LDS (Mormon) Aba Nigeria Temple Closes Indefinitely Due to Violence
August 27, 2009 by DH
Filed under Mormon Africa
LDS (Mormon) Church Closes Aba Nigeria Temple
The Mormon Church has closed their Aba Nigeria Temple indefinitely due to violence and crime in the surrounding area of the temple. Temple workers were evacuated in mid-June after an incident in the area involving gunfire that struck the actual temple according to a Deseret News article (see story below).
Mormon Nigeria Temple Closed-My Thoughts
In short, it is sad to see the Saints of Nigeria (and others who use this temple) lose (for now at least) their opportunity to attend the temple and participate in the ordinances therein. I actually considered writing on the potential of violence in Nigeria affecting the Church as I’ve written previously on the religious conflict in Nigeria. Some of this conflict stems from the demographic makeup of the country-the Northern half being predominantly Muslim while the Southern half being more Christian. I wondered if this might spill over to the South and affect at some point the missionary work and operations of the Mormon Church as it is much more concentrated in the Southern half of Nigeria than in the Northern half. Having said that, I never did write that post as all seemed well in Nigeria from a Mormon perspective. In the end it wasn’t this religious conflict in the North that is affecting the work but crime and violence in the Aba area.
Now we read of the closing of the Nigeria Temple and it makes one think about the stability of foreign countries where the Mormon Church is and the distinct and real possibility that this kind of unrest and circumstances can have a profound impact on the impediment of missionary work. It’s unfortunate that a. this religious conflict exists within Nigeria and b. that now violence and crime are both close and real enough to have to shut down the Nigeria Temple for the safety of those working there and presumably those attending. Without a doubt the Church and its leaders recognize this very real possibility that exists throughout the world and does its best to put temples and meetinghouses in safe neighborhoods. Further, it is evident that the Mormon Church tends to move cautiously when entering countries. They do this for this exact reason, to begin to establish itself in a country only later to have the country slip into civil unrest, war, etc is counterproductive as it requires great amounts of resources, training, etc to establish the Church throughout the world. The Church does not put temples in areas where it is generally unstable and where the Church is not well-established. This is partly why the closing of the Nigeria temple is so surprising as Nigeria is and has been one of the more stable African nations. Due to this stability the Mormon Church has established itself quite strongly there and has experienced quite a bit of growth in Nigeria. Most evident by the fact that the closed temple is one of only three in all of Africa! So to see the temple closed is something quite significant when considering these points.
Post-Closure of Nigeria Temple
One clear outcome is that the Church will continue to have to operate with caution on a continent that is often unstable and volatile. This is clear from the recent incident with Elder Nelson in Mozambique and now the closing of the Nigeria temple. Though the temple has been closed “indefinitely” I don’t foresee missionary work and the Mormon Church presence grinding to a halt in Nigeria.Though that would obviously be the worst case scenario, with nearly 90,000 members in Nigeria and a history of relative stability I think eventually that it will become stable enough for the Church to feel comfortable in reopening the temple. (Also see bolded parts in actual news stories, the violence wasn’t directed at the Church but simply in the region.) If this is a matter of months or even years (I doubt it would be a matter of years as the situation would have to worsen considerably and I believe the Lord would protect His temple and Saints.) I would predict it will be the former. I could see this being a faith builder for African Saints as they pray and fast for the temple to be re-opened and the safety/stability of their country. We can only hope, pray and fast for the same thing. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments. Seeing the magnitude of such a story I’ve decided to simply quote in full some of the other articles I’ve read rather than summarize them. Full credit goes to the sources as indicated.
Violence forces closure of LDS Nigeria Temple - Scott Taylor Deseret News
Violence and crime in Aba, Nigeria, this summer caused The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to closed its Aba Nigeria Temple indefinitely and evacuate temple workers in mid-June.
“The safety of our temple visitors and workers is always our first concern,” LDS Church spokesman Scott Trotter said. “Incidents of violence in recent months in the area where the temple is situated are not necessarily related to the temple but could put church members at risk. As a precautionary measure, temple workers have been moved to other areas, and the temple has been closed while the situation is being addressed.”
The closing and evacuation followed in the wake of mid-June gunfire in the area around the temple. Also, the city of Aba and its Nigerian state of Abia have seen a marked increase in reported kidnappings this year.
In an email to the Standard-Examiner reported in the Ogden newspaper’s Wednesday edition, a Nigeria temple worker reported the mid-June incident in which four gunmen were seen carrying AK-47s, with shooting reported in the area around the temple, located on the outskirts of Aba, a city of about 900,000 on the Aba River in southern Nigeria.
Bullets from the shooting struck the guardhouse on the temple grounds. The complex also includes an LDS stake center and administrative office. The temple has been closed since mid-June, with foreign temple workers reassigned to other areas.
The Aba Nigeria Temple — the only one in the country and one of only two in the church’s Africa West Area — was dedicated Aug. 7, 2005, by President Gordon B. Hinckley.
Two years ago, the LDS Church was the target of an earlier round of violence in northern Nigeria when four missionaries were kidnapped near Port Harcourt. The kidnappers released the four Nigerian missionaries after local church leaders arranged to pay $810 total to compensate the kidnappers for the cost of housing and feeding the missionaries during their capture.
Scores of foreign oil company employees were kidnapped for ransom in early 2007. The spate of kidnappings has since moved from north Nigeria to south Nigeria.
While interest by Nigerians in the LDS Church dates back to the 1950s, the church first began proselytizing in Nigeria in 1978. Membership approached 10,000 in 1987. Ten years after that, as the church was approaching 100,000 members on the continent, Nigeria’s LDS membership was 30,300.
The church’s latest statistics for Nigeria include 88,374 members, five missions, the one temple and some 260 congregations throughout the country.
LDS Temple in Nigeria closed due to violence – ksl.com
SALT LAKE CITY — Recent violence in temple in Aba, Nigeria, has caused Latter-day Saint Church leaders to close their temple in that city.
Four gunmen with AK-47s struck a building in the temple compound. No one was injured in that gunfire at the compound, but there is unrest in that area constantly.
As the gunmen drove along the road that leads to the temple complex, they sprayed shots, and some of them hit the guardhouse at the entrance.
LDS Church spokesperson Scott Trotter, confirmed the incident resulted in eight bullet holes in the doors of the guard house, which is on temple grounds, but says the temple was not the target of the fighting.
Nigerian Church members say this was a crime incident and neither the temple, which is on a slight hill or rise, nor the Church was a target.
This statement about closing the temple came from Church Public Affairs today: “The safety of our temple visitors and workers is always our first concern. Incidents of violence in recent months in the area where the temple is situated are not necessarily related to the temple but could put Church members at risk.
“As a precautionary measure, temple workers have been moved to other areas and the temple has been closed while the situation is being addressed.”
Safety was the main concern four years ago when then-President Gordon B. Hinckley visited to dedicate the temple. He arrived and departed the area in a helicopter because bandits travel along that road daily.
In 2005 the area president us they are urged to travel during the day, as there are fewer crimes then.
Elder Sheldon F. Child at that time said, “When we run into difficulties is when we try to travel at night, but coming in the daytime, it’ll be save.”
KSL spoke Wednesday afternoon with Church Public Affairs and there is no word yet on when the temple will reopen
LDS Church in Nigeria
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was established in Nigeria in 1978. There are currently 88,374 members in Nigeria. LDS Church President Gordon B. Hinckley announced a temple would be built in Aba, Nigeria during General Conference in April 2000. Ground was broken for the temple on February 23, 2002. It took almost three and a half years to build the temple, which was dedicated by Pres. Hinckley on August 7, 2005.
Video of LDS (Mormon) Aba Nigeria Temple and surrounding area
Video Courtesy of KSL.com
I am a US expat living in Lagos, Nigeria and I just learned of the temple closing from a friend (not LDS) who sent me a link to an online US newspaper which quoted the Deseret News article about the closing. I went to the LDS Newsroom to learn more and it hadn’t even been mentioned there. I was surprised that a temple closing wasn’t covered in a Church newsroom article. I just got back to Nigeria and my husband who was able to attend our Lagos Stake Conference last Sunday said that the temple closing had been announced and they said that there was currently no date for reopening. I feel so badly for the Nigerian members who really have been blessed by access to the temple. It doesn’t really affect us because the temple is in Southern Nigeria where there is a lot of unrest directed especially toward white people and our company would not allow us to travel in that area. But I wouldn’t really consider Nigeria a “stable” African country. There is a lot of violence and unrest on many fronts. I think that region of Nigeria was chosen for the temple because that area was where the first large growth of the church came in Nigeria, and maybe at the time it was chosen it was a safer area. But right now it is in a very dangerous and violent part of the country and it was an especially difficult place to serve for the American temple workers who were very restricted in their ability to leave the temple grounds. Having a temple in Lagos would definitely be a safer alternative now for any foreign temple workers, but I don’t see the church permanently closing the Aba temple and building one up here any time soon. But the church will continue to be strong and grow here in Nigeria and the members are wonderful. I hope that they will soon be able to again enjoy the blessings of a temple in their country!
thank you for including the videos – they were really interesting to see as that is a part of the world that I know hardly anything about.
@Carolee,
Thanks for the great comment, very informative and interesting. I hope as you do that the temple reopens as soon as possible as I agree that there is no way they would move the temple. But a 2nd temple in Lagos would be very cool!
I think it will reopen after a short period of time-ie. a matter of months. But we can only hope and pray!
@Namakemono
No problem for posting the video. I found them quite interesting too. I am glad I found them at KSL.
DH
Ithinkwe need the temple blessingsto improve and strenghtenour testimonies of the trutfulness of the gospel so we need an urgent attension
okpuala ngwa branch
okpuala ngwa nigeria district
ilove aba nigeria temple
It was really bad to hear of such happening….But am glad it has been reopened…….want to be part of a forum of African LDS? Join http://www.africanmormons.com to meet with other Mormons and share experiences both physical and spiritual