ANGLICANISM IN THE IGBO HEARTLAND: THE OHOHIA-MBIERI AND THEIR NEIGBOURS

Abstract

Ohohia-Mbieri was evangelized by the Anglican mission through Okwu-Orodo and tremendous socio-economic successes were recorded, yet this aspect of the history of the people is yet to get adequate scholarly attention that it deserves. Furthermore, the Anglican mission in Ohohia was largely carried out by the pioneer converts to Christianity: the local chiefs, church teachers and traders, who gave out lands, offered free labour and made financial contributions towards the consolidation of the mission, yet their efforts were not acknowledged in the few historical records of Anglicanism in area. This study aimed at reconstructing the presence of the Anglican Church in OhohiaMbieri, Imo State; bringing together a detailed history of her stability and internal cohesion in relation to its continued dialogue between traditional values, norms and beliefs. It also brings to limelight the salient labour of some indigenous agents of the mission whose contributions have previously been less reported by Church historians of missionary historiography. This study further sought to discuss the socio-economic effects of the presence of the Anglican Church in Ohohia and her neighbours. The study employed primary and secondary methods of the qualitative research approach. The primary methods included missionary diaries, archival evidence, oral sources, and unpublished materials while the secondary sources included text books, journal articles, magazines, etc. The study adopted descriptive and historical phenomenology to analyze the data collected. The study reveals that the growth of the Anglican Church in OhohiaMbieri was largely made possible by the tireless and voluntary services of the indigenous and non-stipendiary local agents of the mission whose contributions were neglected in missionary historiography but whose efforts occasioned enormous socio-economic developments in the area. The study recommends a continuous participation of the indigenous people so as to consolidate the pioneering efforts of the early converts and to ensure recognizable cultural assimilation of Christianity within the host communities