Effects Of Colonialism On Mission In Nigeria And Its Implication For Contemporary Missionaries

By Allen Timilehin Olatunde
INTRODUCTION
Africa, the land of blessed race, where the opportunists came
to develop in order to colonize their resources for their good
are left in vain hope. Even the religious motives of some were
not Gospel but material gains. Africa had suffered so much
from the white Generals and 'missionaries' because we
trusted and relied on their concept of modernization,
civilization and development. Colonialism was not in the
dictionary of a black man because the idea of collectivism was
the order of the day. Africans live in community headed by a
leader that always seeks the good of his subjects. The Africa
shore was blessed as vast as the sea in treasure, yet the
'developers' came and explored the land in the name of the
Lord, saying African do not know God, having no theological
platform for theology. However, Nigeria was part of the
countries that suffered the development. The people around
the Niger River area had intention of accepting the white men
and their mission but the effects of colonialism affected the
country till today as we deny the authenticity of our culture
with civilization that promotes immorality that even the Gospel
could not handle due to the dilapidated foundation of
deception. Nevertheless, the presence of these missionaries
still brought about development of infrastructures and other
benefits to the nations. This paper shall review the positive
and negative effects of the missionaries during colonial era in
Nigeria.
THE GENESIS OF MISSIONARIES DURING COLONIALISM IN
NIGERIA
Nigeria Background Information (2010, Standard 17) reveals
that during the period 1885-1900, nearly the entire continent of
Africa fell under the formal political control of European
powers; Nigeria was no exception. After the ground rules for
colonial conquest had been ironed out at the Berlin
Conference of 1884-1885, Europeans intensified their
expeditionary and colonial activity within the "Dark Continent."
Before the advent of colonial rules, missionaries had visited
African soil to spread Gospel of Christ and this led to the
trooping in of other people of different motives either for trade
or politics. However, missionaries were used by the colonial
power as an avant garde, to expand into new regions. For
many Nigerians, missionaries were the first Europeans with
whom they came into contact. Many pioneer missionaries
served during the colonial era without looking back. John
Ferguson (1971. 52) writes about these pioneers devotion to
mission. Anna and David Hinderer in 1848 served rejoicing in
the thought of living and dying for Africa. Also, "Mr. Venn, that
great and good man, whose name has for us a familiar
household ring, which has never failed to kindle in our hearts
a feeling of genuine enthusiasm", says Ferguson. The
pioneers' suffered for the mission brought yet they stood their
ground. Ferguson notes the ordeal of John Taylor and Jona.
He states that:
Taylor and Jona were left alone with an immense task before
hem. Any who think that the picture of West Africans society
at this time is coloured by European prejudice, should read the
diary of Taylor, an African, wit its record of slavery and
murder, blood-feud and tribal war, human sacrifice and twin-
killing, superstition and idolatry, filth and disease. The
missionaries first made their presence felt through their work
in abolishing the slave trade. As Crowder notes, they took the
emphasis away from the ''human products'' of Africa in a bid
to use more fully her abundant natural resources. The overall,
and idealistic, aim was to promote a healthier and mutually
beneficial trade between Africa and Europe. Sir Thomas Fowell
Buxton once put forward the argument that ''the only way to
save Africa from the evils of the slave trade... would be call
out its own natural resources'' (Crowder, The Story of Nigeria,
111).
Right from the outset, there was both a commercial and
religious context to all missionary work in Nigeria. If anything,
it could be argued that initially, the commercial aspect was
more pressing than the religious, due the urgent need to find a
quick substitute for trading slaves so that the traders would
not feel their profit was at stake.
However, the scene changed in the face of Christianity spread
that brought hope to all. Edmund Ilogu (1965) says that those
who embraced Christianity prior to 1900 were mainly people
who, perhaps, were alienated from the traditional society; or
suffered from certain social disabilities; or experienced certain
natural misfortunes. The heathens are looking on, bewildered,
and powerless to stem the torrent of enthusiasm that is
flowing like a river towards the religion of the Lord Jesus
Christ. From the CMS Archives (1881), the records reveal,
however, that it was in the period following the extension of
British political authority into the Igbo country that missionary
evangelism prospered. Prior to that time, in fact, it may be
safely said that most Igbos treated missionary propaganda
with 'respectful indifference'. Thought many came to the
missionary because of relief. Ekechi, F. K. (1971) writes that
other forces that brought about the remarkable mass
movement of the early twentieth-century included fear of
being flogged or imprisoned for refusal to comply with the
government's Forced Labour Ordinance or failure to pay local
fines. Nevertheless, missionary interest in Africa achieved a
similar level of British evangelical militancy to that of the
1650s, when the Interregnum witnessed a proliferation of
Religious sects in the wake of the English Civil War.
Yet despite this setback, within a decade the missionaries
were back in Nigeria. The missionaries completely overlooked
any cultural richness that existed in Nigeria. They arrived with
the same straightforward views as the colonial employees
were later to possess. They were absolutely convinced of the
superiority of Europeans as an undeniable fact against the
assumed inferiority of the natives. Indeed the missionaries
could be seen as the first colonial propagators of Manichean
Opposition ideology, from the outset using it as one
legitimizing factor for their presence in Africa. This resulted in
a potent attitude of patronization towards the natives. Indeed,
they often found the Africans themselves, the very subject of
their duties, to be utterly repulsive both in appearance and
behaviour.
This is not to say that the missionaries were not dedicated to
what they felt was their duty in Nigeria, and Africa as a whole.
CMS Archives (1902) affirms that:
Initially the entire populace was subjected to military
expeditions and wanton exploitation, in due course, however, it
appeared that Christians became immune to certain local
exactions. Some 'Christian' villages were indeed treated with
some measure of respect by British officials and in a few
cases were freed from military patrols. To most people,
therefore, it became quite obvious that those who were
associated with the Christian missions received preferential
treatment. Fear and insecurity coupled with the realization that
Christianity had suddenly become a badge of honour,
persuaded many people then to reconsider their position vis-
a-vis the Christian missions.
Many made sincere efforts, often putting their lives in danger
to accomplish their goals. Yet, the underlying forces at work
behind the missions, as well as their inextricable links with
commercial activities should never be overlooked. From the
outset, the missions were seen as ideal vehicles for gaining
the trust and confidence of the tribal leaders, before the real
monies interest moved in. It could be argued that the
missions were one part of the wheel of business and
economics that starting to turn in Nigeria, while a substitute
for slaves was sought. The humanitarian touch they seemed
to bring disguised these motives behind a facade of peaceful
and beneficent civilization. It would be naive to assume that
the missionaries were innocently unaware of the drastic
consequences their opening of the African heartland would
bring. In this sense they must, at least in part, be held
answerable for the colonial predicament of Nigeria.
EFFECTS OF COLONIALISM ON MISSION IN NIGERIA
POSITIVE EFFECTS
Formal Education
Jordan (1905) writes that the missionaries' formal education
was a means to an end. Through a sustained education
programme both religious proselytization and social
transformation might be realized. For, as Father Shanahan
suggested, 'Those who hold the school, hold the country, hold
its religion, and hold its future.' For the Africans, too, the
acquisition of Western education was a means to an end;
education would provide the weapon with which to fight
colonialism. Stewart, Dianne (2005) notes that embracing
Christianity provided African captives with opportunities for
leadership, education, travel, and social mobility, which were
unviable to them as adherents of African religious traditions.
Becoming a Christian meant having the opportunity to learn
how to read and write along with opportunity to receive
standard theological training. This offered converts more
potential for upward mobility than ancestral religions of Africa.
Ekechi (1971) adds that the writers of the era had tended to
stress the utilitarian aspect of Western education as a means
to higher jobs and overall economic improvement to the
neglect of its ideological aspect. From 1901 both the C.M.S.
and the R.C. Missions were intent on expanding their
education programme.
Relief and Health Programme Developments
Health facilities were in place during the colonial era through
the missionaries. It was a great impact to affects the lives of
people that were neglected by the government of the day.
Babajide, Femi (5) notes the benefits that were in place when
the missionaries entered Nigeria, especially Yoruba Land. He
observes that Christianity became so successful in Abeokuta
such that the town was described by Miss Tucker as "the
sunrise within the tropics." Also, the various denominations
that arrived in Abeokuta were able to translate into three fold
programmes of the missionaries: Christianity, commerce and
civilization (western education). Although, a fourth dimension
was later introduced by the Baptist Mission, which is
Healthcare.
Commercialization and Modernization
From the outset, the missions were seen as ideal vehicles for
gaining the trust and confidence of the tribal leaders, before
the real monied interest moved in. It could be argued that the
missions were one part of the wheel of business and
economics that starting to turn in Nigeria, while a substitute
for slaves was sought. The humanitarian touch they seemed
to bring disguised these motives behind a facade of peaceful
and beneficent civilization.
NEGATIVE EFFECTS
Condemnation and Abolishment of Culture
Adrian Hastings (59) observes that the first assumption of
these early missionaries was that everything African was
heathen and superstitious barbarism. They came with an
almost impregnable confidence in the overwhelming
superiority of the European West and in all the ways of society
and culture which they had taken for granted in their own
homes whether Evangelical or Catholic. According to Adrian
Hastings (58), the missionaries admitted little, if any, culture
of value in Africa, just as many had denied that it really had
any religion other than fearful superstitions. It was this feeling
of superiority which crystallized in the social situation of
masters and servants, which was very much pronounced in
the churches established by the early foreign missionaries.
Ibewuike (352) expressly narrates the situation that negated
the mission of the missionaries during the colonial time that
as the time the CMS missionaries arrived, they condemned
polygamy on the ground that it was against the Christian
doctrine. They also condemned the traditional marriage
ceremony and preached in favour of couples wedding in the
Church with a priest officiating, rather than the elders
negotiating according to the rules of the traditional system.
Due to the missionaries, Christianity helped to modify this act,
and some Asaba people, who were Christians, later wedded in
the Church. All indigenous names were also censured by the
missionaries (CMS), and they advised the people to take
Christian names. All newborn children were to be baptized in
the Church rather than by the traditional naming ceremony
presided over by the elders. On several occasions, the
missionaries and Asaba people disagreed on this issue.
Stewart, Dianne (2005) also observes that the missionary
insisted that Western Christian culture was the antidote for
African spirituality, religion, and culture. Africans had to
equate all of their inherited traditions with s sinful past if they
were to convince the missionaries of their authentic
conversion to Christ. European Christianity forced African
religion underground (away from public view and influence)
and there it remains even today.
Ibewuike (353) states further that the converts were left in a
dilemma, because their people back home wished their
children to be given indigenous names, whereas the
missionaries condemned this practice. Any couple who
decided to name their child in the traditional manner had to
face suspension from the Church, or, alternatively, if the child
was baptized in the Church, the couple was alienated from
their families back home. But as time went by, the majority of
the Asaba people became Christians. Furthermore, the CMS
missionaries did not accept traditional burials because of the
rituals involved. But the Asaba people could not see anything
bad in these customs. To them it was a prerequisite for the
final appeasement of the dead. The CMS missionaries
preached against it, and Christians who took part in traditional
burials were asked to leave the church. The CMS missionaries
and the traditionalists, especially the Obi, did not agree on the
question of title taking.
Entrance for Exploitations through Slave Trade Abolition
From the inception, white men had discovered what African
had and the only way was to strategize by substitution. Amos
Tutola ( http://www.qub.ac.uk ) writes online that
missionaries were used to their utmost effectiveness. After
their success in fighting for the abolition of the Slave Trade,
they targeted Nigeria with a dual purpose to convert the
natives and to discover natural resources which could be
traded as a substitute for slaves. It was on the back of the
large trading companies, like the Royal Niger Company, that
colonization began in the latter half of the nineteenth century.
To a large extent, Nigeria was colonized using her own
resources. Nigerian soldiers were used to apply the brute
force of colonial demands, the administration and
bureaucracy relied heavily on Nigerian co-operation, and the
missionaries made full use of Africans in evangelizing the
region.
Blackman Inferiority
Omoyajowo, J. A. remarks so much on the state of black man
when the missionaries came with the Gospel. His word is
quoted below:
These missions made reasonable and considerable impact on
the society and paved the way for the later successes of the
Church in this African country. But the approach by the
foreign missions was largely negative. The general tendency
by them was to condemn African things in toto and to paint
the picture of a dark continent. The missionaries had no
respect for the peoples' way of life, their religion or culture.
Here is an illustration of such negative attitudes by a
Capuchin missionary in the Congo. "On my way, I found
numbers of idols which I threw into the fire. The owner of
these idols... seemed very annoyed. To calm him down by
humiliating him, I let him know that if he persisted in anger, I
should see that he himself is burnt with his idols". It is this
negative attitude which characterised the missionary work of
the foreign missionaries. It was evangelism that had no regard
for the peoples' culture and religion. They were too simply
convinced of the enormous superiority of the European West
and came unconsciously, but naturally, as bearers not only of
the Christian message, but also of westernization. We are,
therefore, little surprised that the Christianity imbibed by the
Africans from these foreign missionaries was veneer and in
most cases superficial and hypocritical. It was these
weaknesses that the 'African' group of Churches and after
them, the African "indigenous" Churches exploited in
establishing their Churches.
Leon Litvack (1998) probably rebukes missionaries on the
guilt of graded humanistic hierarchical order that Blackman is
inferior. He also notes that missionaries completely
overlooked any cultural richness that existed in Nigeria. They
arrived with the same straightforward views as the colonial
employees were later to possess. They were absolutely
convinced of the superiority of Europeans as an undeniable
fact against the assumed inferiority of the natives. Indeed the
missionaries could be seen as the first colonial propagators of
Manichean Opposition ideology, from the outset using it as
one legitimising factor for their presence in Africa. This
resulted in a potent attitude of patronisation towards the
natives. Indeed, they often found the Africans themselves, the
very subject of their duties, to be utterly repulsive both in
appearance and behaviour.
IMPLICATION ON CONTEMPORARY MISSIONARIES
To this state, it is revealed that missionaries were both salt
and sour to Africa, especially Nigeria on influence and
affluence towards economy growth and civilization which
actually brought eye opener to our taste of survival and
changes. The effects had much on the contemporary
missionaries in some other region whereby the colonial
missionaries were rejected for their negative impacts and to
the others that were warmly received due to physical and
spiritual development realized. Missionaries of this age have
to learn to inculcate the value system of the people as culture
appraisal as platform for theological approaches.
African knows God but in the myth and oral tradition that was
not really documented yet mission has to come in that line to
step up through it but not to become syncretism (the extreme
mix up of Christianity with culture). The imbalance of thought
over what Africa is relegated the missionaries in the land.
However, contemporary missionaries should learn from the
past err of the former that inferiority should be omitted from
human relation in mission work. Equality before God is the
message of Christ. Though developments were recorded,
however, if the tragedy aftermath is overhauling the
structures, greater failure will be the end. Visible structures do
not weight as the invisible character. Nigerian loves character
appreciation as part of African ethics, so missionaries of
today should create platform of integrity and loyalty to Christ
and the gospel. Missionaries were an important factor in
promoting economic change. The contemporaries should
engage the people in things that will enhance their daily living
without taking advantages of the people for self gain.
CONCLUSION
The effects of colonialism on mission in Nigeria has greater
impact on contemporary missionaries to rediscover and
redesign mission strategy that is not from 'love and hate'
syndrome of the westerns, but genuine purpose to win the
world to Christ. Nigeria had suffered from the colonial rulers
which came in through the missionaries path, yet it has make
up of development that was set up then in view for the
contemporary missionaries to strive for excellence as they
missionize the nation with integrity, adequate information of
the people and their culture and indifference and
discrimination over colour, tribe, language and ethnic
differences.
WORKS CITED
Babajide, Femi. The Beginning of Christianity in Nigeria. The
Marks, Aflame Discipleship Labour Magazine, Volume 4 No 1,
2010, Ilorin, Nigeria, 2010.
C.M.S. Archives, Elm to Baylis. G3/A3/o, 7 Dec. 1902.
C.M.S. Archives, Report of Stations in the Archdeaconry of
the Upper Niger for the year ending December, I88I. Standard
17, Historical Geography of Nigeria, A Basic Chronology for
Nigeria's Historical Geography, G. 3/A3/o: Niger Mission.
Ekechi, F. K. Colonialism and Christianity in West Africa: The
Igbo Case, 1900-1915. The Journal of African History, Vol. 12,
No. 1, Cambridge University Press Stable,
Ferguson, John. Some Nigerians church founders. Ibadan:
daystar press, 1971. 52
Hastings, Adrian: Church and Mission in Modern Africa. New
York: Fordham University Press, l966. 59.
Ibewuike, V. O. African Women and Religious Change: A study
of the Western Igbo of Nigeria with a special focus on Asaba
town. Uppsala. ISBN 91-506-1838-5, 2006. 353
Ilogu, Edmund. Christianity and Ibo Traditional Religion.
International Review of Missions, LIV, 1965. 335-42
Omoyajowo, Joseph Akin. Gospel and Culture from the
Perspective of African Churches Founded by Foreign
Missions. accessed 13th February, 2011 by 2.15pm.
Stewart, Dianne M. Three Eyes for the Journey: African
Dimensions of the Jamaican Religious Experience. New York:
Oxford Press, 2005. 92
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Submitted On May 10, 2014