MISSION SCHOOLS AND DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA: A CASE STUDY OF DELTA STATE.

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MISSION SCHOOLS AND DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA: A CASE STUDY OF DELTA STATE.

ABSTRACT

Missionary activity in Nigeria cannot, of course, be viewed apart from the general European invasion of the West African territories from the advent of the Portuguese. During the fifteenth century when crusading zeal was ever present in Europe, commercial and religious issues were one and indivisible. Even in the early years of European contact with the Guinea coasts, the Christian priest invariably travelled with the trader either to check the advance of Islam–at the time the hereditary foe of Christendom–or to extend the Christian message to unknown lands. With the beginning of European commerce in the fifteenth century, there came the first missionary outposts in West Africa: for example in Mina (modern Ghana), Benin, Warn and the Congo. These Christian outposts were short-lived and the reasons for their virtual disappearance towards the end of the seventeenth century are many and various. First, the character and organization of the slave trade militated against the work of the missions. Under the chaotic and unsettled conditions in which the slaves were captured and sold, the spread of the Christian message proved well-nigh impossible. Again, with the possible exception of the Kingdom of the Congo, the early European missionaries worked in territories in which Africans were sovereign; in a majority of cases the African governments supported the indigenous faith against that of the trading Europeans.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

The Mission School (sometimes called “New Folk” or “Urban Rustic”) is an art movement of the 1990s and 2000s, centered in the Mission District of San Francisco, California. Thus the missionary school can be describe as a type of school system that is own and controlled by religious institutions be it private or public which offers educational and moral services to the communities within there domain. There are two types of schools (at least) that are often called “missionary schools”. I am speaking within the context of Christian missions.

1. The most common use of the term is an elementary or high school started and run by missionaries. In some parts of the world (historically, and even to this day) there are places where education, (reading, writing, math, etc.), are not taught or taught so poorly that local children are at a disadvantage. Christian missionaries would set up schools for the children. Often they would teach, but may also utilize the services of local teachers. As missionaries, they would typically incorporate the Holy Bible into the training, as well as Christian doctrine and ethics.

2. In some cases the term can be used as a short form for “missionary training school.” In this case, it describes a school or training program designed to train people in the theory and practice of mission work.

This movement is generally considered to have emerged in the early 1990s around a core group of artists who attended (or were associated with) San Francisco Art Institute. The term “Mission School”, however, was not coined until 2002, in a San Francisco Bay Guardian article by Glen Helfand.

Some notable organizations that carried out missionary activities in the country in the pre-independence were those of the Baptist church, Methodist church, Anglican Church as well as the Roman Catholic Church.

Thus the major problems of early missionary schools in Nigeria can be highlighted below;

1. Resistance and hostility from the local communities.

2. Denominational conflicts among the Christian groups themselves.

3. Hostile weather conditions.

4. Strange and dangerous diseases such as malaria and sleeping sickness.

5. Shortage of finance and other material resources.

6. Inadequate manpower to facilitate their work.

7. Difficult terrain and other hardships in transport and communication, etc.

The above challenges delayed the Christian groups in their mission, not only of evangelization but also in the promotion of education.

However, to solve these problems the response of the government and other international relations can be noted below;

The Christian groups in Africa were preoccupied with several activities in the area of formal education. They established schools of different grades. In many areas they were the first to venture into this field. In such cases they pioneered formal education in those communities. This entailed mobilizing there sources necessary for education, training and paying the teachers, developing the curriculum, among others. They also sensitized the masses and encouraged them to embrace formal education.

The government at the centre as well as those of the regional and local district levels provided support in form of scholarship grants and provision of text materials etc. while their international partners provided aid and grants for the continued support and strengthening of the missionary engagements.

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

When one thinks of a missionary, he or she mostly concentrates on the task of the missionary to spread a religion, which the missionary believes to be a necessity in the lives of the people he or she is trying to reach. However, missionaries have often resulted in more effects than simply the spreading of a religion but have also brought with them a complete change of lifestyle. The ethnocentric outlook of the missionaries prevented them from completely understanding the natives of West Africa and led to missionaries influencing other areas of the West Africans’ lives besides religion. The effects of missionaries on West Africa included a loss of cultural identity, a change in the unity of West Africa, an increase of nationalism, and a spread of Christianity due to trained black missionaries. The natives of West Africa experienced a loss of cultural identity due to the westernization the missionaries brought along with Christianity. Reid states in “Missionaries and West African Nationalism” that missionaries symbolized “Christian values, western schools, hospitals, and churches” (225). Likewise, Mario Vargas Llosa writes in The Storyteller of how the linguistic center, which consists of Christian missionaries in Peru, wants to enforce a new lifestyle upon the Machiguengas and “wipe their culture, their gods, their institutions off the map and corrupt even their dreams” (97). The West Africans who accepted Christianity were automatically westernized while those who maintained the Muslim or tribal beliefs avoided westernization of their lifestyles (DeLombard 324). In Things Fall Apart, westernization occurs when the Christian churches accept the twins and outcasts of Umuofia, which completely goes against Umuofian tradition (Achebe 155). The West Africans also lost part of their cultural identity in the field of education, since the tribal history and beliefs were no longer taught. The Christian education used the Bible to teach reading and language skills and western practices and beliefs (Reid 226). Even the government structure changed in West Africa as church and colonial structures tried to enforce parliamentary systems on the West Africans (Reid 228). In Things Fall Apart, the white missionaries westernize the Umuofian government by including a court, a district commissioner, and court messengers (Achebe 174). Akpan even states that the Nigerians “in spite of their colour, they were, as a rule, as foreign, and lacking in sentimental attachment to Africa as were European colonists elsewhere in Africa like the British, the French, the Portuguese, and the Spainards” (219). The permeation of western ideas into West Africa made the African unrecognizable to their traditional culture. Christian missionaries could not abandon their ways of life and structures when trying to spread the gospel to the West Africans, which resulted in the infiltration of western life into West African life. Missionaries from the United States contributed to the cultural loss of the Nigerians, specifically, by spreading Christianity and expecting immediate changes in traditions as a result. The American Colonization Society automatically equated the spreading of Christianity in Nigeria with the introduction of civilization into the country as well (Akpan 226). As a result, dramatic changes came to Nigeria as the gospel began to penetrate more and more into Nigeria. Fyfe informs that in the 1980’s American missionaries and preachers, such as Billy Graham, came to Nigeria and Christianity began increasing in the country (337). Churches became so prominent in Nigeria that the Christians began to outnumber the tribal people, and the native tribes began to be classified as the outsiders (Goodwin 337). As a result the Nigerian churches began to prohibit the Nigerian people from taking part in practices, such as drumming and dancing, which were an important part of the Nigerian culture (Fyfe 337). Akpan discusses how the natives began to wear western clothing, which consisted of black coats and silk dresses, after the arrival of the white missionaries. The Nigerians even began to build their houses or brick frames like Americans and began to favor American food, such as butter and bacon (219). In Nigeria, Christian missionaries felt that if the natives accepted the religion, other changes would also result, such as changes in clothing and traditional practices, since certain customs, such as going about half naked, were considered immoral in the eyes of the missionaries. Not only did American missionaries change the cultural identity of the Nigerians through religion but also through the westernization of government and language. According to Fyfe, Christianity became a necessity for positions of power in the Nigerian government. The Masonic Order and the True Whig Party were largely influenced by Christianity in Nigeria. Even the president, vice-president, and the chairman of the True Whig Party were all leaders in the Baptist, Methodist, and Presbyterian churches (336). Due to the great American influence in the country, Nigeria accepted a Declaration of Independence, and a Constitution containing a Bill of Rights that mimicked the similar documents of the United States government (Goodwin 336). Dalton states that the flag that Nigeria adopted even looked just like the American flag accept that the Nigerian flag only had one star. The United States dollar was also adopted in Nigeria, and the English language became the national language of Nigeria (572). The government of Nigeria was, therefore, leaving behind a more communal government and was leaning toward more of a republic and democracy. Akpan even discusses that the Nigerian people began buying their own land instead of keeping the land as a community (219). Such widespread permeation of the American culture into Nigeria demonstrates how aggressive the American missionaries were in spreading the American ideals and shows that the American missionaries had a greater goal than just simple acceptance of Christianity. The missionaries who came to Nigeria and West Africa affected the unity of the natives in positive and negative ways. When the missionaries first came to West Africa and Nigeria, the division of the continent made it easier for the missionaries to take control in West Africa. Similarly, the narrator states in The Storyteller that “their primitive state made them, rather, victims of the worst exploitation and cruelty” (74). Missionaries taught everyone in West Africa the same language, so communication in West Africa increased as the language barriers decreased (Reid 225). Likewise, as communication increased, unity also increased among the natives of West Africa. As a result of the missionaries’ work and goals, the tribal and ethnic separation began to decrease as well (Reid 225). Reid also states that the majority of the unity which Christian missionaries helped to achieve was nonpolitical (226). However, the work of the Christian missionaries in West Africa also brought division among the families and the tribes between those natives who would, and the people who would not accept Christianity. In Things Fall Apart, Achebe writes of how Nwoye tells Obierika that he no longer considers Okonkwo as his father since he has accepted the new religion of Christianity, and as a result, the family unit is destroyed (144). Also demonstrated in Things Fall Apart is how faithful, traditional tribal members want to be completely separated from the new Christian believers in the village. The Mbantan leaders refuse to allow the Christian women in the village to fill their water pots during the Holy Week because the leaders want the Christians to be alienated from the rest of the village after a Christian kills the sacred python of the tribe (159). Even division came among the African American missionaries and the Nigerians who had never been to America. Killingray states that the variation of cultures and outlooks on world issues, as well as the contrasting societies that the African Americans and the Nigerians came from, contributed to the division between the two groups (10). The extreme ethnocentric view the white missionaries had of the Nigerian and West African society also had a great impact on the division among white missionaries and the Africans who refused to accept Christianity. Akpan concludes that white missionaries and leaders often had a superior attitude towards the African people, which made the missionaries disdain some African practices and cause disagreements among the two groups (225). The two-fold effect the Christian missionaries had on the unity of the tribes in West Africa and Nigeria contributed to the difficult task of coexistence on the continent of Africa. Questions concerning equality in the schools and churches that the missionaries formed led to a great movement of nationalism among West Africans and Nigerians. Reid states in “Missionaries and West African Nationalism” that “the genesis of most of the independent movements was a struggle for African equality in the churches and elsewhere in society” (233). Many West Africans received their education through churches that the missionaries formed (Goodwin 338). Often white missionaries, who might be more favorable to white people, were in charge of the schools, and as a result, the African people began to want to take control once again of the affairs in their villages. Akpan claims that not only the schools but also the government was originally ruled by white people the missionaries were associated with in Nigeria. Nigeria consisted of white American governors and a legislative council chosen by the American Colonization Society and the colonists in the country (218). Sadly, at times, the government leaders would treat the tribal Nigerians harshly and tyrannize the native Africans by taking their anger out on the Nigerians because the government leaders were not paid sufficient amounts of money for their jobs. Missionaries used the westernization and complete control of Nigeria to their advantage hoping the Nigerian people would convert more easily. For example, white missionaries in Nigeria formed the American Colonization society in order to have a greater influence on the country of Nigeria (Akpan 220). The Christian principle of equality enforced these feelings of nationalism among the native people of West Africa and Nigeria. As a result, nationalism became a primary part of the West Africans’ life. Goodwin claims in “America’s Only Foreign Colonial Settlement” that Joseph J. Robert finally led Nigeria into gaining its independence (336). However, Reid informs that the African nationalists still had similar goals as the Christian missionaries because Christianity symbolized freedom to the Africans and served as the basis for the African nationalists’ beliefs. The goals of the African nationalists and Christian missionaries included African unity, westernization, and anti-tribal qualities (229). Although nationalism brought division among missionaries and West Africans because missionaries, at times, did not want to give up their control, Christian goals and ideas were still incorporated into West Africa because of the large influence Christianity had on the people of West Africa prior to independent movements. The training of black missionaries greatly impacted the extent to which Christianity spread in West Africa. Gray writes that African ministers were very prominent after the white missionaries began training them on how to witness to the people in West Africa. Gray states in “Christianity, Colonialism, and Communications in Sub-Saharan Africa” that “the rapid spread of Christianity resulted from African preachers who had been trained by missionaries” (60). Gray also states in “Christianity and Religious Change in Africa” that African Christians have experiences of “industrialization, and racism, of protest and nationalism, of the liberation of women and the of the debate with revolutionary socialism and secularism” that other Africans faced (91). Sometimes news and other religions are accepted and have a greater impact on the society when the information and source of change is from a person’s own native people because the native people better understand their own culture. Achebe even writes in Things Fall Apart that one of the first actions the white missionaries take involves sending the converted natives as evangelists out to other villages to spread the good news of the gospel (143). Of the six missionaries that come to Umuofia, only one man was a white man and the other five men are black (144). Christian missionaries quickly realized that the training of Black missionaries brought quicker results and conversions to the West African people. African American missionaries also made a great contribution to the country of Nigeria in the spreading of the gospel. Killingray records that African missionary work has been a great influence in Nigeria since the nineteenth century (9). According to Killingray, Lott Cary began the African American missionary work in Nigeria because he desperately wanted to reach his race and the Richmond African Missionary Society of which he was a part (6). Just as Nigerians accepted Christianity more welcomingly when the teachings came from their own people, African missionaries had more desire to spread Christianity among their own people as well. African Americans felt a desperate need to forewarn the native Africans of the continuance of their current traditions, which increased the impact of the work of the black missionaries. The African American missionaries were caring for their people and were more passionate about reaching the Nigerians. For example, Edward Wilmot Blyden was a primary African American missionary in Nigeria who supported the American nationalist and independent movement (Killingray 13). Blyden wanted to work in a country where the color of his skin would not prohibit his success (Killingray 13). Akpan states, interestingly, that Blyden was different than most missionaries and believed that the tribal African culture in Nigeria had practices and ideas that were worth protecting (227). Alexander Crummell was also an important missionary in Africa who pastured and aided in the politics of Nigeria (KIllingray 13). African missionaries also greatly impacted the country of Nigeria more so compared to the other countries of Africa. According to Killingray, the largest amount of black missionaries who spoke English went to Nigeria and by the 1900’s sixty-eight black missionaries were in the country (22). Not only did the African American missionaries aid the country in religion and politics, but also in medicine. Malekebu formed a medical mission in Nigeria as well (Killingray 5). The similarities of skin color between the missionaries and the natives helped to contribute the vast religious changes in the country of Nigeria. The effects of the Christian missionaries on West Africa and Nigeria definitely brought more results than just the spreading of Christianity but also contributed to changes in government, culture, tradition, language, and relationships. The infiltration of western ideas into West Africa and Nigeria through the spreading of Christianity demonstrates how aggressive the western culture is compared to the West African tribal culture. The question arises whether or not the tribal cultures should have been preserved and if coexistence of the Christian beliefs and the tribal traditions and lifestyle, which included outcasts and human sacrifices, was possible. The Christian missionaries decided that westernization and Christianity went hand in hand since some traditions of the tribal Africans, such as outcast, limited clothing, and human sacrifice, went against the principles of the Bible in Christianity. Opposing views, however, would state that the American food, clothing and manners of government are more evil than the savage practices of the tribal Africans that can result in paganism or the abandonment or killing of innocent people in Africa.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

It’s difficult to convince too many people that missionaries do more harm than good. You can say that they destroy native religion, but you’d have to prove that it’s a bad thing; you could say that they alter cultures, but you’d have to answer to how all cultures have changed over time and why that particular culture is worthy of protection and not subject to change.

You can discuss missionary missions from the past where missionaries introduced alcohol and weapons to a culture ill equipped to handle them with restraint, but instances like that occurred in the 1700s and is not a problem that plagues missionary trips today.

What is most problematic with missionaries is when they bring foreign viruses into a land where they are virtually unknown and against which the people have no natural defenses. Though the missionary had a serious impact in Nigeria, the main purpose of this project is to try and investigate its impact of the educational system in Nigeria.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The main Objective of this study is to investigate the impact of missionary schools in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria. The study will take a look at both the negative and positive impact of this mission to the educational system in Nigeria.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The Questions that this research work tries to answer are:

How did the invent of mission schools affect the educational system of Nigeria.

Are there any Positive effects of this mission to the educational system of Nigeria.

What are the negative effects of this venture.

Did western mission do more good to the educational system of the Niger Delta people or harm.

RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

The hypothesis stated below helped guide this project research.

H1: Mission schools has more negative impact to the educational system of the Niger Delta people than positive.

H2: Mission schools has more positive impact to the educational system of the Niger Delta people than Negative.

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The Scope of this study is focused on Delta State. Delta State is a state in Nigeria, comprising distinct Igbo subgroups of Enuani, Ukwani, Ndokwa and Ika, collectively referred to as Anioma, and the Delta people made up of the Urhobo, Itsekiri, Ijaw and Isoko ethnic groups. The ethnic groups are grouped into three senatorial districts, namely Delta North, Delta South and Delta Central, for administrative purposes.

Delta is an oil and agricultural producing state of Nigeria, situated in the region known as the Delta state, South-South geo-political zone with a population of 4,098,291 (males: 2,674,306; females: 2,024,085).[2] Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the current Federal Minister of Finance and Coordinating of Economy and former World Bank Managing Director, is from the state. The capital city is Asaba, located at the northern end of the state, with an estimated area of 762 square kilometres (294 sq mi), while Ogwashi-Uku has the biggest land space for any industry, Warri is the economic nerve center of the state and also the most populated located in the southern end of the state. The state has a total land area of 16,842 square kilometres (6,503 sq mi).

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

At the end of this project research, the questions stated above should be answered, also the project should have been able to distinctly reveal the major impact of mission schools to the Niger Delta educational system as well as it’s people.

LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

Some of the limitations of this study include external validity, or the generalizability of the study. There were only 13 participants who participated in the complete study, and each participant was a college-degreed professional residing in the south south area of Nigeria. In addition, the participants were all middle to upper middle class adults without learning disabilities.

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