The story of Qua Iboe Church founded in 1887 in Akwa Ibom State
Before the coming of the colonial masters who administered various parts of Nigeria for several years, the people who inhabited the country practised different forms of traditional religions. The people had their own set of beliefs about how they consulted with the spiritual realm.
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Source: TikTok
With the coming of the colonial masters, there was the introduction of other religions, prominent among them being Christianity.
Those who administered the territory called Nigeria also had help from missionaries who sought to convert the locals to Christianity.
The missionary journeys of many European Christian leaders who came to Africa to spread Christianity achieved a lot of success in the colonial days.
This led to the establishment of many Christian congregations, which sought to evangelise the people.
Some of the churches established during that period include the Anglican Church (Church Missionary Society - CMS), the Catholic Church, the Wesleyan Methodist Church, the Baptist Mission, and the Church of Scotland (Presbyterian).
Another church that was established during the colonial era was the Qua Iboe Church. Qua Iboe Church is one of the oldest Christian denominations in Nigeria.
Founded in 1887, the Qua Iboe Church has a rich history cherished by its members.
Samuel Alexander Bill the founder of Qua Iboe Church
According to historical records, the Qua Iboe Church was founded by Samuel Alexander Bill, an Irish Christian missionary and explorer.
Bill was said to have set out for Nigeria on 14th September, 1887, arriving Calabar on the 6th October 1887.
A historical account shared on Facebook by Bell Reporters stated that when he arrived in Calabar, he had to first learn the local language to be able to communicate with the people.
The article says:
"On 14th September, 1887, Samuel Bill left Belfast for Ibeno, arriving Calabar on the 6th October 1887. He stayed for two weeks in Calabar with the Presbyterian Missionaries who taught him the language and the customs of the people."
After learning some form of the local language, Mr Bill set out for Ibeno, in the present-day Akwa Ibom state, where the church was founded.
The article states:
"At last on 1st December, 1887, he arrived at Ibeno and was warmly received by the people. Samuel Bill went straight into teaching the “hungry” people about Christ. He had difficulties but the divine care over him never failed. Psalm 23 which he often read proved a source of encouragement and inspiration to him."
His preaching at Ibeno marked the beginning of what would later become the Qua Iboe Church.
The article further says:
"The first Communion Service took place on 18th February, 1890, with eleven communicant members participating."
How Qua Iboe Church got its name
The Qua Iboe Church got its name from the surrounding environment, most especially the Qua Iboe River.
According to historical accounts:
"The Qua Iboe River is so named because it enters the sea at a place in Ibeno called “Aqua Obio” (Big Town), but wrongly spelt and called “Qua Iboe” by the early Europeans who came to Nigeria. The river had already been named Qua Iboe (Aqua Obio) before the arrival of Samuel Alexander Bill. In order to locate the area of his missionary activities which were concentrated along the basin of the Qua Iboe (Aqua Obio) River, he chose to call the mission field “Qua Iboe Mission,” that is, the Mission operating along basin of the Qua Iboe (Aqua Obio) River."
Source: TikTok
Today, the church has spread to many parts of Nigeria, having hundreds of thousands of members.
Some years ago, some members of the Qua Iboe Church adopted a change of name for the church.
Some of the members wanted the church to be known as the Qua Iboe Church instead of the United Evangelical Church.
This prompted a crisis as the change of name was resisted by some members who insisted the church must remain known as the Qua Iboe Church. It still bears the name "Qua Iboe Church."
The church's original location in Akwa Ibom state attracts people who are interested in its history. A Nigerian lady recently took a tour of the Qua Iboe Church in Akwa Ibom state.
Watch the video below:
Lady shares why she left the Deeper Life Church
In a related story, Legit.ng reported that a Nigerian lady removed herself from the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM).
The lady shared a video on TikTok saying her affiliation with the popular church was over due to how she was treated.
A lot of people who reacted to the post said there was no need for her to leave the church because of one experience.
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Source: Legit.ng
