ABSTRACT

The establishment of the present PCN has a link to the missionary enthusiasm which followed the 1 August 1838 emancipation of the slaves in the West Indies. In 1843, some congregations and ministers seceded from the Church of Scotland in what is called the 'Scottish Disruption' to form the Free Church of Scotland. However, in 1847 the United Presbyterian Church (UPC) was formed through the union of the United Secession and Relief churches. In 1900, many Free Church of Scotland congregations joined with UPC to form the United Free Church of Scotland (UFCS) and in 1929 the UFSC joined with the Church of Scotland to form the present day Church of Scotland. The UPC's encounter with the Ibinukpabi had huge implications for missions around Arochukwu and its environs, including Amasiri. Gwilym Jones asserts that Ibinukpabi was ubiquitous in Igbo and non-Igbo-speaking areas, but notes that it had little or no influence on the Niger region.