CHRISTIAN EDUCATION IN THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH IN REMO, OGUN STATE, NIGERIA, 1959-2004 BY ADESEGUN, ABIODUN AYODEJI B.A. (Andrews), M.A. (Ibadan) MATRIC NO 40172 A THESIS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES, SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF ARTS IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY, UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN, IBADAN, NIGERIA FEBRUARY, 2009 DEDICATION To the glory of God, and to my darling wife, Mrs.Olubusola Iretiola Adesegun, Chief Nursing Officer, Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, a pearl of inestimable value. ii CERTIFICATION I certify that this work was carried out by Mr. Abiodun Ayodeji ADESEGUN, under my direct supervision in the Department of Religious Studies, Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan, Ibadan in Partial Fulfillment for the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Religious Studies …………………………… …………………………… Date Supervisor ‘Deji Ayegboyin B.A. Hons, (Legon), M.A. (Ibadan), Ph.D (Ibadan) iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to express my profound gratitude to the triune God who gave me the grace, health and the means of sustenance with which I was able to undertake doctoral studies. He has intervened in my life in positive ways in years past and He has shown Himself as a reliable and present help in time of need. I am grateful and deeply indebted to my supervisor, Dr. ‘Deji Ayegboyin, an erudite intellectual and a humble and loving son of Africa who through sound scholarship, patience, and experience guided me through. In spite of his loaded academic schedule, he treated me and my colleagues in a thorough and personal way. May the Almighty God bless you and your family. I am grateful to all my lecturers since my undergraduate years in the ‘80s. I am especially grateful to foremost historian, Professor Kofi Owusu-Mensa of Valley View University, Ghana for his encouragement over the years. I wish to thank Professor Joel Dada Awoniyi, Professor Andre Stijnman and Dr. Daniel Toyebi Agboola, my theology and church history teachers. They positively impacted my life. I remember fondly my boss up until December, 2004 when I left NCR Corporation, the late Mr Bader Ul Islam who believed in me. I acknowledge a debt of gratitude to all my interviewees and questionnaire respondents. I place on record the invaluable assistance I received at the onset of this programme from Professor David O. Babalola as he made available books and personal records for my use. I cannot but mention Vincent Unegbu and Mrs. Bola Atulomah who allowed me to use the Adekunle Alalade Library at Babcock University. I also thank Mrs Vidah Mensah, Librarian of the Walton Whaley Library at Valley View University, Oyibi, Ghana. I express my gratefulness to Dr. Philemon Amanze, Director, Ellen G. White Centre, Mr. Peter Oduroye, Deputy Registrar, iv both at Babcock University, Dr. J.A. Ola, former Pro-Chancellor, Babcock University and President, Northwestern Nigeria Union of Seventh Adventists. I thank Dr. Sampson Nwaomah, Vice-Dean, School of Post-graduate Studies, Babcock University for his encouragement. I also thank Dr (Mrs.) Helen A. Labeodan of the University of Ibadan for her help and encouragement. I wish to acknowledge the assistance and support of Professor O.O. Adebawo, Director, CESAP, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Professor Odutola Osilesi, Vice-Chancellor, O.O.U., Ago-Iwoye, Pastors H.B. Smith, Femi Oyedele, Moses Olaifa, Nurudeen Agbabiaka, Femi Alofe as well as that of Professor Ademola S. Tayo and Professor Dayo Alao, Ag. Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Management Services), Babcock University. I also thank the staff of the National Archives, Ibadan, the Kenneth Dike Library, University of Ibadan and those of our departmental library. I acknowledge the positive contributions of my academic colleagues in the Church History Ph.D class, particularly Dr. Leke Ogunewu, Mr. P.A. Ojebode and Rev Oludele. Dr. Ogunewu has been outstanding in his support. I am equally grateful to the staff of Babcock University and members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Makun, Sagamu who assisted when called upon. My profound gratitude goes to my sweetheart, ‘Busola and our children, Oreoluwa, Oluwanbo and Oluwaseyitan who have had to go through many sacrifices and stressful moments during the course of “daddy’s Ph.D”. I also thank my mother, Mrs. Margaret I. Obisesan and Mrs Funke Afolayan for their prayers. I thank my brothers, Elder Kunle Adesegun, Mark Obisesan and my brothers-in-law, Elders Dipo Adebawojo and Owolabi Adebawo for their encouragement and assistance. Dipo and his assistant, Christopher did a yeoman’s job, helping out with the research in every possible manner and making internet services available when needed. I thank Mrs Dayo Adebawo as well as Seye Adebawo and his fiancée Funke Anisere for their assistance. Once again I thank God for making this work a reality. I typed the manuscript of this thesis myself and therefore wish to bear responsibility for all the technical and other shortcomings that may be contained in the work. v ABBREVIATIONS 1. ACWA - Adventist College of West Africa 2. ASUU - Academic Staff Union of Universities 3. ASWA - Adventist Seminary of West Africa 4. AYS - Adventist Youth Society 5. BU - Babcock University 6. BUHS - Babcock University High School 7. BUSA - Babcock University Students’ Association 8. ed./eds. - Editor / Editors 9. ibid. - short of ibidem (Latin) – in the same place 10. NAAS - Nigeria Association of Adventist Students 11. op.cit - opere citato (Latin) – in the work cited 12. SDA - Seventh-day Adventist 13. UNDP – United Nations Development Fund 14. UNICEF - United Nations Children’s Fund vi LIST OF PHOTOGRAPHS Pages 1. Ellen G. White and Joseph Bates 25 2. Typical Sign post of an SDA school 44 3. SDA Nursery & Primary School Ilisan-Remo 45 4. BUHS Students having a Computer Studies Lab Session 56 5. Babcock Staff School 62 6. The researcher with Dr. Seth A. Laryea, President, Valley View University, Oyibi, Ghana 80 7. Science & Technology Building, Babcock University 84 vii ABSTRACT . Negative trends within the Nigerian educational system, such as cultism and examination malpractices which have resulted into general lack of moral values and deficiency of practical skills among school leavers call for concern. The Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) church offers a faith-based holistic education as an alternative to arrest these trends. While the SDA educational approach has been commended in some quarters, it has been condemned in others. The controversy, however, stemmed from lack of comprehensive study on the subject. This study, therefore, investigated Christian education in the SDA Church in Remo, with a view to determining the effectiveness of its faith-based holistic approach. The study was premised on Pestalozzi’s holistic theory which centres on educating the whole person through three elements – the intellectual, physical and spiritual aspects of learning. This was done to make students responsible and useful members of the society. Historical, descriptive and analytical methods were used in this study. Remo was chosen as the field for the study because it is the only area in Nigeria that has a full complement of SDA schools - primary, secondary and tertiary institutions. Interview was conducted on 50 purposively selected respondents. Six hundred and fifty copies of a questionnaire were administered to clusters of secondary and university students and university administrators, from which 600 were retrieved. The instrument was used on selected secondary school and university students at Ilisan-Remo and Sagamu. Data were analysed using frequency counts and percentages. Assessment of SDA education was done not only by the SDAs as 71.7% of respondents were non- SDAs who had contact with this type of education. Eighty per-cent agreed that the SDA brand of education was relevant to Remo by equipping students intellectually, pragmatically and spiritually. Also, 81.3% of respondents were favourably disposed to the integration of faith and learning as practised in SDA classrooms, while 90.8% of them agreed that SDA Christian education made its students responsible and useful to the society. Special features in SDA education such as physical education and exercise, provision of vegetarian diets for students and the work/study programme, were well received by 67.6 % of the respondents. The participants believed that these components had health benefits and economic and skill-gathering potentials for students in SDA schools. Certain administrative procedures constituted major challenges in SDA schools, as 70.7% of the respondents complained of prohibitive school fees charged by SDA schools, while 61.0% criticised the teaching of Creationism and the Evolution theory in classes. Also 60.3% pointed out the meddlesomeness of school authorities in Students Association affairs. The relevance of Christian education of the SDA prototype in Remo is established. The SDA brand of education, as practised in the area under study, is recommended for an impactful and effective educational system. Adapting some features of SDA education, such as physical exercise and work/study, into the general educational system may benefit students in later life. Genuine platforms for students and staff unionism in SDA schools should also be encouraged. Key words: Seventh-day Adventist church, Christian education, Pestalozzi’s holistic theory, Faith and learning integration, Vegetarian diets Word Count: 491 viii TABLE OF CONTENTS Pages Title Page i Dedication ii Certification iii Acknowledgement iv Abbreviations vi List of photographs vii Abstract viii Table of Contents ix CHAPTER ONE: GENERAL INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background to the Study 1 1.2 Statement of Problem 2 1.3 Purpose of the Study 4 1.4 Scope of the Study 4 1.5 Significance of the Study 5 1.6 Research Methodology 6 1.7 Clarification of Terms 7 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.0 Introduction 8 2.1 Christian Missions and Education In Yorubaland 8 2.2 Seventh-day Adventist Cosmology 10 2.3 SDA Philosophy of Christian Education 11 2.4 Adventist Education in Southern Nigeria 14 2.5 Issues in SDA Religious Education 16 ix CHAPTER THREE: BACK GROUND STUDY OF THE EMERGENCE OF THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH AND ITS MAJOR DOCTRINES 3.0 Introduction 20 3.1 Theoretical Framework of the Study 21 3.2 Socio- Religious Milieu of Europe and America After the Reformation 22 3.3 Emergence of the Seventh-day Adventist Church 24 3.3.1 Emergence of the Church in the United States of America 24 3.3.2 Origins of the SDA Church in Yorubaland 28 3.4 Seventh-day Adventist Mission 29 3.4.1 Theoretical Background of SDA Mission 29 3.4.2 Mission in Practice 30 3.4.3 Structure of the Adventist Church 32 3.5 Major Doctrines of the Church 33 3.5.1 The Word of God 33 3.5.2 Creation and the Fall of Man 34 3.5.3 The Remnant Church and Its Mission 35 3.5.4 The Law of God 35 3.5.5 The Sabbath 36 3.5.6 Christ’s Ministry in the Heavenly Sanctuary 37 3.5.7 The Second Coming of Christ 39 3.5.8 Conclusion 41 x