Church of Nigeria:

A Voice in the Desert.

An insight to the Church of Nigeria Non-geographic nomadic missionary initiative.

CONN/0520806

The innovative nomadic mission of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has kicked-off in earnest.

Early in August this year, the Bishop for the Non-geographic nomadic mission, the Rt. Rev Simon Mutum moved to his base in Jos, Plateau State in readiness for a peculiar assignment that would see the word of God being preached among nomadic people.

Indeed the Church of Nigeria may be said to be blossoming in her consolidation of missionary activities to places regarded as unchurched and in dire need for the biblical gospel of Jesus Christ.

Congo Mission

In October 2005, the Rt. Rev Abiodun Olaoye was consecrated in Nigeria and sent to the Congo to fulfill a missionary appeal from the Anglican Province in Congo. In the same vein, the Revd Canon Martyn Minns will be consecrated as Bishop to the Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA) - a missionary initiative of the Church of Nigeria to the United States of America.

However, missionary work is not all about consecrating bishops and sending them forth to distant lands but as succinctly put by Archbishop Akinola “it is about what the congregation is doing in opening their lips and proclaiming the Lord of their lives to other people”

Nomadic Mission

Rejoicing in the successful take-off of the mission to Congo and squaring-up to the challenge of a new mission to North America, the stage is set for the Non-geographic Nomadic mission. This time, the focus is the un-churched 30 million Fulani herdsmen, spread across the sub-region of West Africa- from Mauritania to Cameroon; from Nigeria to Senegal. Of this number, 12 million are believed to be in Nigeria with fewer than 5,000 Christians and some 200 Anglicans.

Perhaps an imaginary memo addressed to the Nigeria Primate, the Most Rev Peter Akinola would read: ‘Come over to the Fulani world and help us. We are ready to teach the world our pastoral heritage of herding goats, sheep and cattle, as necessary skills for winning souls for Christ.’

Whatever impetus he had, the Nigeria Primate in his opening remarks (not imaginary) at the Standing Committee of the Church held in Ibadan, February 2006 said:

“I just discovered that there are over 12 million Fulani herdsmen in various parts of this country who have not heard the Gospel. As we speak, there are only 3000 Fulani Christians in Nigeria out of which Anglicans are said to number about 200. This for me is an indictment. Therefore we are poised to radically change the unacceptable situation. I seek your understanding and mandate to create, immediately a 'non-geographic Fulani Missionary Diocese”

“The head of the Mission, a bishop will be well resourced and given adequate power and authority to effectively get the job done. Wherever the money for this rather belated project is, I assure you we shall by the grace of God, find it.”

In this statement, is the fact that the world makes a way for a man who knows where he is going.

So when on June 28, 2006, the House of Bishops meeting in Abuja decided to elect the Rt. Rev Simon Mutum by translation from the diocese of Jalingo as the 'new herdsman' to the non-geographic nomadic missionary diocese, a historical milestone was set for the continuing work of winning more souls for Jesus Christ among the nomadic peoples of the world.

(Church of Nigeria News)