Idigo of Aguleri

By the late 19th century, Christian missionaries were making significant progress in the evangelization of the Igbo peoples of the Onitsha-Idemili axis. When news of the missionaries' activities reached King Idigo Ogbuanyinya of Aguleri (a town in modern-day Anambra State) in 1890, he sent a special invitation to the foreign guests, inviting them to begin their evangelical activities in his community. Eager to learn the white mens' ways, King Idigo allocated them land to build a mission house and even agreed to convert to the new religion. On the day of his baptism, upon hearing the terms of his 'rebirth' into Christianity (which included relinquishing many of his traditional titles, donating a portion of his wealth, and divorcing all but one of his several wives), he refused to convert.

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