3.4 Discussion
3.4.1 Mobilisation regimen
The Royal Niger Company was the lord of the Niger Delta area in the early 1890s. For these reasons, the company controlled all activities in
the area. For example, the company imposed payment of 25 percent tax on all goods for the Missionaries that were sailed by the sea to Onitsha
area. In addition to this, they were also taxed the sum of three pounds for the transportation of a ton of goods brought through the sea to Onitsha. Besides, whatever goods the Catholic missionaries paid for at
the Royal Niger Company, would be delayed before delivery. The
imposition of taxation on the goods of Catholic mission by the Royal Niger Company led the Holy Ghost Society authorities into debt. In Nigeria, from 1885 to 1890 the Royal Niger Company saw the FrenchHoly Ghost Society as French aides and abettors of French interests on
the Nigeria soil. For example, Gold accused the Superior of the Holy Ghost Mission of engaging in slavery and had him prosecuted and fined.
He also claimed that the mission site that was given to them by Ajayi Crowther to establish a mission station belonged to the Royal Niger Company. And that the Royal Niger Company was owned by the British
Government. Therefore, the landed properties which were occupied by
the French Holy Ghost Fathers belonged to the British government. So,
their occupation of mission stations in Onitsha and Asaba was illegal.Marshall therefore, replaced the French Missionaries with the English Missionaries in the Niger area. He summoned Cardinal Ledochowzki,
Prefect of the Congregation of Propaganda in Rome, and Cardinal Vaughan to remove the French Holy Ghost fathers from the Niger Delta areas in Nigeria. Furthermore, Marshall also wrote to the Superior
General of the Catholic society in Paris, Father Emonet, that there was rivalry between the French and the English missionaries in the land.Therefore, he would like the French missionaries to leave the area for
the English missionaries, since they belonged to the British government
that owned the disputed land .This also made the new Cardinal getinvolved in the disputed land by looking for a West African Bishopric to
which a British – born person could be appointed.All these problems with the Royal Niger Company, over taxation, the
buying of slaves and the French presence in the Eastern part of Nigeria
made the operation of the Christian village expensive and unprofitablein Nigeria. In addition to this, it was felt by the missionaries that it was
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better for Africans to evangelise themselves rather than using White Missionaries. This view compounded the problems of Catholic Mission
in Nigeria in the early 1895 to 1890s. The attitude of the Holy Ghost Fathers showed their bias towards the Africans that they had little or no
faith in the Africans evangelised in Nigeria. For they focused on the Christian village evangelisation methods in the eastern part of Nigeria that was led by the white men only. The Holy Ghost Fathers also introduced other methods of evangelism in Nigeria. For instance, Lejeune, Superior of Onitsha Wharf mission from 1900 to 1905 demanded for funds from the Cardinal Golti, Prefect of propaganda of Christianity in Rome, to tackle the problem of slavery in Nigeria. As a result of this, the missionaries converted sixty-five people in Agoudleri
in Nigeria. In 1901, Golti sent Lejeune 20,000 Lira to be used for the conversion of African slaves to Christianity. Despite these methods that
were used by the missionaries to fight slavery in Africa, it was not totally eradicated. For this reason, Lejeune embarked on a research for an alternative method of evangelisation which would be more effective in the spread of the Gospel in the Eastern Nigeria. The method was the introduction of Christianity to the Chiefs and Leaders of the Agouleri village. Through this, many people were converted to Christianity in the
area.
4.0 CONCLUSION
It is expected that from the study of this unit, you should have learnt the
following points:
The purchasing of slaves and their conversion to Christianity by the Missionaries. The spread of Roman Catholic Mission in the East of the
Rivers Niger and Benue in Nigeria. The evil practice of the Onitsha
indigenes in the early periods of Christianity.
5.0 SUMMARY
Having gone through this unit, you would have understood the
following points:
•
•
The Missionaries embarked on the buying of slaves in Onitsha
area, settled them in villages and converted them into Christianity.
The Pope introduced collection of money in the Catholic Church
to aid the Missionaries in the spreading of the Gospel in theOnitsha area.
•
•
The Royal Niger Company was the lord of the Niger Delta area in early 1890s. Goldie accused the leader of the Missionaries of
engaging in slavery, had him prosecuted and fined.
Lejeune replaced Goldie in 1901 in Niger area. He searched for an alternative method of evangelising the people of Niger Delta
area.
6.0 TUTOR-MARKED ASSIGNMENT
Discuss the following:
i. Goldie ii. Marshall
iii. Obi title holders at Asaba land in 1885.
7.0 REFERENCES/FURTHER READING
Kalu, O. U. (1980). The History of Christianity in West Africa Essay Lectures. London: Longmans Groups Ltd.
Ade Ajayi, J.F. (1977). Christian Missions in Nigeria 1841-1891: The Making of New Elite. London: Longmans Groups Ltd.