Legends of Africa - Samuel Ajayi Crowther

Samuel Ajayi Crowther

Ajayi was captured by Fulani slave raiders in 1821 and sold to Portuguese slave traders. Before leaving port, his ship was boarded by the Royal Navy, and Crowther was taken to Freetown, Sierra Leone and released. Several years later, the now Rev. Dr. Crowther began translating the Bible into the Yoruba language and compiling a Yoruba dictionary. He also began codifying other languages. Following the British Niger Expeditions of 1854 and 1857, Crowther produced a primer for the Igbo language in 1857, another for the Nupe language in 1860, and a full grammar and vocabulary of Nupe in 1864. In 1864, Crowther was ordained as the first African bishop of the Anglican Church. That same year he also received a Doctor of Divinity degree from Oxford University.