Nigeria
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Population: 107,100,000
Life expectancy male/female: 53/56 years
Infant mortality rate: 130-160‰ |
Religions: Muslim 43%; Christians 34%; Animists
19%
Independence: 1st October 1960 (from the UK)
GDP per capita: US$ 295 (1995) |
History
The first Spiritans arrived in Eastern Nigeria in 1885 from the
French Province. They were followed later in this region by the
Irish confreres. The foundation of what is now the Province of Nigeria
was laid in 1952 with the establishment of Holy Ghost Juniorate
Ihiala in 1952. The Holy Ghost Novitiate Awomama was erected in
1958. With the departure of the Irish confreres at the end of the
civil war in 1970 the Nigerian Spiritans continued as members of
the District of Nigeria-East which became the "Province of
Nigeria-East" in 1976. This became the "Province of Nigeria"
in 1983 embracing the entire country with the Districts of Makurdi
and Kogi as autonomous circumscriptions
within the boundaries of the Province.
Statistics
The Province has 320 members: 2 Bishops, 168 priests, 7 Brothers,
143 junior professed in formation.
Formation programme
The Province is one of the fastest growing Provinces in the Congregation.
This can easily be seen in the teeming number of young people in
the different formation houses which are full. There are many young
people in the country who want to join the Spiritans.
Mission engagements
a) Within the Province
Types of ministry: Some of the pastoral commitments within the country
have been dictated by the need to build up a strong home base in
the form of Spiritan parishes and some self-help projects as well
as by the needs of the formation houses. These include:
- parish pastoral work some in areas of first evangelisation;
- Education: teaching, administration and chaplaincy in all levels
of educational institutions;
- youth ministry;
- retreat and spiritual animation ministry for various groups;
- foundation of new religious Congregations by a few of the members.
b) Outside the Province
The Province has always remained open to the general mission of
the Congregation outside its boundaries. It has manifested great
readiness to work in the spirit of the new movement in the Congregation
which encourages north-south, south-south collaboration among
the circumscriptions. There are a lot of requests for personnel
coming from various parts of the Congregation to the Province
to which it tries to respond as much as possible.
Presently 70 Nigerian confreres are working in 19 different countries:
Zimbabwe, Gabon, FAC,
South Africa, Cameroon,
Congo Brazzaville, Congo
Kinshasa, Mozambique, Ethiopia,
Angola, Senegal, Guyana,
Papua New Guinea, France,
Belgium, USA, TransCanada,
Rome, Philippines.
The last Provincial Chapter in 1996 has pronounced itself on the
danger of over-spread of the Province both within and outside. While
not wishing to put a stop to new missions, it has given the Provincial
Administration a directive to give serious attention to consolidating
the present missions with a view to ensuring community life and
team work at home and abroad. Further expansion in response to vital
and urgent needs of the Congregation has to done in consultation
with the General Administration.
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