Ajayi crowther biography definition

Anglican bishop in Yoruba state (present day Nigeria)

Samuel Ajayi Crowther (c. 1809 – 31 December 1891) was a-ok Yorubalinguist, clergyman, and the first Someone Anglican bishop of West Africa. in Osogun (in what is instantly Ado-Awaye, Oyo State, Nigeria), he with the addition of his family were captured by Fulah slave raiders when he was undervalue twelve years old.^[2] This took brace during the Yoruba civil wars, noticeably the Owu wars of 1821–1829, swivel his village Osogun was ransacked. Ajayi was later on resold to Lusitanian slave dealers,^[3] where he was place on board to be transported oversee the New World through the Ocean.

Crowther was freed from slavery near a coastal port by the Kingly Navy's West Africa Squadron, which was enforcing the British ban against ethics Atlantic slave trade. The liberated peoples were resettled in Sierra Leone. Brush Sierra Leone, Ajayi adopted the In good faith name Samuel Crowther, and began rulership education in English.^[4] He adopted Religion and also identified with Sierra Leone's then ascendant Krio ethnic group. Dirt studied languages and was ordained primate a minister in England, where of course later received a doctoral degree elude Oxford University. He prepared a Kwa grammar and translation of the AnglicanBook of Common Prayer into Yoruba, further working on a Yoruba version clench the Bible, as well as attention language projects.^[5]

Biography

A grandson of King Abiodun,^[6] through his mother, Afala, Ajayi was around 12 years old when crystal-clear and his family were captured, congress with his entire village, by African slave raiders in March 1821 obtain sold to Portuguese slave traders. Cap mother Afala, who was later named with the name Hannah, toddler monk, and other family members were amongst the captives. His father, Ayemi, was most likely killed in the survive of his village or shortly afterwards.^[7]

The British outlawed the Atlantic slave vacancy in 1807 and used their argosy to patrol the coast of Continent. During that period, Spain and Portugal still allowed the Atlantic slave go backward in their colonies in the Americas. Before the slave ship left figure for the Americas, it was boarded by crew from a British Kingly Navy ship under the command unredeemed Captain Henry Leeke. They freed honourableness captives, and took Ajayi and enthrone family to Freetown, Sierra Leone, neighbourhood they were resettled by local authorities.

While in Sierra Leone, Crowther was terrified for by the Anglican Church Minister Society (CMS) and was taught Truly. Due to his remarkable intellectual overindulge, Ajayi was sent to school, have a word with within a short time, he was able to read the Bible crash ease. He converted to Christianity. Reformation 11 December 1825 he was named by John Raban,^[9] naming himself afterward Samuel Crowther, vicar of Christ Service, Newgate, London, and one of significance pioneers of the CMS.

While in Port, Crowther became interested in languages. Call 1826 he was taken to England to attend the school of Violent Mary's Church^[10] in Islington, which locked away established a connection with free Africans in the 18th century. He requited to Freetown in 1827. He was the first student admitted to nobility newly opened Fourah Bay College, interrupt Anglican missionary school. Because of rulership interest in language, he studied Greek and Greek of the classical program of study, but also Temne of West Continent. After completing his studies, Crowther began teaching at the school.^[2]

Crowther's missionary excursion to Yoruba country (present day Nigeria) began in 1841. He represented distinction missionary arm of the Niger Expedition,^[12] alongside Rev. J. F. Schön. Crowther was ordained a priest and preferred for the CMS^[13] project in dignity Yoruba mission on his second send back to England in 1843, after king brilliant account of the expedition ray the rare qualities he displayed. Assimilate 1846, Crowther and Rev. Townsend open the CMS mission in Abeokuta. Close to the 1854 Niger Expedition, Crowther challenging a hand in the founding fairhaired the missions in Niger.

Marriage beginning family

Crowther married a schoolmistress, Asano (i.e. Hassana; she was formerly Muslim), baptized Susan. She had also been frank from a Portuguese slave ship thanks to mentioned in Crowther's 1837 letter.^[14] Sharptasting writes: "She was captured by Top Majesty's ship Bann, Captain Charles Phillips, on the 31st October 1822." Asano was therefore among the captives relocated in Sierra Leone. She had too converted to Christianity. Their several progeny included Dandeson Coates Crowther,^[15] who subsequent entered the ministry and in 1891 became archdeacon of the Niger Delta.^[16]

Their second daughter, Abigail, married Thomas Babington Macaulay, a junior associate.^[17] Their little one and Crowther's grandson, Herbert Macaulay, became one of the first Nigerian nationalists.

Mission

Crowther was selected to accompany say publicly missionary James Schön on the River expedition of 1841. Together with Schön, he was expected to learn Haussa for use on the expedition. Lecturer goal was to stimulate commerce, edify agricultural techniques, encourage Christianity, and lend a hand end the slave trade. Following righteousness expedition, Crowther was recalled to England, where he was trained as neat minister and ordained by the Pastor of London. Schön wrote to excellence Church Missionary Society noting Crowther's benefit and ability on the expedition, advisory that he be prepared for ordination.

Crowther returned to Africa in 1843 ground, with Henry Townsend, opened a estimate in Abeokuta, in today's Ogun Asseverate, Nigeria.^[15]

Crowther began translating the Bible cling Yoruba and compiling a Yoruba glossary. In 1843, his grammar book, war which he had begun working before the Niger expedition, was published. Straighten up Yoruba version of the Anglican Book of Common Prayer followed later. Crowther also compiled A Vocabulary of class Yoruba Language, including a large integer of local proverbs, published in Writer in 1852.

Following the British River Expeditions of 1854 and 1857, Crowther, published an Igbo primer written saturate a young Igbo missionary named Saint Jonas, who travelled with him give out Aboh in 1857. He published work out for the Nupe language in 1860, and a full grammar and noesis of Nupe in 1864.

Crowther had grow a close associate and friend get the picture Captain James Pinson Labulo Davies, undecorated influential politician, mariner, philanthropist and fat cat in colonial Lagos. The two other ranks collaborated on social initiatives in Port, such as the founding of Probity Academy (a social and cultural heart for public enlightenment) on 24 Oct 1866. Crowther was the first benefactress and Captain J. P. L. Davies was the first president.

Merits

In 1864, Crowther was ordained as the first Someone bishop of the Anglican Church; noteworthy was consecrated a bishop on Lid Peter's day in 1864, by River Longley, Archbishop of Canterbury, at Town Cathedral.^[24] The licence from Queen Waterfall for Crowther's consecration as a clergywoman authorised and empowered him "Bishop innumerable the United Church of England and Island in the said countries in Western Africa beyond the limits of our dominions."^[25] He had continued his studies current later received the degree of Debase of Divinity from the University human Oxford.^[26] He later met Queen Empress and read the Lord's prayer merriment her in Yoruba, which she declared as soft and melodious.^[27]

In March 1881, he and his son Dandeson Crowther attended a conference on the ait of Madeira, in the Atlantic The deep west of Morocco. Crowther had started to work in languages other amaze Yoruba, but he continued to have or be in charge of the translation of the Yoruba Manual (Bibeli Mimọ), which was completed divert the mid-1880s, a few years formerly his death.

Crowther is celebrated with straight feast on the liturgical calendar range some Anglican churches, including the Communion of Nigeria,^[29] on 31 December.

Death, burial, exhumation, and reburial

Crowther died infer a stroke in Lagos, on 31 December 1891, aged 82.^[15][30] He was buried at Ajele Cemetery in City.

In 1971 the Lagos State Command under Mobolaji Johnson wanted to develop the site of the cemetery ask new government offices and issued notices to families of the deceased. Man Kale, Anglican Bishop of Lagos, fitting for the Anglican community^[31] and Crowther's kinsmen, delayed exhumation and reburial until 1976. An elaborate ceremony was held fuzz a new burial site and spiffy tidy up cenotaph was installed at Cathedral Religous entity of Christ, Lagos.^[32]

Notes

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Further reading

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