With 10,000 people celebrating the anniversary of the arrival of the first CMS mission team in south east Nigeria, Archbishop Akinola called for a revival of the spirit of Ajayi Crowther, the mission's African leader. CMS was there.

Thousands of Nigerians have celebrated the coming of Christianity with a week of special events.

In the trading centre of Onitsha on the banks of the Niger, an estimated 10,000 people gathered for the climax of the events on 27 July – 150 years to the day since Samuel Ajayi Crowther landed with his all-African CMS mission team.

Archbishop Peter Akinola, the leader of the church of Nigeria, was there to give a fiery address.

He lambasted the West for dwelling on “endless controversies” about homosexuality but reserved some harsh words for his own bishops – some 20 of whom were seated behind him on the podium. He told them they had to stop riding around in jeeps and get on with serious evangelism.

He also called for a recovery of the spirit of Crowther – a Yoruba like Akinola himself. The celebrations took place in the south-east, where the Igbo are the predominant people group. But Archbishop Akinola criticised the fact that “you will not see one Hausa, one Yoruba pastor working in Igbo-land.”

“Where is the power that shattered ethnicity 150 years ago?” he asked.

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Audio: Crowther's story - podcastThe crowd, most clad in their custom-made 150th anniversary yellow and red fabric, roared their approval.

Canon Tim Dakin, CMS General Secretary, led a delegation from the Society whose missionaries first brought Christianity to the area. He told the crowd the Gospel was alive and well in Europe, whatever they may have heard.

Archbishop Akinola said that he would like to be shown where this was the case. But despite this scepticism the two men later had a private meeting which Canon Dakin described as “cordial”.

Women’s groups in the diocese marked the anniversary by opening two new care homes – for troubled teenagers and for motherless babies – named in honour of Crowther.

A spirit of fun also prevailed with a novelty football match featuring clergy wives versus over-55s clergymen. A march past of uniformed organisations such as the Girls’ Guild and Scouts also took place in the pouring rain.

Twins from the diocese joined the procession. “This is one of the fruits of the Gospel,” said Bishop on the Niger, the Rt Rev Ken Okeke. When Crowther’s mission team arrived, local practice was to kill twins at birth, as people believed them to be “abnormal”.

Bishop Okeke, who was formerly Africa Director of CMS, recommitted the diocese to evangelistic mission.

“We believe what Crowther started gave birth to the church and if we don’t continue it we will die,” he said.

Published: 14:24 :: 08 August 2007 :: 6481 views :: 1 Comments :: ::
Last updated: 31 January 2008
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