Missionary Work in West Africa

Missionary Work in West Africa

The first European Christian missions to come to West Africa were the Portuguese Catholic missionaries. These came between 15th and 17th centuries. They first visited Sene-Gambia. Benin in southern Nigeria. Despite of their early efforts in spreading Christianity in West Africa, no trace of their work could be found anywhere in these areas by the 19 century. This was mainly as a result of discouragement from their fellow nationals who considered Africans as barbaric, arrogant and only fit to be carried off into slavery. This propaganda added to West African diseases, poor communication and competition from Islam they had to leave no record of their work in West Africa by 19th century period.
It was not until the age of imperialism set in Africa that real missionary work had to begin. This was a result of humanitarian work for religious revival that had began in Europe and springing up of new churches, followed by formation of many Christian societies that wanted to gain converts among the neglected and miserable classes of people all over the world hence their coming to West Africa.
Scotish Missionary Society:
The first group of missionaries in West Africa were the Scotish missionary society that started its work in 1879 in Susu area north of Sierra Leone. But it left soon and was replaced by Church Missionary Society as they went to Free town where there was a serious need for humanitarian work among the freed slaves.
Wesleyan Missionary Society:
Another group of was Wesleyan Missionary Society that started its work in West Africa
as early as 1795 when it sent a party of preachers to Sierra Leone. In 1821 they had extended their work to Ghana through the activities of R. Thomas, B. Freeman and in
1840 their work had spread to Y orubaland. In 1854 their activities were extended to
Wbydah in Dahomey.
Church Missionary Society (CMS):
In 1841 the church missionary society (CMS) accompanied the British sponsored Niger expedition with a plan to study the possibility of opening up a station at Lokoja. But the expedition was a failure due to unhealthy climate that left many dead.
In 1844 after the freed slaves converts had returned home in Nigeria, the church missionary society opened up a station at Abeokuta so that they could utilize the local Christian manpower of freed slaves and two other Europeans who worked in Abeolcuta missionary station; In 1854 their missionary work was extended to Lagos, in 1855 to Ibadan and 1856 to Oyo.
In 1854 A jayi Crowther opened up a church missionarysociety at Onitsha
Further inland of west Africa. In 1864. Ajay icrowther was ordered as the first black bishop and returned to lagosto spread the church missionery society work in oil river state.
Church of England society for prepagation of the Gospel
In Ghana missionery wrk was pioneered bythe church of England society for propagation of the gospel. It wasfollowed by members of weslleyan Methodists, breman missionery groupetc. The church missionery alsoopened up a branch in Ghana at poki in1846 but due to malariaattacks it was closed down in 1851
Church of scottland mission
Meanwhile, as early as 1846. The church of scottland mission had started their work in calabar. In 1858, the Baptist mission which had begun its work at fernandpo was expelled by the Spanish authority and it moved to Cameroon.
Portuguese missionery society
Although ghe Portuguese missionery society had disappeared from west African sates by the 16th century they reappeared in 1841. They were led by fr. Edward Barron who arrived at coast and began his work at cape palm in Senegal and eventually his work was extended to ivory coas.
Holy Ghost Fathers
in 1860s the holy ghost fathers carried out their missionery workin sene-Gambia. By 1870 they had extended their work to dahomey,seira leone, and lagos. The white fathers from france also operated in dahomey, ivory coast and benin. Also more than 10missionery societies from usa operated in Liberia, sierra leone and Yoruba land. The most paramount of these ten societies was basel missionery society.
Revision questions
With examples from west Africa assess the impact of Christian missionary work in the area up to 1914