The first church in Nigeria is the Cathedral Church of St. Peter, Ake, Abeokuta. What began happening was that if the Africans did rebel against this control, they would simply be excommunicated. One of the slaves that was instrumental to the advent of Christianity in Nigeria was Samuel Ajayi Crowther who was captured by the age of 12 by Fulani slave raiders and sold to Portuguese slave traders. A few decades later, other Portuguese missionaries tried to turn the people from Kingdom of Benin and Itsekiri Kingdom to Christianity. The Establishment of Christian Missions in Nigeria The Christian Church took its origin from Jerusalem, the historic capital city of Israel. This religion has been existing since as far back as the geographical entity known as Nigeria today has been in existence. Over the years, Christianity has become an integral part of the country’s culture and many Christians in the country adopted Christian names in addition to their local names. 2. Of that percentage, about 74% are Protestants, 25% Roman Catholic, while the rest are split among other Christian denominations. Since 2015, the Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust estimates that more than 6,000 Christians have been killed in Nigeria (1,000 in 2019 alone) and thousands have been displaced from their homes. Nigeria 45.9% Togo 42.6%. Over the years, Christianity has grown rapidly. One of the leaders behind these revivals during this period was Benson Idahosa. This is has been partly due to a new type of churches called the mega churches. Christianity through the Portuguese as early as the fifteenth century, most missionaries arrived by sea in the nineteenth century. As with other areas in Africa, Roman Catholics and Anglicans each tended to establish areas of hegemony in southern Nigeria. They made it look like people had to worship some god only twice a week by singing some weird hymns with no rhythm. The year 1841 was the beginning of modem mission work in Nigeria led by Bishop Ajayi Crowther. He was a mathematics professor at the University of Lagos before going on to found the Deeper Life Bible Church. Bishop Ajayi Crowther was a slave taken from Nigeria. Ajayi Crowther later regained his freedom and became the first African to be ordained bishop by the Christian Missionary Society (CMS). However, that is a story for another time. This new religion of Christianity began by trying to control its converts. 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. Taking into account how widespread and important Christianity is in the modern Nigerian society, it is interesting to look back and learn about how it first came into the country. M Most killings take place in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, where the halves of the country meet. One of the most popular preachers during this period was Joseph Babalola of Faith Tabernacle. Also, it isn’t uncommon to see official gatherings being commenced with prayer. According to local Nigerian media reports, six girls and two staff members of a Christian high school in the north-central part of the country have been released after a … Christians are found primarily in the South. “Is Nigeria truly one country? The remaining 1.9% are either practitioners of indigenous religions or no affiliations. Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther Christianity came to Nigeria in the 15th century through Augustinian and Capuchin monks from Portugal. According to various researchers, denominationalism is one of the worst divisive elements in modern Africa. “Is Nigeria truly one country? They baptised him and gave him a Christian name Sebastian. slaves who became a Christian in Sierra-Leone and later joined the Anglican mission to Nigeria was a Nigerian from the Yoruba extraction. Mark the Evangelist made history in the year 43 when he became the first bishop to serve in the Orthodox Church of Alexandria. Ajayi Crowther later regained his freedom and became the first African to be ordained bishop by the Christian Missionary Society (CMS). And for every village razed down, five unreached villages must be reached with the Gospel and love of Christ. Islam empowered the Hausas to be a dominant trib… The first mission of the Church of England was, though, only established in 1842 in Badagry by Henry Townsend. Before European colonization, the Igbo lived in autonomous local communities, but by the mid-20th century a sense of ethnic identity was strongly developed. At least the first storey building in Nigeria is located there and it was built by the missionaries, acclaimed to have brought Christianity to Nigeria. The first Christians came in contact with Nigerians in the fifteenth century, when Roman Catholicism was introduced by the Portuguese. The Christian populace is made up of Protestant (30.6%), Unspecified Christians (10.8%), Roman Catholics (10.0%) and other Christians (0.5%). Until his last day on this Earth, he worked hard to bring God to Nigerians. Christians live predominantly in the South; Muslims are the majority in the North. He later went on to become an Olu himself and proved to be a devout Christian. And these are only those we know of. Christianity in Nigeria: History and Impacts, List of Local Governments in Taraba State, Family Law in Nigeria: All You Need to Know, GTBank Personal Banking: How to Get Started, 10 Richest Families in Nigeria (Forbes List, 2020), Nigeria Police Salary Structure (New Salary Scale). The reason for that of course is Islam. They came without an accurate sense of what they would encounter in Nigeria. These include churches like the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Winners’ Chapel, Christ Apostolic Church (the first Aladura Movement in Nigeria), Deeper Christian Life Ministry… That said, their efforts were not all that successful at the time. He was succeeded by Enoch Adejare Adeboye. ... Rather than lament the trouble that Nigeria has brought upon you this Yuletide, pause for a … For Christians, the logic is that without a birth, there would be no death. What they did not take into consideration were the already established religious traditions, which were so heavily engraved within the society of Africa. After World War I, The Christian populace is made up of Protestant (30.6%), Unspecified Christians (10.8%), Roman Catholics (10.0%) and other Christians (0.5%). Nigeria. Eventually, slave trade was abolished in the British Empire in 1833 and many of the slaves were freed. Another big reason why it took so long for Christianity to take hold in the hearts of Nigerians was the way the missionaries treated the traditional religions. At least the first storey building in Nigeria is located there and it was built by the missionaries, acclaimed to have brought Christianity to Nigeria. Do you want to know more about these ten most powerful pastors in the world? As early as the 11th Century, traders from Guinea, Mali, Borno and North Africa brought Islam to the Hausas, who accepted and supported its spread. This paper discusses the Nigerian State (Islam, Christianity and Politics) and the experience of the Nigerian Church since 1841 to the present. Mega churches seem to have arrived with the advent of Pentecostalism which can be traced to the early 20th century in America. What is really horrible, is the Media that does not make an effort to get this out to the public. Thus, the advent of colonial masters led to the introduction of a new religion, Christianity, which is added to the two available religions, African traditional religion already exiting then. A few isolated mission stations and mission bookstores, along with churches serving southern enclaves in the northern cities and larger towns, dotted the Muslim north. Their mission to the Kingdom of Benin was not very fruitful, as, once again, the king was not all that interested in a new religion. Thus, through the work of Evwaire, Utuedon, Emadu and … However, their affiliations with slave trade made it difficult to plant the religion in the country as they were more interested in the lucrative slave business than being on the missionary field. The first Christians came in contact with Nigerians in the fifteenth century, when Roman Catholicism was introduced by the Portuguese. Nevertheless, over the next few centuries, Christianity found its rightful place in Nigeria, albeit with some added regional differences. As more Christians were persecuted, more virgin mission fields were discovered. By the middle of the nineteenth century, Africans had begun to follow the ideas of Christianity. The education provided by the missionaries was also instrumental in converting a good number of slaves to Christianity. Read on to see more things you should know about being a Christian in Ghana. Buhari's predecessor -- Goodluck Jonathan, a Christian from the country's South -- broke that pattern by occupying the office for more than one term. In 1953, the percentage of the Christian population was 21.4% and that percentage has doubled to over 50% with over 75 million Christians in Nigeria. Nigeria (MNN) — While hundreds of abducted Nigerian school boys are now safe, believers are on ‘full alert’ following last week’s threat from Boko Haram. The terrorists released a three-minute video promising more attacks on Christians as Christmas Day approaches. Prior to the “Caliphate movement” and the “colonial era”, which brought Islam and Christianity (to Nigeria) respectively, there is only a single religion in practice – the traditional religion. As early as the 11th Century, traders from Guinea, Mali, Borno and North Africa brought Islam to the Hausas, who accepted and supported its spread. Buhari's predecessor -- Goodluck Jonathan, a Christian from the country's South -- broke that pattern by occupying the office for more than one term. Nigeria is becoming the “biggest killing ground of Christians in the world” due to attacks by Boko Haram and Fulani militants, says a leading charity. This meant that Europeans and Americans were seen as ruling Africans both in political and ecclesiastical matters. Nigerian Army forces man a checkpoint to protect Sunday Christian prayer services in Sokoto, Nigeria on April 14, 2013, where less than 5 percent of the population is Christian. Its foundation was laid by Reverend Andrew Desalu Wilhelm, and it was completed in 1898. Missionaries hoped that their dedicated hearts would be enough to convert the people of Africa. Nigeria is becoming the “biggest killing ground of Christians in the world” due to attacks by Boko Haram and Fulani militants, says a leading charity. Christianity is one of the two main religions in Nigeria,Christians make up 48.2% of the population. On the other hand, the history of Christianity in Nigeria dates back to the 15th century when the Portuguese brought the religion along with them. Also, the country began to embrace a culture of import over export. Cardinal Francis Arinze is a Roman Catholic Cardinal from Nigeria. You might be surprised by what history has in store. Over 11,500 Christians have been murdered in Nigeria since June 2015, Genocide Watch reported in April. Its foundation was laid by Reverend Andrew Desalu Wilhelm, and it was completed in 1898. The origin of Christianity in the world can be traced to the Middle East. For instance, when Portugal’s Henry the Navigator tried to carry out his exploration with three Gs in mind (those being God, Gold and Glory), he was mostly met with indifference. In 1932, his church was initially associated with the Pentecostal Apostolic Church of Great Britain but later broke away to form an independent church, the Christ Apostolic Church. Some religious scholars believe that Christianity was introduced to Africans by way of the Egyptian city of Alexandria. Christians in Nigeria should resolve that for every Christian killed, five people who have not known Christ must be brought to the saving knowledge of Christ. 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