Researching Bishop Crowther at J.F. Ade Ajayi’s library
Dec 30, 2021 8:00 pm
Dear ,
Just before the Christmas holidays, the research team of the Bishop Crowther Project travelled to Ibadan on a research trip. Thanks to the Jadeas Trust, we had all-access to the library and archives of eminent historian, administrator and scholar, Professor J.F. Ade-Ajayi (1929 – 2014).
The expanded research team with Mrs. Christie Ade Ajayi
Since the project launched last September, the team has devoted more time to research. This has includedsearching for archival records – online and offline -- on Bishop Crowther, the Church Missionary Society (CMS) and related subjects.
For a couple of weeks in October/ November, we used the library and archives of the Lagos national Museum at Onikan. Some of the key documents we had access to were maps showing, in amazing detail, several places that Crowther and his co-travellers of the 19th century traversed on their missionary journeys.
The Ade-Ajayi library presented us with far more physical books than we had previously consulted, including the definitive out-of-print book on Crowther written by the distinguished historian himself: “A Patriot to the Core: Bishop Ajayi Crowther”, first published 20 years ago, in 2001.
Pelu Awofeso poses with a copy of 'A patriot to the core' (By J.F Ade Ajayi)
You can imagine how thrilled I was when I held the title in my hands.
The past three months have also included occasional visits to bookshops and book festivals – in Lagos, Ibadan, Abeokuta. In that time, we have grown our Crowther collection. We have also been lucky to have received relevant book donations, from faraway cities like Jos.
I’m happy to note that the year is ending on a high for us. On 28th December, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) published a report on the project. It was widely syndicated across countless online platforms in Nigeria.
A day later, on 29th December, The Punch also ran a feature on the project, based on an interview with me.
You may read the reports at the links below.
We’ve done a lot already. However, there is still a lot we need to do. Donations are the reason we have been able to do the much we have done since October, and we are grateful to each and every donor. We can't thank you enough.
Kindly consider supporting the project with a donation.
Donation link (int'l): https://gofund.me/78d607f5
Donation link (local): https://travu.ng/donate/
Cash transfers (local): Homestead Nig Ent (UBA Acct 1015558184)
Thank you, one and all.