SAMUEL AJAYI CROWTHER

The opening up of Nigeria to Christian mission originated in the desire of British merchants to extend their trade on the West Africa coast. In pursuant of this, Samuel Crowther was commissioned to establish an African mission to evangelise Africans. Chapter one covered how he was captured during slave raid and sold into slavery. he was at the bottom of the valley in life experience. Subsequent chapters show how despite this sad begining, he was prepared for the his calling of liberating his people from darkness with the light from the gospel championing the mission work. he was like Joseph in the Bible who was sold into slavery and saved his family from destruction durinng famine. He rose to the mountain top as the first African bishop of the angican Church. He was at the Service of the flock he was called to shepherd when the sun set on him and passed away while planning his next missionary journeyas illustrated in Chapter Nine. He faced several challenges as any other early missionary in Africa but had much faith in his God and this was his strength that saw him through where others did not succeed.

His responsibility covered the whole area from the Nupe country in the north to the Delta States in the south. For Crowther both academic and practical education were of the greatest value in evangelism. He centred the mission stations on schools, and at the same time emphasised the need for missionaries and converts to exercise direct Christian influence on the laws and customs of the people.

He was able to steer young missionaries under him to navigatethe waters and avoid the collision between western and indigenous cultures and the changes that resulted from this based on sound Christian doctrines.