Ruth Elton (born 7 September 1933) is a British-born Nigerian retired Christian missionary based in Ilesa, Nigeria. She is the only child of Sydney Granville and Hannah Elton, deceased British missionaries who are commonly regarded as pioneers of the Pentecostal revival movement in Nigeria.[1]
Early life and missionary work edit
Ruth Elton relocated to Nigeria along with her parents in July 1937 at about the age of 3.[2] Her father, Sydney Granville "Pa" Elton,[2] had been posted to Nigeria as an Area Superintendent of The Apostolic Church of Nigeria, which was then under Joseph Ayo Babalola.[3] She spent her younger years in Okene.[4] Her father remained in Nigeria for 50 years until his death in Ilesa in 1987.[2]
Like her parents, Ruth became a missionary and served in Egbe, Ebirra, Okene, Koton Karfe and other parts of present-day Kogi, Ondo, Oyo and Osun states before retiring from active missionary work and permanently settling in Ilesa.[3][4]
At some point in her early years, Ruth trained in sewing, handwork and arts at a technical college in the United Kingdom. Elton, who has remained celibate and unmarried her whole life, is polyglot, who speaks English, Yoruba and Ebira languages fluently. In 1975, she had to renounce her British citizenship to naturalize as a Nigerian, as it was impossible then to hold a dual citizenship.[4][5]
Together with her missionary work, she contributed to taming infant mortality owing to poor childcare and hygiene and the practice of force-feeding, particularly in Okene, Kogi during the late colonial and early postcolonial years.[5]
Ruth Elton has authored three Christian books. They are: The Gospel of the Kingdom; Your Citizenship: Hell or the Kingdom?; and The Kingdom Has Come.[4]
References edit
- ^ Olugu, Olugu Orji (2014-02-12). "There Was A Man, S. G. Elton: There Is A Church Uncertain Of Her True Identity And Mandate". SaharaReporters. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
- ^ a b c Adeyi, Clement (2017-02-09). "Day Christians in Osun Communities Remembered British Missionary". The Sun Nigeria. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
- ^ a b "Accolades for Great Missionary Ruth Elton at 80". The Nation. 2014-10-01.
- ^ a b c d "Why I Renounced My British Citizenship For Evangelism In Nigeria —80-Year-Old Ruth Elton". Nigeria Tribune. September 2014. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
- ^ a b Jeremiah, Kingsley (2021-09-19). "Echoes of Revival... New Nigeria resonates as Elton turns 87". The Guardian Nigeria. Abuja. Retrieved 2023-05-17.