Partners in Pioneering: Ludlow’s Memoirs c The Late Revd. R Nelson Ludlow Comments or feedback to: http://www.tonyludlow.net Contents 1 Ireland and beyond 1 1.1 Introduction . 1 1.2 Dublin . 2 1.3 Transport . 3 1.4 Cycling across Ireland . 5 1.5 Holidays . 6 2 Committment 9 2.1 Call to the Ministry . 9 2.2 1924: Candidates for the Ministry . 11 2.3 Journey to France . 13 2.4 Training and Ordination . 14 2.5 Working in the USA and Canada . 15 3 First Tour 17 3.1 Preparations . 17 3.2 First voyage . 20 3.3 Early Methodists in Nigeria . 23 3.4 Learning Yoruba in Igboora . 25 3.5 Ibadan . 27 4 First circuit 29 4.1 “The wood is for your coffin” . 29 4.2 Oyo . 30 4.3 Haircutting . 32 4.4 Trekking . 32 4.5 Baptisms in the Oyo Circuit . 34 4.6 Government officers . 35 4.7 Building works . 36 4.8 Tropical storms . 38 4.9 A plague of locusts . 38 4.10 The death sentence . 39 4.11 Returning home . 40 i ii CONTENTS 5 Second Tour 41 5.1 Moving to Ilesha . 41 5.2 Ilesha hospital . 42 5.3 A new partnership . 43 5.4 Running the circuit . 45 5.5 Preceded by drums . 46 5.6 Engagement . 47 5.7 The Owa of Ilesha . 48 5.8 Synod . 49 6 Marriage 51 6.1 Wedding preparations . 51 6.2 Honeymoon . 52 6.3 On ‘leave’ . 54 6.4 Return to Nigeria . 55 7 A working partnership 57 7.1 The new venture . 57 7.2 Our first mobile operating theatre . 58 7.3 House building . 60 7.4 Working together . 61 7.5 Schooling for girls . 62 7.6 Government administration . 64 7.7 Education . 65 7.8 Pupils . 66 8 An adventurous life 69 8.1 “Your car has been shot” . 69 8.2 An open door . 70 8.3 A network of dispensaries . 72 8.4 Animal pets . 74 8.5 Assisted schools . 75 8.6 Christmas . 76 9 Personal stories 79 9.1 Stephen . 79 9.2 Deborah Ajayi . 80 9.3 In church . 83 9.4 Gold rush . 84 9.5 The Methodist Missionary Soociety (MMS) . 85 9.6 The Emir of Ilorin . 88 9.7 Visitors from overseas . 88 CONTENTS iii 10 Making music 95 10.1 Sunday services . 95 10.2 Making a wooden leg . 95 10.3 The baby Austin . 96 10.4 Infectious diseases . 99 10.5 Music and musical instruments . 100 10.6 The Ilesha brass band . 101 11 The Road To The North 105 11.1 The earliest Methodists in Nigeria . 105 11.2 Starting work in the north . 107 11.3 North to Kaiama . 109 11.4 On to Bussa and the river Niger . 112 12 The war years 115 12.1 1939: Peter is born . 115 12.2 Running the gauntlet of submarines . 116 12.3 Safe home in Ilesha . 117 12.4 1941: Don’t risk the submarines . 119 12.5 Delays in moving north . 120 12.6 Hyenas and a sleepless night . 121 12.7 Contacting the neighbours . 123 12.8 An appeal from Owo . 123 12.9 A breakthrough in Bussa . 124 12.10Troops preparing for the Burma campaign . 126 12.11Financial independence for the Ilesha circuit . 128 13 The peace 131 13.1 First leave after the war . 131 13.2 Leaving the children in England . 134 13.3 Sailing to Nigeria . 136 13.4 Medical tour with Dr Chesterman . 137 13.5 A new house at Afon . 138 13.6 A new helper at Kaiama . 139 13.7 Stephen . 141 13.8 Crossing the Niger . 141 13.9 Anthony’s return . 142 14 Developments in the north 145 14.1 Foundation of Offa Grammar School . 145 14.2 Requests from government . 147 14.3 Bandele Oyediran . 148 14.4 Changes at Bussa . 149 14.5 Fred Dodds . 150 iv CONTENTS 15 A harmonious leave 153 15.1 1948: The second mobile operating theatre . 153 15.2 Learning Hausa . 155 15.3 Summoned by bells . 156 15.4 The harmonium workshop . 159 16 Adventurous journeys 161 16.1 My pulpit was a leopard . 161 16.2 Animals at home . 163 16.3 There’s a donkey in the canoe . 164 16.4 A setback in the north . 166 16.5 Starting the Homecraft Centre . 167 16.6 More schools: Joseph Aremu . 168 16.7 Visit from the Medical Secretary . 170 17 Mutual respect 171 17.1 Friendly relations with Moslems . 171 17.2 The Ilorin midnight market . 173 17.3 Ologbondoroko . 173 17.4 Abraham Aiyedun . 174 17.4.1 Return in 1976 . 177 17.5 Lost in the bush . 177 17.6 West of Bussa: Crocs and elephant . 179 17.7 1949 Elizabeth born . 181 17.8 1950: Leave . 182 18 The final tour 185 18.1 Joseph Olaleye Fadahunsi . 185 18.2 Medical addenda . 187 18.3 Stephen . ..