SUDAN INTERIOR MISSION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 August 1942, Page 2

SUDAN INTERIOR MISSION

ACTIVITIES IN NIGERIA. SCHEME TO MAKE NATIVES i SELF-SUPPORTING. The work of the Sudan Interior Mission and references to the lives and customs of the natives of Nigeria were dealt with by Mr J. S. Nicholson, a member of the mission, who is at present visiting Mastertoil -on furlough, when he gave a short lantern lecture last night at the soldiers’ tea in the Y.M.C.A. Rooms. Nigeria had a population of 20 millions and was three and a half times the area of New Zealand, said Mr Nicholson, who gave interesting details about the types of country, rainfall, etc. Sixty per cent, of the people were pagans, 35 per cent. Moslem five per cent. Christians. There were over 300 tribes ranging in strength from a few hundred to four millions and each tribe had its own customs and language. Mr Nicholson explained how the main objective of the mission was to make the natives self-supporting, a principle which was applied to schooling as well as to the general life of the people The aim, too, was to interfere as little as possible with the natives’ customs. The Government had done splendid work by the indirect rule system, which operated per medium of the paramount chiefs. A lantern lecture is to be given by Mr Nicholson in the Baptist Church tonight. Yesterday, he conducted the morning service at Knox Church and the afternoon service at the Baptist Church.