- Alfred Saker
Alfred Saker (
July 21 1814 inWrotham ,Kent —March 12 1880 inPeckham ) was a Britishmissionary .A Baptist missionary, Alfred Saker arrived in Douala at the mouth of the
Wouri River in 1845.In 1858, Alfred Saker returned with Joseph Merrick plus a small group of slaves. Alfred Saker bought a large property (16km x 8km) from King William of Bimbia. The small group built a school, a church, and other buildings for the mission. They also faced problems of health or the hostility of the population. They opened churches, dispensaries and centers of care and trained a great number of Cameroonian pastors, tailors, shoe-makers, masons and carpenters who helped them build the Church of Béthel in 1860.
Considered by
David Livingstone to be the most influential missionary inWest Africa , Saker founded theCameroon city of Victoria, now Limbé (since 1982), in 1858. As part of his envangelizing efforts he translated theBible into Duala between 1862 and 1872. He envisioned great possibilities and tried to convince the English government to make this area aCrown Colony .A Baptist school in Limbe,Saker Baptist College , is named after him.References
* " [http://www.cameroun-plus.com/s16/index.php?page=page02 Les missionnaires] ". Cameroun-plus.com. Accessed
22 May 2006 .External links
* [http://www.bakweri.org/2004/03/august_21_1958_.html Deed of Purchase of Victoria District, West Africa]
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