THE NETHERLAND MISSIONARY ACTIVITIES INIGEDE LAND: THE CASE OF BETHESDA

HOSPITAL IKACHIAND BETHESDA ORPHANAGE IBILLA-ILACHE

BEING A PRESENTATION AT THE 50TH

ANNIVERSARY (GOLDEL JUBILEE)CELEBRATION OF BETHESDA HOSPITAL ANDCLINICS IKACHI UKPA, OJU LGA, BENUE

STATE

BY

ODEH IBN IGANGA (FIBMAN, QIAM, CDA)

DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION OJU

BENUE STATE

FEBRUARY, 2014

INTRODUCTION

The religious and moral awakening which produced the ant-slave

trade movement in Europe and America gave rise to a strong and

active desire to spread the gospel to non-Christian communities

of Asia and Africa in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

These societies sent out missionaries to Africa and other parts

of the world. In England, the Baptist Missionary Society was

founded in 1798; the London Missionary Society in 1797; the

British and Foreign Bible Society in 1803; the University Mission

to Central Africa in 1857; and the Society for African Mission in

1858 (Onwubiko, 1986).

Historians have generally given reasons for the motives of these

missionary enterprises in Africa at the time. These reasons and

motives range from the wish to save the souls of African rescued

from slavery by converting them to Christian faith, the desire to

halt the spread of Islam which at the time was making tremendous

headway towards the South, and the need to purge European

Christian conscience which had been stung by the Whiteman’s role

in the slave trade and thereby atone for Europe’s crime against

Africa. Other reasons given, range from the humanitarian

consideration, to economic motives and political considerations

(Ajayi, 1962). Although detail analyses of these arguments are

beyond the scope of this paper, what generally can be pointed out

as Ajayi and Espie (1965:62) rightly observed is that, “European

interest began with the establishment of Christian missions.

Trade followed missionaries. The missionaries led traders in

calling for European intervention in Africa”.

The above conception is largely true of the situation before the

conquest, occupation and colonization of the various parts of

Africa. In Igede, however, the aftermath of the Ogbuloko

resistance movement in 1928 saw the British in effect turning

their back on Igede land. Consequently, they explored various

means of keeping the subjugated ‘pacified’. These included a

haphazard reorganization of the administrative system in the area

and the introduction of Christianity to Igede land. Part of the

reorganization exercise, also, was the establishment of three

Methodist Schools in Igede, first in Ibilla in 1932, and in Ito

and Ainu in 1935. As with the neighbouringTiv, the British saw

the spread of Christianity as one potential means of “taming the

ferocious” Igede people to fall in line. Christian resignation,

after all, would mean resignation to British rule as well.

(Iganga, 2008) Thus in Igede land (as with other parts of Africa

then), after the decolonization exercise, beginning from the

1960s, the relatively successful religious and missionary

enterprise not bereft of genuine moral and humanitarian re-

awakening began in earnest.

AN OVERVIEW OF MISSIONARY ENTERPRISE (IN IGEDE) BEFORE THE ADVENTOF THE NETHERLAND MISSIONARIES IN IGEDE LAND

Generally, the first Christian contact in Nigeria occurred in the

15th century when the Portuguese introduced Roman Catholicism.

However, it was virtually extinguished over the following 200

years until the arrival of the first Protestant missionaries to

Nigeria, the Wesleyan Methodists, who began their work in the

southwest among the Yoruba in 1842 (Todd, 2006). Consequently

other Protestant groups followed. Over the last 100 years,

several other missions have entered Nigeria including the Qua Ibo

Mission, the Netherland Reformed Church, the United Methodists

and the Assemblies of God Mission. Almost all of these missions

have planted large and vibrant churches in the various nooks and

crannies of Nigeria. In Igede land, the first missionaries were

the Igbos, who had accompanied the Whites from the east up North.

This according to Ajima (1987: 144) “accounts for why most good

things (and even prominent names of people such as Onwu, Egwu,

Amara, Ogbu, Uche, Ogo, Onyema, Ominyi etc.) such as cocoa nuts,

umbrella, wrappers in Igede are referred to as Ibo goods”.

Earlier in 1932, as part of the reorganization and pacification

mission of the British colonial administration, following the

mayhem, destruction and the untold hardship caused to the Igede

people after the Ogbuloko war of resistance, missions schools

were opened in Ibilla and subsequently in 1935 in Ito and Ainu

areas of Igede land. These first missionary activities in Igede

land, like in Idoma area (in 1924) were spearheaded by the

Methodist Mission. In Igede, it was first the Methodist, followed

by the Catholic and the Assemblies of God Missions. According to

Ajima (1987) in Oboh et al (1987: 144), “The first Missionary

activities in Igede land were said to have started by the

Methodist Mission when it opened the Methodist Church in Igede

Centre”. However, Egwu (1987) in Oboh et al (1987) felt

differently when he opined that earlier in 1931, one Alfred Uche,

a Catechist had visited Odiapa Ito and Adum West and had built a

house in the latter and settled there. To him therefore, “Adum

West is the oldest missionary residence in Igede land” (1987:

137). Although this point of view is deficient of concrete

evidence to overturn the earlier contention , what is clear

however is this linkage with the Eastern Region which brought

about the necessary contact with the church missionaries (both of

Methodist, the Catholic and the Assemblies of God Missions in

Igede land) who were already working in those areas. Hence the

inevitable reference to the Igbos who had accompanied the Whites

from the East as the harbingers of the Christian missionary

activities in Igede land.

As with the history of Christian missionaries throughout Nigeria,

the church’s primary objective was to take on the business of

evangelization and Christianizing. Thus in establishing schools

in Ibilla Centre (1932), Ito and Ainu (1935) as Fafunwa (2001:

123) generally observed,

It took the business of education not because it regarded it asgood in itself but because it could not do its work properly withoutgiving its adherents, especially the clergy as much as formaleducation as was required for the study of sacred writings and theperformance of religious duties.

Thus in 1934, one of these earliest Igbo missionaries, Albert

Nwosu, probably the first to learn and write Igede language, put

together the Igede Hymn Book for use by the Christian adherents in

Igede churches. Mr. Nwosu who was earlier given a land to settle

in Ibilla near the present Methodist Manse was later joined by

another Igbo Catechist, Mr. Zephananah Unaigwe, again from

Igumale, who helped to actively spread the gospel to the various

parts of Igede. Thus, according to Egwu (1987: 138) “From Ibilla,

the church spread to other parts (of Igede) such as Ainu, Ikachi,

Ukpa, Ameka-Owo, Ikwokwu-Uwokwu”.

Just as the Methodist church was gaining ground in Igede land,

the Catholic church (1939) and Assemblies of God Mission (1950)

were being introduced to Igede land, also, from the Eastern axis

by the Igbo traders and cum missionaries, and beginning to gain

greater evangelical and revival footings. Before then however,

“the Methodist church has about 21,000 Sunday worshippers and

about 30 churches throughout Igede land” (Egwu, 1987: 139).

Consequently, bitter rivalries between these emerging

denominations ensued and adherents of a particular faith or

mission who refused to embrace the other, especially Methodist

faith, suffered precarious untold hardship: some even sent to

jail (Iganga and Ogah, 2000). Before the advent of the Netherland

Missionaries in Igede land, one thing that was particular and

peculiar to these three denominations at the time was while the

Methodist and Catholic Missions combined majorly the business of

education with evangelism, the Assemblies of God Mission, the

third in this order, concentrated only on the mission of

evangelization of the people. This point is well summarized in

the views of Egwu (1987: 139) when he pointed out that “They

(Assemblies of God Mission) have (had) no schools, no medical

institutions, but since 1960 its adherents have increased and

today… a major area of achievement which the Assemblies (of God

Church) has recorded is in the translation of Igede language”.

Giving reasons for this concentration of Assemblies of God Church

on evangelization, the Superintendent of the Assemblies of God

Nigeria Igede District, Rev, Johnwhyte Ede, in his book Evangelism

Extra-Ordinary (2013, 42-43), opined:

The Church derives its character from God who is essentiallymissionary,… We give first place to evangelism because it has todo with God’s external purpose for lost humanity of all ages… theChurch should remember that it is in missions that it assert itsexistence.

THE NETHERLAND MISSIONARY ACTIVITIES IN IGEDE LAND: ORIGINS ANDESTABLISHMENT OF BETHESDA CLINIC AND ORPHANAGE IN IGEDE.

The origins and advent of the Netherland Missionary activities in

Igede land, by extension, the birth of Bethesda Hospital Ikachi

and Bethesda Orphanage Ibilla-Ilache, was a response to a

Macedonian Call to the need and plight of Igede people by the

Methodist Church over fifty years ago. By the norms and culture

of Igede people at the time, it was not permissible for babies

whose mothers died after delivery (Orphans), twins and or babies

born in breech delivery (Any’ebi) and babies with deformities

(Ikwukwu) etc. to live. Such could cause much hazard for the

people in future, so eliminating them at their unfortunate outing

at birth was a better way of sanitizing the Igede society.

Moreover, according to an informant, Pa Odigiri Ogbaji, “By our

norms and culture, allowing such unfortunate miscreants to

survive without due traditional cleansing means tolerating them

and such incidences, and therefore, giving birth to more of such

in future” (interview with Pa Odigiri Ogbaji, 2014). Thus at a

Conference held in Lagos in 1962 where “a Reverend gentleman from

Holland” was present, the Methodist Church made an appeal for

medical missionary for Igede land. Earlier, at a Methodist Church

meeting, one Miss Lydia Ita (nee Mrs Lydia Aja – Late Eje

Idagwu’s mother), a lady evangelist, had raised the issue of the

indiscriminate death of children – killing of orphans, children

with deformities and breach deliveries in Igede and had sought

for help and intervention of the church. Consequently, as a

follow up of to this call, Paul Kingston who was the Minister

then at the Methodist Manse wrote a letter to the Netherland

Reformed Congregation asking for volunteers (interview with

Comfort Eka, 2014).

The call which came to the Mission Board in Holland fortunately

received the needed attention as it moved the hearts of the

Christians and good spirited individuals from the Netherlands to

these needs and plights of the Igede people. Consequently, Dame

Berendinea Sonneveld, a registered nurse, left her place of

ministry in Holland as a volunteer to answer the call, and

through her Church was sent to Igede land, North Central Nigeria

in 1963. When in February 1963 Sister Sonneveld arrived at Igede,

there was no ‘befitting’ house or residence to stay to start the

missionary work she was therefore resided at Igede District in

late Ogah Idikwu’s house at Imoho-Ibilla (interviews with Onyike

Ogbugo, 2013; Lydia Eka, 2014). From the then dispensary in

Imoho-Obarike Ibilla, she took off, running both a dispensary and

looking after orphans, who for lack of respite accommodation were

kept strictly on observation basis (interview with Onyike Ogbugo,

2014). These were done carefully along with the tasks of

evangelization and community health education in the various

villages and of the local people who daily roamed the dispensary

for one ill health or the other.

As Dame Sonneveld continued with the trio assignments of

community health education, evangelism, and antenatal and child

welfare clinic, she visited churches and communities to teach and

give instructions about child care and hygiene. In the process,

it was discovered that there was real need to give special

attention for the care of orphans and babies with deformities who

were either left to die on their own or buried with their dead

mothers (Ogbugo, 2014). Against the backdrop of the enormity of

the task faced by Dame Sonneveld in Igede barely a year of her

arrival, in 1964 he obtained the assistance of Sister Van Rossum,

a nurse and midwife. With her assistance, the antenatal unit of

the clinic blossomed and become enlarged to cope with such major

problems at the time. At first the missionaries tried to have

babies cared for at the villages, but this however proved

difficult. The babies were brought either by concerned relations

or by members who rescued them. They also travelled through the

length and breadth of Igede land advocating for survival of

twins, motherless babies and helping mothers with difficult

delivery and rescuing orphan children (Egwu, 1987). Complicated

cases of delivery and such other medical cases were referred to

Mkar Christian Hospital. These tasks which were carried out hand

in hand with evangelism provided excellent opportunity to spread

the gospel among the local people concerned. Gradually the

antenatal and child welfare clinic grew up and developed into a

more fortified clinic and ‘orphanage home’ for medical check-up

for babies and young children not only in Igede District but the

whole of Igede land.

RELOCATION OF BETHESDA CLINIC AND ORPHANAGE UNIT FROM OBARIKE-IMOHO IBILLA TO IKACHI UKPA AND IBILLA-ILACHE

Being the only such clinic around then in Igede, with preference

and care for orphans, children with deformities and abnormal

deliveries, people travelled from far and wide to seek not just

medical attention but to have such babies and children catered

for. As the population grew, bloomed and thrived amidst serious

scarcity of water (no perennial stream or river around then

except river Oyongo which was very far) a relatively contrived

and congested space, the missionaries feltthere was need to

relocate the clinic and orphan care unit from Obarike-Ibilla to a

more auspicious place where the two budding institutions were

capable of future growth and development. After some initial

surveys (to such places as Ameka-Owo, Oyongo etc.), Ikachi which

has some relative advantage to cater for the two budding

institutions was chosen. Commenting on the reasons for this

relocation from Obarike-Ibilla to Ikachi Ukpa, an informant,

Onyike Ogbugo (2014) informed that:

The problem that led to the relocation of the clinic and orphanunit from Obarike-Imoho Ibilla to Ikachi Ukpa and Ibilla-Ilacheconsequently, was the acute scarcity of water and the problem ofaccommodation. River Oyongo which was the only viable sourceof water supply for the budding institutions during the dry seasonwas very far. Thus, though the missionaries were greatly attractedby the centrality of Obarike-Imoho Ibilla, they had no option thanto relocate the clinic and orphan unit to Ikachi and Ibilla-Ilachewhich had some relative advantages. At least, Ugbogo stream wasthere to cater for the clinic patients and orphanage orphans(interview with Onyike Ogbugo).

Thus in 1965, the two institutions, Bethesda clinic and orphanage

home, were relocated and officially opened at Ikachi in 1966 with

another Orphanage home at Ibilla-Ilache that same year (interview

with Dr. David Amara). Notwithstanding, however, the first formal

admission of orphans at the orphanage was recorded in 1965. In

the views of Comfort Eka “the nucleus of both the clinic,

orphanage and the Bible and Agric School all began here in Ikachi

before their subsequent separation and relocation” According to

her,

After settling at Ikachi to begin the clinic work, they discoveredthat the scope of the work was invariably too large, complicatedand interwoven to manage without some act of division of labour.They therefore decided to share the work – Dame Sonneveld wasto take care of the orphans and Sister Van Rossum had to take

care of the clinical aspects which include maternal and childhealth care, training of the local mid-wives, and opening ofprimary health services. At Ikachi the scope of the work wasincreasing and space was relatively tight, so there was the needfor separation and relocation. Subsequently the Orphanagehomes were relocated to Antiukpo in Ikachi and Ibilla-Ilacherespectively (interview with Comfort Eka, 2014).

At Ikachi the orphanage home was located within the community

(Antiukpo) while the clinic (as it was then called) was located a

little distance away from the orphanage home. Aided by the local

population they started setting up a couple of simple buildings

for the clinic which was located at the outskirt of the village

(between Ibilla-Ilache and Anchimogbo villages).

BETHESDA CLINIC IN ITS PERMANENT SITE: DONATION OF LAND, ITSGROWTH AND METAMORPHOSIS AND RELATIONSHIP WITH THE HOST COMMUNITY– IKACHI

The relatively small clinic that was relocated from Obarike-

Ibilla to Ikachi, with time, grew in space, activities and

development to the point that even the parcel of land donated

initially by the Ikachi elders and community for the siting of

the clinic was no longer enough to cater for all its sprawling

activities. The need for the upgrading of the clinic to a

hospital was becoming obvious. Thus seeing that the medical

services was growing and the space was no longer enough to

accommodate the quantity of the work with all the departments,

arrangement was made to build a hospital (interview with Comfort

Eka, 2014). According to an informant, Ode Omenka (2014), “When

they (Dutch Missionaries) approached us for more land to build a

bigger clinic, we willingly gave them a large parcel of land, and

without any payment or compensation. We were happy that they were

helping to save our lives”. With the help and support of the

Dutch government and the Netherland Reformed Congregation

Holland, the relatively small but well-fortified clinic was

transformed into a gigantic, well equipped and with the state of

the art modern medical equipment, then second to none in the

entire state. Before then experts and medical doctors began to

arrive from Holland. In 1973, Dr, Schoonhoven arrived, followed

by others such as Tanny Tramper, the Comelines, the Van der

Kooyes, the Van Dykes, etc. etc. The nature and size of the

proposed hospital however generated some controversy and

disagreement among the missionaries and the management team

leading to the abrupt departure of Dr. Schoonhoven (who had

argued for a bigger, more fortified and well equipped hospital)

from Nigeria, but “deeply hurt and hurtled with the feelings for

the welfare of the Igede people” (Eka, 2014). The building of the

hospital took many years but in 1980 it was finally completed and

officially commissioned by the then governor of Benue state.

The activities of the hospital expanded and developed especially

with the help of the new arrival of experts and some indigenous

capable hands from Igede. Under Tanny Tramper, a nurse, the

activities of the Primary Health Care Department of the hospital

was strengthened and expanded to the various rural communities in

Igede land to a point that 13 clinics were establishedin various

parts of Igede – at Utabiji, Ukpute, Obene, Ohuma, Ugboba,

Okileme, Itogo, Ogore, Ohuhu-Owo, Okoyongo, Iyaho, Adiko and

Adoko (interview with Comfort Eka, 2014). Mr. Vander Kooye, an

engineer, built the dam at Ugbogo in Ibilla-Ilache, which helped

cater for both the Orphanage community in Ibilla-Ilache and the

Hospital community at Ikachi. In the process, he nearly lost his

live. Mr. Comeline, on the other hand, combined the work of

evangelization with the establishment of Bible and Agric School.

Other services worth mentioning include those rendered by His

Grace Benjamin Audu Achigili of blessed memory who was the

representativeof the Proprietor, Methodist Church Nigeria, Sister

Comfort Eka who has put over 30 years of active service and,

almost an encyclopedia of the activities of the institution, Mr.

Paul Ogbudu, late Samuel Abi Otoche to mention just a few. Thus

by June, 1986, when the last missionary left the hospital,

preparatory to the handing over of the institution to the

Methodist Church, the relatively small clinic that was relocated

from Obarike-Ibilla in 1965 to Ikachi has been transformed into a

gigantic, well-fortified and equipped hospital second to none in

Benue state. Commenting on the achievements of the Netherlands

Missionary enterprise in Igede, especially as it relates to

Bethesda Orphanage and Hospital, Eka (2014) rightly observes,

I will give the credit of the advent of the Netherlands Missionaryenterprise in Igede, first to the lady Evangelist (late Lydia Ita) thatcried out at the MCN Synod; the then Minister in charge of theMCN, Paul Kingston, (and the MCN in general) that listened to hersupplication and followed it up with a letter to the NetherlandReformed Congregation (NRC), the NRC and the Dutchgovernment that hearkened to this ‘Macedonian call’ and sent one

of its own down here. The over-all credit of the establishment ofthe Orphanage, the Clinic and the Bible Agric College here willhowever go to Sisters Berendinae Sonnevel, Coby Van Rossum andMr. Comeline who defied all odds to come down here. They werevery hardworking – resilient and totally committed. So as wecelebrate the 50th anniversary of the Bethesda Institution, the twosisters (Sonneveld and Van Rossum) especially, are key figures. Asfor the Bethesda Hospital Ikachi, however, my opinion is thatSister Coby Van Rossum is the mother celebrity(interviewwith Comfort Eka, 2014).

BETHESDA ORPHANAGE IN ITS PERMANENT SITE: DONATION OF LAND, ITSMERGER AND THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MISSIONARY WORKERS AND THEHOST COMMUNITY IBILLA-ILACHE

The orphanage as located in Ikachi community was at Pa Amogo

Oda’s house before the Dutch missionaries led by its founder,

Dame Sonneveld began to scout for a more salubrious, spacious and

conducive environment for the orphanage. According to an

informant, Ode Omenka (2014)

The White woman came and consulted with the Ikachi elders ledby Pa’ Amogo Oda who was working with the Native AuthorityOffice at Otukpo. The elders permitted the White woman to settleat Amogo Oda’s compound where they built their house andstayed with the orphans but with time the space was not enoughfor their other various activities, so they had to move to Ibilla-Ilache (interview with Ode Omenka).

That same year at Ikachi, where they built an Orphanage

home,another Orphanage home was opened at Ibilla-Ilache in Pa

Adima Ate’s compound. This was, as things proved out later, to

understudy the two environmentswith a view to choosing which

area best suited the permanent location of the orphanage

settlement. Commenting on the necessity of this move, the merger

and the final relocation of the orphanage at Ikachi to Ibilla-

Ilache village, some informants were of the view that “it was

against the backdrop of lack of enough space within the

community and the seeming hostility of the host community then”

(interview with Odigiri Ogbaji, 2013; Onyike Ogbugo, 2014; Moses

Adikpe, 2014). Pa Ode Omenka (2014) was however of the view that

“The relationship with the White lady at Ikachi was very

cordial, but she had to move finally to Ibilla-Ilache which was

more spacious for her”. As Comfort Eka (2014), nevertheless puts

it,

I know there was a problem that led to the relocation andsubsequent merger of the two Orphanage homes, but whatprecisely was that problem within the environment or between thecommunity and the orphanage then, I cannot tell now(interview with Comfort Eka, 2014).

Thus, as a result of the necessity for a more spacious and

conducive environment devoid of the attendant problems

experienced then by the missionary workers, it was decided that

the two orphanage homes be merged together and be situated at

Ibilla-Ilache in 1969. On this relocation and merger, one

informant, Moses Adikpe (2014) was emphatic that,

The accommodation of the orphans in Pa Adima’s compound atIbilla-Ilache was a testing ground which was compared side byside with the situation and environment at Ikachi. Aftercomparison of the two environments, Sister Sonneveld somehowpreferred to settle here in Ibilla-Ilache. Hence the merger of thetwo Orphanage homes and the consequent relocation to Ibilla-Ilache village.

Before the merger, however, the Dutch missionaries led by Dame

Sonneveld had met with the Ibilla-Ilache community elders led by

its Idimale (Headman) Joseph Adima Ate, Ogwujo Eru, Ibakwu

Abawulo, Ogbu Odeh, Odigiri Ogbaji, Ogbaji Okwe, Agama Odeh,

Ogbaji Ijoko, Iganga Odeh, Obarike Agada, and Uda Odeh (interview

with Odigiri Ogbaji et al, 2013) who willingly, after due

consultations, donated a parcel of land close to the first

settlement as their permanent settlement. This was done without

the community asking for any payment or compensation. Commenting

on this gesture, one of the informants, incidentally the only

surviving elder among the team that made the donation on behalf

of the Ibilla-Ilache community, Chief Odigiri Ogbaji (2013)

opined:

We did not ask for payment or compensation of any type beforegiving the White Woman (Dame Sonneveld) a place to settle herewith the orphans because we identified with her aspiration for theorphans. Rather, we contributed yams, fowls and fruits etc.together as a community and welcomed them to their new abode.We did not at first appreciate the extent of this gesture. Howeverwhen Orphans were brought here from every nooks and cranniesof Igede land, and from Ebonyi and Cross Rivers states etc., andincidentally God who sees our hearts and compassion for theorphans vis-à-vis our gesture as a community did not allow thishost community (Ibilla-Ilache) to have or nurse an orphan in theplace (orphanage) throughout its many years of existence beforeits current transformation to a Community Based Orphan Care(CBOC) (interview with Odigiri Ogbaji).

The cordiality of the relationship between the missionary workers

and the host community of Ibilla-Ilache, true to type, can be

attested to in the fact that given the merger, its centralization

and establishment in Ibilla-Ilache in 1969 till date, there had

been no misunderstanding of any kind between the two. Allocation

of land (even after the initial donation) at request for further

expansion and development was done for free and till now there is

no formal fence separating the orphanage community from the host

community in Ibilla-Ilache. Yet there is no complaint of

encroachment or disturbance of any sort either on the side of the

orphanage settlement or the host community concerned. This is

largely possible, as one of the workers, Ogbaji Odigiri (2014)

rightly observes, “As a Christian Community (Ibilla-Ilache) they

feel for us. They know our plight and we appreciate their love

and kind gesture. We are almost part and parcel of each other –

in need, vision and development”.

THE MALAWI DELEGATION: ITS REPORT AND THE ADVENT OF COMMUNITYBASED ORPHAN CARE (CBOC) IN IGEDE

Generally by the year 2000, it had become clear that keeping

children (orphans) in a centralized home (Institutional Care) was

becoming an obsolete practice globally. Institutional Care limits

their movements, social relations and intellectual capacity as

these children were no longer use to the norms and values of

their respective communities when finally released. There was

therefore the need to realign the care of Bethesda Orphanage

children to conform to the current practices. Moreover, with the

yearly and astronomic increase in the number of admission of

orphans to the orphanage it was becoming too expensive to take

care of these children in an institution for too long. In

addition, with the HIV/AIDS pandemic there was the real threat

and fear that more orphans would be produced thereby

overstretching the available resources for institutional care

(interview with Dr. David Amara, 2014). This point is further

corroborated by one of the pioneer child carer, now Director of

the Institute, Mrs Felicia Okanga, when she affirmed that,

This visit came as a result of the donor’s concern that with theincidence of HIV and AIDS, the number of Orphans was likely toincrease in the coming years and there was need for thecommunity to be more involved in orphan care rather than thecurrent practice where the Orphanage was solely responsible forthe care of orphans, in other words, a shift towards Community-Based Orphan Care (CBOC) (Bethesda Orphanage @ 50,2013: 10).

Thus, sequel to an approval by the Board of Governors’ meeting of

a proposal made by the Relief and Emergency arm of the Netherland

Reformed Congregation, a three man team led by Dr. David Amara (a

member of the Board), Mrs. Felicia Okanga (the Director Bethesda

Orphanage) and Miss Jolanda van der Maas (a social worker from

Netherland)was constituted to visit the Malawi Orphan Care

Projects in 2005. It was a kind of “learn from their experience

visit” or fact finding team “to find potential ways to introduce

possible changes in the operation in the Bethesda Orphanage”

(Okanga, 2013:10).

Malawi was chosen as a case study only not because it had both

institutional care centres (Stephanos Children’s Home, for

example) and had also embraced Community Based Orphan Care

(CBOC), but the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the country was high,

the level of poverty in Malawi was also high, and the majority of

the people, like the Igede community settings, live in villages.

A country with preponderance of such social maladies, and with

rural setting like Igede, yet conveniently combined the two

approaches (i.e. Institutional Care and CBOC) would be a good

case study for a familiarization tour for the introduction of a

Bethesda Orphanage Community Based Orphan Care project in Igede.

A Community Based Orphan Care (CBOC) by definition is a system

where orphans are taken care of within their natural community

setting. By this method the community becomes more involved in

orphan care rather than the practice where the Orphanage was

solely responsible for the care of orphans. Going by the Malawi

Delegation Report,

Care for the Orphans in the Community has advantages, as itpromotes the natural love and ensures continuation of orphancare, in contrast with Institutional Care. Besides, more people willbenefit from Community Based Orphan Care, while InstitutionalCare is limited (Amara et al, 2005:2).

The team which visited different CBOC programmes in Malawi learnt

from their experiences vis-à-vis its applicability in Igede

society. In a three page report forwarded to the Board of

Governors of the Bethesda Orphanage, they recommended a gradual

shift toward Community Based Orphan Care. According to the

committee,

Community Based Orphan Care (CBOC) can be implemented inIgede, provided that the Church and the Community are sensitizedfirst. Care for orphans in the community has advantages, as itpromotes the natural love andensures continuation of orphancare, in contrast Institutional Orphan Care. Besides, more people

will benefit from Community Based Orphan Care, whileInstitutional Care is limited.(General Report on Visit toMalawi - GRVM, Amara et al, 2005: 2).

The Committee Report was accepted, and consequently the Bethesda

Orphanage Ibilla-Ilache CBOC took off.

The CBOC process which took off almost immediately in 2005 after

the approval of the Malawi Delegation Report works in this order:

A baby who became orphaned as a result of mother’s death after

delivery was brought by a carer (Nanny) first to Care Department

for admission. The child stayed in the orphanage for about 4-6

weeks. After this, the child was then placed back home in the

community by the Outreach Department after a well conducted

community sensitization on various issues, particularly on

biblical orphan care, health education, etc. On this occasion,

Volunteers from the community where the child came from were also

trained to support the nannies. While in the Orphanage, the Nanny

was taught to prepare baby food (a combination of cereals-millet,

red maize and soya beans) and soya tea (a combination of millet,

groundnut, crayfish, maize, and soya beans), which is to be given

to the baby at between six months to one year. The Outreach

Department monitored and supported the child until the child is

five years (Felicia Okanga, 2013).

ACHIEVEMENTS/DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME OF THE ORPHANAGE

During the over fifty years of its existence, Bethesda Orphanage,Ibilla-Ilache, which is second to none in Benue State, haswitnessed some monumental achievements. Some of theseachievements range from:

(a) The over 2000 inmates (Orphans) the institution has turnedout since its inception. From the spiritual point of view,according to Idoko (2013),

Several of these motherless children brought up at the BethesdaOrphanage have been introduced to the saving knowledge of ourLord Jesus Christ. They are not only useful to themselves and theirimmediate families but to the Church and their communities(Bethesda @ 50, 2013: 14).

(b) Establishment of Nursery and Primary Schools (in early1970s and late 1990s) that catered for educationalneeds of the orphans, staff children, the host and surrounding

communities.(c) Purchase of motor vehicles and motor cycles for variousneeds and errands of the institution.(d) Building of different offices and staff quarters for thestaff and or orphans in various endeavours ranging fromschooling, carpentry, shoemaking, tailoring and other forms of trade and skill training.

(e) Purchase of a lister generator which before then (i.e.before the Community’s current initiative and effort atgeneral electrification) served as source of power.(f) Before now over 50 staff, and after the introduction ofCBOC, over 16 staff members are under the pay roll ofthe orphanage.(g) Changing from Institutional Care to CBOC. This act ofdiversification of its services to concentrate more onCBOC not only saved cost but afforded the Centre to care for more orphans and made their relatives more committed and

responsive to their duties.(h) The CBOC programme of the Bethesda Orphanage became anexample, a novel for others in the surroundings, especiallyNKST Orphanage Mkar, Enugu and Ebonyi States etc. whovisited the institution intermittently to learn about its CBOCprogramme.

(i) Many of the pioneer Orphans whograduated from various highinstitutions, trades and universities have become veryprominent personalities and are doing well in the society.

CHALLENGES

In spite of the above achievements by the institution, it isbisected with some challenges. These challenges can be outlinedas follows:

(a) The number of Orphans (especially with the HIV and AIDSpandemic) overstretched the availability of funds andfacilities.(b) Lack of government support (government zero support whencompared to the support and patronage given by thesame government to relatively smaller and miniatureorphan homes in other part of the state).(c) Lack of adequate sponsorship. Apart from the NetherlandsReformedCongregation, the Dutch Inter Church Aid, MCNand occasional ‘contribution’ from governmentand a fewphilanthropic individuals, the institution still have some majorchallenges in this regard. The Orphanage needs morepartnership with more donor groups.(d) Purchase of needed vehicles and motor cycles to enable theorphanage staff reach out to her clients in the rural areaswhere these orphans are been catered for under the new CBOCprogramme.(e) Insufficient resources to train more orphans in schools,trades and other places of work; and(f) The need for construction, renovation and equipment of themany dilapidated buildings in the Orphanage.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

The introduction of Christianity to African and Asian communities

came against the backdrop of a general religious and moral re-

awakening produced by the anti-slave trade movement in Europe and

America in the early 18th and late 19th centuries. The need to

purge European Christian conscience which had been stung by the

Whiteman’s role in the slave trade and atone for Europe’s crime

and sin against Africa was very urgent and most compelling. In

Igede, the aftermath of the Ogbuloko rebellion in 1929 saw the

British consequently exploring various means and avenues of

atoning for their sins and keeping the subjugated Igede people

“pacified”. Apart from the consequent haphazard reorganization of

the administrative system in the area, the Whiteman, as

elsewhere, saw the introduction of education and spread of

Christianity as one potential means of purging its Christian

conscience which has been stung by its role in the pillage and

mayhem that characterize the Igede invasion, occupation and

colonization and consequently “taming the ferocious Igede” to

fall in line.

The above efforts notwithstanding, it was not until the 1960s,

after the decolonization exercise, that relatively successful

religious and missionary enterprise not bereft of genuine moral

and humanitarian re-awakening began in earnest in Igede land.

These genuine earlier missionary activities and in Igede however

had their linkage with Eastern Region(be it Methodist Church,

Catholic or Assemblies of God Missions) which brought the

necessary contact with the European missionaries. Thus when over

50 years ago the Netherlands missionaries made their advent to

Igede land, it was necessarily in response to the “Macedonian

call” by the Methodist Church to the plight and need of Igede

people in this regard. Consequently, Dame Berendinea Sonneveld

was dispatched by the Mission Board in Holland to Igede land in

1963.

At Obarike-Ibilla where she first resided, Sonneveld began her

trio-assignments of establishing an antenatal and child welfare

clinic, dealing with the problem of motherless babies and those

born in breech delivery and babies with deformities as well as

the task of evangelization of the local people. These missionary

tasks spread, become enlarged and progressed to the point that

another missionary mid-wife Sister Van Rossum joined her.

Gradually the little antenatal and child welfare which started at

the Dispensary in Obarike-Ibilla grew and developed into a more

fortified and well equipped clinic with a semi-child care centre

(Orphanage) for medical checkup for babies and young children not

only in Igede District, but the whole of Igede land. Attendant

problems of this vast development and exigencies of the time led

to the movement of these budding institutions to Ikachi and

Ibilla-Ilache and the consequent merger and relocation of (the

entire) Bethesda Orphanage to its permanent site in Ibilla-

Ilache. Now, the little clinic and antenatal child-welfare

centres which started at Obarike-Ibilla in 1963 by our own Mother

Theresa, Dame Berendinae Sonneveld, have developed into a

formidable, well-fortified hospital in Ikachi and an Orphanage in

Ibilla-Ilache, all second to none in Benue State. Like a grain of

mustard seed, these institutions which have all attained their

golden jubilee celebrations, spread and witnessed some tremendous

changes and developments (from a mere clinic to a giant hospital

and from a Child Care Centre to an Orphanage, and now to a

Community Based Care). As Eriba (2013) rightly observed,

Prior to the advent of these laudable projects, the cries of themotherless and fatherless babies rent the air in Igede land forattention. The busy world had neither time nor resources todevote to their welfare. Thus many of them went into silenteternity, short moments after their birth for lack of care. Therewas utmost despair in the hearts of those who sensed some carebut lack the will and courage to give respite to the innocentchildren(Goodwill Message to Bethesda Orphanage @50, 2013: 29).

Dame Beredinae Sonneveld’s (by extension the Mission Board in

Holland) total yield to the divine call, and to abandon all other

comforts of life and come to Igede land to give succor to the

needy, the orphans and the destitute has distinguished her as a

Mother with deepest love and passion. Undoubtedly, this divine

response to the Macedonian Call of the Methodist Church Igede in

1962, to the plight and need of the Igede People has given birth

to many good things in Igede land. It has given birth to these

two giant Bethesda institutions in Igede land, second to none in

Benue State. Apart from the spiritual gains as evidenced in its

evangelization crusade in Igede, one can imagine the number of

lives that will go down the doldrums without the establishment of

these twin institutions at this time in Igede land. These indeed

call for celebration. It is the reason for the season.

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