Although the 1841 Niger Expedition has often been described as tortuous and painful following the huge loss sustained, but its implications for the subsequent missionary enterprise in Igboland were momentous. Since Sir Thomas Buxton had advocated that in order to replace what has become illegitimate trade in persons, means and ways of introducing Christianity into the interior of Africa must be explored, two personnel of the Church Missionary Society selected to join the expedition were Rev. James Fredrick Schon and Mr. Samuel Ajai Crowther (both of were linguists).
To achieve this goal, the CMS personnel organized and took along with them, on board, a number of ex-slaves who had learnt to speak English and who could be used as interpreters in
168 various languages they were likely to meet. Among them was Simon Jonas, an ex-slave of Igbo parentage. Rowbory (2009) says that:
Simon Jonas was an Igbo freed slave, who had been living in Sierra Leon. He was a competent mother-tongue speaker and was one of those who accompanied Schon and Crowther on the 1841 expedition into Igboland. When Schon moved on from his work on Igbo to concentrate on Hausa, the Igbo work left to Crowther, and it was Jonas helped him extensively in preparing his Igbo primer and other materials. (p. 5).
To buttress this, Tasie (1996) observed that, “Crowther confessed he depended, for his sources, mainly on the colony-born whose parents were known to be good Igbo speakers” (p.
63). It would be recalled that the CMS mission to Igboland was conceived distinctly as a response to the possibilities both in terms of communication and willingness of the Igbo people at Freetown to take the gospel to their kinsmen. Dike (cited by Anyabuike, 1996) gave a descriptive picture of the expedition and says that:
On arrival at the King’s house, the missionaries explained the purpose of their mission and preached the Gospel message. At the end they presented two Bibles, one in English and the other in Arabic. King Obi could neither read nor write. Obi was astounded that an Igbo could equally read and write like the English. The Obi made special request for Simon Jones to remain behind as the others went elsewhere. Jones remained at Aboh preaching and expounding the word of God, while the others proceeded to Idah. (p.23).
Simon Jonas’s involvement in this mission would rightly be viewed as God’s provision for the awaited chance to bring the light of the Gospel to their benighted kinsmen. In fact, Kalu (2003) cites William Balfour Baikie’s satisfactory declaration of the 1854 expedition when he said that:
169 Gifted as we have been with a revelation from on high, it is our duty to attempt to impart its doctrine to our less favoured brethren, and that a great noble task is in store for those who will pioneer the way of civilization and Christianity. (p. 80).
According to Kalu (2003):
To focus specifically on the Christianization of Igboland, Baikie had recruited a certain Igbo man Simon Jonas, who was serving s Constable in Fernando Po, as an interpreter Abo was an important commercial center linking the delta commercial axis to Benin and Idah. In 1841, the King was receptive to the commercial and missionary overtures. So on this expedition an opportunity came to renew old contacts and pledges. Jonas stayed back as a bible teacher as the party move to Asaba in October 1854. (p. 82).
To further elucidate the significant roles played by Simon Jonas in the Igbo Anglican missionary enterprise, Okeke (2006) observes that:
Simon Jonas assisted them while they travelled through the Igbo portions of the lower Niger basin. As soon as the Expedition moved into the non-Igbo speaking arears, Jonas was sent back to Abo, where he continued his evangelistic dialogue with Obi Ossai, King of Aboh, and his people. He was there until the party returned. (p. 6).
The seeming failure of the 1841 and 1854 expeditions created some set-backs in the efforts to bring about an in-depth socio-cultural relationship between the British and Igboland.
But Simon Jonas’s impressive contributions to the said expeditions, especially in terms of interpretation for effective communication would explain why he was slated again for the 1857 expedition which offered firm ground for opening a missionary base in Igboland. Anyabuike (1996) who noted that the expedition was significant for the history of Christianity in Igboland, says that, “The Rev. Samuel Ajayi Crowther, led the C. M. S. group which included Rev. J. C.
170 Taylor, Simon Jones Augutus Raddillo (liberated slaves of Igbo origin) and a number of Catechists and schoolmasters” (p.24).
It is to be noted that the purpose of the C. M. S. in supporting the earnest appeal of the Freetown Igbo Christians for a mission in Igboland was to help in the development of committed Christians who will be mature and proud of their own cultural heritage. This was intended to be an accomplishment of Henry Venn’s missionary policy of developing a native Church that would be self-supporting, self-expanding and self-governing. One major way of accomplishing this was goal was through education, particularly the linguistic, industrial, and religious education.
Although Simon Jones was not particularly involved in any Bible translation effort, his early contribution to the interpretation of the message of the Bible into the language of the people, however, set the foundation for the need for Igbo Bible translation. The excitement of Obi Ossai of Abo on hearing Simon Jones communicate the message of the new faith would reasonably be connected to, the fact that he heard him speak in his own language.