THE HISTORY OF HUGH GOLDIE LAY/ THEOLOGICAL TRAINING INSTITUTION AROCHUKWU, IN AFFILIATION WITH THE ABIA STATE UNIVERSITY, UTURU
ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES FROM 1927 TO 2004
LOOK NOT DOWN ON THE DAYS OF LITTLE BEGINNINGS (ZECH. 4:10)
The above statement suits the gradual growth of the Hugh Goldie academic from 1920’s till date. The indigenous Theological institution of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria was founded in 1918 in Creek Town Calabar with the Rev. Hugh Goldie as its principal. In 1926 the institution was transferred to Arochukwu its present site named after The Rev. Hugh Goldie.
HUGH GOLDIE (1815-1895)
The Rev, Hugh Goldie was born in Kilwinning Ayrshire in 1815. He joined the United Presbyterian Church Mission of Scotland mission in 1848 to serve in Calabar field after spending few years in Jamaica 1840-1847. He headed the Calabar mission field for fifty years. He was a great scholar in Efik language. He wrote the Efik Dictionary and translated the bible into New Testament and the Psalms into Efik. He died here in Nigeria in 1895.
ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES
When Hugh Goldie Thelogical Institution reopened for academic activities in 1926 the Rev. Dr. John Taylor Dean became its first principal and one Tutor. He trained and sent to the field the field batch of indigenous ministers in the persons of the Rev. Isaac Uwakwenta, John Ijoma, Awa Ugbagha, J.M. Nta, A. O. Anicho, P.B.Onwuchekwa, EyoEkpo, Bassey Ita, E. Uyah, Johnson U. Kalu, Maduekwe, NnochinEbi , K. M. Ume, Rev. Udo and NwaforOgwuna as pioneer ministers (Mmahi 2004).
THE SHIFT
In 1984, following a new spirit of co-operation among the three evangelical missions operating bodies in Nigeria of the C.M.S (Anglicans), Methodist, and C.S.M. (Presbyterians) the revolutionary idea of women education emanated. As a result a join Women Training College (W.T.C) and Trinity (Union) Theological College were founded. Hugh Goldie hosted the W.T.C now the federal Girls College Umuahia. Trinity College was at Awka and in 1950 it was transferred to Umuahia its permanent site. With these new developments the Presbyterian Mission shifted all her theological training programmes to Trinity College. When the women Training College moved to Umuahia, Goldie resumed training in 1959 when a Scottish missionary Miss C. H. Denham joined the Calabar Mission. She trained were the first batch of women workers as church sisters who in 1990’s were renamed deaconess. Those trained were the late Miss Lucy EliejeArua, OriEkekwe, Grace Uwem who also the first ordained woman Elder of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria in 1958 at Aba by the Rev. OchuMbila. Others were Miss IsuIkona, Alice Uno, InyangEkanaem, Nnennayakanu. The living among then are Miss Ako E. E. Oku and Comfort U. Otaka