Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gbm5v Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-22T15:40:35.811Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

CMS Missionaries of African Origin and Extra-Religious Encounters at the Niger-Benue Confluence, 1858–1880

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 May 2014

Femi J. Kolapo
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract:

Mission-African relations in Gbebe and Lokoja between 1858 and 1880 were different from what obtains in the literature for other precolonial Nigeria mission towns. Missionary practice was as intransigent, culturally imposing, and conflictual in these communities as in other mission towns, but local opposition and aversion to the missionaries and converts were not the defining character of their relationship. This difference is due both to certain peculiarities in the corporate character of Gbebe and Lokoja CMS missions and die particular sociopolitical and cultural milieu in the host communities. These factors attenuated die force of missionary ideological and religious assault and demoted religious conflicts between them to a secondary position. Thus, other critical nonconflictual contexts of mission-African relations assumed predominance in these communities. The character of the missions beclouded much of their patently adversarial aspects in the sight of their hosts. It also compelled the missionaries to engage in close secular interactions with the people. Moreover, exigent conditions of internal sociopolitical instability and external dangers of wars forced on the two sides faith-blind informal encounters. Furthermore, a heritage of integrative management of diverse immigrant founding groups in the young communities equipped them to be accommodative of the latterly arrived missionaries.

Résumé:

Résumé:

La relation des missions africaines à Gbebe et à Lokoja entre 1858 et 1880 diffère de ce qui a été écrit en littérature pour d'autres villes nigérianes de missionnaires de l'époque pré-coloniale. La pratique des missionnaires était aussi intransigeante, dominatrice d'un point de vue culturel et conflictuelle dans ces communautés que dans d'autres villes avec missions. Cependant, l'opposition locale, l'aversion envers les missionnaires et les convertis n'étaient pas le caractère qui définissait leur rapport. Cette différence est due aussi bien à certaines particularités dans le caractère de corporation des missions CMS de Gbebe et de Lokoja qu'à la nature particulière du milieu sociopolitique et culturel des communautéshôtes. Ces facteurs ont apaisé la force de l'assaut idéologique et religieux des missionnaires et ont relégué les conflits religieux entre eux vers une position secondaire. Ainsi, d'autres contextes graves, mais non-conflictuels, des relations entre les missions africaines ont assumé la prédominance dans ces communautés. Le caractère des missions a obscurci beaucoup de leurs aspects ouvertement adversatifs, aux yeux de leurs hôtes. Cela a également contraint les missionnaires à s'engager dans des interactions séculaires étroites avec les gens. D'ailleurs, les conditions exigentes de l'instabilite sociopolitique interne et les dangers de guerres à l'extérieur ont exercé une pression sur les rencontres informelles des deux factions, aveuglées par leur propre idéologie. En outre, un héritage de l'administration intégratrice de divers groupes fondateurs d'immigrés dans les jeunes communautés les a équipées pour s'accommoder des missionnaires arrivés récemment.

Type
Articles
Information
African Studies Review , Volume 43 , Issue 2 , September 2000 , pp. 87 - 115
Copyright
Copyright © African Studies Association 2000

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ajayi, J. F. A. 1965. Christian Missions in Nigeria, 1841–1881: The Making of a New Elite. London: Longmans.Google Scholar
Allen, W., and Thomson, T. R. H.. [1848] 1968. A Narrative of the Expedition Sent by Her Majesty's Government to the River Niger in 1841 under the Command of Captain H. D. Trotter. Vol. 1. London.Google Scholar
Ayandele, E. A. 1966. Missionary Impact on Modern Nigeria, 1842–1914. London: Longmans.Google Scholar
Ayandele, E. A. 1970. Holy Johson. Pioneer of African Nationalism, 1836-1917. New York: Humanities Press.Google Scholar
Ayandele, E. A. 1979a. African Historical Studies. London: Frank Cass.Google Scholar
Ayandele, E. A. 1979b. Nigerian Historical Studies. London: Frank Cass.Google Scholar
Ayandele, E. A. 1984. “External Relations widi Europeans in the Nineteendi Century.” In Ikime, Obaro, ed., Groundwork of Nigerian History. Heinemann: Ibadan.Google Scholar
Baikie, W. B. [1856] 1966. Narrative of an Exploring Voyage Up the Rivers Kwora and Binue Commonly Known as the Niger and Tsadda in 1854. London.Google Scholar
Baikie, W. B. 1860. Public Record Office (PRO). F. O. 2/34.Google Scholar
Baikie, W. B. 1862. CMS CA3/0 4 (a) Letters & Papers 1857–63.Google Scholar
Bowen, T.J. 1968. Adventures and Missionary Labours in Several Countries in the Interior of Africa from 1849 to 1856. Introduction by Ayandele, E. A.. London: Frank Cass.Google Scholar
Church Missionary Gleaner 8 (1848); 1 (1850–51); 3 (1853). London: William Watts, Crown Court, Temple Bar.Google Scholar
Crampton, E. P. T. 1975. Christianity in Northern Nigeria. Zaria: Gaskiya Corporation.Google Scholar
Crowther, D. C. 1862–1880. [1868?] A Visit to die Banks of the Niger in the Year 1862. CMS Niger Mission CA/013. Letters, Journals & Reports.Google Scholar
Crowther, Samuel A. [1855.] 1970. Journal of an Expedition up the Niger and Tshadda Rivers, undertaken by MacGregor Laird, Esq., in connection with the British Government in 1854. London: Frank Cass.Google Scholar
Crowther, Samuel A. [1855.] 1857–1872. CMS Niger Mission CA3/04(a). Letters & Papers.Google Scholar
Crowther, Samuel A. [1855.] 1857–1863. CMS Niger Mission CA3/04(a). Letters & Papers.Google Scholar
Crowther, Samuel A. [1855.] 1860–1879. CMS Niger Mission CA3/04(b). Journals & Reports.Google Scholar
Crowther, Samuel A. [1855.] 1864–1868. CMS Niger Mission CA3/04(a). Letters.Google Scholar
Ekechi, F. K. 1971. Missionary Enterprise and Rivalry inlgboland, 1857–1914. London: Frank Cass Google Scholar
Ekechi, F. K. 1993. “Studies on Missions in Africa.” In Falola, T., ed., African Historiography: Essays in Honour of Jacob Ade Ajayi. London: Longmans.Google Scholar
Gbadamosi, T. G. O., and Ajay, J. F. Ade. 1984. “Islam and Christianity in Nigeria.” In Ikime, Obaro, ed., Groundwork of Nigerian History. Ibadan: Heinemann.Google Scholar
Hinderer, A. 1877. Seventeen Years in the Yoruba Country: Memorials of Anna Hinderer, Wife of the Rev. David Hinderer, C. M. S. Missionary in Western Africa. Edited by C. A., and Hone, D.. London: Religious Tract Society.Google Scholar
Hutchinson, T.J. [1858.] 1970. Impressions of Western Africa with Remarks on the Diseases of the Climate and a Report on the Peculiarities of Trade up Rivers in the Bight of Biafra. London.Google Scholar
Isichei, E. 1970. The Ibo People and the Europeans. The Genesis of a Relationship—to 1906. London: Faber and Faber.Google Scholar
John, T. C. 1865–1879. CMS Niger Mission CA3/021. Letters & Reports.Google Scholar
Kalu, O. U. 1993. “African Church ‘Historiography.’” In Falola, T., ed., African Historiography: Essays in Honour of Jacob Ade Ajayi. London: Longmans.Google Scholar
Kolapo, F.J. 1999a. “Military Turbulence, Population Displacement and Commerce on a Slaving Frontier of the Sokoto Caliphate. Nupe, c.1800–1857.” Ph.D. diss., York University, Canada.Google Scholar
Kolapo, F.J. 1999b. “Trading Ports of the Niger-Benue Confluence Area, c. 1830–1873.” In Law, Robin and Strickrodt, Silke, eds., Ports of the Slave Trade (Bights of Benin and Biafra): Papers from a Conference of the Centre of Commonwealth Studies, University of Stirling, June 1998. Stirling: Centre of Commonwealth Studies, University of Stirling.Google Scholar
Paul, C. 1866–1879. 1866. CMS Niger Mission CA3/028. Journals and Reports.Google Scholar
Pedraza, H.J. 1960. Borrioboola-Gha: The Story of Lokoja, the First British Settlement in Nigeria. London: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Peel, J. D. Y. 1990. “The Pastor and the Babalawo. The Interaction of Religions in Nineteenth-Century Yorubaland.” Africa 60 (3): 338–69.Google Scholar
Ranger, T. 1993. “New Approaches to the History of Mission Christianity.” In Falola, T., ed., African Historiography: Essays in Honour of Jacob Ade Ajayi. London: Longmans.Google Scholar
Schon, J. F., and Crowther, S. [1842.] 1970. Journals of the Rev. James Frederick Schon and Mr. Samuel Crowther who accompanied the Expedition up the Niger in 1841. London: Frank Cass.Google Scholar
Strayer, R. 1976. “Mission History in Africa: New Perspectives on an Encounter.” African Studies Review 19 (1):1–15.Google Scholar
Tasie, G. O. M. 1978. Missionary Enterprise in the Niger Delta. Lieden: Brill.Google Scholar
Thomas, J. 1858–1879. CMS Niger Mission CA3/038. Letters & JournalsGoogle Scholar
Thomas, O. 1877–1878. CMS Niger Mission CA3/039. Journals.Google Scholar
Priddy, S. B. 1862–1864. CMS Niger Mission CA3/033. Letters & Journals.Google Scholar
Webster, J. B. 1964. The African Churches among the Yoruba, 1888-1922. London: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Whitford, J. [1877]1967. Trading Life in Western and Central Africa. Introduced by Hopkins, A.G.. London: Frank Cass.Google Scholar