I knew then what it was to be 'born again,' and the Bible which had been so dry to me before, became everything. In due course leprosariums and orphanages were built to supplement their medical services. https://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/africa/features/storyofafrica/index_section8.shtml, https://bethanygu.edu/missions/missionary-involvement-in-nigeria/. Similar developments were carried out by the missionaries in other Nigerian languages, Efik, Kanuri, Igbo, etc. In Nigeria, one of the lasting works of the C.M.S. Check your inbox to be the first to know the hottest news. Bamgboye & Company Press, 1976. . This is when conversion numbers started to rise and more locals became keen to this new religion. However, the early missionaries established medical centres, at first at their mission posts, and later far and wide, to attend to the sick. The only woman on board that ship was 29-year-old Mary Slessor, a missionary. Henry Townsend who went from Sierra Leone to Badagry in 1842 in his company was the Rev Ajayi Crowther. Arnold, 1986. In 1858 the Rev. James Fieldhouse, produced a Wolof Grammar in 1876. She was a wife to Thomas Birch Freeman and was part of the missionary expedition to Nigeria. church were founded in south-eastern Nigeria, the chief centres being Bonny and Brass. What is the impact the Christianity had in the state? Church history, history of Christianity, religious history: some reflections on British missionary enterprise since the late eighteenth century. Church History 71, no. *Ibo Boys High School, Uzuakoli, (CMS), 1923; People accepted Jesus Christ but still had the mentality impacted by the indigenous religions. They also prescribed many taboos which, in the light of modern medical science, had no relation whatever with the illness being treated. 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. A history of Christianity in Ghana. He was a missionary of the Christian Missionary Society of the Church of England that arrived in Nigeria in 1843. They came with craftsmen who rebuilt . Babalola, E. O. Christianity in West Africa. Originally a freed African slave from Freetown, Sierra Leone of Yoruba ancestry, was instrumental in the establishment of Christian missions in Nigeria. The first batch, who came out between 1804 and 1806, included pioneer missionaries like Renner and Nylander. 1.898 Billion worldwide. The Church had its strongest hold in the Senegambia area. However, despite all the efforts of the Portuguese missionaries, there was not much fruit from this. Some progressive Europeans, like the first principal of Achimota College, Rev. Of the moment he met God for the first time, he said: "right then and there joy and peace came into my soul. Polycarp. Like the Methodists, the Roman Catholic missionaries spread the faith notably in the interior, which later became Protectorate. Bishop of Smyrna. Under a very convivial atmosphere, the Busy Bee Society of Ebenezer Baptist Church, Lagos, recently handed over a N40 million project comprising a library, a science laboratory and borehole to Ebenezer Baptist Academy in Oshorun, Ibeshe, Lagos State. Great were the thoughts that went into establishing Mission Schools. The birth of the Christian Church in the Northern Nigeria. *Methodist Boys High School, Lagos, 1878; Ministry/Place of Ministry. Two missionaries serving in Nigeria currently are Katie Morrison with Mission Africa & Youth with a Mission (YWAM). This is what we can state about the situation with the Christianity in Nigeria and the impact it has on the population. 1877 - James Chalmers went to New Guinea; 1878 - Mass movement to Christ in Ongole, India. Success followed the efforts of the pioneer missionaries. non-slave trade), Christianity, Civilization and Colonization. Longman Nigeria Plc., 1994, Boahen, A.A. et al Tropics in West Africa History. The Story of Africa| BBC World Service Evans Brothers, Ltd. London. 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. Baker Pub Group, 1996. By the 1800's, various parts of Nigeria had a rooted Catholic Mission presence. Hope Waddell of the Church of Scotland had opened a school at Duke Town, Calabar. The CMS began to work in the freed slave villages in Sierra Leone in 1804 and the Methodist in 1811. Predominantly Muslim territory, the North received western education later than the South. History books tended to exaggerate in achievements of Europeans, making no reference to Africans own great past. Hilliard, F.H., 1957. The impact of Christianity on West African society has persisted to this day. It was not until 1909 that the government opened a teacher training college and a technical school in Accra. *Methodist College, Uzuakoli, 1923; In 1845 the C.M.S. *Anglican Girls Grammar School, Lagos, 1945. In Proverbs Chapter 3, the wise man admonished us to acknowledge God in all our ways. 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. Miss Alice Olstrander (SIM Teachers Training College, Igbaja) 2. Africa and the Winder World 3. In the field of education, however, the missionaries had to adjust their programmes to fit in with the policy of assimilation. Christianity in Nigeria was first introduced in the 15th century by Portuegese Catholic priests during the Age of Exploration. The Roman Catholics established their first secondary school, St Augustines, at Cape Coast in 1936. The good news for the Christianity is that Islam did not come to this region until in the 1970s the civil war broke out. 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. Yemi Osinbajo reveals why FG is not planning to increase taxes, Bulus Y. Galadima and Yusufu Turaki explored the spread of Christianity of Nigeria in the work they called Christianity of Nigeria.. Joseph Dunwell. As happened in other territories, the Christian missionaries did not confine their work to the spread of the gospel alone. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2004. Mission Schools Opened World to Africans, but Left an Ambiguous Legacy 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. She championed women's rights, and set up a mission hospital for the local people. The original Yaba College in Lagos has grown into a polytechnic. Porter, Andrew. COVID-19: FG says children under five dont have to wear face masks, here's why. Wm. Its message was that of love and the universal brotherhood of mankind. 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. Catholic, Protestant, and Anglican missionaries were all trying to convert the native African people, often coming into conflict with one another. The couple later transferred to Lagos to become co-principals of the Christian Missionary Society (CMS) from 1871 till 1872. Debrunner, Hans Werner. 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. 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). He married her, and was later re-engaged by the society. Ekechi, Felix K. Colonialism and Christianity in West Africa: The Igbo Case, 19001915. The Journal of African History 12, no. She was a missionary with the Christian Reformed Church who arrived in Nigeria in January 1920. You can learn more about it, as many historians found this subject matter interesting too. And for our independence and banished ignorance, for broadening minds so we could recognize liberty and freedom. *Holy Rosary College, Enugu, 1935; 1813-1843. In many missions, doctrines like the Doctrine of Love (p.L. The people in Nigeria had their traditions which they believed and worship God. 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. The expansion of the missionary movement into Africa was part of the growing conception of Christian responsibility for the regeneration of African peoples. He furthermore continued his missionary expeditions, moving to Badagry and later to Abeokuta, whereafter he returned to the United States due to failing health. Within a short time the missionaries spread their activities inland. Soon after, in 1835 they moved up to Akropon on the hills in Akuapem, where the pioneer missionary the Rev. They came into cities like Benin and Warri where they preached Christianity. Christian Missions in Africa: Primary Sources - Mission Records But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. Almost all the missions in West Africa faced financial problems in the early stages of their missionary work. Missionaries who served at Igbaja from 1950-2000 1. churches were firmly established in several important towns, such as Abeokuta (1846), Lagos (1851), Ibadan (1853), and Oyo (1856). To enjoy our website, you'll need to enable JavaScript in your web browser. These included the Basel Missionary Society, founded in Switzerland, and the Breman Mission formed in Germany. 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. The Church of Nigeria is the second largest province in the Anglican Communion after the Church of England. This instruction in 1948 developed into the University College in Ibadan. David . The late Eighteenth Century witnessed the rise of Christian groups in Europe that resorted to the evangelization of Africa. However, there were at least 250 other ethnic groups who were either Muslims or adherers of other religions. The history of this religion actually roots back to the days when Jesus commanded to take the Good News that He saves those believing and trusting Him to the ends of the world. . As you probably know, Nigerian is home to people from two major religions: Christianity and Islam. An American missionary with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod(WELS) began the preparatory work for WELS in Nigeria, alongside his wife in 1936. She encouraged womens rights and protected children, notably, in the abolition of infanticide of twins in the Efik regions. *Queen of the Rosary College, Onitsha, 1942; . Christianity reborn: the global expansion of evangelicalism in the twentieth century. 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. History. There were related organizations that sprang up in Scandinavia, Holland and the USA. Mission Africa - Katie Morrison Katie Morrison is a missionary with Mission Africa in Nigeria. But the equality of believers is an idea. The training college later became part of Achimota College. If youve been impacted by our resources, we invite you to make a year-end gift before December 31. The glory of our Church!". Here is the list of the early schools, mission, private or government owned. The pastors of the Church Missionary Society, from Badagry and later from Sierra Leone, visited these Christian communities in Abeokuta and other towns. A notable example, in Ghana, was the Methodist experimental farm near Cape Coast whose crops included cotton, coffee, black pepper, mango, ginger, cinnamon and olive trees. Their luggage and other necessities had to be carried on heads and took a long time before reaching the missionaries. Hope Waddell started pioneering work, in 1846, in Calabar. The first secondary school in the East was Hope Waddell Training Institute, Calabar, now Cross River State capital. She reached Nigeria for the first time in 1876. *Ibadan Boys High School, Ibadan, 1938; Here, the history of Christianity turns its new page in the 1840s. They lived in China for 10 years, but moved back to the UK due to ill health, before serving in India at a church in Ootacamund. *CMS Grammar School, Lagos, 1859; While the protestant evangelical movements were gaining ground in West Africa, similar movements were being promoted by the Roman Catholic Church in Europe. 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. 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. 1813-1873. Get the hottest stories from the largest news site in Nigeria, BREAKING: Photos emerge as president-elect Tinubus ADC assumes duty, Bride-to-be insists friend must shave hair for fear she will upstage her on wedding day, List of new courses NUC approves for Nigerian universities, "How much did you spend?" 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). A History of West Africa, Cambridge University Press, 1969, Fynn , J. K and R. Addo-Fening History for Senior Secondary schools. Longman Group Ltd. London and Basingstoke, 1986, Fage, J.D. Ages enduring gratitude the nation owes them all. Next, branches of the C.M.S. But the funds and other needed materials even when available could not reach their station in time. THE COMING OF CHRISTIANITY IN NIGERIA (I) - ClassNotes.ng 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. Besides education, they cared for the sick. Here are ten ways missions has impacted Africa. "Missionaries and other white Christians were alarmed by the idea that the equality of all people before God means they should be equal in public life. 4,039 Total People Groups. A notable example was the Asafo Company, a purely military and social organisation of the peoples of Ghana, which was condemned by the early missionaries because of its presumed connection with fetish practices. Calabar and the neighbouring communities were the areas she performed her missionary work. The tropical climatic condition in the country was not favourable to the early missionaries who came to the shores of West Africa. Being ignorant of the significance of certain institutions and practices of the people of West Africa, and occasionally being misled by their over-zealous followings into wrongly interpreting the peoples heritage, the missionaries compelled pupils in their schools and docile adult converts to shun their own ancestral practices. Poju Oyemade: Biography, Career and Lots more, Fathia Balogun: Biography, Career, Movies & More, Prospa Ochimana Biography, Career & Lots More, Aliko Dangotes Private Jet: What We Found Out, Liz Benson: Biography, Career & Other Details. 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. She also adopted a number of orphans, leading around 100 to safety during the Japanese occupation, and became known as 'i Wi D', meaning 'Virtuous One'. From 1937 until her demise in 1838, she carried on evangelical duties within West Africa. As a result of such unstable situation, the Christian missions only got here in the 1840s. 1991. 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. *Adeola Odutola College, (Old Olu-Iwa College), Ijebu-Ode, 1945; 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. 3 (2002): 555-584. The high temperatures coupled with high rainfall patterns in some parts of the country experienced during the daytime, made the missionaries stay indoors, which slowed down their activities. These pioneer mission schools met with a discouraging response. *Government College, Ibadan, 1927; He saw no conversions for seven years, his son Peter died of dysentery and his wife's mental health deteriorated rapidly. Renewed evangelisation started when the Basel (later known as Presbyterian) missionaries started work at Osu (Accra). He also founded Serampore College to train local ministers. In 1876 the college became associated with Durham University in England, which awarded degrees to students of the college. In the 19th century more stable missions were sent into Nigeria as European nations gained tighter control over their African colonies. Oates, Joan. Waterville Pub. These included the Baptist missionaries who under the American evangelist, Thomas Bowen, started work from Ogbomosho in 1855. CONTRIBUTION OF CHRISTIANITY TO WEST AFRICA. Africa Christian Press, 1996. A Anglican missionaries in Nigeria (8 P) M Mormon missionaries in Nigeria (7 P) P Protestant missionaries in Nigeria (5 C, 8 P) R Roman Catholic missionaries in Nigeria (20 P) *Kings College, Lagos, 1909; Creative man builds fine house with mud and sticks, video goes viral on TikTok, BREAKING: Kano new emirates have come to stay, Ganduje sends strong reply to Kwankwaso, How to reset GOtv after payment: 4 quick and easy ways for resetting, Christina Randalls biography: age, height, net worth, prison, Top 30 funny text messages you can send to your friends, Top 20 common weeds in Nigeria every citizen should know, Unique nicknames for guys: 200+ cute, cool, and funny names with meanings, Airtel data plan: how to buy, plans, bundles, guidelines (2023), 100+ cool nicknames for boys and girls that are pretty impressive, Top 30+ best funny jokes for girls in 2023: Impress them, "Queen of Afrobeat": Tiwa Savage emerges only African artist to perform at King Charles' Coronation, 'N75 per litre': Beer, Tokunbo cars, phone calls, others to get more expensive as FG introduces new taxes, "N4bn Daily": Rabiu beats Aliko Dangote as Nigerian top 3 billionaires' wealth rises by over N184.1bn in April, "More money": Dangote, other cement producers in Nigera record over N600bn revenue in 3 Months, "I just buy curtain rod": Nigerian lady rents fine room, packs in without furniture, dances to celebrate. Another important German missionary was Wilhelm Johannson, better known by the English version of his name, William Johnson, who is revered in the history of the CMS in West Africa. Dr & Mrs H. Henry Budd (the third Principal of ECWA Theological Seminary, Igbaja) 3. This fact only proves what God said about those who will persecute those loving Jesus. 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". This page is not available in other languages. Born in Aberdeen in 1848, Mary Slessor became missionary to Nigeria under the United Presbyterian Church's Foreign Mission Board. According to ot the Nigeria Christian Fellowship, there are at least seventy million people who consider themselves Christians.