HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY IN NIGERIA

Christianity came to Nigeria in the 15th century through Augustinian and Capuchin monks from Portugal. These monks came through Benin River and made first contact with the itsekiris. Warriorwas the first place they appear, and as at that time no Church was established (Ref.www.wikipedia.com/history of Church in Nigeria) .Four century later, the first mission Church
of England now know as Anglican Church was established in 1842 in Badagry by Henry Townsend. This is shortly after his priestly ordination in England in 1842 which he departed to Sierra Leone where he worked few months before coming to Nigeria as a result of the Yoruba mission(Ref. www.pulse.ng)
        Thomas Birch Freeman is, however, believed to be the first European to enter Abeokuta. He arrived the old city on 11 December 1842. He met with Henry Townsend on 24 December upon his returned to Badagry. It was this meeting that birthed the first "Christmas Day"celebration in Nigeria.And from 1846 to 1867, Abeokuta became the vineyard that Henry Townsend was called to work (www.pulse.ng) Henry Townsend Arrival in Abeokuta, with there lease of some Nigerians from the British and American slave trade whichbrought the like of Samuel Ajayi Crowther to Nigeria, brought about theChurch missionary society (CMS) in 1844. In 1846, others like Rev Colmer
and Mr. Philip joined in the evangelization of the Yoruba land especially Abeokuta. Ajayi Crowther became the first black man to become a bishop in1864 and he was the first to translate the Bible to a Nigeria language thatis, Yoruba translation. (www.dioceseoflagoswest.org)
   Scottish Presbyterian in April 1846 was established by Rev. Hope Mastertol Waddell as a result of the invitation of two Calabar king (www.presbyterianchurchng.com). Southern Baptist Foreign Mission came in 1850as a result of Thomas Jefferson Bowen arrival in Yoruba land and his settlement at Ogbomosho under the auspices of the foreign mission board of the southern Baptist convention U.S.A ( ogiri: a new journal of Africa studies vol.8. 2011 by S. Ademola Ajayi). Romans Catholic mission came in 1888 led by Father Lutz  but the Church was established in 1961. Other early mission Church includes Wesley Methodist of 1842, Sudan interior mission 1893, Sudan united mission 1904,united mission society 1905, Seventh day Adventist 1914, Qua iboe mission
1932, Assembly of God 1939, African Church movement 1888-1925. (Africajournal of evangelical theology).
    1910s-1920s: Around 1910, an Anglican deacon launches an indigenous prophetic movement that later becomes the Christ Army Church. Following an influenza epidemic in 1918, revivals flare within the mission churches and the Christ Army Church (then a movement). Spirit-filled groups also expand, including those known by the Yoruba word Aladura (“praying people”). Early Aladura movement include the Eternal Sacred Order of the Cherubim and Seraphim Society, founded in 1925, and the Church of the Lord (Aladura), founded in 1930. Around 1918, an Anglican forms a prayer group known as the Precious Stone (Diamond) Society to heal influenza victims. The group leaves the Anglican Church in the early 1920 sand affiliates with Faith Tabernacle, a church based in Philadelphia (Anderson 2001: 80-82; Gaiya 2002: 5).
       1930s-1940s: The Aladura movement met at Lagos and were introduced to Babalola who was a young Christian andminister. There after the movement affiliated with faith tabernacle due to
crisis in the Church that rose against the movement. When internal crisis emerge within the faith tabernacle in Brititain, the movement later joined The Apostolic Church. During the 1930s, Joseph Babalola of Faith Tabernacle leads a revival that converts thousands. In 1932, his movement initiates ties with the pentecostal Apostolic Church of Great Britain after coming into conflict with colonial authorities, but the association dissolves over the use of modern medicine. In 1941, Babalola founds the independent Christ Apostolic Church, which is estimated to have over a million members by 1990 (Anderson 2001: 86-87, c.a.c website). Foreign Pentecostal denominations such as the Welsh Apostolic Church (1931), the Assemblies of God (1939) and the Foursquare Gospel Church (1954) are also introduced during this period.

    1950s: In the 1950s the Celestial Church of Christ arrives in western Nigeria from Benin. The church rapidly expands into northern Nigeria and becomes one of Africa’s largest Aladura churches. In 1952, a former member of the Cherubim and Seraphim society, Pa Josiah Akindayomi, founds the Redeemed Christian Church of God. Under Enoch Adejare Adeboye, the church becomes increasingly pentecostal in theology and practice and grows from an estimated 42 congregations in 1980 to around 7,000 in 2004, with followers in more than 90 countries, including the U.S. (Anderson 2001: 85: Murphy, March 25, 2006; Mahtani, April 26, 2005; Ojo 2004: 4).

     1960s-1970s: Originating in evangelical student revivals, a wave of pentecostal expansion spawns new churches in the 1960s and 1970s. A leader of this expansion is Benson Idahosa, one of Africa’s most influential pentecostal preachers. Idahosa establishes the Church of God Mission International in 1972. In 1974, the pentecostal umbrella organization Grace of God ministry is founded in eastern Nigeria. The Deeper Life Bible Church is founded in 1975, and soon becomes one of Nigeria’s largest neo-pentecostal churches, with an estimated 350,000 members by 1993 (Ojo 2004: 3; Olupona 2003: 16; Gaiya 2002: 15).

1980s-present: New charismatic churches grow throughout the 1980s and 1990s. In 1986, David Oyedepo founds Living Faith Outreach Worldwide, popularly known as “Winners’ Chapel.” It opens a “Faith Tabernacle” in the suburbs of Lagos in 1999 that seats 50,000 people (Phillips, Nov. 30, 1999; Ojo 2004: 4).

The Forum’s 2006 pentecostal survey suggests that renewalists – including charismatics and pentecostals – account for approximately three-in-ten Nigerians. The survey also finds that roughly six-in-ten Protestants in Nigeria are either pentecostal or charismatic, and three-in-ten Nigerian Catholics surveyed can be classified as charismatic. This is how Churches grow to what it is today. (ecclezzia.com)