Meaning and History of Christianity in Ikot Abasi
Introduction
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world’s largest religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global population. Its adherents, known as Christians, are estimated to make up a majority of the population in 157 countries and territories and are a minority in all others. Most Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of God, whose coming as the messiah was prophesied in the Hebrew Bible (called the Old Testament in Christianity) and chronicled in the New Testament.
The gospel as preached in the early church in the Acts of the Apostles (4:32-36) encompassed the physical ministrations to the physical needs of the people of the church community. This tells us that the church’s proclamation of the gospel must be done in such a way that the gospel message finds meaningful expression in people’s lives and their milieus. This was the dimension the missionaries who brought the gospel to Etinan followed. This shows that the gospel transcends Charismatic vociferation because it also addressed the physical needs of the people. The gospel that does not consider the physical need of its target community will not make impacts. In this paper, we shall look at the positive impacts Christianity has been able to make in Etinan community and challenge her to do even more.
There is the tendency of man trying to relax when he has achieved a lot. Therefore, Christianity in Etinan should not relax for achieving a lot but work harder to do more. The aim of this study therefore, is to draw the attention of the contemporary church to the positive impact Christianity has made in Etinan and challenge her to follow suit in community developments. The evangelicals came from foreign lands to preach the gospel in the soil of Africa and met some physical needs of the community thy visited. Although, they are being criticized constructively for their nefarious agendas like slave trade, racism and exploitations, their achievements in terms of community development cannot be thrown away. The contemporary church seems to be losing attention in this aspect of the gospel. Some of the churches that opened schools, hospitals and printing press in recent times were doing them as a money-making business ventures. Can the church of today learn anything from the evangelicals in Etinan
Meaning and History of Christianity in Ikot Abasi
History of Christianity in Ikot Abasi
In Opobo Division the Qua Iboe missions were known for their preaching of the Bible, the Methodists and Roman Catholics – for good education and community services, the African Spiritual churches – for their faith healing and preaching in vernacular. The orthodox churches attempted to create literate Christian elite for the needs of their expanding missions and introduced games, sports and patron saints’ feasts in their schools. The first inter-school football match was played at Ete in 1927 with the rival team trekking 14 miles to meet the challenge. (Ann. Rep.. 1927)
Nearly every village has a mission: the Qua Iboe Mission extending to the North and east and the Methodists – to the west south, according to their agreement; the NDP has a weak hold at Egwanga and Opobo, while the Roman Catholic Church, the late comer, and attempts to cover the whole area. (Cheesman, 1932) In some towns there were two or three different missions competing against each other and enticing away converts to each other’s churches. By the 1910 agreement, a line demarcation was made between the Qua Iboe Mission and the Methodist Mission, passing E. W. of Ikot Akan. (Ann. Reps., 1922, 1944)
By 1900 the Anglican Mission had been well established in Opobo Town and Primary Schools were set up for the education of the youths (Ejituwu, 1991: 190). From Opobo, Christianity spread to Eastern and Western Obolo (Ibid.). In 1907 the Niger Delta Pastorate built Saint George’s Church at Egwanga and later established its presence in a few other southern towns. The Church at Egwanga was devoted more to the training of clerks and factory employers than the winning of souls for Christ (Lovering, 1915).
Other Christian missions, which created some impact in the district were the Methodist, Qua Iboe and the Roman Catholic Missions. The Methodists were particularly active in Egwanga, Ibekwe, and Ete where they established ‘good schools’. The Qua Iboe Mission occupied the northern part of the district. The Roman Catholic Mission established in Essene in 1918 fanned out and established churches and schools throughout the district (Centenary Celebration, 1993).
Conclusion
When one begins to look at the history of Christianity in Nigeria, one might expect to find its origins in Europeans bringing this new religion across to Africa. The first Christians came in contact with Nigerians in the fifteenth century, when Roman Catholicism was introduced by the Portuguese. That said, their efforts were not all that successful at the time. For instance, when Portugal’s Henry the Navigator tried to carry out his exploration with three Gs in minds (those being God, Gold and Glory), he was mostly met with indifference. The local kings cared more about the guns he could offer them rather than the tales of his Christianity.
Meaning and History of Christianity in Ikot Abasi
REFERENCES
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Ekere, C.A.(1998). Christianity in Ikot Ekpene : The First Century 1989-1998 (Uyo: Modern Business Press Ltd,.
Ekong,E.E.(2001). Sociology of Ibibio. Uyo: Modern Business Press Limited.
Friedrick, G. (1964).Euaggelion. In: Kittel, G.(ed.) Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Vol. 2 Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Berdmans.
Inyang, S.H.(August 20, 2007). Interviewed by the writer, Oral. Etinan: No 2 Press Road, at 5:44pm.
Isemin, J.U. (August,19, 2007). Interviewed by the Write, Oral, Etinan: No. 10, Akpan Isemin Street, at 1:15p.m. Pa. J. U. Isemin is now 109 years old).
