Christian Love Attracts Men of All Kinds in Nigeria
IN LINE with the declaration made in the Bible at Malachi 3:16, 18, Jehovah’s witnesses in Nigeria are unitedly ‘thinking upon the name of Jehovah and speaking, each one with his companion,’ about Him and His purposes. Jehovah has taken note of their activities, as he has done in connection with his people elsewhere, and is blessing their Christian worship. People are seeing the distinction between these worshipers and those who have not followed the way of the truth. Many are led to abandon their former course of life and join with Jehovah’s witnesses in pure worship, to the extent that from 1966 to 1975 the number of Jehovah’s witnesses actively engaged in preaching the good news of God’s kingdom in Nigeria has increased by 68,426, to make a grand total of 112,164 persons. This represents an increase of 156 percent in ten years!
With a population of over 79 million and an area of 356,669 square miles, Nigeria provides a vast field for the proclamation of the good news of God’s kingdom. The 112,164 Witnesses that are engaged in this work have learned to be versatile in order to reach people belonging to more than 235 ethnic groups, who speak more than 250 languages and dialects and practice a variety of religions.
While about 47 percent of the population claim membership in the numerous sects professing to be Christian, they are strongly influenced by the 35 percent who are Moslems and the 18 percent who practice various forms of animism and fetishism. Traditional honorary titles that require the observance of idolatrous practices are still eagerly pursued by prominent members of Christendom’s churches. Polygamy is generally accepted by most of the church members, and practices based on non-Christian superstitions in connection with weddings, burials and the like are tolerated in the churches. At the same time, these religions are divided by tribal and family differences.
Viewed from this background, Jehovah’s witnesses stand out as distinct, and when honest-hearted persons are shown what the Bible says about true worship, they readily see the difference between those who are united by Christian love and those who are not. (John 13:35) Following a district assembly of Jehovah’s witnesses at Abakaliki in the East Central State, in January 1973, a newspaper reporter wrote: “It is a credit to them that over 5,000 people made up of men, women and children could come to pray, sing, eat and sleep together for four days and record no incidents of stealing or fighting. And yet there was no policeman to keep order.”
The determination of Jehovah’s witnesses to follow the requirements of true Christianity has not been without difficulty. In a few areas they have suffered beatings because of their refusal to participate in juju or other traditional celebrations. Sometimes an entire village has been put on notice concerning a forthcoming juju celebration. All in the community participate regardless of their religious affiliation. Jehovah’s witnesses, too, were expected to participate; but after years of consistent refusal to do so, in many villages they are now automatically exempted.
Thousands of people, learning the requirements of true religion, willingly destroy their objects of idol worship and cease all practices having to do with false religion. An elderly woman who destroyed her idols and charms, valued at over N80 ($120), said: “Often my children and I would go hungry in order to make sacrifices to the demons.” When she destroyed the idols, one of the observers said: “I really see evidence of truth in the worship of you Witnesses. None of the churches in this village have ever demonstrated their zeal for pure worship as you people have done by burning the objects of false worship. Church people teach us the way we like, not the way the Bible likes.”
WANING INFLUENCE OF CHRISTENDOM’S CHURCHES
From 1967 to 1970 Nigeria found herself in the throes of a civil war. In contrast with other religions, Jehovah’s witnesses maintained a position of strict neutrality and continued preaching the good news of God’s kingdom despite severe persecution for pursuing this course. Many people observed this, and were influenced to begin studying the Bible with Jehovah’s witnesses, who, they were now convinced, were practicing true Christianity. In the East Central State alone, new congregations are being formed at the rate of four each month, and at many congregational meetings there are five newly interested persons attending for every ten Witnesses. This is especially noteworthy as this section of the country has for decades been a Catholic stronghold. Apparently the quest that many former Catholics are now making for the truth is an indication of the weakening influence of the Church.
Until 1970 most of the schools throughout Nigeria were operated by the church organizations. The thinking and attitudes of the youth were thus trained and controlled by these organizations, and so the churches wielded an enormous influence at all levels of Nigerian society. But over the past four years the nation has been following a new educational policy by which the church schools have been taken over by the government. This has freed the educational system from its religious hobble and has done much to liberate the thinking of the youth. Becoming more open-minded, many who formerly hesitated to question religious doctrines for fear of the priest now openly seek out Jehovah’s witnesses in order to obtain Scriptural answers to their questions.
With a view to bolstering the shaky position of the churches, many clergymen have spoken out advocating the official adoption and practice of traditional but un-Scriptural customs. This, they say, would make the church more relevant to Nigerian society. An example of this is seen with regard to polygamy. Roman Catholic priest N.S.S. Iwe, calling for a progressive church, said: “Polygamy as a significant aspect of our culture cannot be condemned without a hearing. The concept of . . . polygamy deserves a thorough study and examination by Christianity for it is one of the honest concepts and institutions of our culture.”
Not all clergymen are in agreement with such radical changes in church policies. The people notice this disagreement among church leaders, and their failure to adhere to true Christian standards. Many people have decided to look elsewhere for true Christianity and quite a number, from all social levels, are becoming Jehovah’s witnesses. In fact, 17,203 of them were baptized in 1974 alone. When such persons assemble together, they provide a magnificent living testimony to the power of true Christianity and Christian love to transform their lives for the better.
CHRISTIAN UNITY AT CONVENTIONS
In January 1974, a large district assembly of Jehovah’s witnesses was held at Port Harcourt in the Rivers State. It was attended by 107,442 persons who came from three neighboring states. Although the local residents opened their homes to accommodate the assembly delegates, there was still more need, and application was made for the use of the schools, which were closed for vacation. So these buildings, formerly under the control of the churches, were now occupied by Jehovah’s witnesses, much to the anger of the clergymen who tried unsuccessfully to get the permission revoked.
But the local people now began to view the Witnesses with a new attitude of respect. Reporting this, the convention supervisor quoted townspeople as saying: “Formerly we did not know what this religion was, but now it is undisputed that Jehovah’s witnesses have become ‘first among all religions.’ We have not seen the government cooperate in giving schools to anyone before this. Church authorities have become helpless.” It is no wonder that such a vast number of local residents attended the assembly.
Many men in responsible positions visited the assembly grounds and were favorably impressed. One of these, an English supervisor in the Nigerian Railway Corporation, said: “Your organization is just wonderful.” He later attended the assembly itself. The sales manager of a local brewery also toured the assembly site and commented: “It appears you have already started your new system.” Since a grand total of 256,852 persons attended the 19 district assemblies held throughout the country in 1974, and 239,343 were present at meetings of Jehovah’s witnesses to celebrate the Lord’s Evening Meal this year, it is evident that there were many more persons who held similar views.
NATIONWIDE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM
During 1975 the Witnesses have spent over 25 million hours in their work of preaching and making disciples. They enjoy their work, whether visiting people in fine homes, or walking through squalor and going into dark rooms occupied by the poor people in the cities, or visiting the villages and remote homes in the rural areas. In all cases they enjoy progressively teaching the people what the Bible says about God’s purpose and requirements relative to man and the earth.
The towns and villages of Nigeria’s northern states are a stronghold of the Moslem and many other non-Christian religions. Congregations of Jehovah’s witnesses are scattered throughout this area and more than 2,000 Witnesses are active here in their preaching work. Though response to Bible instruction is slower than in the southern states, an increasing number of Moslems and others are learning how to transform their lives to meet true Christian requirements.
The results produced by the training given by the Witnesses to members of their own congregations impress and attract even former opposers. E. O. Avbodi, an elder in Iwhreko congregation in the Midwestern State, reports: “In the village of Otere the people boastfully said, ‘We shall not give anybody to Jehovah’s witnesses.’ . . . But recently we started holding public meetings around the village and soon many started coming to the Kingdom Hall. In 1974 some parents brought along their children and explained: ‘Our children have been behaving badly. We know your children behave very well and we want you to train our children for us.’ Arrangements were made to study the Bible with the families in their own homes. Many of these have become publishers of the good news, and up to 44 persons now attend our meetings held in this village.”
Literacy classes are conducted in many of the congregations of Jehovah’s witnesses in Nigeria, and thousands have been taught to read and write, more than 5,000 during the past four years alone. Many of these were elderly and thought they no longer had the ability to learn. Their determination to obtain a knowledge of the Bible and to be able to instruct others reawakened their desire, and now they can read and write and help in teaching others the truth of God’s Word. Illiterate ones are often taught to read and write in their own native language. However, many also learn to read and write the English language, and some of these have made such good progress that they have become qualified to serve as traveling overseers to the congregations of Jehovah’s witnesses.
Truly, Jehovah God in a marked way has shown his approval of the love that his dedicated witnesses are showing for his name and the true Christian love that they manifest among themselves, as well as toward others. Jehovah has certainly richly blessed their work. People everywhere can see the distinction between those who serve God and those who are not serving him.