Foreword

The Igbo and Educational Development in Nigeria, 1846 -2015

“…To this end, the authorities of the mission had directed "that a simple form of secondary education could be provided for aspiring young Igbo Christians….. (but) there was stiff resistance to any programe of secondary education that would offer job alternatives to the young Christian men". 20 Pursuant to this general disposition of the missionaries, one of them cautioned that "the ambition of the Africans to achieve a new social status comparable to that of the Europeans through commercial success was so strong that a whole-hearted patronage of higher education would inevitably sweep away the reason of our residence in the country….our first great work of evangelization". 21 Before we delve deeper into the intricacies and politics of the introduction of higher and vocational education to the Igbo, we must say a few more words on the rudimentary education provided by the missionaries to the Igbo in the early years.…”

“…It ear-marked some funds, ranging from 30 to 300 pounds sterling between 1876 and 1887 as grants to the missions. 20 This was the situation prior to 1882, when the first education ordinance was promulgated.…”

The Early Missionary Groups and the Contest for Igboland: A Reappraisal of Their Evangelization Strategies

“…The question at this juncture is why would a potent evangelization factor also be a hindrance to the internalization of the gospel message? Ekechi (1972) explored the rivalry among Christian groups in Igboland during this period, which was behind the evangelization through education strategy. What has not received adequate attention is the extent to which this rivalry hindered the internalization of the gospel message and its values by the adherents of the Roman Catholic Mission [RCM] and Church Missionary Society (CMS]2 in Igboland.…”