There is no way the history of Western education in Nigeria will be told without acknowledging the central role of the Christian Church. From the earliest missionary efforts in the mid-19th century to the establishment of some of the nation’s most prestigious schools, churches laid the foundation upon which Nigeria’s formal education system stands today.
Education in pre-colonial Nigeria had largely been informal. It focuses mainly on vocational skills, moral instruction, and religious learning. However, the arrival of European missionaries, particularly from the Church Missionary Society (CMS), Wesleyan Methodist Mission, and the Roman Catholic Mission, introduced Western-style education that blends literacy with Christian teachings.
The missionaries did not come to Nigeria primarily to educate but to evangelise. That was the primary motive. Yet, education quickly became a tool for evangelism, and in the process, schools became the most enduring legacy of the mission enterprise.”
One of the earliest missionary schools was established by the CMS in Badagry in 1843. From that modest beginning, the network of church-founded schools spread rapidly across Lagos, Abeokuta, Onitsha, Calabar, and other parts of the country. The famous CMS Grammar School in Lagos, founded in 1859 by Rev. Thomas Babington Macaulay, is widely recognised as the first secondary school in Nigeria.
The church did not only open the door to literacy but also nurtured the first generation of Nigerian elites. These elites later went on to play pivotal roles in politics, journalism, law. These individuals also struggled for independence.
Indeed, many products of church-run schools include personalities such as Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Sir Herbert Macaulay. All of them later led Nigeria’s nationalist movements.
In the past, if you attended a mission school, you were guaranteed discipline, quality teaching, and a moral foundation. The church schools shaped not just your minds but our values.
Also, the Roman Catholic Mission played an equally vital role, particularly in Eastern Nigeria. By the early 20th century, Catholic schools such as Christ the King College, Onitsha (established in 1933), and later Holy Ghost College, Owerri, had become centres of excellence.
The Catholic Church invested in education because it believed that the Gospel should transform not only the soul but also the society. Building schools was a way to empower people with knowledge and dignity.
Besides, women’s education also received significant impetus from church missions. The Wesleyan Methodist Mission founded the first girls’ school in Lagos in 1879, while Catholic sisters opened the famous St. Theresa’s College, Ibadan, in 1933. Today, many female leaders trace their roots back to these pioneering institutions.
We must, however, note that the church’s role was not without criticism. Scholars have argued that the missionary curriculum was often narrow, focusing heavily on religious instruction and basic literacy, with limited emphasis on science, technology and indigenous knowledge. Still, this foundation provided the springboard for later government intervention and expansion of the school system.
It is important to recognise both the strengths and limitations of church-based education. The missionaries provided access, structure, and a value system, but Nigeria’s later educational reforms were necessary to broaden the scope and relevance of learning.
Today, thanks to to the church. Many of Nigeria’s most prestigious schools — such as St. Gregory’s College, Lagos; Methodist Boys High School, Lagos; Baptist Academy, Lagos; and Queen of the Rosary College, Onitsha — remain testaments to the church’s enduring influence. Even in the 21st century, faith-based schools continue to play a vital role, often outperforming government schools in academic standards and moral upbringing.
The church gave Nigeria her first teachers, her first doctors, and her first political leaders. Its contribution to education is not just history, it is a living mission that continues today.”
It is no news that Nigeria grapples with contemporary challenges in its educational sector — from dilapidated infrastructure to out-of-school children. As a result, many experts have suggested that revisiting the ethos of mission schools, with their emphasis on discipline, holistic development, and community partnership, could provide valuable lessons.
If Nigeria’s educational system has any solid roots at all, they were planted by the Church.” And to this day, those roots continue to nourish the nation’s pursuit of knowledge, leadership, and service.
