A Missiological Reflection on Christian Muslim Encounter in Kano City, Northern Nigeria, a Muslim Background Believer’S Perspective
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GIVING AN ACCOUNT OF CHRISTIAN HOPE: A MISSIOLOGICAL REFLECTION ON CHRISTIAN MUSLIM ENCOUNTER IN KANO CITY, NORTHERN NIGERIA, A MUSLIM BACKGROUND BELIEVER’S PERSPECTIVE. By Abimbola Adamson Shaba Submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF THEOLOGY in the subject MISSIOLOGY at the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA PROMOTER (SUPERVISOR): PROFESSOR WILLEM A. SAAYMAN June 2011 i DECLARATION I declare that GIVING AN ACCOUNT OF CHRISTIAN HOPE: A MISSIOLOGICAL REFLECTION ON CHRISTIAN MUSLIM ENCOUNTER IN KANO CITY, NORTHERN NIGERIA, A MUSLIM BACKGROUND BELIEVER’S PERSPECTIVE is my own work and that all sources I have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by means of complete reference. Signed at Muckleneuk (UNISA Main campus), Pretoria, June 2011. ................................................................. Abimbola Adamson Shaba (Student No. 366-085-48) ii DEDICATION This research is dedicated to the glory of God. To my wife, Goodness Oluwaleye Omolara Shaba; my children IyanuOluwa; IyinOluwa; IreOluwa; IbukunOluwa, for their tireless all round support I enjoyed from them. Others include my late parent, Mr. & Mrs. Amuda and Oluwashola Shaba; our prayer partners, preachers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through their lifestyle (dead or alive), in Nigeria (Kano especially) and elsewhere in the world. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I give my Lord Jesus Christ all the glory over the completion of this study, due to His unfailing love that guided me through the time of disillusionment and endurance. It is by His goodness, mercy, faithfulness and grace alone that this study has been completed. The Lord is good all the time, and all the time the Lord is good. It really fails me to think how much the under-mentioned people contributed in part towards the course of accomplishing the goal, namely: The leadership of Evangelical Church of West Africa (ECWA/SIM headquarter, Nigeria) under the leadership of Rev. and Mrs Anthony Farinto, the congregation where I worship - ECWA headquarter’s Church leadership, Rev. Jeremiah Buptwada, SIM South Africa team, especially John and Wendy Berry, Late Rudolf and his wife, Ingen Stenberge (Mama still alive); Dr. Christof Sauer, Bro. and Mrs Mike Adegbile; Dr. David Seccombe (Principal GWC, Muizenberg), Rev Dr Zuze Banda. Barnabas Fund paid my Six months accommodation. All are my motivating factors to completing the study. Others are: Elder Buka W. family, Elder Dele and Grace Onamusi, Hendrick and Ronel Groenewald family; Elder Moses Durodola, Eld. Dare Ajetumobi; Elder Ishaya and Comfort Dangiwa, Elder Omale and family, the Caroline and Peter (Touching Heart director); Pastor Moses Idowu and Divine Love Ministry, a family to us in South Africa; the Kputus and Edemetors, Yahaya Yunana, Joe Gallop, Dwight Singer, Terry Hammack, Emmanuel Fom, Pastor Pius Olutoki, Nathan Chiroma, Pastor Noel family, Bro. Austin and Flora Omogboye, the Okes, Savva’s family, all those who granted me interviews, the entire Christian Centre for Discipleship and Mission (CCDM, executive council and board of trustees). Also my commendation goes to the Family Worship Center Abuja’s commitment to the course of our fruitful ministry. Has this list ended? No … kindly bear with me if your name is not written at this point, help me to write it boldly where it fits in. You all demonstrated love and concern for all the details of my progress. God bless you richly. A big thank you to my relatives who always step up their support during any of my undertakings: Rev Dr. Joel and Sara Bodunrin (Parent in love) and children; the Olaosebikans, my paternal relatives led by brother Ganiyu; my siblings, Olumide, Oluwarotimi, Oluwatoyin, iv Oluwafunmilayo and TemitopeOluwa; Oluwa yio jeki a ama rire barawa se ninu ore ofe re, ami, uncles that the Lord raised up for me, Akinmoladun Ayodele, Evangelist Musa Aliu, Agunloye families, all in Ikare. I am indebted to you for the support you gave in my absence when my father died. God bless you richly. To my promoter (supervisor), Professor Willem Saayman, courageous man of God, whom I regarded as an Angel on godly errand in my academic functionality, particularly when the ‘Ship’ of my study with University of South Africa was being floundered. You deserve a Hausa or Yoruba Song and traditional meal, whenever you come to my home country, nevertheless, Modupe pupo, Nagode da yawa. Your efforts can only be rewarded fully by God whom you serve wholeheartedly. The same goes for the editor, Nan Muir, who edited the work with all the needed commitment and speed, the Lord Jesus will prosper your way. I am equally indebted to Professor Nico Botha (Head of Department) and Professor JNJ Kritzinger, under whom I cut the tooth of this study. Finally to my nuclear family, my wife, Goodness Oluwaleye Omolara Aduke Abimbola Shaba (GOOAAS), thank you for being there through thick and thin, all my lovely Children, IyanuOluwa Oluwakayode, IyinOluwa Oreofe, IyiOluwa IreOluwa and IbukunOluwa Toluwalope. You are just amazing and beautiful through Jesus Christ (Psalm 89:1-2; Romans 8:35; Ephesians 2:10). Not the least, to all who considered themselves as “academic casualties”, due to set backs, for any reason, never doubt your ability to excel, Joseph of the Bible had to go down to the pit, black or white mailed (regardless of the colour) and imprisoned before he became the “Prime minister” or “a junior savior” of his people. Please prayerfully take a hint from his story (Lk. 1: 37). v SUMMARY This study is an endeavour to construct a theological (Missiological) reflection on what Christian witnessing could look like in Kano among non-Christians (predominantly Hausa/Fulani Muslims), if interpreted and expressed from the viewpoint of the hope Christians have in Christ. This heads towards a proposal for new Christian praxis, developed in dialogue with and as a response to the role of the life-transforming message of justification in Christ, as it relates to Christian living. This is based on historical fact that attracts non-Christians to the hope in God’s future activity through His saving grace in the unique Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 1: 22), that is, seeking to be like Christ (1Jn 3: 2-3). This leads to the guiding issue on how Christians should explore hope as a fundamental key to become living witnesses to non-Christians, Muslim in particular, in Kano city, Northern Nigeria and elsewhere in the world based on the biblical interpretation of 1 Peter 3: 15-17. It equally means in a hostile environment walking by faith rather than by sight, through suffering rather than by triumph, to bringing about the future Kingdom of God, characterized by peace, justice and love into the community now, and ultimately in the one to come. This in turn makes this study relevant both internally – for the renewal of the church to discover and live out its Christian identity – and externally, in the church’s witness to its Muslim neighbours in the midst of religious intolerance that leads to bloodshed and the destruction of property. Therefore, the two dimensions, the internal and external, of the church’s life, since a congregation’s sense of identity is at the same time its sense of mission in society. A renewal in the church’s sense of identity brings about a renewal in its sense of mission, and vice versa. KEY TERMS Christian Hope; Lifestyle; Historical background; Christian-Muslim encounter; Suffering; Bloodshed; Witness; Missiological reflection; Praxis Circle; Kano city, Nigeria. vi ABBREVIATIONS ACRA: Advisory Council on Religious Affairs AD: Anno Domini AIC: African Independent (Initiated) Churches AGC: Assemblies of God Church CAC: Christ Apostolic Church CAN: Christian Association of Nigeria CAPRO: Calvary Production CLAN: Christian Lawyers Association of Nigeria CMF: Christian Missionary Foundation CMS: Christian Missionary Society CRUDAN: Christian Rural Development Association of Nigeria CSC: Cherubim and Seraphim Church ECWA: Evangelical Church of West Africa (Or Evangelical Church Winning All) EKAN: Ekklisia Kristoci A Najiria LGAs: Local Government Areas MBB: Muslim Background Believers MBN: Middle Belt of Nigeria MM: Methodist Missionary NEMA: Nigeria Evangelical Missionary Association NGO: None Governmental Organization vii NIRE: Nigeria Inter Religion Council OIC: Organization of Islamic Congress PROCURA: Project for Christian Muslim Relations QR: Qur’an SIM: Serving In Mission (Formerly, Sudan Interior Mission) SUM: Sudan United Mission TEKAN: Tarreya Ekklisioyi Krista a Najiria UN: United Nations UNISA: University of South Africa viii Contents DECLARATION ...................................................................................................................... ii DEDICATION ......................................................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ..................................................................................................... iv SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................. vi ABBREVIATIONS ................................................................................................................ vii Chapter 1 .......................................................................................................................................... 1 1. ORIENTATION TO THE STUDY1 1.1 Points of departure .................................................................................................................