Nigeria has lost one of its most iconic Christian figures as Ruth Elton, the oldest serving missionary in the country, passed away on Saturday, August 30, 2025, at the Sharon compound in Alafia Bamin Quarters, Ilesa, Osun State. She was 91 years old.
Her remains have since been deposited in the mortuary.
Born on September 7, 1933, Ruth Elton was the only daughter of the legendary missionary Sydney Granville “Pa” Elton, a pioneer of Pentecostal Christianity in Nigeria who played a significant role in the rise of the Charismatic and Pentecostal movements.
Ruth first arrived in Nigeria with her parents in 1937 and dedicated her entire life to missionary work, serving in rural communities across Kogi, Ondo, Oyo, and Osun States. She became deeply integrated into Nigerian life, learning and speaking Ebira and Yoruba fluently.
In the 1970s, she made history by renouncing her British citizenship and formally becoming a Nigerian citizen—an act that symbolized her lifelong commitment to the people she served.
Her missionary contributions extended beyond evangelism. Elton is widely celebrated for her grassroots health initiatives in Okene, Kogi State, where her efforts were credited with reducing infant mortality and improving access to healthcare for rural families.
Despite her long years of service and dedication to humanity, she remained unmarried, choosing instead to devote her life entirely to Christian service and humanitarian work.
Tributes are already pouring in from across the Christian community in Nigeria, with many describing her death as “the end of an era.”
Funeral arrangements are expected to be announced in the coming days.
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