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The Charismatic Movement in Nigeria Today Matthews A The Charismatic Movement in Nigeria Today Matthews A. Ojo igeria, the most populous African nation (98.1 million While the charismatic movement in the Western world N people, according to mid-1994 estimates), became an traces its roots to the Pentecostal movement that arose from the independent nation within the British Commonwealth on Octo­ 1906 Asuza Street revival in Los Angeles, the Nigerian move­ ber 1, 1960. About 49 percent of the country's population is ment has an indigenous origin. The pioneers and early leaders Christian, while Muslims, concentrated in northern Nigeria, were Nigerians without any previous contact with American account for about 45 percent. Adherents of traditional religion Pentecostalism. Nigerian charismatics share similar doctrinal account for the remaining 6 percent. Sustained Christian mission began in the 1840s, when the Wesleyan Methodist MissionarySociety and ChurchMissionary Charismatics are the most Society sent missionaries from Sierra Leone and Europe to the southwestern coastal areas. Other missionary societies from dynamic element in Europe and North America came into the country from the late Nigerian Christianity 1840s. Aided by schools and medical work, Christianity was firmly established in southern Nigeria by the late nineteenth today, affecting millions of century.1 educated young people. A number of major developments have taken place in Nige­ rian Christianity since the late nineteenth century. Beginning in 1880, there was agitation for more opportunities for African emphases and practices like baptism of the Holy Spirit, speaking leadership in the churches. In March 1888 this quest resulted in in tongues, and healing. In addition, the mass media, charismatic a schism in a Baptist church in Lagos. Other Africans followed literature, and the common use of the English language have the example of the Lagos Baptists and seceded from the Anglican helped to forge close links between the Western and Nigerian and Methodist churches in 1891, 1901, and 1917. These churches movements. Nevertheless, the Nigerian movement is essentially are called African churches because most of them include the indigenous, and it has succeeded in adapting the Pentecostal word "African" in their names as a way of expressing their faith to the Nigerian contemporary milieu, thus making it con­ Africanconsciousness. The African churches laid the foundation textually meaningful. for Nigerian nationalism in the late nineteenth and early twenti­ eth centuries.' Beginnings of the Charismatic Movement In the second decade of the twentieth century, another indigenous movement, one emphasizing healing and the effi­ The emergence of the Nigerian charismatic movement owes cacyof prayer,emerged in southwesternNigeria. Thesechurches much to the witness laid earlier by two international Christian are calledAladura(i.e., those who pray) because of their emphasis studentorganizations-theStudentChristian Movement (SCM) on prayer (adura in the Yoruba language)." From southwestern and the Christian Union (CU, linked to the International Fellow­ Nigeria, the movement soon spread to other West African coun­ ship of Evangelical Students). These were well established in tries. Nigeria's educational institutions before the 1970s, having been The most remarkable and significant development to date is introduced between 1937 and 1955, principally from Britain." It the emergence of the Nigerian charismatic movement in the was among these students, already exposed to liberal and con­ 1970s, which has marked the beginning of a vigorous Christian servative evangelical Christianity, that the charismatic revival awakening in the country. Charismatic churches have attained gained root. much social prominence in Nigeria because of their adroit use of In January 1970 a small group of students in the CU in the the media, the attention given to them by the secular media, and country's premier university, the University of Ibadan," whohad their attracting a large membership among educated youth. briefly associated with a Pentecostal church in the city, suddenly Today, charismatic Christians are the most dynamic element in claimed that they had received the baptismof the Holy Spiritand Nigerian Christianity, affecting millions of educated young had spoken in tongues. Despite opposition from their fellow people. students, this group of students so strongly publicized their new In the Western world the term "charismatic" is generally experience that enthusiasm for the Pentecostal experience soon applied to Christians within Protestant and Roman Catholic spread even to the SCM group on the campus. churches who testify to the baptism of the Holy Spirit, who In May 1970 these students went beyond the confines of the experience its accompaniment of speaking in tongues, and who CU to establish a new group, World Action Team for Christ exercise the gifts of the Holy Spirit, principally the gift of heal­ (WATC), with the aim of spreading Pentecostal beliefs all over ing.' Charismatic Christians in Nigeria share these features with Nigeria. Within five years the charismatic revival at the Univer­ their Western counterparts. sity of Ibadan attained national significance. This was due to the efforts of WATC members who were going around the major Matthews A. Ojo is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Religious Studies, towns in the country organizing evangelistic outreaches and Obafemi AwolowoUniversity, Ile-l]e, Nigeria. He did his doctoral workat the mobilizing students for evangelism. By 1975 all six universities University of London in the mid-1980s. In 1993-1994 he wasa Pew Visiting then existing in the country had witnessed the revival." Fellow in theCentrefor the Study of Christianityin the Non-Western World, The charismatic revival on these campuses crystallized into Universityof Edinburgh, Scotland. charismatic organizations, and some of them have become 114 INTERNATIONAL BULLETIN OF MISSIONARY RESEARCH churches. As the leaders of the revival graduated from the better organized national conferences and crusades. Tracts and universities, they carried with them their Pentecostal enthusi­ personal witnessing of the early years were replaced by books asm into their new places of work. Given the spiritual situation and pamphlets. Regular newsletters and periodicals were pub­ in the existing churches, some felt that the best thing to do was to lished with the aim of linking members. The messages shifted establish alternative organizations to challenge these churches. from personal evangelism and baptism of the Holy Spirit to In fact, by 1974more thanten charismatic organizationshadbeen miracles, healing, and prosperity. To a largeextent, thesechanges established by graduates influenced by the revival. reflected the socioeconomic changes in the society. The 1970s The charismatic renewal started as an indigenous initiative, were prosperous years, so it was possible to offer free food and butby late 1972the influenceof AmericanPentecostalism,brought lodging to followers attending retreats. By the early 1980s the about largely by free American literature, had become notice­ country had begun to experience economic difficulties, so it was able. American influence altered certain features of the revival necessary to manage the resources more carefully; hence the and introduced new dimensions. Nonetheless, the charismatic improved organization and routinization.? organizations remain clearly indigenous because they are evolv­ The leadership of charismatic organizations in Nigeria is an ing new traditions of Christianity contextually relevant to con­ important factor in the process of denominationalization. The temporary Nigeria. founders are of the prophet-type rather than the priest-type. Charismatic organizations are of interesting variety. Some Because of their charisma, they function in a number of roles. are large, while others are small. One of the largest and most First, the leader is a prophetconveying and interpreting what the widely known is Deeper Life Bible Church. Established in Lagos members regard as the revelation of God; second, he is a priest, in April 1973by WilliamKumuyi, then a mathematics lecturer in teacher, counselor, and administrator. The power of the spoken the University of Lagos, it grew rapidly in the late 1970s through word is the basis of the leader's charisma, and he employs the its evangelistic outreach. Having greatly expanded beyond the spoken word as the medium to communicate to followers the original church, it is now perceived as the Deeper Life move­ changes he is introducing. ment. The leader gradually introduces and justifies changes that Deeper Life places strong emphasis on the doctrine of sanc­ enhance denominational tendencies. Among these is the desire tification. It preaches against the possession and viewing of for territorial expansion, achieved through evangelistic outreach television, condemns the wearing of earrings and wedding rings, into other towns. Once new groups have been established, it is and rigidly specifies dress styles appropriate to the sanctification possible to exercise authority over the membership, with the experience. Despite such strictness, Deeper Life is still growing hope of avoiding losses to other groups. and now claims a constituency of about 350,000 in Nigeria. In Another denominational factor is the transition to a paid addition, there are about fifty branches in other African and ministry. Sectarian groups do not usually employ the services of Western countries." paid ministers
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