THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF THE BOYS' BRIGADE, NIGERIA

THE BOYS' BRIGADE, NIGERIA.

BB NIGERIA -- FIRST FOR BOYS !

“THE HISTORY OF THE BOYS’ BRIGADE, NIGERIA: 1908 – 2008,” Volumes I and II are books (containing 600 pages altogether), written by Elias-Fatile, Tiwatope Adeleye providing detailed facts about the story of the founding of The Boys’ Brigade organisation, its introduction and growth in Nigeria. Please, click here for the Preface and the Foreword to the book (by His Royal Highness, Igwe P.C. Ezenwa, Eze-Okpoko OBA & President, Anambra State Boys’ Brigade Council).

The 1st Volume was publicly presented in 1998 at Umuahia, Abia State during the 90th Anniversary of The Boys’ Brigade, Nigeria. Volume II is expected to be publicly presented as part of the activities to celebrate the centenary of BB Nigeria in 2008. The abridged historical facts on this site rely very much on the revelation from these books.

(You can also refer to the book “FIRST FOR BOYS, The Story of The Boys' Brigade, 1883-1983” written by Donald M. McFarlan. The book provides good insight into the History of The Boys’ Brigade organisation as well and it is available online. Boys of the Brigade is another relevant book that is also available online).

The founding of The Boys’ Brigade organisation.

Founded in Glasgow, Scotland on 4th October, 1883 by Sir William Alexander Smith (who was born on 27th October, 1854 at Pennyland House, Thurso, Scotland), units of The Boys’ Brigade can be found in the continents of the World today. Many adults had the privilege of passing through the organization which continues to serve the youths of today, even though it has been in existence for a long time, over 122 years now.

In 1873, William Smith enlisted into the 1st Lanarkshire Rifle Volunteers, which thereafter became the 5th Battalion. He made his mark as an efficient and dedicated young man who was known to be a strict disciplinarian. He later had the Queen’s Commission and by 1883, he had risen to becoming a Lieutenant. He was also very active in Church activities, especially as a Sunday school teacher, where he taught the children lessons on the fear of God and other Christian principles. He believed very much in the words of the Holy Bible as recorded in Proverbs 22:6 that: “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart form it.”

Historical facts reveal the harsh situation, widespread poverty and distress associated with the advent of the technological advancement that resulted in the industrial revolution of Europe, especially during the second half of the 19th century. Also resulting from this was an unbridled exploitation of the children and many children were not enrolled in schools.

As a Sunday School teacher, William Smith observed that the grown up Boys were bored and restless. They did not obey their teachers. He remembered that as a Lieutenant with the Volunteers, he had no difficulty in making men under him to obey his command. To the contrary, in spite of the energy he diverted to training the Boys, many of them were unruly and disorderly. The adverse effect of the prevailing situation of the industrial revolution on the Boys was very pronounced such that many of them were hard-hearted. Sir William Smith was troubled and after much consideration of how to arrest the situation, he got the inspiration which at last resulted into the founding of The Boys’ Brigade organisation: “Discipline and espirit de corps.”

The idea of utilising “Drill and Discipline” on the Sunday School Boys, thereby, making them a volunteer band or brigade was meant to instil in them military order, obedience, discipline and self- respect. He concluded that a programme combining games with discipline, sports and Bible study would interest the Boys and create enthusiasm in them. He articulated this idea towards capturing and holding the interest and loyalty of the Boys to the best things of life. Consequently, Sir William Smith brought the Boys together and trained them on drill, gymnastics, team games and other interesting activities which were added to the religious instructions. The Boys were trained to be obedient, punctual to meeting and to obey the rules of personal hygiene and cleanliness.

Founder's Birthplace

Some Initial Basic Resolutions

William Smith evolved the idea of having the “anchor” as the BB logo with the motto: “Sure and Steadfast.” The motto was taken from the Authorised Version of the Holy Bible, Hebrews, chapter 6, verse 19: ‘Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast.’ There was no ambiguity on the objective as spelt out from the beginning by the founder thus: The advancement of Christ’s Kingdom among Boys and the promotion of habits of Reverence, Discipline, Self-Respect and all that tends towards a true Christian manliness. Ten years afterwards in 1893, the word Obedience was added before the word Reverence.

The first uniform

In the first year, the Boys wore a rosette as badge while Officers wore civilian bowler hat. By the following year, cap, belt and haversack were introduced to make the first complete uniform. The pill- box that was in use had no chin-strap but had two rows of white braid that was worn at a jaunty angle. Thereafter, the proper pill-box was introduced and the Officers started to use the Glengarry cap.

The early growth of the BB

Williams Smith’s Sunday School Boys had an adventure into new doctrine of strict adherence to obedience and discipline. The founder insisted on strictness in all activities. The Boys’ Brigade was viewed as the channel of moulding the character of the Boys because the city of Glasgow did not lack its great share of lawlessness during this period-in-view.

Following a consistent assessment, it was observed that the Boys who enrolled into The Boys’ Brigade and who were under strict training of the organisation were distinct and disciplined among other Boys in the society. Parents were willing to enlist their children into the BB. This made the organisation famous and by 1884, it was gradually receiving greater admiration outside Scotland.

The first Company, (The 1st Glasgow Company), was initially operating alone before the BB began to spread such that at the end of the third year, there were 2,000 members around Glasgow. William Smith was the Captain of the 1st Glasgow Company and he served in this capacity for a very long time before he died. Not long after, the BB idea became popular in England and in 1887, the 1st Jersey Company was founded. The 1st Belfast Company came into existence in 1888 and in 1890, the 1st Dublin Company was formed.

On 26th January, 1885, the first meeting to organise BB at the National level took place in Glasgow. Hence, the first meeting of the Brigade Council was held on 12th October, 1885. At the meeting, Major J. Carfrae Alston of the 4th Glasgow Company was appointed as the first President with effect from 1885. More companies were established in England, and gradually in other places outside United Kingdom. (Though, in the beginning Sir William Smith did not conceive The Boys’ Brigade idea to be a National or an international organisation for Boys, it gradually took that great dimension).

The 1st Glasgow Company had the first camp from July 16 to 23, 1886 at Auchenhechan, Tighnabruaich in Kyles of Bute. The Boys experienced swimming, sea-faring, boating and sailing. William Smith, as an experienced yachtsman, made each squad to have its own craft. It was delightful to see the boats in nautical array on the water of Bute. All these proved a profitable adventure. Therefore, camping continued. The Boys’ Brigade actually initiated camping for pleasure, (prior to this time, not even the military had camping for pleasure).

Following the establishment of more Companies, an administrative network was introduced where William Smith became the first Brigade Secretary in 1887 as a full-time staff. (He served in this capacity till his death). Many dignitaries identified with the BB, including the Duke of York, who was BB Patron as Prince and later as a King for a period of forty years.

On two instances, William Smith was in Canada and in the U.S.A. promoting the ideals of the BB. It was also on record, as T.A. Elias-Fatile testifies to it in the first volume of “THE HISTORY OF THE BOYS’ BRIGADE, NIGERA” that Sir William Smith’s son, Stanley Smith visited Nigeria in autumn, 1936 as Brigade Secretary. He was encouraged by the significant acceptance and growth of the BB in Nigeria.

Appreciating the vision of Sir William Smith and the great impact The Boys’ Brigade had in the lives of the young ones in the United Kingdom, the British Government honoured him with the Knighthood Order as “Sir” William Smith. The investiture was held in July 1909 in London.

BB after the death of Sir William Smith, the founder

On Sunday May 10, 1914, while in his 60th year, Sir William Smith died after a brief illness. When he was alive, he was once quoted to have said that:

If I am to be remembered by posterity

I should like it to be as the man

who taught people to spell Boy with a capital B….

In 1915, the BB “Founder’s Day” was inaugurated as the last Sunday in October annually. On 4th December, 1921, the annual “BB week” was inaugurated in England and it continued till today. The first BB International Camp was held in 1954 where Major-General D. J. Wilson-Haffenden became the Brigade Secretary.

After the firm establishment of BB, some other youth movements took their sources from the organisation. Therefore, The Boys’ Brigade opened the way for many other youth organisations. These include the Boy Scouts Movement, the Lads’ Brigade, the Boys’ Life Rifle Brigade, the Jewish Lads Brigade, the Girls Guildry, The Girls’ Guides and the Girls Life Brigade, (both merged in 1959 to become The Girls’ Brigade).

However, many of these youth organisations could not stand the test of time. They started, flickered and died while few survived and on 16th September, 1943, King George IV noted that:

… Sir William A Smith, built better than he knew,

for he started not only a great movement but one

from which all our present widespread youth training

was destined to spring….