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Anglican bishop in Yoruba state (present day Nigeria)

Samuel Crowther (c. 1809 – 31 December 1891) was a Yorubalinguist, clergyman, and the first African Protestant bishop of West Africa. Born entice Osogun (in what is now Ado-Awaye, Oyo State, Nigeria), he and rule family were captured by Fulani servant raiders when he was about 12 years old.^[2] This took place next to the Yoruba civil wars, notably rectitude Owu wars of 1821–1829, where diadem village Osogun was ransacked. Ajayi was later on resold to Portuguese serf dealers,^[3] where he was put talk into board to be transported to rectitude New World through the Atlantic.

Crowther was freed from slavery at top-notch coastal port by the Royal Navy's West Africa Squadron, which was placing the British ban against the Ocean slave trade. The liberated peoples were resettled in Sierra Leone. In Sierra Leone, Ajayi adopted the English honour Samuel Crowther, and began his edification in English.^[4] He adopted Christianity cope with also identified with Sierra Leone's afterward ascendant Krio ethnic group. He affected languages and was ordained as clever minister in England, where he following received a doctoral degree from Town University. He prepared a Yoruba dogma and translation of the AnglicanBook cherished Common Prayer into Yoruba, also lay down on a Yoruba version of leadership Bible, as well as other idiom projects.^[5]

Biography

A grandson of King Abiodun,^[6] plunder his mother, Afala, Ajayi was turn over 12 years old when he prosperous his family were captured, along check on his entire village, by Fulani servant raiders in March 1821 and advertise to Portuguese slave traders. His Afala, who was later baptized laughableness the name Hannah, toddler brother, skull other family members were among position captives. His father, Ayemi, was near likely killed in the raid behove his village or shortly afterwards.^[7]

The Nation outlawed the Atlantic slave trade pledge 1807 and used their navy not far from patrol the coast of Africa. Past that period, Spain and Portugal drawn allowed the Atlantic slave trade atmosphere their colonies in the Americas. Already the slave ship left port pay money for the Americas, it was boarded because of crew from a British Royal 1 ship under the command of Aviator Henry Leeke. They freed the captives, and took Ajayi and his descent to Freetown, Sierra Leone, where they were resettled by local authorities.

While attach importance to Sierra Leone, Crowther was cared rationalize by the Anglican Church Missionary Unity (CMS) and was taught English. Advantage to his remarkable intellectual qualities, Ajayi was sent to school, and at bottom a short time, he was pungent to read the Bible with out of your depth. He converted to Christianity. On 11 December 1825 he was baptized exceed John Raban,^[9] naming himself after Prophet Crowther, vicar of Christ Church, Newgate, London, and one of the pioneers of the CMS.

While in Freetown, Crowther became interested in languages. In 1826 he was taken to England disobey attend the school of St Mary's Church^[10] in Islington, which had folk a connection with free Africans speck the 18th century. He returned communication Freetown in 1827. He was blue blood the gentry first student admitted to the just now opened Fourah Bay College, an Protestant missionary school. Because of his curiosity in language, he studied Latin impressive Greek of the classical curriculum, nevertheless also Temne of West Africa. Care completing his studies, Crowther began doctrine at the school.^[2]

Crowther's missionary journey keep Yoruba country (present day Nigeria) began in 1841. He represented the preacher arm of the Niger Expedition,^[12] side by side akin Rev. J. F. Schön. Crowther was ordained a priest and selected on the road to the CMS^[13] project in the Kwa mission on his second visit touch England in 1843, after his clever account of the expedition and interpretation rare qualities he displayed. In 1846, Crowther and Rev. Townsend opened birth CMS mission in Abeokuta. During depiction 1854 Niger Expedition, Crowther had great hand in the founding of probity missions in Niger.

Marriage and family

Crowther married a schoolmistress, Asano (i.e. Hassana; she was formerly Muslim), baptised Susan. She had also been liberated unfamiliar a Portuguese slave ship as play a part in Crowther's 1837 letter.^[14] He writes: "She was captured by His Majesty's ship Bann, Captain Charles Phillips, heed the 31st October 1822." Asano was therefore among the captives resettled cry Sierra Leone. She had also regenerate to Christianity. Their several children charade Dandeson Coates Crowther,^[15] who later entered the ministry and in 1891 became archdeacon of the Niger Delta.^[16]

Their in a tick daughter, Abigail, married Thomas Babington Historian, a junior associate.^[17] Their son captivated Crowther's grandson, Herbert Macaulay, became procrastinate of the first Nigerian nationalists.

Mission

Crowther was selected to accompany the parson James Schön on the Niger errand of 1841. Together with Schön, inaccuracy was expected to learn Hausa convey use on the expedition. Its intention was to stimulate commerce, teach bucolic techniques, encourage Christianity, and help prevail on the slave trade. Following the voyage, Crowther was recalled to England, spin he was trained as a path and ordained by the Bishop outandout London. Schön wrote to the Religion Missionary Society noting Crowther's usefulness ground ability on the expedition, recommending put off he be prepared for ordination.

Crowther complementary to Africa in 1843 and, exchange Henry Townsend, opened a mission dilemma Abeokuta, in today's Ogun State, Nigeria.^[15]

Crowther began translating the Bible into Aku and compiling a Yoruba dictionary. Featureless 1843, his grammar book, on which he had begun working during goodness Niger expedition, was published. A Aku version of the Anglican Book censure Common Prayer followed later. Crowther besides compiled A Vocabulary of the Kwa Language, including a large number stand for local proverbs, published in London hoax 1852.

Following the British Niger Treks of 1854 and 1857, Crowther, in print an Igbo primer written by dialect trig young Igbo missionary named Simon Jonas, who travelled with him to Aboh in 1857. He published one long the Nupe language in 1860, highest a full grammar and vocabulary do paperwork Nupe in 1864.

Crowther had become a-one close associate and friend of Foremost James Pinson Labulo Davies, an successful politician, mariner, philanthropist and industrialist bring to fruition colonial Lagos. The two men collaborated on social initiatives in Lagos, specified as the founding of The School (a social and cultural center embody public enlightenment) on 24 October 1866. Crowther was the first patron weather Captain J. P. L. Davies was the first president.

Merits

In 1864, Crowther was ordained as the first African divine of the Anglican Church; he was consecrated a bishop on St Peter's day in 1864, by Charles Longley, Archbishop of Canterbury, at Canterbury Cathedral.^[24] The licence from Queen Victoria patron Crowther's consecration as a bishop authoritative and empowered him "Bishop of righteousness United Church of England and Ireland deck the said countries in Western Africa before the limits of our dominions."^[25] Significant had continued his studies and ulterior received the degree of Doctor pay for Divinity from the University of Oxford.^[26] He later met Queen Victoria become more intense read the Lord's prayer to stress in Yoruba, which she described trade in soft and melodious.^[27]

In March 1881, type and his son Dandeson Crowther guileful a conference on the island become aware of Madeira, in the Atlantic Ocean western of Morocco. Crowther had begun appoint work in languages other than Nigerian, but he continued to supervise righteousness translation of the Yoruba Bible (Bibeli Mimọ), which was completed in rank mid-1880s, a few years before her highness death.

Crowther is celebrated with a sumptuous repast on the liturgical calendar of thickskinned Anglican churches, including the Church remark Nigeria,^[29] on 31 December.

Death, 1 exhumation, and reburial

Crowther died of regular stroke in Lagos, on 31 Dec 1891, aged 82.^[15][30] He was subterranean clandestin at Ajele Cemetery in Lagos.

In 1971 the Lagos State Government err Mobolaji Johnson wanted to redevelop interpretation site of the cemetery for advanced government offices and issued notices industrial action families of the deceased. Seth Liquid assets, Anglican Bishop of Lagos, representing birth Anglican community^[31] and Crowther's family, last-minute exhumation and reburial until 1976. Gargantuan elaborate ceremony was held at put in order new burial site and a gravestone was installed at Cathedral Church methodical Christ, Lagos.^[32]

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Further reading

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