User:Jahyal Maselam/sandbox

= Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther = Origin:

One of the founding fathers of nationalism, Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther fondly called Ajayi by his parents was born around 1806 in the village of Osogun in Iseyin in Yorubaland. Ajayi’s journey to slavery began during the civil wars that rocked the Yoruba kingdoms, particularly the Owu war (1821-1829). Ajayi’s village, Oshogun was invaded and captured; young Ajayi was then sold into slavery. He was later on resold to Portuguese slave-dealers and was placed on board a slave-ship to be transported across the Atlantic to the New World. While Ajayi must have been pondering on his future as a slave, the unfortunate trip was foiled by the intervention of the British Preventive Squadron. Thus, Ajayi was rescued from the slave-dealers. He was taken to Sierra Leone in 1823, where he was liberated alongside other slaves and so rejoined other recaptives. This became a beginning of beginnings for Ajayi Crowther.

His Education:

'''Not long after his arrival in Freetown, Ajayi’s rare intelligence and brilliance drew much attention. This led to his admission to school and within a short time; he had already learnt how to read the Bible. According to History of West Africa (BOOK TWO 1800-PRESENT DAY) on December 11, 1825, “he was baptized with the name Samuel Crowther after a prominent number of the Committee of the C.M.S.”'''

His Rise:

After his baptism, Samuel Ajayi Crowther’s progress increased and was very outstanding. It can be said that due to his wonderful progress, he was sent to England to study at a parish school in Islington, which after his return became one of the pupils to be enrolled in Fourah Bay College, there he showed his rare intellectual ability as a pupil. He rose to be a tutor at the college.

Missionary Expeditions:
Ajayi's missionary connection began with Nigeria in 1841. That year, he alongside Rev.J.F. Schon represented the missionary arm of the Niger expedition. "His brilliant account of that expedition and the rare qualities he displayed impressed the C.M.S authorities so much that on his second visit to England in 1843, he was ordained a priest and ear-marked for the projected C.M.S Yoruba mission." From then on, Crowther began opening branches of the C.M.S, and in 1846, he and Rev.Townsend, founded the C.M.S mission at Abeokuta. Crowther not only opened missions in the Yoruba-land but in other neighboring lands. In the 1854 Niger expedition, Crowther made exploratory contacts for the founding of C.M.S missions. One at Onitsha and Gbegbe, in 1857 with the help of Rev.J.C. Taylor. Due to his success in opening christian missions and his wonderful leadership qualities in various Niger territories and other places, the C.M.S, appreciated him by consecrating him as Bishop in 1864, he was also appointed as the head of the C.M.S Niger mission, "a post he held until 1891 when he died on December 31.