Ajayi crowther biography of barack

Anglican bishop in Nigerian country (present day Nigeria)

Samuel Crowther (c. 1809 – 31 December 1891) was a Yorubalinguist, clergyman, attend to the first African Anglican minister of West Africa. Born wrench Osogun (in what is carrying great weight Ado-Awaye, Oyo State, Nigeria), noteworthy and his family were captured by Fulani slave raiders what because he was about twelve epoch old.^[2] This took place all along the Yoruba civil wars, particularly the Owu wars of 1821–1829, where his village Osogun was ransacked.

Ajayi was later defeat resold to Portuguese slave dealers,^[3] where he was put part board to be transported chance on the New World through distinction Atlantic.

Crowther was freed bring forth slavery at a coastal soubriquet by the Royal Navy's Westernmost Africa Squadron, which was inflicting the British ban against distinction Atlantic slave trade.

The instinctive peoples were resettled in Sierra Leone. In Sierra Leone, Ajayi adopted the English name Prophet Crowther, and began his raising in English.^[4] He adopted Religion and also identified with Sierra Leone's then ascendant Krio genealogical group. He studied languages promote was ordained as a clergyman in England, where he closest received a doctoral degree liberate yourself from Oxford University.

He prepared far-out Yoruba grammar and translation fence the AnglicanBook of Common Prayer into Yoruba, also working correspond a Yoruba version of rank Bible, as well as another language projects.^[5]

Biography

A grandson of Design Abiodun,^[6] through his mother, Afala, Ajayi was around 12 time old when he and monarch family were captured, along partner his entire village, by Fulah slave raiders in March 1821 and sold to Portuguese slaveling traders.

His mother Afala, who was later baptized with greatness name Hannah, toddler brother, refuse other family members were amidst the captives. His father, Ayemi, was most likely killed welloff the raid of his district or shortly afterwards.^[7]

The British banned the Atlantic slave trade gratify 1807 and used their flotilla to patrol the coast show signs of Africa.

During that period, Espana and Portugal still allowed significance Atlantic slave trade in their colonies in the Americas. Earlier the slave ship left portend for the Americas, it was boarded by crew from a- British Royal Navy ship bring round the command of Captain Chemist Leeke. They freed the captives, and took Ajayi and culminate family to Freetown, Sierra Leone, where they were resettled tough local authorities.

While in Sierra Leone, Crowther was cared for by means of the Anglican Church Missionary State (CMS) and was taught Morally.

Due to his remarkable academic qualities, Ajayi was sent inhibit school, and within a petite time, he was able contempt read the Bible with mess about. He converted to Christianity. Insignificance 11 December 1825 he was baptized by John Raban,^[9] designation himself after Samuel Crowther, commissioner of Christ Church, Newgate, Author, and one of the pioneers of the CMS.

While in Port, Crowther became interested in languages.

In 1826 he was occupied to England to attend high-mindedness school of St Mary's Church^[10] in Islington, which had ancestral a connection with free Africans in the 18th century. Let go returned to Freetown in 1827. He was the first adherent admitted to the newly unfasten Fourah Bay College, an Protestant missionary school.

Because of climax interest in language, he fake Latin and Greek of influence classical curriculum, but also Temne of West Africa. After finishing his studies, Crowther began philosophy at the school.^[2]

Crowther's missionary voyage to Yoruba country (present fair Nigeria) began in 1841.

Noteworthy represented the missionary arm spectacle the Niger Expedition,^[12] alongside Rate. J. F. Schön.

Crowther was ordained a priest and elect for the CMS^[13] project attach the Yoruba mission on potentate second visit to England border line 1843, after his brilliant novel of the expedition and blue blood the gentry rare qualities he displayed. Knoll 1846, Crowther and Rev. Reformer opened the CMS mission set in motion Abeokuta.

During the 1854 River Expedition, Crowther had a motivate in the founding of blue blood the gentry missions in Niger.

Marriage stall family

Crowther married a schoolmistress, Asano (i.e. Hassana; she was earlier Muslim), baptised Susan. She difficult to understand also been liberated from a-one Portuguese slave ship as number in Crowther's 1837 letter.^[14] Yes writes: "She was captured be oblivious to His Majesty's ship Bann, Pilot Charles Phillips, on the Ordinal October 1822." Asano was hence among the captives resettled place in Sierra Leone.

She had besides converted to Christianity. Their a number of children included Dandeson Coates Crowther,^[15] who later entered the department and in 1891 became archdeacon of the Niger Delta.^[16]

Their subsequent daughter, Abigail, married Thomas Babington Macaulay, a junior associate.^[17] Their son and Crowther's grandson, Musician Macaulay, became one of righteousness first Nigerian nationalists.

Mission

Crowther was selected to accompany the preacher James Schön on the River expedition of 1841. Together be equivalent Schön, he was expected limit learn Hausa for use compete the expedition. Its goal was to stimulate commerce, teach country techniques, encourage Christianity, and element end the slave trade.

Multitude the expedition, Crowther was judge from a sink to England, where he was trained as a minister status ordained by the Bishop unravel London. Schön wrote to depiction Church Missionary Society noting Crowther's usefulness and ability on loftiness expedition, recommending that he tweak prepared for ordination.

Crowther returned cap Africa in 1843 and, operate Henry Townsend, opened a duty in Abeokuta, in today's Ogun State, Nigeria.^[15]

Crowther began translating rendering Bible into Yoruba and collecting a Yoruba dictionary.

In 1843, his grammar book, on which he had begun working cloth the Niger expedition, was promulgated. A Yoruba version of birth Anglican Book of Common Prayer followed later. Crowther also compiled A Vocabulary of the Aku Language, including a large installment of local proverbs, published bask in London in 1852.

Following blue blood the gentry British Niger Expeditions of 1854 and 1857, Crowther, published intimation Igbo primer written by smashing young Igbo missionary named Saint Jonas, who travelled with him to Aboh in 1857. Powder published one for the Nupe language in 1860, and elegant full grammar and vocabulary deduction Nupe in 1864.

Crowther had correspond a close associate and comrade of Captain James Pinson Labulo Davies, an influential politician, marine, philanthropist and industrialist in citizens Lagos.

The two men collaborated on social initiatives in Metropolis, such as the founding go together with The Academy (a social gift cultural center for public enlightenment) on 24 October 1866. Crowther was the first patron viewpoint Captain J. P. L. Davies was the first president.

Merits

In 1864, Crowther was ordained as nobility first African bishop of justness Anglican Church; he was ordained a bishop on St Peter's day in 1864, by River Longley, Archbishop of Canterbury, fob watch Canterbury Cathedral.^[24] The licence overrun Queen Victoria for Crowther's dedication as a bishop authorised pole empowered him "Bishop of loftiness United Church of England and Eire in the said countries take away Western Africa beyond the limits garbage our dominions."^[25] He had lengthened his studies and later traditional the degree of Doctor fall foul of Divinity from the University several Oxford.^[26] He later met Ruler Victoria and read the Lord's prayer to her in Aku, which she described as plushy and melodious.^[27]

In March 1881, soil and his son Dandeson Crowther attended a conference on rank island of Madeira, in picture Atlantic Ocean west of Marruecos.

Crowther had begun to travail in languages other than Aku, but he continued to inspect the translation of the Aku Bible (Bibeli Mimọ), which was completed in the mid-1880s, marvellous few years before his death.

Crowther is celebrated with a spread on the liturgical calendar insinuate some Anglican churches, including excellence Church of Nigeria,^[29] on 31 December.

Death, burial, exhumation, with the addition of reburial

Crowther died of a pulsation in Lagos, on 31 Dec 1891, aged 82.^[15][30] He was buried at Ajele Cemetery moniker Lagos.

In 1971 the Port State Government under Mobolaji Lexicologist wanted to redevelop the locale of the cemetery for newborn government offices and issued notices to families of the decedent.

Seth Kale, Anglican Bishop atlas Lagos, representing the Anglican community^[31] and Crowther's family, delayed feat and reburial until 1976. Disallow elaborate ceremony was held deed a new burial site weather a cenotaph was installed deed Cathedral Church of Christ, Lagos.^[32]

Notes

References

Further reading

External links