Samuel Crowther: Omulenzi Eyava mu Kyombo ky'Abaddu

Samuel Crowther bwe yali omulenzi mu Afirika, teyayitibwanga Samuel n'akatono. Erinnya lye lyali Ajayi, era yabeeranga mu kibuga ekiyitibwa Osogun, mu nsi y'Abayoruba, mu nsi kaakano eyitibwa Nigeria. Yalina maama we ne baganda be ne bannyina n'awaka we gye yayagalanga.

Ku makya agamu ag'entiisa, bwe yali ng'aweza emyaka kkumi n'ebiri, abanyazi ne balumba ekibuga. Ne bookya ennyumba omuliro ne bawalula abantu nga babasibye emiguwa okubatunda ng'abaddu. Ajayi ne bamuggya ku maama we. Yatundibwa omulundi ogumu, oluvannyuma nate, n'olwokusatu, okutuusa ekyenkomerero lwe yasindikibwa mu kyombo ekyali kijjudde abantu nga bagenda emitala w'ennyanja. Wansi w'olubaawo waali wa kizikiza era nga wookya nga wajjudde abantu abatidde. Teyalowooza nti aliddayo okulaba awaka we, oba eggulu, nate.

Naye Katonda teyali yeerabidde mulenzi oyo eyali mu kizikiza. Ku nnyanja, ekyombo ky'e Bungereza ne kijja nga kibagoberera. Abavuzi baakyo baanoonyanga ebyombo by'abaddu ne bata abaawambibwa mu ddembe. Ne bakwata ekyombo kya Ajayi, ne bakutula enjegere, ne batwala abantu abaateebwa mu kibuga ekiyitibwa Freetown, mu Sierra Leone, gye baasobola okutandika obulamu obuggya.

Mu Freetown, Ajayi yakola ekintu kye yali tannaba kukkirizibwa kukola: yagenda mu ssomero. Yalaga nti muyizi wa kitalo. Yayiga okusoma n'okuwandiika ng'ettaka ekkalu bwe linywa enkuba. Bwe yabatizibwa ng'Omukristaayo, yatwala erinnya eppya — Samuel Crowther — naye teyeerabira Ajayi, oba abantu be, oba olulimi lwe baayogeranga.

Ekyo eky'enkomerero kye kyafuuka omulimu gwe omukulu ogw'obulamu bwe. Samuel yali awulidde amawulire amalungi aga Yesu mu Lungereza. Naye abantu be, Abayoruba, tebaasobolanga kusoma Lungereza. Samuel kwe kutuula wansi n'atandika omulimu omuwanvu ogw'obugumiikiriza ogw'okuteeka Bayibuli mu lulimi lw'Ekiyoruba, kigambo ku kigambo, baamaama n'abaana n'abasajja abakadde mu nsi yaabwe basobole okugisoma bo bennyini. Yayamba okuwandiika olulimi lw'Ekiyoruba omulundi ogusooka ddala.

Samuel yakula n'afuuka omuweereza wa Katonda, oluvannyuma, mu 1864, ne wabaawo ekintu ekitali kyabaddewo: yafuulibwa omulabirizi — omulabirizi Omwafirika ow'olubereberye mu kkanisa ye. Omulenzi eyali atundiddwa mu njegere kaakano yakulembera abalala mu kugoberera Yesu, era yakikola ng'Omwafirika, nga yeewaana olw'abantu be yavaamu.

Samuel Crowther yandisobola okukula ng'anyiigidde olwa byonna ebyamukolebwa. Mu kifo ky'ekyo, yamala obulamu bwe ng'awa abantu be ekirabo ekisingayo obukulu kye yali aweereddwa: ebigambo bya Katonda, mu lulimi lw'ewaabwe.