These then, are the difficulties which Christianity has to overcome if it must survive. Fortunately, the church has several ways to help it. One of these is force. The colonizers come with the religion on one hand and government in the other. Military and government powers are used to subside the religion. This can be seen in the incident following the destruction of the Umofia church by the egwugwus. All the leaders responsible for this are arrested and put in prison. They are not released until a handsome ransom has been paid. Obreika understands this fact well when he tells Okonkwo that an attempt to fight against the white man and to drive him away is bound to fail for soldiers will be brought from Umuru to suppress the rising against him.
Secondly, clansmen become converted. At first, it is the efulefu and the osu only. According to the laws of the land, no one must kill an osu and the killing of any efulefu with impunity is not allowed. Therefore, the conversion of the clansmen is important for at least two reasons. First, their presence draws in more clansmen. Secondly, it is impossible to attack and kill the missionaries without committing a crime against the goddess of the earth, Ani by killing some of her children. Obreika also realizes this fact when he tells Okonkwo “our own men and our sons have joined the ranks of the stranger.”
Next, Christianity is all embracing. Any human-being is acceptable, even the repentant sinner is welcome. Thus, Christianity gives a new life to the socially outlawed like the osu, it thrusts the efulefu into a never expected prominence, and levels up the lowest with the highest in the community. They are all brothers, sons of one God before whom the osu and the elder who has taken the highest title in the land are equal. While one titled man abhors this fact, several efulefus happily accept it. Thus the “worthless”, “empty” men swell the fold as more and more come in to find salvation.
Furthermore, the Christians are bold and persevering. When in Mbanta, they are ready to stay in the market-place for five days, going to the village daily to preach. At last, they are received by the Mbanta elders. When they are given the Evil Forest to build their church, they willingly accept it. When they survive and even thrive in this Forest, the people become amazed and they feel that the white man’s God must have wonderful powers, otherwise the missionaries should have all died. However, more converts are gained due to this survival.
The Christian religion brings with itself a strong government and peaceful trade. The people become more prosperous. Foe instance, the Umofians prefer having the lucrative commerce to pointlessly attacking the white man and his religion. But Okonkwo and his kind still find them an “abominable gang” who must be liquidated at once.
Mr. Brown who founds the missionary headquarters in Umofia is the most suitable man at this delicate stage when the church is still finding its feet. His clear understanding of the situation and readiness to compromise, pilot the infant church safely through he uncertain days of its inception. The same Mr. Brown must be praised for our next point. That is, he turns to educating people, thereby opening new avenues of employment and social prestige to the people who find something new in the religion that provides them education. For example, Nwoye greatly benefits from this educational policy.
Nonetheless, the new religion gives answers to some of the vague questions that have hitherto haunted people. Thus, Nwoye feels that he has the answer to Ikemefuna’s death, and the casting away of the twins that cry on the bush until they die. It is for these reasons that Christianity gains grounds, fierce opposition notwithstanding.