How did formerly enslaved people from Sierra Leone help missionaries and British traders enter Nigeria?

Many formerly enslaved people who were emancipated and settled in Sierra Leone played a pivotal role in facilitating the entry of British missionaries and traders into Nigeria during the 19th century.1

After being rescued by the Royal Navy and deposited in Sierra Leone, some of these individuals sought to return to their homelands. Upon returning, they invited missionaries to follow them and acted as essential agents who provided access to various regions, including Lagos, Abeokuta, Calabar, Lokoja, and Onitsha.1

These individuals, often referred to as Creoles or Krios, were frequently literate and Christian, having been educated under missionary tutelage in Sierra Leone. They suggested the establishment of Anglican missions in Nigeria and served as intermediaries for the Church Missionary Society. A prominent example was Samuel Ajayi Crowther, a formerly enslaved person who became the first African Anglican bishop and was instrumental in establishing mission stations and expanding British influence along the Niger River.213