MISSIONARY CONTRIBUTION IN THE FABRICATION OF THE MODERN IGBO NATION 1841 – 1940

ABSTRACT

Missionary contribution in the fabrication of modern Igbo nation discussed the advent of the missionaries and mission work in the making of modern Igbo nation through their various strategems, they impacted on the Igbos those western ideas which resulted to the modernization of Igboland at the end of 1940. Though the modernization of Igboland was mostly done by the Church Missionary Society (CMS) who were the pioneers but a number of Christian religious bodies play more or less minimal role in the modernization of Igboland. Aside the CMS which plays a major role in the fabrication of modern Igbo nation, the Roman Catholic, Primitive Church of Scotland and the Presbyterian also featured in making Igboland a modern nation in terms of their distinct dogma, creed, rituals and mood of conversion, they were able to expand missionary work gradually from Asaba-Onitsha axis to other parts of Igboland.