“The Truth Will Set You Free”

NIGERIA, situated in western Africa, is a multitribal country of widely differing customs and many languages. About as large as Texas and New Mexico combined, it has a population of about thirty million, one half of which are Moslems. Some 13,000 witnesses of Jehovah carry on their activity, mostly in the southern part of the country, where nominal Christianity largely prevails, but where there is also much primitive juju worship and paganism.

Although the various religious sects of Christendom have labored for years among these people, they have not succeeded in making even a dent in the superstitious beliefs of the natives. Most of their converts continue to hold their pagan superstitions and will attend church in the morning and then go to the forest and participate in fetish ceremonies in the evening. On the other hand, when the light of truth brought by Jehovah’s witnesses penetrates the African mind, superstition and demon worship are banished completely, so much so that the onlookers marvel greatly.

To give an illustration: In one village a gale broke off some branches of a large tree that was believed to be inhabited by spirits and was regularly worshiped. Although the road was blocked, not one villager would dare touch a branch for fear of being struck dead by the juju. So what did they do? They sent for Jehovah’s witnesses to clear away the mess because they knew the juju had no power over them. Likewise, when juju processions pass through villages terrorizing the population, Jehovah’s witnesses calmly walk by in the road, while others flee to their homes in terror. It has been recognized throughout the native villages that the juju has no power over Jehovah’s witnesses. Truly Jesus said: “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”—John 8:32, NW.

Judging from the foregoing, who is bringing the truth that sets men free to the Nigerians, the popular sects of Christendom or the unpopular witnesses of Jehovah?