OHAZURUME - Unizik Journal of Culture and Civilization

This study examines the effect of Protestant missions on intergroup relations in the Igbo heartland, with a particular focus on Anglicanism and Adventism in Owerri and its environs. Drawing on a blend of ethnographic data on mission activities and historical sources, the paper seeks to understand how the two missions shaped the social and religious landscape of the Igbo heartland through their activities in Owerri and its surrounding areas. Furthermore, the paper aims to ascertain how the different Protestant missions interacted with one another, and how this interaction shaped the Igbo society. To do this, the paper draws on both primary sources, such as missionary correspondence, diaries, and field reports, as well as secondary source material such as historical records, books, and newspaper articles. The findings showed that Protestant missions had a significant impact on the Igbo, leading to changes in their social and cultural life, as well as the development of intergroup relations. Anglicanism and Adventism both made inroads into Igbo society, and their respective members interacted in various ways, including competition and cooperation. For example, while both mission societies sought to convert the Igbo to their particular interpretations of Christianity, they also collaborated in certain areas, such as providing medical care and education. Overall, this paper demonstrates that Protestant missions had a significant impact on the Igbo people, and that the missions of Anglicanism and Adventism in particular helped shape the intergroup relationships in the Igbo heartland.

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