ANGLICAN CHURCH CELEBRATES 160 YEARS IN NIGERIA; OBI OF ONITSHA APOLOGISES TO THE CHURCH FOR ILL TREATMENT METED OUT TO EARLY MISSIONARIES IN THE TOWN
The college of bishops, Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion and thousands of the faithful on Saturday, 29/06/24, converged on the commercial city of Onitsha, to mark the one hundred and sixtieth anniversary of the consecration of Samuel Ajayi Crowther.
The event was historic as Bishop Ajayi Crowther was the man who brought the gospel of Christ to Igboland.
The Paterson Hall of the All Saints Cathedral Onitsha, venue of the activities in honour of Rt Revd Samuel Ajayi Crowther, was filled to the brim with adherents of the Anglican faith, East of the Niger, and beyond in attendance.
The Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe, whose long time predecessor, Obi Akenzua, received the missionaries and provided them with land for establishing the church, led his cabinet chiefs to the ceremony.
The event was also graced by the former governor of Anambra state, and Labour Party presidential flag bearer in the 2023 polls, Peter Obi.
In his presentation, one of the resource persons on the occasion, Dr Kanayo Nwadialo, who is a researcher and historian, took the large audience on a voyage of history.
He narrated the chequered life of Ajayi Crowther as a freed slave, artisan and eventually one of the greatest missionaries that ever lived with documented exploits, despite the obstacles to evangelism at that time.
According to Dr Nwadialo, Crowther episcopacy made Niger Mission the first Anglican Diocese in the country, while his death in 1891 ignited the fire amongst early converts that further spread the gospel.
Igwe Alfred Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha extolled the persevering spirit of late Ajayi Crowther, and apologized to the church for the initial untoward treatment it might have received in the hand of his predecessors.
The traditional ruler remarked that the early missionaries brought the gospel, education and commerce that helped in giving Onitsha a pride of place in world history.
The Archbishop of Niger Province, and Anglican bishop of Awka, Most Revd Alexander Ibezim commended the Bishop on the Niger, Rt Revd Owen Nwokolo, for the great idea of instituting a memorial lecture in honour of Ajayi Crowther.
Most Revd Ibezim regretted that present crop of ‘Men of God’ cannot withstand the unfavourable environment under which Bishop Crowther spread the gospel.
The former Bishop on the Niger, Rt Rev Ken Okeke, remarked that the life of Crowther is a challenge to the present missionaries and priests pointing out that Christian virtues must continue to be inculcated.
In his tribute Bishop David Onuoha observed that documenting the history of early missionaries will encourage the church to take the message of Christ to all corners of the world whether the climate is
favourable or not.
