From Orgies To Church Weddings, Residents Of Adamawa Community Celebrate 70 Years Of Christianity

Dakza, a community in Hong, Adamawa State, on Tuesday, celebrated the impact of Christianity introduced to the community 70 years ago.

The Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria (LCCN) brought Christianity to the people of the community, many of who have become important personalities in the country.

The community used to live in the surrounding mountains and caves, but were brought to civilization by the church.

The missionaries brought the gospel that propelled the people to leave the mountains to resettle at the new site now called Dakza. 

THE WHISTLER spoke to some indigenes of the place during the 70th anniversary of Christianity in the community on Tuesday.

Pastor Philip H. Gundiri, the presiding pastor of the LCCN Church Dakza, expressed his joy over the impact the Church has had on youths.

He said, “When I first came to this church 1st January 2018, there were many things I noticed the villagers doing which were sinful before God.

“Things like conducting marriages out of God’s plans like polygamy, young men stealing somebody’s daughter and keeping at home as a wife.”

He said youths in the community used to spend the night having parties, engaging in all manner of orgies in the name of marriage celebrations.

He said further:

“And before you know it, they have already divorced the girl because they cannot honour that type of marriage. 

“But gradually, these issues have now been brought to the barest minimum. Hardly will you hear such types of marriages again in months. Before now, you can hear about 8 of such marriages in a month, but now they are completely changed. 

“Presently, in this December alone, we have about 12 different church weddings recorded.”

Bitrus H. Usmana, a former Bursar at the University of Maiduguri, Borno State, said, “Before now, our people were in darkness, they didn’t know about God, and were just worshipping gods of the mountain, gods of the river. But when this gospel came, it opened doors for so many things; economically, educationally and spiritually by knowing God fully. 

“The impact the church had on the youths is that wherever the gospel is being preached, it speaks about the evils of the society, and whoever that comes to the church will be told that so and so is not good for the society and our own personal lives.” 

Usmana further said that since the people are the body of the church, it is expected that they do what God likes, and this has shaped their lives.

He said it had brought so many youths out of the evils they used to commit “because they have seen the light and have been able to change their ways of life. Some of them have even been able to prosper after accepting the gospel.  

“The gospel goes on like bush fire, those youths that have been impacted positively are now going about trying to change other youths by speaking to them also.”

Bishop Amos Elisha Gaya, the Bishop of the Arewa Diocese, pointed out the challenges faced by the church before gaining such impact on the people. 

He said: “Introducing Christianity to a community that we look at as a heathen community is a challenge, but thank God the gospel was able to bring them down. But the advantage is quite stronger than the disadvantage.

“So many people are now educated and so many social amenities here in Dakza. You can see we have a very big primary health care centre. These are the outcomes of the gospel.

“Prior to the gospel, the people had some fetish things they believed in. People were walking naked, not educated, so many challenges of diseases, but gradually they became exposed to hospitals. We are proud that the Bible has changed the society. 

“The people were living in the mountains, but the gospel brought them to this present site now called dakza. Before, there was nobody here, but the gospel brought them together, changed their life, taught them how to take bath, dress and all that. It’s a great achievement apart from the salvation given to them.”

James Barka, the former Speaker, Adamawa House of Assembly, now PDP’s House of Representatives candidate for Gombi/Hong Federal Constituency, was the Chairman of the occasion.

Barka, who was the chairman of the historic occasion, said, “If you look at the history of the Kilba people before, we were warriors. There were wars within clans when we had not known Jesus, today, Jesus has touched our lives, and if you look at the youths today, most of them are Christians.

*You can see young pastors, reverend and evangelists. So that is to tell you the impact of Christianity which we are celebrating today, which is the impact of the 70 years of Christianity in Dakza. 

“70 years back, this village didn’t know Jesus, today, the parents, the grandparents, most of them are no more, but the children have taken upon themselves to build the church you are seeing today by gathering their resources to do so. This brings a kind of transformation for us among the youths, so to us, it’s a good thing.”