A BRIEF HISTORY OF NCHANE PEOPPLE
Most of the people that make up the five villages of Nchane clan came from the Tikari group who break from the Western and Eastern Nigerial and migrated to this Land, not all the people came from this group as the group of Nfume people came from the family of the fon of Kano in Nigeria. The five villages that make up the Nchane clan are Nfume, Nkanchi, Kibbo, Bem and Chunghe. The villages are autonomous and ruled each by a Chief, with subjects like the subchiefs, Njis, compound heads, and a secret society that acts as the power of the Chief known as Kwifon. Some of the villages have a traditional chief and the village chief recognized by the government.
The people have a cultural heritage where juju and other dance groups are involved, some involve women, some only men and male youths they may be interesting to Tourists. Some occupations of the Nchane people are centered on agricultural activities, where food and cash crops are farmed.
Since the arrival of the gospel to the land the cultural activities is of a less concern as the Misaje Nchane main market day was Sunday and was changed to Saturday by 1965 by the clergy bench and the fon of the village. It has a range of hills, valleys, dense grass land and little forest.
THE ENTHRONMENT OF THE CHIEF
According to the culture of the people of Nchane a chief does not die but a chief goes to the Market, or it is said the fire is quench, the chief is sick, a big tree is fallen, or the chief has gone to Nigeria.
The chief or subchief are buried in a special place called (Fuuŋ) tomb, in a grass house built in the palace. The chief is enthroned immediately the other chief goes to the market or is done within six to one year. Since people are chosen from families within the family of the chief, they hold secret meetings and choose who to rule. This is done on top secret and vow for any betrayal.
On the day of opening the market, people go up a hill and listern when a den gun is shut where the chief was buried, they will shoot to announce the opening of the market that will last for three weeks. Where a chief was not enthroned, the one is enthrone immediately they return from the hill.
WHY SHOULD THE PROJECT BE SPONSORED
Before bible translation came to being, the gospel was a strange message in a strange language for the respect of a white-man’s GOD.
But, since translation work started in 2011, the translated scripture has change the face and hearts of Christians in the land. The idea of worshipping God with a cultural concept of still standing in the tradition which has a respect for idol worship, have completely be tilted to knowing Christ and standing for him. This is seen as many juju houses have been looked, many have abandoned idolism, to worship the Lord our God. Many Leaders in the secret societies have been led to Christ as seen at Presbyterian Church Kibbo. The translated gospel has turned people’s hearts to worship God truly as many people keep surrendering to Christ, as a prince from Nfume palace is studying to become a priest, with two others already sisters in the sister hood.
Having heard the translated Luke Jesus film, the translated parables of Jesus, songs in the vernacular, a lot of testimony have been heard. 1) We listened to a testimony from Mama Esther Ŋkige of Nkanchi, who said, if I die today I will not enter hell, because God has spoken to me in the language I best understood, I heard and believed. It has put a smile on my face, I know now truly that I will see God.
It is developing and keeping the language, with about 30 worship places in the five villages of Nchane is a glaring indication.
A POSITIVE CHANGE AMONG THE NCHANE PEOPLE
When the Churches began gaining grounds and maturity, the leadership changed, the Holy Spirit intervene and many things happened.
Though the clan is a strong hold of the worship of idols: juju, traditional medicine practitioners but the church has change this negative aspect and Christianity is taken it true course. Many people have chosen to forget about the idols worship and geared toward Christianity. This is seen as idol worship is naturally dying down in the land, same with the issue of juju dancing, and immoral practices, less witches and wizards as many are finding their way to salvation by committing themselves to bible studies, prayer times. No one is still interesting in church dogma but interested in biblical concepts.
We can physically see this when church change the ways they handle their men of God, the clergy. Spiritual life styles, number of elites in the ministry of the gospel and how ambitious and committed, are the people. Sponsoring this project will be helping to increase the roots of the gospel in the land.
MOTHER TONGUE SCRIPTURE
Indeed, is very very true the same with the part of the globe. Nchane where you have six language group working on the scripture. We stand to testify that the changes in people lives as you will see how the behaviour in homes, in group meeting, rough language and quarrel has reduced.
Spiritual growths as you see in churches attendance given above all the love of scripture especially in the mother tongue.
We will say that any community that have an opportunity to translate the bible let them all heisted do it now and our donors SIL any opportunity you have to assist do it now times we see sign.
We appreciate what you have done and is our plea that why not the entire bible if it happens we shall receive double blessing from God.
THE ORIGIN OF CHRISTINITY IN NCHANE
The Roman Catholic Church came too the Nchane land in about 1919 and settle in Nfume land. After a ficibility study the Rev Father saw that Nfume is the centre of Nchane. A fence was constructed with stones and mud because of disturbances to the believers eg Traditional harassment, witchcraft.
Believers were gather into this fence to stay together to pray to say masses so as to cover themselves with the blood of Jesus. The Harassment was intensified to an extence. Which the Rev Father could not bear and he left in 1922 cursing the land. He later came and settles in Nkanchi in 1927 where the church was planted until today.
