list of missionaries that came to nigeria

Please click here to learn how. The story generated worldwide news coverage, and Elliot's wife, Elisabeth, has since written a bestselling book entitled 'Through the Gates of Splendor' about her husband's journey. Soon after the Methodist experiment, the church Missionary Society set up their own school at Badagry. They saw a way to incorporate the loving message of the religion with their own unique lives. A history of Christianity in Ghana. *Baptist Boys High School, Abeokuta, 1923; They brought educational programs to fight off the illiteracy through different educational programs and institutions. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:19-20). 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. began work in many parts of Africa. Oates, Joan. Interdenominational Faith Missions in Africa: History and Ecclesiology. In Sierra Leone, the Church Missionary Society (CMS), offshoot of the Anglican Church, was the first to become firmly established chiefly among the freed captive and freed slave settlers from Britain, Nova Scotia and other parts of the New World. This instruction in 1948 developed into the University College in Ibadan. The problems created by the white missionaries themselves arose largely from a misconception of what Africa represented. You are already subscribed to our newsletter! The anti-slavery issue and the humanitarian conscience also played a vital role in stimulating European interest in Africa and gave an impetus to mission work. 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The education provided in schools in early days also tended to place great emphasis on the superiority of western culture. Barely ten years later, after the first missionaries arrived, the Methodists, for example, had started a station as far inland as MacCarthy Island. Speaking at morning Mass in Rome, the Pope praised Christians who had given up everything to share their faith. Apart from the extreme south and the Horn, the interior was hardly touched by Europeans before the last quarter of the Nineteenth Century. Ajayi Crowther in writing hymns in the Yoruba language as well as publishing a Yoruba newspaper in 1859. Arnold, 1986. The Hope Waddell Institute is named after him. Samuel Adu-Gyamfi And Benjamin Kye Ampadu, Ajayi, J..F.A and Michael Crowder History of West Africa. There was also a growing number of Nigerian pastors and independent Nigerian churches at the time. 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. Catholicism arrived in the territory that would come to be known as Nigeria with Portuguese explorers in the 15th century, though their missionary efforts were largely unsuccessful and Catholicism virtually disappeared by the 17th century. Later on, she and her husband, Rev. *Offa Grammar School, Offa, 1943; The President-elect, Sen. Bola Tinubu, has assured Nigerian workers of a minimum wage, social and economic justice. It was first sited in Abeokuta before it was relocated to Lagos. Missionaries who served at Igbaja from 1950-2000 1. This is what we can state about the situation with the Christianity in Nigeria and the impact it has on the population. 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. West Africa, 1919-1925. Depending on the year of the survey conducted as well as the organization that conducted it, the numbers differ as well as the ratio of Muslims to Christians. The real success of Christian conversion came when freed Christian slaves began to return to Nigeria towards the end of the 20th century. Great were the thoughts that went into establishing Mission Schools. Evans Brothers, Ltd. London. Ben Ayade came late. 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. Mr & Mrs Jim & Doris Guth Custer (served at SIM Teachers Training College, Igbaja) 4. Another valuable contribution of the Christian missionaries in West Africa was the development of literature in the local vernaculars, this included the translation of the Bible into some of the important local languages. He was converted to Christianity along with his brothers while at Eton. Russia 146.02. In this chapter, we shall examine how Christianity and Western-style education influenced West Africans values, attitudes and life-styles. 1813-1843. Here is the list of the early schools, mission, private or government owned. Among several others, the native Bishop Ajayi Crowther produced the first translation of the Bible in Yoruba. The identity of each is easy to decipher. He furthermore continued his missionary expeditions, moving to Badagry and later to Abeokuta, whereafter he returned to the United States due to failing health. William Gladstone. Their luggage and other necessities had to be carried on heads and took a long time before reaching the missionaries. Check your inbox to be the first to know the hottest news. *St. Patricks College, Calabar, 1934; West Africa owes to the Christian missionaries not only a new religious faith which has changed the beliefs and life of millions of people, but also the foundation of western education. Falae, Vivien. In 1827 it grew into Fourah Bay College. President-Elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu has pledged to put in place a living wage for Nigerian workers. 1931. Several missionaries died at a youthful age due to the unfriendly tropical climate. Slessor saved hundreds of children during her time in Nigeria; even adopting one young girl as her own daughter. When Lawson died, Aylward ran the mission alone. 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. 2. She was a missionary of Scottish origin with the United Presbyterian Church. Other Roman Catholic hospitals were built in all the nine regions of the country; including those at Asikuma and Foso (Central Region), Akyem Swedru (Eastern Region), Berekum (BrongAhafo), Maase (Asante Region) and Anfoega (Volta Region). In his twenties, he served in the China Inland Mission, where he married missionary Priscilla Livingstone Stewart. These missionaries are our glory! The kingdom of God in Africa: A short history of African Christianity. The greatest problem faced by the early European Christian missionaries was, the tropical climate and health Hazards. Their greatest legacy in the field of education was the foundation which the Methodist laid for what is today the Gambia High school. 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. 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. These included the Basel Missionary Society, founded in Switzerland, and the Breman Mission formed in Germany. At the same time, the first missionaries in the East were Catholics and Presbyterians. Joseph Dunwell. He married her, and was later re-engaged by the society. Timeline of Great Missionaries (and a few other well-known historical and church figures and events) Dates. The work of the missionaries also had little success initially. Missionary activity in Nigeria cannot, of course, be viewed apart from the general European invasion of the West African territories from the advent of the Portuguese. *Olivet Heights, Oyo, 1945; Thus, in the South of Nigeria, mostly Yoruba and Edo groups were ruling and dominating. They also prescribed many taboos which, in the light of modern medical science, had no relation whatever with the illness being treated. He saw no conversions for seven years, his son Peter died of dysentery and his wife's mental health deteriorated rapidly. Noble were the exertions, labour and sacrifice that went into giving Nigeria foundational materials Gov. He also founded Serampore College to train local ministers. *Holy Rosary College, Enugu, 1935; 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. 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. Before 1925, there were only three secondary schools and three teacher training colleges in Ghana. The CSGC reports that "of the ten countries sending the most missionaries in 2010, three were in the global South: Brazil, South Korea, and India." Other notable missionary senders included. The Church Missionary Society established churches in several towns like Abeokuta, Lagos, Idaban, Oyo, and Benin. Longman Publishing Group, 1980. Meanwhile, at the same time, the Fulani and Jihadists forced people living in the North to support Islam. 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. But despite the work of Portuguese missionaries based on the island of Sao Tome and later of Spanish missionaries in Benin, it was not until the nineteenth century that the Christian religion was firmly established in Nigeria. For instance, in Nigeria, one of the first groups of missionaries to introduce organised medical services were the Roman Catholics. In the beginning of the 19th century, Christian missionaries were launched with unprecedented vigor to Africa. Until almost the end of the colonial period education was still largely in the hands of the churches. Mission Africa - Katie Morrison Katie Morrison is a missionary with Mission Africa in Nigeria. ", Comparing them to the apostle Paul, Francis added: "I think it is only right that we give thanks to the Lord for their testimony. From the beginning of the world, the Lord has decreed that there will always be the season of harvest. 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. Johannes Zimmermann wrote a grammar of the Ga language and translated the entire Bible and a Bible history into Ga. Then in 1874, the Rev. 1.898 Billion worldwide. The identity of each is easy to decipher. https://www.legit.ng/1145690-history-christianity-nigeria.html. Chaplains were assigned to forts, but their role was to serve the Europeans, not to evangelize Africans. As happened in Ghana, the development of training colleges in Nigeria was slower than secondary schools, though the C. M. S. had opened the first training college at Abeokuta as far back as 1849. She and her husband were charged by the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod to lead missionary expeditions in Nigeria. Baptist Academy, Lagos, followed in 1885. Earlier in 1846, the Rev. Etherington, Norman. *Dennis Memorial Grammar School, Anambra, 1927; In Nigeria, one of the lasting works of the C.M.S. This is a list of early missionaries in Nigeria: He was part of the first British Government sponsored Niger Expedition of 1841. How did missionaries try to reach out to the Africans? Within a short time the missionaries spread their activities inland. They believed in sacrifice to make money and do many other things like killing of twins. 70-155/160. Pope Francis has said that missionaries are the "heroes of evangelism". The people in Nigeria and their traditions which they believed and worship God. Finally, they established new missions to keep up the good work. Among other missionary hospitals of long standing and reputation are those run by the Methodists at Wenkyi in the Brong-Ahafo Region, and by the Seventh Day Adventists at Kwahu Atibie in the Eastern Region. 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. The tropical climatic condition in the country was not favourable to the early missionaries who came to the shores of West Africa. 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. She died aged 67 in 1970, and her story was made into a film 'The Inn of the Sixth Happiness'. Calabar and the neighbouring communities were the areas she performed her missionary work. 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 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. Step forward CMS Grammar School, Lagos. 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. He shares some of his family's experiences visiting missionaries. For instance, on 2nd October 1792, the Baptist Missionary Society was formed followed by the interdenominational London Missionary Society which was established in 1795. Abstract. The effects of work done by Bishop Ajayi Crowther, assisted by the Igbo recaptive the Rev. In facts, when the scientists call the Middle Belt of the country, was an area with no systems of one law and political systems. Rendall) wife of Rev. The early Christians saw an especially urgent need to spread their faith before the second coming of Christ, which they believed was imminent. Before they came, Nigerians were uneducated. Hope Waddell started pioneering work, in 1846, in Calabar. 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. All the three secondary schools in Cape Coast were mission institutions. SOURCES: Nov 2021, joshuaproject.net . https://bebegolf.com/history/. Hope Masterson Waddell. REPORT: How COVID-19 increased child labour in Lagos state (parents, children share experiences), READ ALSO: Meet Footballers Who Converted To Christianity From Islam. Early Missionaries THE KONGO In 1490 the first missionaries came to Sub-Saharan Africa at the request of King Nzinga of Kongo (also known as the Manikongo). The following year, its female arm, Methodist Girls High School, Lagos, came on the scene. Will the actions of orthodox Anglicans be as strong as their words post-Kigali? Trans Britain: are the numbers really adding up. Nigerians back US, UK over ban on election riggers, say it should be extended to their family members. 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. With collaborations with other missionaries like William De Graft, he built a Mission house and Chapel, which was completed in November 1842. Often drumming and the harmless songs and dances of the people were condemned. 3. *African Church School, Kajola, Ifo, 1943; Elliot and his fellow missionaries initiated contact with the tribe after being taught some of their language; first by dropping gifts down from a plane and later establishing a camp not far from the Waodani settlement. She was a missionary with the Christian Reformed Church who arrived in Nigeria in January 1920. Some progressive Europeans, like the first principal of Achimota College, Rev. This is a list of early missionaries in Nigeria: Reverend Samuel Ajayi Crowther He was part of the first British Government sponsored Niger Expedition of 1841. "I'm thinking of them in their last moment on earth, far from their homeland, their families and their loves ones, who said: 'What I did was worth it! *Hope Waddell Training Institute, Calabar, 1895; Here are six Christian missionaries who gave up everything for Christ. Vol. Having been raised in North London in a working class family, she initially worked as a housemaid, but had a long-harboured dream of becoming a missionary, and was convinced of her calling to China. To enjoy our website, you'll need to enable JavaScript in your web browser. Another difficulty that the early missionaries faced in the spread of Christianity was insufficient Christian literature at that time. Christian missionary activities in West Africa. History books tended to exaggerate in achievements of Europeans, making no reference to Africans own great past. 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. Europeans were seen as ruling Africans both in political and ecclesiastical matters'' (Falae). B. et al. Those who were once enslaved and got their freedom back were more likely to support Christianity, come back to their own home and help share the religion there. The early missionaries set up craft centres as part of their educational programmes. It included my own mission, the Christian Reformed Church (SUM/CRC) that eventually partnered with three different denominations.2 A history of Christianity in Africa: From antiquity to the present. 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. Thus, first Christians appeared on the West Coast of Africa, Yorubaland, Niger, and Cross River, state that Africa Journal of Evangelical Theology. * Abeokuta Grammar School, Abeokuta, (Anglica), 1908; He set up a mission chapel in the Ijiaye area and another mission outpost at Ogbomosho. In 1902 the Methodists opened a clinic at Igbo-Ora. Christians who came to Africa to help spread the Good News of Jesus Christ tried to do several things which would demonstrate the love of Christ to people living here. They were followed by other major missionary bodies, including the Methodists and the Roman Catholics. Moreover, speaking through interpreters is a defective means of communicating ones thoughts to ones audience. Another important Catholic missionary in this area was the Irishman, Bishop Shanahan. 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. 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. *St. Gregorys College, Obalende, Lagos, 1928; Unfortunately, a lot of conflicts, sometimes even military ones took place here and in between the tribes. They were followed in turn by the Methodists and the Roman Catholics. She arrived in Ibadan in 1852, and with her husband, David Hinderer, they set up a mission in Ibadan and also built schools for young children which she taught and ran the affairs. The Eastern territories had no structure or organization in their lands. Christianity reborn: the global expansion of evangelicalism in the twentieth century. Hugh Goldie and William Anderson. Catholic, Protestant, and Anglican missionaries were all trying to convert the native African people, often coming into conflict with one another. Accessed February 27, 2021. Preventive medicine was hardly known; the result was that epidemics of different kinds were frequent. 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). William Winter was a missionary with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod that participated in missionary work in Ibesikpo between 1944 and 1948. *Christ School, Ado-Ekiti, 1933; She also travelled to dangerous regions where previous male missionaries had been killed, and was known for her pragmatism and sense of humour. Trained as a shoemaker, William Carey became known as the 'father of modern missions' for his missionary work in India. NUUT Co. Ltd. Kumasi, Ghana, 2011, Baarkinado. Renewed evangelisation started when the Basel (later known as Presbyterian) missionaries started work at Osu (Accra). Accessibility Statement. In Fanteland, the Methodists and Roman Catholics pioneered similar works. 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. The emergence of the Christian Church in this region had to struggle with the difficulties three different contexts brought. "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) *St. Theresa College, Ibadan, 1932; North Kaffraria, 1883-1904. There were related organizations that sprang up in Scandinavia, Holland and the USA. When God pleases to convert the heathen, he will do it without your aid and mine.". By 1844, he erected the Ake Church in Abeokuta. He worked zealously as an evangelist and schoolmaster in the Castle School until his death in 1816. Christianity in northern Nigeria. They had their own particular system of laws, administrative organization, and the strong influence of the traditionalists power. As they could not recruit British missionary volunteers initially, the Church Missionary Society sponsored the services of German missionaries, who were Lutherans, to come out to Sierra Leone. They believed and practiced rituals to make money and do many things like killing of twins. 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.

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