Christian Ministry And Samuel Yemem Chukuigwe’s Leadership Role In Ikwerreland, Rivers State, Nigeria

Theory of the Church Missionary Society is the three-self that is aimed at planting and fostering the development of churches that would be self-governing, self-supporting and self-propagating. Principal amongst these is raising native agents who would drive the mission vision through leadership. In Ikwerre, early natives were limited to lay assistants for decades. This paper examined the factors responsible for the delay. They included the people’s cultural life, demands of the church on marriage, education, and internal and external discouraging actions. In mid-1950, the narrative was changed with the ordination of Samuel Yemem Chukuigwe was ordained. The emergence of pioneer Ikwerre native clergy revealed the virtues of diligence, humility, patience, faithfulness, and accountability. The paper concluded with a call of missionaries to pursue the founding vision of the CMS by encouraging full native participation in clerical leadership and natives demonstrate Christocentric in their services. In this way the church would rooted in African soil.