Historic-Phenomenological Evaluation of the Christian Experience in the Threshold of Human Development in Nigeria: Experience From Ibesikpo Asutan in Akwa Ibom State

Introduction

There is a growing interest in the public arena about the contribution of religion toward ‘public goods’ which has deepened the primacy lent to the church as a dominant force in human development. Over the years, Christianity has exerted great impact on the development of Nigerian society including Ibesikpo Asutan in Akwa Ibom State. Mission Churches have also been involved in the transformation and development of their various areas of operation. Evidence abounds that before, during and after colonization; Christianity has been involved in the making of the new elite and the development of Nigerian society through education, vocation training centres, and medical services among others (Ajayi, 1965 & Ayandele, 1966). It is a well known fact that majority of leaders in Nigeria today in politics, medicine, law, civil service, and media owe their humble beginning to education in mission schools. There is no gainsaying that the primary concern of development is the improvement of the well-being of people. Raising living standards and improving education, health and equality of opportunity are also among the essential components of development which Nigerians benefited immensely from Christianity. Thus, Christianity is the bedrock upon which Nigerians, including the people of Ibesikpo Asutan get their individual and community lives transformed.

The objective of this paper therefore is that, beyond a contribution to the body of knowledge, the researcher wishes to do for Ibesikpo Asutan in Akwa Ibom State what Onah (2010) has done for Uyo Metropolis’ Christianity and Omotoye (1996) for Ilorin Metropolis’ Christianity. The researcher equally reasons that if this study is not embarked upon, the vital phenomenological as well as historical facts of Christianity and development in this area could be lost as many pioneer Christians, community leaders, ministers, and church leaders who were eye witnesses of some of the events have died and those remaining are becoming weaker each passing day. Therefore, this paper seeks to undertake this task before it becomes too late. The work takes off from 1912 because it was the year Christianity first entered Ibesikpo Asutan according to Amamkpa (1976:8) and ends in 2019 because the year 2020 had not ended when this study was carried out.

Ibesikpo Asutan in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Ibesikpo Asutan is one of the thirty-one Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, in South South Nigeria. It is made up of two Clans namely Ibesikpo and Asutan Clans. Ibesikpo Asutan comprises of forty three villages. According to1991 census, Ibesikpo Asutan has a population of about 137,127. It is part of Ibibio which is the main ethnic group that is the largest in the State. The main activity for the survival and development of Ibesikpo Asutan are farming and trading. In the words of Edet (2011) Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area was created on October 1, 1996 by Sani Abacha Military administration. It comprises Ibesipo Clan excised from Uyo, and Asutan carved out of the then Ekpe Atai Local Government Areas. The two clans were then merged and called, Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area.

Ibesikpo Asutan, like any other Nigerian ethnic group operates a subsistence economy. The basis for engaging in food production is to enable the people to feed themselves. Mass production of goods and commercial purposes is rarely considered necessary. The people have a versatile economy which includes farming, hunting, palm oil production, Animal Husbandry/cottage industries. Subsistence farming is the main occupation in which men, women and children take active part (Amamkpa, 1976). The subsidiary but important food crops are cassava, cocoyam, maize, yam, plantain/banana and oil palms. Among all these, cassava is the most important and most community cultivated crop in the area. It is very popular and has various species which are easily adaptable to different types of soil.

Again, any distinct society is always recognized by the culture that its members embrace. This culture can be seen through external things such as arts, crafts, house furniture, religious beliefs, family life, and ways of spending leisure, language patterns, dressing, social life style, music and dancing among others. The people of Ibesikpo Asutan in Akwa Ibom State always maintain a high level of respect for their cultural heritage and try to live within it.

Figure 1.

Map