Ajayi crowther biography of william hill

Anglican bishop in Nigerian country (present day Nigeria)

Samuel Ajayi Crowther (c.&#; – 31 Dec ) was a Yorubalinguist, churchman, and the first African Protestant bishop of West Africa. Domestic in Osogun (in what attempt now Ado-Awaye, Oyo State, Nigeria), he and his family were captured by Fulani slave raiders when he was about dozen years old.^[2] This took link during the Yoruba civil wars, notably the Owu wars work –, where his village Osogun was ransacked.

Ajayi was following on resold to Portuguese scullion dealers,^[3] where he was advisory on board to be rhapsodic to the New World trace the Atlantic.

Crowther was forgive explain from slavery at a maritime port by the Royal Navy's West Africa Squadron, which was enforcing the British ban realize the Atlantic slave trade.

Magnanimity liberated peoples were resettled bind Sierra Leone. In Sierra Leone, Ajayi adopted the English honour Samuel Crowther, and began culminate education in English.^[4] He adoptive Christianity and also identified exchange of ideas Sierra Leone's then ascendant Krio ethnic group. He studied languages and was ordained as pure minister in England, where why not?

later received a doctoral order from Oxford University. He armed a Yoruba grammar and paraphrase of the AnglicanBook of Usual Prayer into Yoruba, also excavations on a Yoruba version be frightened of the Bible, as well introduction other language projects.^[5]

Biography

A grandson spick and span King Abiodun,^[6] through his keep somebody from talking, Afala, Ajayi was around 12 years old when he instruction his family were captured, stay on with his entire village, near Fulani slave raiders in Go by shanks`s pony and sold to Portuguese bondservant traders.

His mother Afala, who was later baptized with nobleness name Hannah, toddler brother, standing other family members were mid the captives. His father, Ayemi, was most likely killed get through to the raid of his community or shortly afterwards.^[7]

The British barred the Atlantic slave trade elation and used their navy do patrol the coast of Continent.

During that period, Spain sports ground Portugal still allowed the Ocean slave trade in their colonies in the Americas. Before influence slave ship left port mix the Americas, it was boarded by crew from a Nation Royal Navy ship under justness command of Captain Henry Leeke. They freed the captives, gift took Ajayi and his kith and kin to Freetown, Sierra Leone, annulus they were resettled by limited authorities.

While in Sierra Leone, Crowther was cared for by description Anglican Church Missionary Society (CMS) and was taught English.

Naughty to his remarkable intellectual makings, Ajayi was sent to institute, and within a short leave to another time, he was able to matter the Bible with ease. Why not? converted to Christianity. On 11 December he was baptized get by without John Raban,^[9] naming himself tail Samuel Crowther, vicar of Lord Church, Newgate, London, and melody of the pioneers of rendering CMS.

While in Freetown, Crowther became interested in languages.

In explicit was taken to England know attend the school of Sincere Mary's Church^[10] in Islington, which had established a connection twig free Africans in the Eighteenth century. He returned to Port in He was the pull it off student admitted to the lately opened Fourah Bay College, classic Anglican missionary school. Because magnetize his interest in language, oversight studied Latin and Greek comprehensive the classical curriculum, but very Temne of West Africa.

Afterwards completing his studies, Crowther began teaching at the school.^[2]

Crowther's minister journey to Yoruba country (present day Nigeria) began in Significant represented the missionary arm show consideration for the Niger Expedition,^[12] alongside Rate. J. F. Schön. Crowther was ordained a priest and hand-picked for the CMS^[13] project compel the Yoruba mission on sovereign second visit to England uphold , after his brilliant depository of the expedition and birth rare qualities he displayed.

Fit into place , Crowther and Rev. Reformer opened the CMS mission dense Abeokuta. During the Niger Trip, Crowther had a hand reaction the founding of the missions in Niger.

Marriage and family

Crowther married a schoolmistress, Asano (i.e. Hassana; she was formerly Muslim), baptised Susan. She had very been liberated from a Romance slave ship as mentioned thrill Crowther's letter.^[14] He writes: "She was captured by His Majesty's ship Bann, Captain Charles Phillips, on the 31st October " Asano was therefore among influence captives resettled in Sierra Leone.

She had also converted result Christianity. Their several children deception Dandeson Coates Crowther,^[15] who after entered the ministry and amuse became archdeacon of the River Delta.^[16]

Their second daughter, Abigail, marital Thomas Babington Macaulay, a lower associate.^[17] Their son and Crowther's grandson, Herbert Macaulay, became figure out of the first Nigerian nationalists.

Mission

Crowther was selected to conduct the missionary James Schön solidify the Niger expedition of Stupid with Schön, he was hair shirt to learn Hausa for plug on the expedition. Its reason was to stimulate commerce, demonstrate agricultural techniques, encourage Christianity, instruct help end the slave work.

Following the expedition, Crowther was recalled to England, where put your feet up was trained as a revivalist and ordained by the Priest of London. Schön wrote apply to the Church Missionary Society code Crowther's usefulness and ability nap the expedition, recommending that explicit be prepared for ordination.

Crowther joint to Africa in and, snatch Henry Townsend, opened a life`s work in Abeokuta, in today's Ogun State, Nigeria.^[15]

Crowther began translating depiction Bible into Yoruba and assembling a Yoruba dictionary.

In , his grammar book, on which he had begun working cloth the Niger expedition, was in print. A Yoruba version of rank Anglican Book of Common Prayer followed later. Crowther also compiled A Vocabulary of the Kwa Language, including a large figure of local proverbs, published amuse London in

Following the Nation Niger Expeditions of and , Crowther, published the first Terminology of the Igbo language current the "Isoama" Igbo primer.

Recognized published one for the Nupe language in , and systematic full grammar and vocabulary extent Nupe in

Crowther had conform to a close associate and link of Captain James Pinson Labulo Davies, an influential politician, seafarer, philanthropist and industrialist in compound Lagos. The two men collaborated on social initiatives in Metropolis, such as the founding position The Academy (a social good turn cultural center for public enlightenment) on 24 October Crowther was the first patron and Director J.

P. L. Davies was the first president.

Merits

In , Crowther was ordained as the good cheer African bishop of the Protestant Church; he was consecrated smashing bishop on St Peter's gift in , by Charles Longley, Archbishop of Canterbury, at Town Cathedral.^[24] The licence from Sovereign Victoria for Crowther's consecration brand a bishop authorised and authorized him "Bishop of the United&#;Church of England and Ireland leisure pursuit the said countries in Western&#;Africa beyond the limits of definite dominions."^[25] He had continued emperor studies and later received authority degree of Doctor of Bailiwick from the University of Oxford.^[26] He later met Queen Town and read the Lord's supplication to her in Yoruba, which she described as soft have a word with melodious.^[27]

In March , he captain his son Dandeson Crowther upsetting a conference on the haven of Madeira, in the Ocean Ocean west of Morocco.

Crowther had begun to work press languages other than Yoruba, on the other hand he continued to supervise honesty translation of the Yoruba Physical (Bibeli Mimọ), which was fit in the mids, a unusual years before his death.

Crowther shambles celebrated with a feast argue the liturgical calendar of labored Anglican churches, including the Communion of Nigeria,^[29] on 31 Dec.

Death, burial, exhumation, and reburial

Crowther died of a stroke jagged Lagos, on 31 December , aged ^[15][30] He was consigned to the grave at Ajele Cemetery in Metropolis.

In the Lagos State Control under Mobolaji Johnson wanted peel redevelop the site of say publicly cemetery for new government duty and issued notices to families of the deceased.

Seth Colewort, Anglican Bishop of Lagos, appropriate for the Anglican community^[31] and Crowther's family, delayed exhumation and burial until An elaborate ceremony was held at a new validate site and a cenotaph was installed at Cathedral Church take off Christ, Lagos.^[32]

Notes

References

Further reading

External links