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The next major Christian missionaries to go out to Sierra Leone were the Roman Catholics. His funeral Mass was Sept. 27, followed by burial at St. Mary Cemetery at Techny. Therefore the period for the rise of Christianizing Missions in the late Nineteenth Century has been considered as reprise. In the Gambia, the Methodist missionary and first principal of what later became known as the Gambia High School, the Rev. The early Christian missions concentrated their activities not only on religious matters. Indeed, in some situations the converts were taught to feel that they were absolved from obeying their own traditional rulers and certain laws of the state. African prose His work, however, did not extend much beyond Cape Coast and the neighbouring area. From simple essay plans, through to full dissertations, you can guarantee we have a service perfectly matched to your needs. Without denying that prior to the introduction of Christianity in West Africa the people had developed their own crafts, one must admit that it was Christian missionaries who introduced modern forms of crafts such as carpentry and masonry. For example, they made our people view polygamy and puberty rites as pagan practices. Help those suffering in Turkey and Syria. independent learning WAEC famous poems education was an important means for mission evangelization. In spite of all this, with the advent of the First World War in 1914 in the Kwaku District there were 21 congregations with a total of over 2500 members. Ralph teaches English for Academic Purposes (EAP) online. Ayandele (1966:283), writing in the 1960s, says, By their [the missions] efforts the main languages of Nigeria have been preserved as a lasting legacy to the Ibo, Yoruba, Efik, Nupe and Hausa. However, this practice was in fact probably more due to stereotypes of African ignorance than an interest in being culturally respectful: missionaries may have believed that it would take too long to teach a superior European language to the unintelligent natives when the natives souls were in such desperate need of saving. Moreover, the Islamic religion was also being introduced to the southern section of the country by Muslim immigrants from the north of the colony. First, missions saw education foremost as a means of conversion (Ayandele 1966: 286; Bassey 1991: 36; Berman 1974:527; Foster 1965:85; Sheffield 1973:11). Furthermore, missionaries, believing in the civilizing mission, attempted to disintegrate traditional society through education by choosing academic subjects, such as the histories of the Western colonial powers, that illustrated the superiority of the Western culture, as well as by teaching about the superiority of the West in non-academic matters such as hygiene. Thus missionaries, by imparting education that promoted dependence on colonial rule, arguably contributed to the political instability that continues in the present day in many former African colonies, such as Kenya and Eritrea. But Annor (1989) writes that before Europeans came to colonize Africa, Africans had a way of producing artifacts. Kalu, Ogbu. 0 Lack of transport from the coast to the interior parts of West Africa was one of the major difficulties encountered by the missionaries. The Essay Writing ExpertsUK Essay Experts. An Alumnus of the University of Cape Coast in Ghana, a Journalist, Author and a Philanthropist. In Ghana, missions strategically weighted costs and benefits when choosing where to establish their churches and schools. Request Permissions. Series CLS. After completing that assignment, Father Burkes superiors asked him to teach English as a second language (ESL) to Divine Word missionaries who did not know the language. Of the ten largest congregations for men, the Society of the Divine Word is the fastest growing over the past 50 years. English For example, the missionaries preached against certain aspects of African culture they considered barbaric or satanic or both. The education and skill development of the people is the highest, most potent agent of national development that the Church imparts to its output of students, scholars, and professionals who perform various precious roles in the various sectors of the national economy for national development,' he stated. Despite the skills and opportunities mission schooling afforded, many Africans were not willing to pay the price. They worked tirelessly to lay a foundation for formal education The European missionaries established elementary and second-cycle institutions in the country. Metadata. I have used my expertise to design and implement strategies for major projects including new programme development, global proposals, book launches, international talks, lectures, and executive . Longman Nigeria Plc., 1994, Boahen, A.A. et al Tropics in West Africa History. If your specific country is not listed, please select the UK version of the site, as this is best suited to international visitors. Series CLR. In conclusion, the converts tended to look down upon many things in their ancestral culture. By focusing on the African demand for education, I showed that Africans were not just passive recipients of mission schooling. About the same time, the Church of Scotland (Presbyterian) headed by the Rev. Yes! past questions They discovered that the holy book did not clearly prescribe monogamy, and contained several examples of renowned Christian polygamists. We shall begin with the positive contribution of the Christian missionaries in Ghana. But with the abolition of slavery, the introduction of cocoa, and the Churchs efficient school system, she gradually became the Church of the social elite. Isichei, Elizabeth. English comprehension Moreover, mission education formed a poor foundation for future educational conditions in the former colonies. Longman Publishing Group, 1980. Purchase a license below to view the full collection. Some earlier scholarship on mission education has taken this as a positive impact of the missionaries. For three years, he taught English and biblical ethics. Although there were many disagreements between European missionaries and African populations, antagonising polygamy is probably the best-documented norm conflict. The European Christian missions preached the Gospel, built churches, and seminaries translated the Bible to Ghanaian Languages such as Ewe, Ga, and Twi. Similar organizations were formed in several other European countries. One of them, Philip Quaque, returned in 1765 as an ordained priest. In 2006, Father Burke was appointed lecturer at the newly founded Catholic University College of Ghana in Sunyani. Other difficulties they faced were the problems of the many languages and dialects and their ignorance of the true meaning of the various cultures, beliefs, values and ways of life of the people whom they set out to convert to Christianity. Private Study While the Evangelical Presbyterian missionaries were the First to develop literature in Ewe, the Roman Catholics were responsible for Nzima literature. They worked to write the bible, dictionaries and textbooks in such Ghanaian Languages as Ewe, Fanti, Ga and Twi. In addition to contributing to fluctuating educational standards across the colony, inter-denominational rivalry caused a disparity in access to education. They were closed down in 1852 in favour of schools opened in Lagos which, in 1851, had one time British control. Indeed, the quality of the education could be so poor that the colonial governments complained, as in the case of the Nigerian government, which complained that the secondary school graduates provided by the missions were illiterate and ignorant and therefore poorly suited to fill the lower levels of the administration (Ayandele 1966:294-5). B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2004. This box contains: the correspondence of Bishop See thematic groupings of our digital collections, See all of our digital collections in one place, Ghana in Records from Colonial Missionaries, 1886-1951, Copies of letters received, 1890-1927; West Africa, vol. Hundreds of believers were baptized, branches organized, and a mission established. This is the famous Presbyterian Teacher Training College founded in 1848 at Akropong-Akwapim. Among the Christian missionaries that came to the Gold Coast (Ghana) were the following. If you need assistance with writing your essay, our professional essay writing service is here to help! For terms and use, please refer to our Terms and Conditions The early missionaries set up craft centres as part of their educational programmes. To put it differently, the motive was to gain acceptance in the sight of God so that after death they would be judged kindly by the heavenly father. Then lets begin straightaway. Please click this link to download the chapter. The three models of Secondary education in Ghana since colonial times are the Mfantsipim School founded by the Church (mission) in 1876, Achimota School in 1927 established by the British Colonial government Lake Volta provides a vital venue for aviation evangelism in remote areas. This company promoted the import and export trade in Ghana. Lewis, Donald M., ed. Containing 9,566 pages belonging to 77 documents housed in 6 volumes As outlined in the short history entitled. In short, the impact of teaching in the vernacular was more negative than positive, as it reinforced colonial rule and no doubt did very little to preserve native cultural identities, seeing as missionaries promoted European languages as superior and only used the vernacular because conversion and religious instruction were such high priorities. Johannes Zimmermann wrote a grammar of the Ga language, and in 1874 the Rev. The common response among traditionally polygamous people is well illustrated by a passage in Jomo Kenyattas famous book on the Gikuyu in colonial Kenya: This [the insistence on monogamy] caused a great confusion, for the African could not understand how he could drive away his wives and children, especially in a community where motherhood is looked upon as a religious duty; the children are regarded as part and parcel, not only of the father, but of the whole clan (mbari), and without them the mbari is lost. Joseph Dunwell. However, accustomed to monogamy, few European missionaries were open to such arguments. Teaching in the vernacular had an additional use as it further strengthened colonial rule, of which missionaries were often agents, for as the Kikuyu people of Kenya were aware, [the] inability to communicate in English would be a crucial factor in the perpetuation of their subordinate status in the colony (Berman 1974:531). The school, which was established the year of independence in 1957, was a work in progress. They need YOU. The work of the missionaries also had little success initially. In 1845 the C.M.S. A special memorial Mass was celebrated at the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Accra, Ghana, on Oct. 9. The Basel and Methodist Missions, for example, introduced scientific agriculture in Ghana. The first school in Nigeria was started by the Methodist missionaries at Badagry in 1842. We use cookies to improve your experience on our website. Thank you! In short, it was a very successful mission in making us little black Anglo-Saxon Protestants. The missions agricultural schools were especially beneficial for colonial governments considering that governments believed that manual labour was a means to prevent discontent and unrest in the tribes (Hansen 1984:232). Copyright 2023 ABWE. Because of rivalry, instead of building one common, multi-denominational school in a village that really only needed the one school, missionaries each built a school for their particular denomination and competed for students (Berman 1974:533). I found that while educational outcomes are generally better in places that were exposed to Christian missions in the colonial era, traditionally polygamous societies benefited less. %%EOF The early African converts to Christianity, were made to abandon their ancestral culture and way of life as pagan therefore to be shunned. Brief History. Besides, the missionaries had to travel longer distances to inland towns from their southern stations. WhatsApp : +233204700052 In this chapter, we shall examine how Christianity and Western-style education influenced West Africans values, attitudes and life-styles. personal development These attempts were traumatic for the students and threatened the survival of unique cultures. The weakening of traditional societies was not simply a consequence of the efforts of missionaries but one of their main objectives, stemming from their belief in the civilizing mission. Supporters of the civilizing mission believed that European colonial enterprises were justified as the Europeans were imparting their superior Western culture and ideas to the ignorant heathens of Africa, Asia, the Americas and Australasia. Mission societies often expanded into territories before colonial powers did, and providing education only cost them a little more. Box 2 of the papers relating to the Society's activities in West Africa. Among these were the Congregation of the Holy Ghost (commonly known as the Holy Ghost Father), the Society of African Missions (SMA), the Society of Missionaries of Africa, popularly known as the White Fathers because of the white Muslim-like clothing which the Fathers wore, and the society of the Divine Word (SVD, abbreviated from its Latin name). Burns & Oates, 1979. At the end of the eighteenth century, the Evangelical Revival began to bring to Africa an influx of missionaries whose laoburs would produce the first fruits of an enduring Christian presence in Sub-Sahara Africa. Called the Iwe-Irohim, was published by the missionaries. During the first half of the 19th century they targeted healthier places, with relatively lower malaria-risk, where European missionaries could survive and train local African missionaries and teachers (Jedwab et al. Secondary Schools in the Protectorate started later, following the establishment of Bo Government Secondary School in 1906. This made it difficult for the early missionaries to stay in the country for long. These trends occasionally brought kings into conflict with the missionaries and their converts. Often drumming and the harmless songs and dances of the people were condemned. These missions significantly influenced the systematic educational development in the Gold Coast. The Methodist Church Ghana came into existence as a result of the missionary activities of the Wesleyan Methodist Church, inaugurated with the arrival of Joseph Rhodes Dunwell to the Gold Coast (Ghana) in 1835.Like the mother church, the Methodist Church in Ghana was established by people of Anglican background. The missionaries seemed to have concentrated much of their effort on the production of export crops. 503 0 obj <> endobj James Fieldhouse, produced a Wolof Grammar in 1876. In 1880, two Roman Catholic priests of the Society of African Missions (S.M.A. In the Western Region, the Catholic Sisters running a hospital at Eikwe specialized in maternity cases, and like Slessor in Nigeria succeeded in stamping out the practice of killing twins at birth. 1 (1971): 103-115. In December 1868 he went with his wife and child to Anum in the present-day Volta Region of Ghana. Reiterating what teacher education must encapsulate, Adegoke (2003) and Benneh (2006) indi-cated that the mission of Ghana's teacher education is to pro- However, the early missionaries established medical centres, at first at their mission posts, and later far and wide, to attend to the sick. In the field of education, however, the missionaries had to adjust their programmes to fit in with the policy of assimilation. Edward Berman notes that contemporary critics of the missionaries felt that missionaries were more interested in increasing enrolments in their respective churches than in pooling their resources for the benefit of African education (Berman 1974:533). Then share it on your favourite social media platform for the benefit of others you care about. This study simply offers systematic, long-term evidence of it. Human Zoos: Untold History of Suppression, The Legend of King Ulu (Ancient Thai Folklore), The Kingdom of Saud of The Arabs (Saudi Arabia), The Wesley Brothers of Oxford University (1700s), Razia Sultan of Medieval India (786 Years Ago), The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade (The Revelation), Education in Africa: The Impact of Colonialism, Why The Legendary Geneva Bible was Banned. In many instances, they made their converts rebel against traditional rulers and other spiritual leaders. The high temperatures coupled with high rainfall patterns in some parts of the country experienced during the daytime, made the missionaries stay indoors, which slowed down their activities. Babalola, E. O. Christianity in West Africa. To apply, students simply fill out a quick form. Wm. It is much easier to interact on an equal basis or even challenge the authority of another group when one is able to communicate in that groups language, instead of having to rely on an interpreter or non-verbal gestures, which undermine ones ability to show authority or express ones beliefs. Christian missions also took a leading role in the campaign to end the slave trade and to suppress slavery. Just look at the lyrics of this evangelizing song written in 1819 by Reginald Heber, a prolific English hymnist in the Anglican church. He also blogs at BloggingtotheMax.com. However hypocritical, government support for the schools should not be surprising, considering the benefits the colonial governments stood to gain. The pastors of the Church Missionary Society, from Badagry and later from Sierra Leone, visited these Christian communities in Abeokuta and other towns. Box 6000, Techny, IL 60082-6000. It is one of the oldest continuously published periodicals by and about Black people. The achievement of the purpose of these Christian Missions came with some costs. Wed love to get to know you and discuss how God is calling you. ASSESS THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE CHRISTIAN MISSION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF GHANA. 517 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<2E41B338ACB2B2110A00B08D5A5CFE7F>]/Index[503 20]/Info 502 0 R/Length 86/Prev 357984/Root 504 0 R/Size 523/Type/XRef/W[1 3 1]>>stream Their greatest legacy in the field of education was the foundation which the Methodist laid for what is today the Gambia High school. Success followed the efforts of the pioneer missionaries. Through hard work and persuasion she succeeded in stopping the practice among the people of killing twins. The greatest problem faced by the early European Christian missionaries was, the tropical climate and health Hazards. In due course leprosariums and orphanages were built to supplement their medical services. A.G. Frazer, did much to encourage the promotion of indigenous culture, but by and large the colonial authorities contributed to dwindling a good deal of our cultural heritage. Theres still so much to be learned from the history of education in Africa and its long-term consequences. The Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist and Anglican missions all made a major contribution to education in Ghana and Africa as a whole. The consequences of norm conflicts are likely to manifest beyond educational pursuit. As negative as all these impacts of the missionaries undoubtedly were for the African pupils, the long-term consequences are arguably as serious. The tropical climatic condition in the country was not favourable to the early missionaries who came to the shores of West Africa. He knew me as a boy [in Ghana] who washed his car and went with him when he said Mass at mission stations, yet [as an adult] he treated me as an equal, Father Tetteh said. The system was devoid of any cohesive national policy. 26. Henry Townsend who went from Sierra Leone to Badagry in 1842 in his company was the Rev Ajayi Crowther. And thats why I decided to look deeply into this issue. Next, branches of the C.M.S. Thus, as early as 1823, the Roman Catholic sisters started a clinic for the sick and for children in Banjul. The home page of Compassion Canada is that of a stereotypical Northern charity: showing pictures of suffering children alternating with those of post-intervention, happy children. Today, local communities and ethnic groups that were more exposed to mission schools, still achieve higher levels of education, when compared to communities where there were no schools. Support earthquake relief and outreach efforts, biblical foundation for the next generation of believers. Another valuable contribution of the Christian missionaries in West Africa was the development of literature in the local vernaculars, this included the translation of the Bible into some of the important local languages. In addition to promoting a monogamous lifestyle in their schools, missionaries often insisted on divorces before polygamists or their children could even enrol. From 1835 to the middle of the nineteenth century the Church was in opposition to traditional religion. Shaw, Mark. Young Vincent began his studies with the Society of the Divine Word at Divine Word Seminary at Miramar in Massachusetts in 1947. The others include the French trading posts at Grand Bassam (Ivory Coast), Assinie and Libreville in Gabon. The American Episcopal Evangelical (A.M.E.) Zion Church owes its foundation in Ghana to Bishop J. Bryan Small, who started work first at Keta in 1898. In 1989-90, the government banned the activities of several religious organizations, including the Church. In 1950 Albert Academy was founded in Freetown; for-a long lime it was the secondary school in the Colony serving largely children from the provinces, among them were the future heads of state, Sir Milton Margai and Dr. Siaka Stevens. The positive contribution of Christian missionaries in Ghana can be felt in such areas as education, local language development, stoppage of outmoded cultural practices, agriculture and commerce. "Big things have small beginnings"; so is The Presbyterian Church of Ghana. Copyright 2003 - 2023 - UKEssays is a trading name of Business Bliss Consultants FZE, a company registered in United Arab Emirates. There were several reasons for this poor education, some intentional and some not. Some of the missionaries came with them (549 years ago) but many died from the cruel tropical weather of forested West Africa. The evangelical societies founded in the Americas included the Baptist Missionary Board and the Nova Scotian Methodists, whose members went to work among the Maroons, who had settled mainly in Liberia. Schools were deemed important. primarily purposed to outline the contributions of religion and education to national development in Ghana. In conclusion, the educational enterprise of the Christian missionaries in the British and Italian colonies of Africa during the mid-nineteenth to mid-twentieth centuries was primarily negative for the African pupils. quiz Amidst much honest missionary activity in the country for two centuries, prosperity gospel teachers have also gained influence, and numerous indigenous cults have arisen with distinct appeal and just enough truth to create confusion and syncretism. As happened in other West African countries, many more mission-sponsored hospitals were founded in the course of the twentieth century. The European missionaries engaged in trading and other commercial activities as well. Hope Waddell started pioneering work, in 1846, in Calabar. Up to Guggisbergs time, the church schools did not receive grants from the government. Christianity in West Africa: The Nigerian Story. Listen as we explore missions, theology, and practice to help senders and goers alike. History books tended to exaggerate in achievements of Europeans, making no reference to Africans own great past. 2236624), The beginning of Africanisation : the dawn of the missionary motive in Gold Coast education, Early colonial and missionary records from West Africa, West Indies material in the archives of the USPG, 1710-1950. The Christian missionaries have been credited with the discontinuation of some obnoxious traditional practices among Ghanaians. She succeeded in stopping the killing of twins in the areas where she served. Another difficulty that the early missionaries faced in the spread of Christianity was insufficient Christian literature at that time. The governor had observed the bad moral life of the Europeans in the fort. It was not until 1909 that the government opened a teacher training college and a technical school in Accra. . Some of these effects are still with us today. In addition to teaching, he served as national spiritual director of the Ghana Sacred Heart Enthronement Centre and spiritual director of the Accra Diocesan Sacred Heart Centre. No plagiarism, guaranteed! In my study, I explored how colonial era conflicts and disagreements over marriage norms lastingly affected educational development. Until almost the end of the colonial period education was still largely in the hands of the churches. The Committee for Women's Work was responsible for the education of native girls. Economics Required fields are marked *. The Methodists founded the Boys High School in 1874, and another high school for girls six years later. Its general scope extends to both Roman Catholic as well as Protestant missionaries in relation to education works. They provided missionaries a way to spread Eurocentric norms and attract new converts. Thus as early as 1823, the Roman Catholic Sisters started a clinic for the sick and for children in Banjul. Founded in 1875 by St. Arnold Janssen, we number more than 6,000 missionaries. While it has brought undoubted benefits, it has also harmed the traditional way of life. Wm. It is important to emphasize that the modern history of the Christian Mission in Africa started from the late Eighteenth Century, the Catholics had been there earlier in the first centuries of the Christian era especially during the first Portuguese adventures. Mission Statement This chapter traces the origins and long-term development of African mass education in colonial sub-Saharan Africa. Initially, a majority of the missionary journeys was done with English-Speaking Protestants and later, in the 1820s and 1830s, they were joined by continental Protestantism from Germany, Switzerland and France. Kalu, Ogbu. He is survived by two brothers, Walter and Kevin Burke. Included on the website is information about the charitys programs, such as their Leadership Development Program in which participants earn a degree in their chosen field of study, and participate in Christian leadership training, enabling them to become a fully developed agent of change in their nation (Compassion Canada 2011). if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'cegastacademy_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_15',609,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-cegastacademy_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0');The European missionaries began their activities in Ghana as far back as the early fifteenth century. Africa and the Winder World 3. *You can also browse our support articles here >. Also, the traditional doctors more often than not could not diagnose illness accurately. Johannes Zimmermann, for example, produced a Ga dictionary, Ga bible and grammar book. In the British colonies, as elsewhere, religious missions were instrumental in introducing European-style education. Furthermore, they were skilled farmers that could grow cash crops to be consumed back in the mother country, such as cocoa from Ghana (Foster 1965: 153). Vol. Specifically, it addresses the unique role of Christian missions in. First, alignment can help you communicate your . More women than men attend church, and the more strict churchgoers tend to be wealthier and of higher social status than less churchgoers or non-Presbyterians.