The Hymn Amazing Grace is connected to eastern Nigeria.

Amazing Grace is a well-known Christian hymnal. This song has been sung in many formal settings, including places of royalty, to declare one's salvation through Jesus Christ. Did you know Amazing Grace has its roots in Africa, specifically Nigeria?

Several years ago, I watched The Amazing Grace, a film produced by Nigerian film writer, Jeta Amata. This movie tells the reformation story of John Newton, a slave trader who sold Nigerians from the Efik tribe into slavery. During the film, a song in Ibibio, which is the indigenous language of the Efik, was sung repeatedly. It didn't take long for me to realize that this song had a familiar tune—it was Amazing Grace. No doubt, this film prompted me to learn more about the hymn’s origins and John Newton.

As previously mentioned, John Newton was a former slave trader. Newton eventually repented for his role in slavery after realizing it was a terrible and demeaning cause. To profess his newfound faith, particularly the saving power of Jesus Christ, he composed the hymn Amazing Grace to the tune of an Efik song he heard while in Nigeria.

The film The Amazing Grace had a significant impact on me. It instilled in me a passion to learn about slavery and discover that individuals from my home country Nigeria, were taken as slaves. Today, when I hear the hymn Amazing Grace, I am reminded of my ancestors' ability to survive slavery and the redemptive power of Jesus Christ.