially. Missionaries were used by the colonial power as an avant garde, to expand into new regions, a fact keenly . He later transferred to the Congo, and explored the Congo river with Thomas Comber, finding locations for mission stations. This was the work of the great missionary, Thomas Birch Freeman, who placed two missionaries, Mr and Mrs. de Graft, in charge of the school. The first school in Nigeria was started by the Methodist missionaries at Badagry in 1842. Undeterred, however, he founded the Baptist Missionary Society five years later in 1792, preaching a message during which he said one of his most famous quotes: "Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God".
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