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Following years of prayer, groundwork and intense spiritual warfare, TWR is now airing the good news of Jesus Christ into spiritually needy West Africa. Broadcasts began February 1 from a powerful 100,000-watt AM transmitter located in Benin. The facility has the potential to reach some 63 million people, many of whom belong to another major world religion. “We need to pray for those who are going to hear the gospel perhaps for the very first time,” says TWR-Africa Director of Operations Ray Alary. “Pray that they will be receptive, and that their hearts will be changed for the Lord Jesus Christ.”

On July 5, TWR held the official dedication of the station. More than 1,000 people attended the ceremony, and featured speakers included TWR's Board of Directors Chairman and Interim CEO Tom Lowell and West Africa Director Abdoulaye Sangho. Special guests also included the representative to the President of Benin and officials from the local community. The highlight of the event was the dedication prayer and ribbon-cutting ceremony that officially opened the doors to the new TWR Benin transmitter building.

A former French territory, Benin gained its independence in 1960. Its coastline is part of what used to be known as the Slave Coast, where Africans were shipped across the Atlantic to become slaves. Those captives brought with them elements of their culture and religion, including voodoo. In fact, though it was once banned in the country, Benin is known as the birthplace of voodoo and celebrates this on National Voodoo Day, which draws thousands each January.

Despite some economic growth and being one of Africa’s largest cotton producers, Benin ranks among the world’s poorest countries and relies heavily on trade with neighboring Nigeria. Benin is home to one of Africa’s most stable democracies and a strong civil society, however, and current president Thomas Boni Yayi is an evangelical Christian.

Radio is popular among Benin’s 7 million-strong population, especially due to its use of local languages. TWR’s broadcasts in 14 languages to West Africa include evangelistic and discipleship programs produced by church leaders and Christian organizations in West Africa. Some of the broadcasts listeners are hearing include Thru the Bible, Women of Hope, Way to Life, The Way of Righteousness and The Word Today, as well as programming for children, nonreaders and those affected by HIV/AIDS.

MORE ON BENIN

• Benin Dedication featured on TWR-Africa's Web site
• BBC News Country Profile
• TWR’s Benin schedule
• TWR-Africa’s archived articles on Benin

Languages aired from Benin:

• Bariba > Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon
• Dendi > Benin, Nigeria
• Ditammari > Benin, Togo
• English > Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana
• Fon > Benin, Cameroon, Cameroon
• French > Francophone West Africa
• Hausa > Nigeria, Niger, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ghana
• Ifè > Benin, Togo
• Kanuri > Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon
• Lukpa > Benin, Togo
• Pulaar > Benin
• Songhai > Benin
• Twi > Ghana
• Yoruba > Nigeria, Benin