19/12/2025
THE BOYS’ BRIGADE HISTORY
The Boys’ Brigade work was started in 1944 during the Second World War, and the first major camp was held at Zangen in 1947 with 550 boys. In that same year, the work grew from fewer than 200 boys to about 500 boys, while the number of leaders increased from 10 to 60, culminating in a grand camp at Zangen.
Fog was appointed group leader for the companies on the northern riverbank in Bachama land, Pilgaard became group leader for D**g District and the River Benue companies, and Numan awaited Matthiesen, while Fog also supervised the Mbula, Longuda, and Lamurde companies.
Altogether, there were seven companies working in 24 different villages, and as Fog wrote, constant supervision of the Boys’ Brigade work required a great deal of travelling.
The first National Organising Secretary was Yoila Jarigaru, who was appointed in 1957 and served until 1958, when he was elected Chief of Longuda. When Rev. Judson Glah was ordained in 1962, he was appointed as the next secretary. In that same year, he travelled to Denmark for a major national camp together with Aaron Irah, Joel Jeneso, and Ezra Bilari.
He also established the Boys’ Brigade office before leaving the position in 1971. After him, Mr. James Ngitama took over the role in 1973 and served for five years. He believed strongly in an “early start,” and his son wore a full Boys’ Brigade uniform at just one year old. Capt. Wesley Fwa later served as the officer in charge from 1986 to 1997.
The uniformed church youth work here is the Boys’ Brigade, and it is true that it is one of the most important works in the Church, a fact the Church clearly recognises. Through Niels Rønnest Jensen and Pastor Judson, the Church expanded and strengthened its Boys’ Brigade work, so that it came to comprise about 5,000 of Northern Nigeria’s 12,000 Boys’ Brigade members. Through the Boys’ Brigade, the Church has contact with many young people it would not otherwise be able to reach.”