The Nigerian Christian community has been thrown into mourning following the death of Ruth Elton, the revered missionary widely regarded as the oldest living missionary in the country. She died on Saturday at the Sharon compound, Alafia Bamin Quarters, Ilesa, Osun State. She was aged 91.
Born on September 7, 1933, Ruth Elton was the only daughter of the legendary Sydney Granville Elton—fondly known as Pa Elton—one of the pioneering figures of Pentecostalism in Nigeria. Moving with her parents to Nigeria in 1937, she devoted her entire life to missionary work across different parts of the country, including Egbe, Okene, Koton Karfe, Oyo, Ondo and Osun.
A naturalised Nigerian who renounced her British citizenship in the 1970s, Elton fully embraced the culture of her adopted homeland. She spoke both Yoruba and Ebira fluently and lived as one with the communities she served.
Her missionary endeavours went beyond preaching the gospel. Elton was instrumental in addressing infant mortality, particularly in Okene, Kogi State, where she worked tirelessly to promote proper hygiene and discourage harmful practices such as force-feeding newborns. She often recalled with grief how countless infants were lost to ignorance and poor medical care, a challenge she sought to reverse through awareness and intervention.
Despite Nigeria’s well-documented struggles with corruption and instability, Elton held firmly to her father’s prophetic declarations—that the country would one day shed its notoriety and emerge as a beacon of righteousness and prosperity. Even in her later years, she remained unwavering in her belief that Nigeria’s spiritual destiny was yet to be fulfilled.
Though she never married, Elton described her work and impact as her true legacy. “I made my mark here,” she once remarked, expressing satisfaction with her life’s mission.
Her remains have been deposited at a mortuary in Ilesa. Funeral arrangements are expected to be announced in due course.
