Kohima: In commemoration of 125 years of Christianity in Akhoya village in Nagaland, a statue of the first missionary to the Naga soil Rev Dr Edward Winter Clark was unveiled by the Director of Nagaland Missions Movement, Rev I Wati Longkumer on Friday in the presence of the Akhoya villagers under Mokokchung district..
According to sources today the seven feet gold coloured statue of Rev Dr Clark, made of fiber glass material and weighing over 100 kilograms, was constructed at Kolkata by Saumitra Dutta Gupta. According to the Convener of the Akhoya Baptist Church Quasquicentenary (125 years), Monument Committee Convener, K Temjen Jamir (Editor of local vernacular daily Tir Yimyim), the whole project of constructing and erecting the statue cost over six Lakhs rupees.
He said that the statue at Akhoya is the only full figure image of Rev Dr Edward Clark in the whole world. Divulging about the significance of erecting the statue of Rev Dr Clark at the village, K Temjen Jamir said that the first American missionary after he came to the Naga area, came to Akhoya in the year 1980 and prayed for the whole village.
The prayer of Rev Dr Clark is etched at the base of the monument. It read, “Lord Jesus, thy Kingdom come, may your blessings be upon this Akhoya village and raise many witnesses to proclaim the gospel amongst the people beyond the river.”
K Temjen maintained that it is because of this prayer of Dr Clark that there have been many prominent citizens from Akhoya village including a former Deputy Chief Minister and a former Chief Secretary in the state.
The statue is located in the heart of the village on a small hill and the names of the pastors who have served at Akhoya Baptist Church from 1888 till date are etched in granite and planted around the statue. It may be noted here that the Akhoya Baptist Church will be celebrating its Quasquicentenary from December 28 to 29 this year. (UNI)