Religion in Nigeria

Lutheran Hour Ministries - Nigeria
Obot Idim, Ibesikpo, Uyo.
Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.

In the year 1930, there was an article in one of the American daily newspapers that at one of the North American Lutheran conventions, a sum of $60,000.00 had been raised specifically for the work of the Gospel ministry in Africa. A Nigerian student who was at that time studying at Livingston College in Salisbury, North Carolina, stumbled on the newspaper article. After some useful enquiries, he dispatched a letter to one Rev. Drewes, who was the mission Secretary, and requested for Missionaries to be sent to Nigeria and to Ibesikpo land in particular. Rev. Drewes responded to the letter and followed up with a visit to the student in December 1930. He then went back and issued letters to all the Lutheran Churches in America including the Lutheran Hour Ministries informing them of the great door of opportunity that God was about to open to them in Nigeria. At the Lutheran Synodical Conference meeting held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, between 8-13 August 1934, a resolution was taken to "undertake aggressive mission work in the Ibesikpo country and then, as God may prosper the work, to extend it into unoccupied fields in Nigeria or in parts of Africa adjacent to Nigeria". That resolution was soon followed with shipment of religious books to the Ibesikpo churches, so that they could start getting familiar with the teachings of the Lutheran.
On January 5, 1935, a survey team consisting of three missionaries, Dr. Henry Nau, Rev. Emmanuel Albercht, and Rev. O. C. A. Boecler left the United States for Nigeria, and arrived Nung Udoe, Ibesikpo, on February 4, 1935. On their return to the United States, and after a thorough evaluation of their report a decision was reached to take up the work in the Ibesikpo area of Nigeria. Dr. Henry Nau and his wife arrived Nung Udoe on April 24, 1936 to begin the missionary work of the North American Lutheran Synodical Conference in Nigeria. The name of the Nigerian student was Jonathan Udo Ekong. Today, the Lutheran Church of Nigeria, a partner church of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and Lutheran Church - Canada, has grown to over 100,000 members, with more than 80 indigenous pastors and over 175 evangelists and lay preachers in active ministerial services.

LUTHERAN HOUR MINISTRY IN NIGERIA.
The missionaries, H. A. Hein, J. P. Dredke, Paul Volz, R. A. Krugler and Meissner pioneered the Lutheran Hour Ministry in Nigeria in April 1958. The first programs were produced and recorded in missionary Hein's living room at Obot Idim, Ibesikpo, the headquarters of The Lutheran Church of Nigeria. Two fifteen minutes programs were being produced, one in the Efik and the other in Ibo, the two main languages of the eastern part of Nigeria, and broadcast over the Radio Eternal Life Wins Africa (ETLF) in Monrovia, Liberia. The titles of the programs were: "Edikworo Christ Nno Kpukpru Owo" in Efik and "Ikwusa Krist Nye Madu Nile" in Ibo; both meaning "Bringing Christ to the Nations".
By 1964 a modern Studio was completed at Enugu, the capital of the then Eastern Nigeria. The studio was destroyed during the Nigeria-Biafra civil war. The Nigerian Lutheran Hour office moved to Jos in the northern part of Nigeria and until 1977, Lutheran Hour programs were broadcast twice daily over the Radio Voice of the Gospel (RVOG) station in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, a broadcast service of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF). This station's strong signal reached much of the African continent and some areas of the Middle East. When this station was nationalized by the Ethiopian military regime, its use by the Nigerian Lutheran Hour was lost.
The office is now located at the Christian Radio Studio, Obot Idim Ibesikpo in a building provided free of charge by the Lutheran Church of Nigeria. The Christian Radio Studio continues to write and produce six fifteen and one 30-minute devotional programs and Christians dramas for broadcast throughout Nigeria over 7 government-owned radio stations and two TV stations. Seven of the programs are in English and one in Hausa language. The office also handles bible correspondence course with student enrolment of over 1000 students per month.
The format of the programs is indigenous and feature Nigerian style gospel music. Over 6000 listeners letters are received each year. In order to increase audience participation and referrals, the office has in recent times embarked on many outreach and evangelism outings with the active involvement of local pastors and volunteers. The result is that more people are now aware of the services offered by the ministry. Printed materials, including tracts, a calendar, and a daily Bible-reading guide are also made available to the public through the Nigerian Lutheran Hour office. Public film shows, and the use of the studio's public address system for church conventions, and evangelism programs all play important roles in their outreach ministry efforts. Many indigenous artists and other church denominations also use the facilities of the studio to record their audio cassettes and religious programs.
The Nigerian Lutheran Hour office has grown to include 21 staff made up of: a Manager, and Accountant, two Audience Relations Staff, one Programs Manager, three Scriptwriters, three Technicians, and 10 Service Staff.

PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGE
The Lutheran Hour office in Nigeria has now been registered as a legal trsteeship under the name of "The Lutheran Hour Ministries - Nigeria".
Other plans include:

1.Construction of a Modern Recording Studio.

2. Acquisition of Vsat equipment for direct internet access.

PROGRAMS FORMAT.
The present format of programs of the studio dates back to its first begrinning several years ago. As the original name implies, the main business of the establishment was to produce religious programs and broadcast them over the radio, which at that time was the most effective means of mass communication. The situation today in Nigeria is quite different. There are many other choices. The use of direct satellite television, DSTV, and cable TV systems are increasing in number. The studio is now making proposals aimed at modernizing its program format in order to increase the audience participation. These proposals include talk shows, drama, phone in talk shows and the use of television.

RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CHURCH
The Nigerian Lutheran Hour enjoys a very good working relationship with both the laity and clergy of the Lutheran Church of Nigeria. At least one Sunday in a year is designated as the Radio day in which contributions are made in support of the operations of the NLH. Many pastors are regular contributors to the radio programs of the studio. Members regard the operation as part of the evangelism program on the church and refer to the NLH as a mass media arm of the Lutheran Church of Nigeria. Discussions as to the possible relocation of the Studio outside the immediate area of influence of the church usually meets with very strong opposition and concern from both the laity and clergy. The close working relationship with the church is also beneficial to the ministry operations since it shields the studio from undue interference from other agencies.