CHAPTER THREE: ADVENT AND GFROWTH OF COCIN CHURHC IN

MANGUN

3.1. Advent of Christianity to Mangun.

Jesus Christ before he ascended into heaven, He commanded his disciples and

said “all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go

and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and

of the son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have

commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age”

[Mathew 28:18 – 20 NIV].

It is in obedience to this commandment, that the pioneer missionaries of

Sudan United Mission [SUM] headed by Dr Karl Kumm came to Nigeria and

opened a mission station in Wase in 1904. Due to aggressive attacked by the

natives, who were predominantly Muslims, the missionaries left Wase and

opened new other stations in Jukun land [Wukari 1906], Donga 1907 and

among the Tarok in Langtang in 1907, among the Berom in Gyel and Du in

1907 respectively [Gutip 23 - 26].

Similarly, in Mwaghavul land, where the researcher based his research work,

Gutip further reported that the Cambridge University Missionary Party [CUMP]

in conjunction with the Church Missionary Society [CMS] on the other hand

also opened Panyam and Kabwir Mission Stations in 1907 and 1910. The
leaders of these missionaries were Thomas Alvarez and Rev. R.G.W Lyold.

Alvarez ‘toured’ and opened the mission station in Ngas land while Rev. Lyold

explored Mwaghavul territory and opened the mission station in Panyam. These

two mission stations were later handed to the Sudan United Mission [SUM] in

1930. This development led to the Denomination called COCIN today [94 - 95].

The researcher in an interview with Da Joseph Jwander, who was one of the

earliest converts to Christianity in Mangun, stated that the gospel came to

Mangun as early as 1922 through some evangelists who normally came from

Panyam on a weekly basis for house to house and village to village evangelism.

He added that these evangelists were committed to the task and sometimes they

went further to other neighbouring villages and towns such as Jipal and

Chakfem and thereafter went back to Panyam to give their progress report to the

missionaries.

Furthermore, Jwander revealed that, these Evangelists kept on with this

method of evangelism for some years and God answered their prayers with the

following people who accepted the good news. Da Ayuba Goktip Guwal, Da

Daruwang and Da Dagihip respectively. He opined that these three men that

accepted the gospel started attending church service at Panyam for some years

before a new worship centre was established in Nyempang a village in Mangun

in 1932 [interviewed 30/09/2022]

.

Moreover, Joseph Jwander further revealed that between 1940s – 1960s,

COCIN was the only existing denomination in Mangun because other

denominations came at a later dates. He stated that the Roman Catholic Church

was the second to be established in Mangun in the 60s, with Christ Apostolic

Church (C.A.C) being the third while ECWA was the fourth to be established in

1979 following a sharp misunderstanding in the leadership of COCIN and it

resulted in the breaking away of four COCIN congregational churches to

ECWA. Jwander also disclosed that after that scenario it took many years

before other new denominations established their churches in Mangun

[Interviewed 30/09/2022].

Similarly, Da Andarawus Shamnwan also affirmed what was said by

Da Joseph Jwander as stated above [Interviewed 30/09/2022].

2.3. ADVENT OF COCIN CHURCH TO MANGUN

Retired Rev. Istifanus Gukom revealed that village to village evangelism

strategies embacked upon by the Mission Station in Panyam attracted many

new converts who trekked long distances from other towns and villages within

Mwaghavul land to Panyam on a weekly basis for Sunday worship. Gukom

asserted that with this development, the missionaries saw the need to establish

new worship centres in far towns and villages from Panyam to ease their

journey to Panyam where Mangun was a beneficiary [Interview 30/09/22].

Moreso, according to a brief history of the advent of COCIN to Mangun

land. “PROGRAMME NA BUDEWAR SABUWAR MAJAMI’A TA

MANGUN CIKIN REGIONAL CHURCH COUNCIL TA PANYAM A

MANGU LGA, LAHADI, 29 GA OKTOBA, 1989”.

In the dedication programme, it is revealed that the first mission centre or

worship centre in Mangun was opened in Nyempang by an Evangelist named

Bulus Gunen and the new centre was closed because the natives refused to

accept the new religion and few people that accept the gospel were maltreated

and were sanction in the community. In 1935 Evangelist Dauda Maggai was

posted to the area and he tried all he could to convince the natives and to sustain

the church but to no avail and was eventually closed again [13].
 However, Evangelist Ishaya Dashwet was posted to Nyempang in Mangun

in 1943 to reopen the church and from then, the church began to grow with

regular attendance by the pioneer worshippers who were maltreated by their

family members some years back came with full force and other new members

of the church. The pioneer members of the church were: Da Ayuba Goktip

Guwal, Da Daruwang and Da Dagihip. Others who join them later were Da

Joseph Jwander, Da Datuhur, Da Samuila Dapak, Da Digin, Da Darshak, Da

Musa Anshak, Da Logan and Da Harunna Zuvhumbes respectively [13].

Furthermore, Joseph Jwander affirmed that it was during the time of

Evangelist Ishaya Dashwet that the church witnessed tremendeous growth

where many people accepted Christ as their

Lord and savour and normal worship was sustained to this day [Interviewed

30/09/22].

3.2. Growth of COCIN Church in Mangu.

COCIN was the first church to be established in Mangun land and it is refered

as the traditional church of the area. Da Joseph Jwander reported that the gospel

came to stay in Mangun in 1943 during the time of Evangelist Ishaya Dashwet.

He revealed that it was during this time more new converts were added to the

number and the number kept growing because people from neighbouring
villages of Nyempang were also attracted by the activities of the local

evangelist. After Ishaya Dashwet Evangelist Paul Daspilang succeeded him in

1946, Evangelist Daniel Ankwar was also posted to the area in 1946. It was

During this period that some few members got married accourding to Christians

injunction in 1952.

Moreover, Jwander stated that, in 1954 Evangelist Yusufu Dakahap was

posted to Mangun and at that period, more members were added to the

congregation and another new worship centre was opened at “Bakin Kasuwa” at

the central market in Mangun between 1957 – 1960. He added that the new

worship centre at Bakin kasuwa also attracted manym0re converts that ied to

the establishment of more new worship centres within the territory of Mangun

and these new churches were Kaharyam 1958, Nyemdung, Yilpiya and

Kopnanle were also opened between 1960 – 1962 in that order [Interviewed

30/09/22].

Furthermore, according to a documentary report of the dedication of COCIN

Central Church Mangun in 1989, it was reported that the first set of people that

got married to Christian injunction were;

Mr. Joshua Dabwahat and Miss Martha

Mr. Haruna D Zughumbes and Miss Rhoda

Mr. Samuila D. Gushe and Miss Nankilap

Mr. Joseph Jwander and Miss Laitu

Moreso, it was reported that the first set of people to be baptized in Mangun

In 1952 were;

Mr. Joshua Dabwahat

Mr. Haruna D. Zughumbes

Mr. Samuila D. Gushe

Mr. Joseph Jwander

It is revealed that it was these people that sacrifice their time, resources and

God’s given talent in spreading the gospel to all parts of Mangun [14].

In another development, it was recorded that as time went on, more new

worship centers were opened in other villages within Mangun. This

tremendeous growth led to the elevation of COCIN Mangun to LCC Status on

the 26th January, 1963 after thirty one [31] years of the church existence in

Mangun [14 - 15].

It is also recorded that between 1953 – 1989, there were twenty eight (28)

indigenes of Mangun who were called to serve in the Lord’s vineyard as

Evangelist or “Masu Bishara” as they were called among these people were two

ordained pastors, Rev. Jonathan Gudiyan and Rev. Istifanus D. Gukom while

Mr. Lengkat A. Tishak had just completed his theological training at TCNN

Bukuru [16].
 Rev. Gukom revealed to the researcher that between 1990 – 2000, statistics

revealed that there were about 45 un-ordained pastors and 14 ordained pastors

with more than 10 students who were at different Bible schools and theological

institutions that are indigenes of Mangun [Interviewed 30/09/22].

3.3. CHALLENGES FACED IN EARLY STARTS OF COCIN IN MANGUN

As the popular saying “nothing good comes easy”. The early converts to

Christianity in Mangun were faced with different challenges as reported by Da

Joseph Jwander the only surviving earliest converts to Christianity in Mangun;

Jwander stated that before the coming of Christianity in the area, the religion of

Mangun people was traditional religion and they were farmers. He disclosed

that when Christianity came to Mangun, the people saw it as a religion of lazy

people and would no longer give their time in farming activities and as such,

nobody wanted his child or relatives to join and associates with people of that

strange religion. People that accepted the gospel and started attending church

services were severely punished by the family members, relatives and

community atlarge. He added that this was one of the reasons why the worship

centre was closed twice. Jwander further stated that, at times went on, some of

them made up their minds and they endured the persecution while others did not

withstand it and went

back to the old practice of traditional religion.

 Moreso, he added that those that endured the persecution were not allowed

to marry within Mangun area as was the practice at that time. He opined that,

virtually all of them that endured the persecution finally got their life partners

outside Mangun.

Iwander further revealed that in 1979, there was a sharp misunderstanding in

the leadership of the church and it caused or resulted in the breaking away of

four COCIN congregational churches to ECWA [Interviewed 30/09/22].

Mangun DCC kept on growing with the following leadership until COCIN

came up with a policy that abolished the DCC structure in 1996 as reported by

the RCC secretary, Rev. Godwin Serwet. The DCC leaders from 1981 – 1996

were: Rev. Ishaya D. Panbwot

Rev. Manasseh C. Toma

Rev. Paulycarp Best

Rev. Istifanus Gukom

Serwet further opined that these Spiritual and physical growth of the church

took a period of 18 years and 20 years before Mangun was elevated to DCC and

RCC status in 1981 and 2001 respectively.

Serwet also revealed that, the