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  • THE METHODISTS MISSION IN NIGERIA
  • By the end of this unit, you should be able to:
    • identify the roles of the Methodist Mission in Nigeria
    • discuss the methods used by the Methodist Missionaries 
    to spread their faith in Nigeria
    • list the mission stations that were opened by the Methodist 
    Mission in Nigeria.

    The Arrival of the Methodist Misionaries in Nigeria around 1840

     
    The Yoruba settlers in Freetown, Sierra / Leone had appealed to 
    the Queen of England to permit them established a Colony in 
    Badagry. They also demanded that soldiers, traders and 
    missionaries se sent to them at Badagry to help them wage war 
    against slavery, especially the Ado people ,and to preach the 
    Gospel of Christ. In 1841, these people wrote letters to 
    missionaries who were stationed in Sierra-Leone to come and preach 
    the gospel of Christ in Badagry. When their letters were read to 
    the Christians in Sierra / Leone, some people liked the idea and 
    appealed to missionaries to assist the Christians in Badagry. 
    On 24 September, 1842, the Reverend Thomas Birch Freeman and 
    William de Graft arrived at Badagry. Reverend Freeman preached 
    the gospel to the people who lived in Badagry. He made many 
    converts in the town. The Clergy built a mission house at Badagry. He 
    organized prayer-meetings for the Christians. Freeman paid a visit to 
    Abeokuta to open a mission station in Egbaland. When he got to 
    Abeokuta, he met Henry Townsend an Anglican Catechist and 
    two Egba freed slaves from Sierra-Leone spreading the gospel 
    there. When he had returned from Abeokuta to Badagry, he left 
    for his home country. Freeman left De Graft behind at Badagry 
    to care for the adherents of the Methodist faith both in Badagry 
    and Abeokuta respectively. However, he used to pay visits to De 
    Graft once in a blue moon. The Methodist mission later 
    transferred De Graft and posted Samuel Annear to replace him 
    at Badagry. The mission station at Abeokuta was shut down due 
    to the Dahome wars for a period by the Methodist Mission. 
    However, when the war ended, a teacher was sent there to reopen 
    the Mission Station at Abeokuta. The Methodist outreaches spread 
    from Badagry to Lagos. In addition to the above named means used 
    to spread Christianity in the Yoruba land, mention could be made 
    of the freed slaves who went from Sierra-Leone to settle at 
    Abeokuta after gaining their freedom from the Dahomean armies. 
    In 1846, the Methodist and Anglican Missions were established in 
    Lagos and Abeokuta. Besides, as soon as the Lagos slave market 
    was shut down, the Methodist and Anglican Missionaries entered 
    there and they established Mission Stations and Schools in both 
    towns. African ministers were stationed in the two towns to spread 
    Christianity [Geoffrey Parrinder, 1969]. In the Schools that were 
    established by the Missionaries in Lagos and Abeokuta towns, 
    instructions were largely oral since books were scarce. Prayers 
    and Biblical texts were learnt through oral recitation. 
    Christianity could not penetrate into the Northern parts of Nigeria in 
    the early period, because the then Governor-General of Nigeria, 
    Sir Lord Luggard ruled that Christianity could only be allowed 
    to enter the Hausa land through the agreement of the ruling 
    Chiefs who were the Custodians of Islam religion.
     

    3.2 The Baptist Mision

     
    In 1850, the American Baptist Missionary, Thomas .J.Bowen arrived 
    Badagry.
    He established a mission station there. He built a Mission Station at 
    Ijaye. In the same year, he moved from there to Abeokuta. There he met 
    the Wesleyan and the Church Missionary Society Missionaries. While 
    Bowen was at the town, he studied Yoruba language in order to be able 
    to communicate with the people without any interpreter. He later wrote 
    Yoruba Grammar and Dictionary for the use of Yoruba people. Bowen 
    proceeded from Abeokuta to Ibadan and Ogbomosho where he 
    established Baptist Mission Stations in 1854. 
     
    At Ogbomosho, converts saw themselves as superior people over the 
    traditionalists. For this reason, the traditionalists developed hatred 
    against Christians in the town. Besides, they abandon tradition of 
    urying the dead in their family compounds. This act compounded 
    their problems in the town. Christians then started burying their dead in 
    the bush. This is because Christians considered burying of dead persons 
    in the houses unhygienic.
     On the other hand, traditionalists viewed burying the dead in the bush 
    as separation from their ancestors. In traditional beliefs, the moment a 
    person is dead, he has become an ancestor, to be reverenced and 
    worshipped. The traditionalists hated the Christians the more for not 
    allowing the buried Christians to join their ancestors. The traditionalists 
    also Kicked against the idea of the Christians burying the dead in the 
    ush for only criminals were buried in the bush at Ogbomosho. In 1879, 
    according to Ayandele, all Christians were expelled from Ogbomoso 
    [Ayandele, 1979 p.14].
    Bowen built a Mission station at Ijaye. In 1854, Harden also established 
    a Mission Station in Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria. From Lagos, the 
    Baptist Mission also spread to Oyo, Shaki, Igboho, all in Oyo State,and 
    Ilorin, in Kwara State, Nigeria.[E.O. Babalola , 1979.p.14] The spread 
    of the Baptist Mission to the Northern parts of Nigeria was done by 
    some Nigerians who were working in the Northern Nigeria. The 
    Government posted them to the place after the Second World War. The
    Yoruba government workers in the North were located mostly in Jos. 
    There they worshiped as adherents of the Baptist faith. However, in 
    1912, the Nigerian Baptist Convention was officially formed. It is now 
    completely self-governing, self-propagating, and self supporting. In 
    1920, a Minister of the faith paid a visit to them. There he officially 
    established a Mission Station for the Baptist adherents. While he was 
    returning from Jos, he stopped at Kaduna and established a Mission 
    Station for the Yorubas who lived in the town. He baptized eighteen 
    people in River Kaduna. In 1913, Mr. M A. Adeniran established the 
    first Baptist Mission Station in Zaria. According to Crampton, the 
    Nigerian Baptist Convention posted Reverend J.A. Adejumobi to 
    Kaduna as its first Pastor to over see the rest Mission Stations of the 
    Baptist faith in the Northern Nigeria in the year 1925. Furthermore, 
    when the American and some of the Nigerian Missionaries worked 
    together in Northern parts of the country they established a Secondary 
    School at Jos, a Teacher Training College in Minna and a Seminary 
    School in Kaduna.The Nigerian Baptist Convention operates nine 
    theological training centers for pastors, the largest being the Nigerian 
    Baptist Theological Seminary in Ogbomosho. The Nigerian Baptist 
    Convention also operates several hospitals and medical institutions 
    across the country. The Baptist Hospital in Ogbomosho remains one of 
    the leading hospitals in Nigeria. Besides, it is used as a University 
    teaching hospital by the Ladoke Akintola University jointly owned by 
    Oyo and Osun states. In 1969, a separate Conference for Ilorin and 
    Ka a faithful was established and it was named Kwara Baptist 
    Conference. The Church has planted about 100 Mission Stations in the 
    Area. Besides, a group of Longuda who broke away from the Lutheran 
    faith has joined the Baptist faith in Northern Nigeria. In 1972, Etubi who 
    was a missionary in the Qua Ibo Church at Idah, broke away and he 
    joined the Baptist. In 1974, a second Baptist church was established at 
    Idah it is named Emmanuel Baptist Church, Idah. The Baptist Mission 
    has the Northern Conference Convention, which has its Headquarters at 
    Beulah. It comprises Adamawa and Sardauna Provinces. The Mission 
    Stations are located in the following towns, Zaria, Kano, Katsina and 
    Sokoto. The Nigerian Baptist Convention has founded and operated 
    several primary Schools and Secondary Schools across the nation. The 
    Mission has established a University at Iwo in 2002. It is named Bowen 
    University in honour of Reverend Thomas Jefferson Bowen, the first 
    American Baptist Missionary from the Southern Baptist Convention. 
    The named institutions above are established to convert pupils, 
    Secondary school students and the post secondary school students into 
    the Baptist faith in Nigeria to date. 
    In 1969, a separate Conference for Ilorin and Kaba faithfuls was 
    established and it was named Kwara Baptist Conference. The Church 
    has planted about 100 Mission Stations in the Area. Besides, a group of 
    Longuda who broke away from the Lutheran faith has joined the Baptist 
    faith in Northern Nigeria. In 1972, Etubi, who was a Missionary in the 
    Qua Ibo Church at Idah, broke away and he joined the Baptist. In 1974, 
    a second Baptist Church was established at Idah, it was named 
    Emmanuel Church, Idah. The Baptist Mission has the Nortern 
    Conference Convention, which has its Headquarters at Beulah. The 
    Mission Stations were located in the following towns: Zaria, Kano, 
    Katsina and Sokoto The Nigerian Baptist Convention has founded and 
    operated several Primary Schools and Secondary Scho ols across the 
    nation. The Mission established a University at Iwo in 2002. It is named 
    Bowen University in honour of Reverend Thomas Jefferson Bowen, the 
    first American Baptist Missionary from the Southern Baptist 
    Convension. 

    3.3 The Planting of Christianity in Ondo Area

    In 1853, David Hinderer introduced Christianity in Ibadan. In 1856, 
    Christianity was established in Ilesha. In 1859, Christianity was planted 
    in Ile- Ife. In 1875, David Hinderer introduced Christianity in Ode, 
    Ondo. In 1877, Charles Philips was posted to take over from 
    Hinderer.This was during the period that Oba Ajimekun the then 
    Osemawe of Ondo land and some of his Chiefs embraced Christianity. 
    In 1876, the first worship Centre was built for Christians to worship. In 
    1877, Philips demanded for another land to build a bigger place of 
    worship in the town because the population of Christians increased 
    daily. The land that was given to the Christians to build a Church was 
    the land of the evil spirits. It was a place where people who died 
    unpleasant death were buried. The evil forest was allocated to Christians 
    in order to discourage them from serving Jesus Christ. The adherents of 
    the traditional religion hoped that Christians would be afflicted with 
    incurable diseases. However, the Church accepted the land and their 
    spiritual leader in person of Philips prayed over the land for God’s 
    protection. On the land, there was an Iroko tree that the Ondo people 
    elieved that evil spirits inhabited. The adherents of Christianity prayed 
    on the site for seven days and the tree that was believed to be the abode 
    of witches fell down. The Christians cleared the tree away from the site 
    and they built a Church on the land. There they worship the Living God. 
    It was reported that Philips cared for the people spiritually and 
    materially. The Christians built Schools and Colleges in Ondo area. 
    Many people were trained in those institutions that were established by 
    Christians in the town. The first Primary School was built in Ondo in 
    1890 by the Missionaries. There pupils were taught Christian education. 
    The old pupils of the School can be found in all parts of Nigeria 
    occupying important political, social, economics and administrative 
    positions. They are also in law, politics, medicine, theology, technology 
    and education all over the country. The Christians in Ondo area made 
    use of the converts to spread the Good News to others in Nigeria. In 1879, Ondo town was affected by small- pox. The mortality rate was 
    high, and it was reported that about ten people died daily in the town. 
    The traditional Chiefs gave a heifer to Sango priest to offer as sacrifice 
    of propitiation. However, Philips and Christians in the town were able 
    to inform the people that the disease came there because of their 
    disobedience to the commandments of God. The Living God used it to 
    punish them for their evil acts to fellow human beings in the town. 
    However, the Lord God demanded from them repentance from their 
    wicked deeds. It was noticed that none of the Christians was reported 
    dead, except two people who were affected and later received healing as 
    the Church prayed for them and they repented from their sins. The 
    Church prayed for the forgiveness of sins of the entire people of Ondo 
    town, and God heard their prayers and the disease vanished form Ondo 
    town. This made many people to join the Church.
    Another important thing that Christianity brought to Ondo town was the 
    introduction of corrugated iron sheets for roofing houses instead of 
    leaves that had been previously in use. Many people in Ondo town 
    roofed their houses with iron sheets. The Christians also made the 
    people to stop the act of burying living slaves with their masters when 
    they die. The Christians also introduced the planting of economic trees, 
    such as cocoa and breadfruit to farmers in Ondo area in 1890.Reverend 
    Charks Philips distributed the seeds of the trees to Ondo farmers to plant 
    in their various farms which later brought to them economic reward.
    Reverend Charks Philips succeeded against the power of darkness and 
    illiteracy in Ondo area. He died in 1906. It is a testimony to his efforts 
    that the spread of Christianity continues in Ondo area after his death.

    3.4 The Planting of Christianity in Ibadan

    Reverend David Hinderer introduced Christianity in Ibadan around 
    1854. He was a German Missionary of the Church Missionary Society. 
    It was Reverend Henry Townsend who was then at Abeokuta who paid a 
    visit to the town during the reign of Baale Ope Agbe and requested a 
    mission station for the area. Townsend returned to Abeokuta and 
    requested for more Missionaries from his Mission. In 1852, Hinderer 
    established a mission station at Ibadan. Many Evangelists were also 
    posted to him and he sent them to open mission stations in various 
    towns, such as, Iwo, Ilesha, Modakeke, Ile- Ife and Oshogbo to mention 
    just a few places. In April 1896, the Church Missionary Society 
    established a Training Institute in Oyo. There they trained professional 
    teachers, but the students in the School looked to the priesthood as their 
    mentor. The college in question is now crown as the Ajayi Crowther 
    University, Oyo. In 1900, the Mission established an Institute in 
    Oshogbo to train vernacular evangelists for the spread of the Gospel in Yoruba land. On the other hand, the Baptists likewise built the Baptist 
    College,at Iwo. In 1901, the Wesleyans established Wesley College at 
    Ibadan.

    3.5 The Introduction of Christianity in Ikare-Akoko Area

    The introduction of Christianity in Ikare-Akoko Area took place in 
    various routes. In 1870, one Michael Badoro at Okela quarters in Ikare, 
    returned from slavery and preached the Gospel to his people. 
    Christianity was also introduced in the area through Lokoja in Kogi 
    State, Nigeria in 1883. The Anglican priest named J.J. Williams who 
    was the vicar of the Holy Trinity Church, Lokoja, spread the Gospel to 
    the area in 1883. At the same period, many non-native traders, rubber�tapers, saw millers, produce buyers, and Christian sojourners who were 
    soldiers in Ikare area also spread Christianity in Akoko area. Mention 
    could be made of David Oluguna and Peter Arowolo, natives of Ilesha 
    who were traders. In 1910, Reverend H.F. Gani, the Superintendent of 
    Owo, Ogori, and Akoko Churches visited the Ikare Church. He 
    influenced the Anglican Church authorities in Lagos Diocese to merge 
    the Akoko Churches to Yoruba Mission. In 1915, Mr Aiyebusi became 
    the Church administrator in Ikare Mission stations. He imposed Church 
    wedding on Christians. Adherents who could not comply with Aiyebusi 
    on the marriage order, left the Anglican Church. They established 
    African Church in Ikare. Despite the break away of some members, 
    Saint Stephen’s Church Ikare began to exercise the leadership role 
    among Ikare Churches from 1915 to 1920. On 29 September 1920, Mr 
    Lackland Augustus Lennon, a Jamaican was posted to Saint Stephen’s 
    Church Ikare, as an administrator. In 1922, he was ordained Priest at 
    Owo and returned to Ikare Mission Area. In 1924, the Bishop of Lagos 
    Diocese, Melville Jones authorized Lennon to extend the spread of 
    Christianity to Kaba, Ebira and Akoko-Edo areas. Lennon established 
    schools in those areas to convert children. 
    In 1922, Lennon established Post Office at Ikare. By the middle of 
    1940’s, the Ministry of Communications, Nigeria, took over the Post 
    Office.
    In 1923, Lennon built a magnificent office and he allocated a room to 
    his wife, Mrs. M. Lennon to serve as dispensary to Ikare people. Many 
    people, who were not Christians but benefited from the Clinic, became 
    Christians.
    In 1922-1925, Lennon, Chief Ajaguna and Momoh gave able leadership 
    to the people of Ikare to construct Ikare-Owo road.
    In 1943, Lennon was appointed a parliament member to represent the 
    Western-Region in the house of parliament in Lagos. His cordial 
    relationship with Christians and other faith members in Akoko area, 
    earned him popularity among them. Lennon used the opportunity that 
    was offered him in the House of Parliament to appeal for essential 
    amenities for the people of Ikare. However, the government could not 
    meet his demands due to the Second World War that had just ended for 
    it had affected the economy and the finance of Nigeria. Based on this, 
    Reverend Lennon advised that the Ikare people levied every taxable 
    male some amounts along with their yearly poll tax. He made it clear to 
    the people of Ikare that if they could produce the materials and used 
    direct labour methods for the pipe borne water and the light projects, the 
    government would render the technological assistance for the Ikare 
    community. The people yielded to the advice of Lennon. Between 1943 
    and early 1950 pipe borne water and electricity were provided in Ikare 
    area. Many non- Christians who witnessed the events became 
    Christians. Lennon advised Christians to participate in Nigeria politics 
    in order for them to bring light into the Country.
    In January 1921, Reverend Lennon established a Primary School at 
    Ikare. He christened it Saint Stephen’s School, Ikare-Akoko. On 23rd 
    September, 1935, Lennon established Jubilee Central School to train 
    Pupil-teachers, clerks, Church workers and would -be students for Saint 
    Andrew’s Teachers College, Oyo, Oyo State, [now Bishop Ajayi 
    Crowther University, Oyo, Nigeria]. Lennon left Nigeria on 7 July 1951 
    for his home country, Jamaica [Akeredolu, 1986.] 
     

    3.6 The Problems Encountered by Christians in Spreading 

    Christianity in Yoruba Land 
    This course material seeks to discuss the contact of Christianity 
    with Islam in the Yoruba land. It has been discovered by Scholars that 
    Islamic religion predated Christianity in Nigeria. Islam had been 
    planted and nurtured in the land before the introduction of 
    Christianity. Besides, Islamic propagators in Nigeria were Africans 
    who were accustomed to the harsh climatic conditions and diseases 
    of the land. These Islamic scholars continued spreading Islam faith 
    in the land.
    They also established Quranic Schools where children were taught 
    of Arabic language as the official one in spreading Islamic 
    religion in Yoruba land. For this reason, the Muslim 
    community had grown both in size and stature ever before the 
    coming of Christianity into Yoruba land. The contact of
    Christianity and Islam created many problems for Christianity at 
    the initial stage of expansion in the land. Among these problems 
    in the wheel of was bad climate. The climate served as a great 
    arrier against the efforts of foreign missionaries who came to 
    plant Christianity in Yoruba land. This is because they were not 
    used to the tropical climate of the land.
    For instance, some missionaries died of heat -stroke caused by the 
    heat of the sun. Malaria was another disease militating against 
    the progress of Christianity in Yoruba land. It could be recalled 
    that right from 1841, which was the period of the Niger 
    expedition, malaria was a very significant barrier to the spread 
    of Christianity in Nigeria. About one hundred and thirty-six 
    out of one hundred and forty-five Europeans who took part in 
    the expedition died of malaria and they were buried at Lokoja in 
    Kogi State. Their graves remain in Lokoja town up till date. For 
    the reasons mentioned above, the spread of Christianity in Lokoja 
    area stopped for the main time. But, for Muslims, their religion 
    continue to spread in the land for their propagators were 
    Africans who had all natural endowment in terms of energy 
    and natural adaptability to the situation in the tropic. Islam came 
    in Yoruba land by land. The early propagators did not face the sea 
    problems encountered by the propagators of Christianity since most 
    of its propagators came from the hinterland. The Christian 
    missionaries were also faced with the problem of language, a 
    problem which created a favorable avenue for Islam to spread 
    since Islam was propagated by Yoruba –speaking people. 
    Consequently, Islam had an edge over Christianity. In this 
    situation, the Christians in the Yoruba land were not happy at the 
    rapid expansion of Islam in the land. As a result, some measures 
    were adopted either to limit the rate of the spread of Islam in the 
    area or to help in their own way of spreading Christianity in the 
    same manner as Islam. To achieve this goal, the following efforts 
    were made by the Christians. Native Clergy learnt Arabic language 
    which they used in spreading the gospel in the Muslim populated areas. 
    Schools were built to educate Yoruba children in order to attract their 
    parents to become Christians. 
    However, the strategies such as discussion on Christian faith, 
    preaching, baptism and training the native Clergy in Arabic 
    language adopted by the Christian missionaries to counter the 
    rapid growth of Islam in Yoruba land had little or no effect , 
    ut they were most successful through the use of education and 
    health-care delivery strategies. All these, we shall discuss in other 
    units of this course. But an example is mentioned below. 
    In 1922, Lack land Augustus Lennon used the above-mentioned 
    methods spread Christianity in Ikare-Ikare Akoko area of Ondo State. 
    In Schools and Hospitals, the Christian missions had all the resources within their control to serve as magnet to attract 
    adherents of other religions in Yoruba land to the Christian 
    faith. Moreover, in some areas, this method did not work. This is 
    ecause the adherents of Islam had also introduced Quranic 
    schools that served as alternative to the type of Christian�sponsored schools to train their children.
    From the whole episode, it seems that right from the beginning of 
    the contact of Islam with Christianity in the Yoruba land, the two 
    religions have been witnessing a kind of revivalism with a view to 
    winning souls from one to the other faith. On other hand, both 
    religions have several things in common including the belief in 
    One Creator who had sent many prophets, The only Son of God 
    Jesus Christ the Messiah of mankind. Muslim hold Muhammad as 
    the Prophet to mankind. They both claim Abraham as their ancestor 
    and both teach morals and peace.
    However, Christianity teaches Trinity to their adherents, which 
    Islam did not accept. This makes Islam and Christianity to become 
    rivals in the Yoruba land.
    3.7 Steps Taken by Misionaries to Minimize Their
    Problems in the Yoruba land
    During the period that arrangements were being made for Niger 
    Expedition and a mission was projected for the model farm at 
    Lokoja, the mother Church of Anglican in London, assigned 
    duties to Reverends J.F. Schon and Samuel Ajayi Crowther to 
    train interpreters and themselves to learn the languages of the 
    people of Nigeria that could help them communicate with 
    Nigerians.
    Schon chose Hausa and Ibo languages. While Samuel Ajayi Crowther 
    studied Yoruba language for the same purpose. Other missionaries in 
    Yoruba land also studied Yoruba language. In 1852, Samuel Ajayi 
    Crowther published an enlarged edition of Yoruba Grammar 
    and Vocabulary as well as translations of four books of the New 
    Testament.
    Professor Carl Lepsius guided the Church Missionary Society 
    linguistic studies in Hausa, Kanuri, Ibo and Ijaw. While Bowen a 
    Baptist missionary also learnt Yoruba language and drew the 
    attention of the missionaries to the poetic excellence of the invocative 
    prayers of traditional Yoruba worship, especially those of Ifa for 
    use in Christian worship by Christians in the Yoruba land. His 
    works were published in volumes of the Smithsonian contributions 
    to knowledge in New York. Crowther and Thomas King translated 
    the Bible and the Prayer book into Yoruba language for the Yoruba 
    Christians. In 1854, another expedition was sent up the River Niger by 
    the Crown Colony. The British Government and Macgregor Laird 
    organized the expedition. The aim of the trip was to introduce legitimate 
    trade and plant Christianity in the Niger-Benue area. According to 
    Crampton, many of the explorers were Africans. The white men were 
    very few at this period this was due to the death of many of them that 
    died during the first expedition that took place in the year 1841. The few 
    white men that accompanied the black men to the upper Niger-Benue 
    came with quinine, which they used to cure malaria whenever they were 
    attacked. Bishop Ajayi Crowther left the Yoruba Mission and joined the 
    expedition. At the period in question, every body that made the journey 
    ack alive for there was no report of death among the explorers. In 
    1857, the Crown Colony, the Church Missionary and some traders made 
    another journey to the area in question. While they got to Idah in Kogi 
    State, the Attah of Igala land did not ground them permission to 
    establish a Mission Station there. However, he sent some of his servants 
    to accompany them to the confluence area. He told them to sell the war 
    sport to the explorers so that they could settle there and help him wage 
    war against the Nupe warriors who used to wage war against the people 
    of Igala. The Attah of Igala land named Ocheji, sold the land to them for 
    700,000 cowries or goods worth of the amount. On the land, were the 
    following buildings; Gbobe Chapel, Schools, a College and The Holy 
    Trinity Cathedral Church, Lokoja, which is always headed by Lokoja 
    indigenes in fulfilment of the prophecy of Lieutenant Glover in 1862. 
    He wrote a private letter to the Authority of the Church Missionary 
    Society in England that the Confluence area which was bought would be 
    the area where future great Bishops that would be produced. He wrote 
    ‘this Lairdstown will be the ground of a future great bishopric.’ Today 
    there are many sons of Lokoja area that are Bishops, mention could be 
    made of Ferron, Bako, Akanyan, and Igbunu to mention just a few of 
    them. No any priest outside the area was made a bishop except the 
    retired Bishop Haruna who was trained by Lennon, a missionary at 
    Ikare- Akoko in Ikare,who was consecrated the Bishop of the Kwara 
    Anglican Diocese, Offa, but later, the headquarters of the Diocese was 
    moved to Ilorin. However, if the policy that was laid down by Glover is 
    amended in the Lokoja Diocese, then other priests that are not an 
    indigene of Lokoja area may be considered by the Anglican Communion 
    in Nigeria to be consecrated bishop. If not, the Lokoja indigenes will 
    continue to be bishop in the area.
    Other People that Helped in the Spread of the Gospel in 
    Yoruba Land 
    The Creoles, that is, the freed slaves that were Nigerians, 
    especially, the Yorubas contributed immensely to the planting of 
    Christianity in Yoruba land. Another group that helped in the 
    planting of Christianity in Yoruba land were noble persons; that 
    is, men of local prominence who on their own initiative invited 
    and patronized missionaries; among such people were Sodeke of 
    Egba land and the Chief of Badagry. The lay converts, especially 
    traders who acted as a group used their social powers to aid the 
    establishment of missions in Yoruba land. Catechists, 
    Evangelists, Church elders and School teachers were also used 
    to plant Christianity in Yoruba land.
    In addition to these, Congregations which pioneered expansion of 
    Christianity to other parts of Yoruba land and paid for the 
    upkeep of ministers also helped in the planting of Christianity in 
    Yoruba land through financial aids.
    Mention could be made of All Saints Anglican Church Yaba, 
    that paid for the upkeep of ministers. Furthermore, local 
    communities built, maintained Church and school infrastructures for 
    the spread of the Gospel in Yoruba land. Another set of people 
    that helped in the planting of Christianity in Yoruba land were 
    the Charismatic, or Prophet figures who quickened the planting 
    of the religion in their brief careers in the land.
    SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE
    The freed slaves of Yoruba land started the planting of Christianity 
    in Badagry. Discuss.
    4.0 CONCLUSION
    This unit has taught you to know some of the problems that 
    were encountered by Christians in the planting of Christianity in 
    Yoruba land. Among these problems were the harsh climatic 
    conditions and diseases of the land. The missionaries also faced 
    the problem of language which they could use to preach the 
    Gospel to the people of Yoruba land.
    They also encountered opposition from adherents of other religions in 
    their quest to win converts. In this unit, you also learnt about some 
    steps that were taken to minimize some problems that were 
    encountered by the missionaries in Yoruba land.
    SUMMARY
    Having gone through this unit, you would have understood the 
    following points:
    The Methodist Mission got to the Yoruba land around 1840.
    The Yoruba freed slave settlers appealed to the Queen of 
    England to establish a Colony in Badagry. They also demanded for 
    missionaries be sent to them at Badagry to continue the spread of 
    Christianity in Yoruba land.
    The freed slaves in Sierra-Leone joined the settlers at Badagry and 
    appealed for more missionaries for Badagry land. Reverends 
    Thomas Birch Freeman and William de Graft responded to the 
    requests of the settlers of Badagry and arrived in town on 24 
    September, 1842 to plant Christianity there.. Schools and Hospitals 
    were used as means to convert people into Christianity in the 
    Yoruba land. The Missionaries had problems of language, diseases 
    and oppositions from other religion in the land. The Missionaries 
    learnt some Nigerian languages and they made used of them to write 
    the Bible for Nigerians to use.
     
    6.0 TUTOR-MARKED ASSIGNMENT
    1. Enumerate the problems that the early Missionaries faced in 
    the planting of Christianity in Yoruba land.
    2. Assess the spread of Christianity in Yoruba land between 
    1840 and 1842. 
    3. Explain some of the steps taken by the Missionaries to 
    minimize their problems in the Yoruba land during the early 
    periods of the gospel in the area.
     
    7.0 REFERENCES/FURTHER READINGS
     
    Ade Ajayi, J. F. (1977). Christian Missions in Nigeria 1841-1891. The 
    Making of a New Elite, London: Longman Groups Ltd. 
    Geoffry Parrinder (1969).Africa’s Three Religions, London: Sheldon 
    Press Ltd.
     
    Oshitelu G.A. (2002).Expansion of Christianity in West Africa, 
    Abeokuta: Visual Resources Publishers.
     Kalu, O.U (1980). The History of Christianity in West African Essays 
    Lectures, London: Longmans Groups Ltd.

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