NgoMgqibelo, March 1, 2014, isixuku sabantu abangu-823 esigcwele injabulo sasihlangene eHholo Lomhlangano loFakazi BakaJehova eDolobheni laseBenin ukuze ligubhe isenzakalo esiyingqopha-mlando eNigeria. Kusukela ngo-1999, lapho kuqala ilungiselelo lokwakha amaHholo OMbuso emazweni antulayo, oFakazi BakaJehova sebakhe amaHholo OMbuso angu-3000 kulelo zwe.

Lowo mhlangano wawuhlanganisa umlando omfushane womsebenzi owawuhilelekile ekulungiseleleni amabandla aseNigeria izindawo zokukhulekela kusukela ngo-1920. Ekuqaleni kwakusetshenziswa amakhaya nezindawo eziqashiwe. Indawo yakudala kakhulu eyayisetsheziselwa imihlangano yoFakazi BakaJehova eNigeria yihholo elalakhiwe ngawo-1935 edolobheni lase-Ilesa. Phakathi kuka-1938 no-1990, inani lamabandla landa laphindeka izikhathi ezicishe zibe ngu-200, kusukela kwangu-14 kuya kwangu-2681, futhi iningi lawo lahlupheka ukuthola indawo yokuhlangana. Amanye amaHholo OMbuso ayenamabandla ayisithupha ahlanganyela kuwo. Kwezinye izindawo, ababeba khona babegcwala baphuphume ehholo—kuze kudingeke bame ngaphandle balalele umhlangano ngamafasitela. Kanti, amabandla amaningi ayesahlanganyela emakhaya nasemakilasini esikole.

Ngo-1990 ihhovisi legatsha loFakazi BakaJehova laqala ukusekela ukwakhiwa kwamahholo ngokubolekisa ngemali yeSikhwama SamaHholo Ombuso. Ngo-1997, iKomiti Yokwakha Yesifunda yasiza amabandla angu-105 ukuba akhe noma alungise amahholo awo. Ngonyaka ka-1997 kuya ku-1999 kwakhiwa amahholo angu-13, wonke aqedwa ngezinsuku ezingu-7 kuya kwezingu-15.

Ngisho nalokhu kwakhiwa okushesha ngale ndlela kwakunganele ukuhambisana nokwanda koFakazi BakaJehova eNigeria. Ngo-April 1998, ihhovisi legatsha lathi kwakudingeka amaHholo OMbuso alinganiselwa ku-1114 kulelo zwe.

Ekhuluma kulo mhlangano okhethekile eDolobheni laseBenin, uDon Trost, ilungu leKomiti Legatsha laseNigeria, watshela izethameli: “Kwakuwumsebenzi omkhulu kakhulu! Sazibuza, ‘Ingabe siyoke sikwazi ukuwuqeda?’” Kusukela ngo-1999, lowo mbuzo waphenduleka lapho iQembu Lokwakhiwa KwamaHholo OMbuso elinamalungu ayisithupha kuya kwangu-8 lisiza amabandla kulo lonke lelo zwe. Lisebenzisa amapulani alula, eminyakeni engu-14 edlule selakhe amahholo alinganiselwa ku-17 inyanga ngayinye.

Ngemva kokuncoma izethameli ngalokho okuye kwafezwa, uMfoweth’uTrost waphawula ukuthi kusenomsebenzi owengeziwe okusadingeka wenziwe. Phakathi no-2013 isilinganiso senani loFakazi BakaJehova eNigeria sasande saba ngaphezu kuka-8000. Wathi: “Ukuze kubhekanwe nokwanda kwangesikhathi esizayo, kuzodingeka amanye amaHholo OMbuso ayikhulu unyaka ngamunye.” Ngo-2013 kube nesilinganiso esiphakeme soFakazi abangu-351000 emabandleni angaphezu kuka-5700 eNigeria.